Russian court orders Rammstein frontman to pay up – media

German heavy metal star Till Lindemann has been ordered to pay €635,400 ($670,000) to a company in the Russian city of Tver, for failing to perform at a scheduled concert in 2021, a Russian court has reportedly ruled.

The figure, determined by the International Commercial Arbitration Court for the Russian Chamber of Commerce (ICAC), is based on the fee paid to the Rammstein frontman, interest over the years since, and court expenses, TASS news agency said on Monday.

The 70-minute show in Tver was booked by a firm founded by local businessman Maksim Larin. It was supposed to be part of a larger event called ‘McLarin for Homeland’, presented by the entrepreneur as an expression of patriotism, but widely viewed as part of a local election campaign.

Back in 2021, Larin announced that Lindemann’s appearance had been canceled at the last moment by the entertainer himself, after he refused to comply with Covid restrictions in place at the time. Larin also claimed that local authorities used bureaucratic leverage to undermine his plans for political reasons.

The case reviewed by the ICAC was apparently an attempt by the businessman to recoup his expenses. According to TASS, a parallel court dispute is ongoing between him and Lindemann’s manager, Anar Reiband, regarding an advance payment for “promotion services”, which Larin reportedly intended to contract from Reiband, but never did.

Covid-19 affected the tours of many artists, who had to follow local guidelines for mass events meant to slow down the spread of the infection. Lindemann famously used a large plastic bubble, in which he and Swedish multi-instrumentalist Peter Tagtgren gave live performances during the pandemic, including in Russia.