Massive Attack show at western Georgia’s Black Sea Arena cancelled

Black Sea Arena, a concert venue in Georgia’s Black Sea town of Shekvetili, on Wednesday announced the cancellation of a scheduled show by the popular British band Massive Attack next month “due to unforeseen circumstances”.

The show had been scheduled for July 28 at the 10,000-capacity venue as part of the Starring Georgia series of artist performances in the country.

The venue said all ticket holders would be refunded at the “original point of purchase”, with further information set to be announced later.

The band on Wednesday said on Twitter the show had been cancelled in protest against the "Georgian Government’s attack on basic human rights”, in reference to the adoption of a controversial law on transparency of foreign influence and law enforcement’s actions against protesters during rallies sparked by the legislative piece in capital Tbilisi over the recent months.

The social media message said the band believed performing at the state-owned venue could have been seen as an “endorsement of the violent crackdown on peaceful protests and civil society”.

The next show of the series will now feature English band Jungle on August 18.