Σύμφωνα με τα λεγόμενα των Pavlov's Dog, συνέβη το παρακάτω περιστατικό. Επιφυλλάσομαι για σχόλια εαν δεν μαθω και την επισιμη ανακοίνωση της άλλης πλευρας
The story about Pavlov`s Dog tragedy in Greece 2008: Astra (Mr. Nicholas Triandafyllidis) booked Pavlov`s Dog from Rockville Music for two shows on May 30th (Athens at the Gagarin205) and 31st (Thessaloniki at the Principal Club Theater). The agreed advance deposit was not wired due to "bank`s strike" in Greece in April. As we had three good shows in 2007 - without pay problems - I had no reason to doubt that, and we agreed on pay on day of show like the year before. In the retrospective I am not sure if the "strike" was real or an intended fake. On day of show Mr. Nicholas Triandafyllidis was at the Gagarin205 before and at the show. He was kind and friendly, so there was no reason for becoming suspicious about anything. We agreed to meet after the show for pay, as we did it on last year`s shows. After the show the office was dark, and Nicholas Triandafyllidis was not there any more. I called him on his mobile phone and he said "This is not Germany, Fuck You!" and hang up. Since then I could never again get a hold of him on the phone, mails are not answered. We tried after the show to solve the issue with Mr. Christos Magridakis, who is the "venuemanager" of the Gagarin205. But he pretended to be not in charge at all, explained that Astra is a promoter independent from Gagarin205, having rented the Gagarin205 for the Pavlov`s Dog show to Astra (in the meanwhile we received information, telling that Astra owns the Gagarin205 ...). We finally called the police, who refused to help, as this is "an issue for civil court". We had no other option besides to leave, as it was 3am and our train to Thessaloniki departed very early the next morning. In Thessaloniki we received the new information that Mr. Triandafyllidis has sold the show in Thessaloniki to a local promoter (we did not know this yet, i.e. Mr. Triandafyllidis has signed a contract regarding the show in Thessaloniki which conflicted with the contract Rockville has signed with him). The local promoter from Thessaloniki told us that he had already wired an advance deposit to Astra for the Pavlov`s Dog show in Thessaloniki, which was supposed to be forwarded to Rockville Music for paying the band, but was never forwarded to us by Astra. And for that reason the local promoter refused to pay the whole pay, which is traceable from his point of view. We were forced to have a show just for the door money, or to have the show canceled and have no pay at all again. We decided to play, also because the audience coming for the band should not suffer from the fraud. Under the line there was NO PAY (zero!) from Astra for the 2 shows booked. Astra has received - besides the advance deposit from the promoter from Thessaloniki - the whole money from the door plus the advance sold tickets from Athens. Again: NO PAY at all from Astra, neither to Rockville, nor to Pavlov`s Dog! So what Mr. Triandafyllidis did wasn't much different then robbing us in an alley with a gun to our heads. We see this as a premeditated criminal action by intentionally committing fraud. And as we found out later, we were not the only victims, there are several agencies, bands and people being frauded and not payed by Astra in 2008. Last not least it is a shame what Mr. Triandafyllidis did to David Surkamp as an artist and human, who was brought to Greece for soldout shows in 2007 with a huge success and huge profit for Mr. Triandafyllidis (much more than he owes us now). David Surkamp faces a lot of respect from the people in Greece, and he simply deserves to be treated with respect. It is a shame what impression about Greece Astra forced him into, a shame against the Greece people. The message to everybody in the music buisness in Greece, and to every booking agency in the world: Be aware of that story and spread it, that at least other people can be protected from an experience like this.
