The owners of a Detroit venue are speaking out amid controversy. After bands participating in a black metal concert at Harpos Concert Theatre were accused of Nazi leanings, owners Ruzvelt Stevanovski and Krystle Dzajkovska shut down the show.
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In a lengthy Instagram post, the duo explained what went down on Jan. 25, offered their “deepest apologies,” and insisted the event did “not reflect” their values.
“We at Harpos are deeply committed to fostering an environment of inclusivity, respect, and equality for all,” they wrote. “We want to unequivocally state racism has no place in our business or community, and we stand against all forms of racism.”
The owners claimed that they “were not given certain information during the process of booking this event.” In retrospect, they believe it was “by design” and that the organizers “deliberately failed to provide such information.” The whole thing, they said, has left them feeling “manipulated.”
“We were not made aware ahead of time that some of the bands were in any association with Nazi/Neo Nazi, White Supremacy, and/or Nationalist Socialist black metal. If I were made aware of this ahead of time, this event would have never happened,” the owners said. “… It was communicated that it was just a Black Metal Festival, which Harpos has had many in the past.”
Controversy Leading Up to the Concert
In the days leading up to the show, the Detroit Free Press reported that the concert was advertised on flyers. Those flyers that said the venue hosting the event would be disclosed only to ticket holders. Per the outlet, concern in “local metal circles” followed as people worked to identify the event site.
“As far as the event location being hidden. It was not Harpos’ that kept the location of the event from the public,” the owners wrote. “This was per the request of the event organizer explaining that this is the way he does his metal shows; he sells tickets for the event and the location is only disclosed to the ticket holders the day of the event.”
The owners said that they “did not assume that the reason for this was due to the nature of the band(s).”
“We were not aware of the circulating hate driven flyers with the red markings clearly indicating the nature, which was different from the original flyer,” the owners said. “We were not tagged in those original posts.”
The Day of the Show
Stevanovski told the Detroit Free Press that he became aware of the problem when he began getting calls from friends. His pals who had seen posts online claiming Harpos was hosting a neo-Nazi event.
Stevanovski said he immediately walked onstage and shut off the sound. He told the crowd of up to 250 people that the concert was over. The bands, two of which had performed and five of which were on deck, left without incident, he said.
Per the outlet, the bands included several visiting the area, such as Virginia’s Grand Belial’s Key. Additionally, at least one Michigan act was included, the outlet reported.
Police wound up showing up to the venue without being called, the owners said in their Instagram post.
“The police officers came to the venue on their own due to the threats made online, which we were unaware of,” they explained.
Detroit Police spokesman Cpl. Dan Donakowski told the Detroit Free Press that officers order Harpos to close. This was not due to the concert, but rather because the venue was “not in compliance with certain licenses.”
Harpos’ Owners Take Responsibility for Hosting the Show
On Instagram, the owners noted that they “take full responsibility and accountability” for not doing “due diligence.”
“This is not who we are or what we represent,” they wrote. “As a Black venue owner, I fully understand that hate and racism comes in all forms and skin tones. However, my race/ethnicity is no defense or excuse for my ignorance of not knowing.”
The owners added that they “would never intentionally jeopardize the trust” they’ve earned. They added that they intend to do everything they can to “gain back that trust.”
“Harpos has a rich history and I now realize I need to do more to address concerns about vetting bands and doing more research,” the owners wrote. “I have an immense amount of improvement to do and I need to do better for the sake of my business and my community.”
“The outrage and anger is completely understood and shows that there is still some humanity left in this world and that there are still individuals out there that will stand up against what is wrong and hateful,” they added. “Hate and racism is not something that I or Harpos stand for, encourage, or promote and I would never knowingly or intentionally hold this type of event at my venue with the risk of losing the support of my community and my venue. This is not who we are, this is not what we represent.”
The post concluded by stating, “We truly thank all our loyal patrons over the years and all the memories we share. We look forward to making more for years to come.”
Photo via Google Maps
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