Ukrainian punk trio Death Pill to reunite for European tour after ‘waking nightmare’ of war separation
A Ukrainian punk trio separated by Russia’s war are due to reunite as a band for the first time in more than a year to play a European tour.
After releasing their debut album earlier in 2023, while living thousands of miles apart, Death Pill have announced the Over My Dead Body shows in Ukraine, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK in May and June.
The band – Mariana Navrotskaya, Anastasiia Khomenko and Nataliia Seryakova – were separated after Russia‘s war on Ukraine began in February 2022; Nataliia moved temporarily to Australia for work, Mariana stayed in Kyiv, and Anastasiia made the difficult decision to take her young son to safety in Spain, leaving her husband behind.
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Now, Nataliia and Anastasiia are set to return home for the Kyiv show, which kicks off the tour on 20 May.
“For me, not playing is almost like not living and I’m very excited about the opportunity to get together, go on tour, see new places, and meet new people,” Anastasiia told Sky News. “It should be a very exciting journey.”
While she is also excited about the shows, Mariana said she cannot feel true happiness about the band’s return after everything that has happened to their country.
“[My feelings] are very mixed,” she said. “I know it is impossible to feel the current situation as fully as we feel it, but try to imagine this: we are going on our first tour, to follow our long-awaited and cherished dream, we are playing for the first time in Europe and in the UK – actually, it’s my first time going abroad. It was a dream of mine.
“But I absolutely do not feel ‘happiness’ inside. I am excited but I feel anxiety and devastation, I feel an internal struggle; the dream of my life comes true right in the midst of a horrible bloody f****** war.
“All my endless ambitions, all my emotions and feelings, all my joys and all my pain – Death Pill. This is the most honest and sincere thing I have. Nataliia and Anastasiia, they are literally sisters to me; sisters by blood, sisters by spirit. We’ll all be together for a month, and right now it sounds as sweet to me as it can be.”
‘Exciting doom’
Nataliia said she has only started addressing her feelings properly in the past few days after months of not allowing herself to be anything but strong.
“I didn’t allow myself to be sad, or sick, or poor, or weak during my whole life and even more so in the last year, because in my opinion it prohibits moving forward,” she said. “I have just started to think more about my honest feelings a few days ago and I can’t describe it properly. It is new for me.
“I was very focused on preparations for the tour over the last four months – bookings, advertising, merchandise, home rehearsals, flights etc – and just now, when the date of my flight home is in 10 days, I realise that most of all I want to see my parents alive, to see the girls from the band and to try to catch the feeling that I am at home.
“But I realise it is only for one month and after that we all will be separated again. [It’s a] strange new feeling – exciting doom. Our nation has been handling it for the last few years, I hope I can handle it too.”
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Death Pill’s self-titled debut album won praise from critics – described as “a record of staggering musicianship fuelled by an untamed fury” by The Line Of Best Fit and “a face-toasting listen” by the Guardian, while Metal Hammer called it “one of the best crossover albums of the modern era”.
The put the album out against all the odds on 24 February this year, marking the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
While Anastasiia was able to practise with Mariana during a visit to Ukraine to see family, their in-person rehearsal two days before the Kyiv show will be the first time all three women get to see each other, and play music together, since they were separated.
“I am rehearsing with my computer,” Nataliia said. “Sad but true – Guitar Pro replaced my girls for this year. I miss them.”
“In Barcelona, I go to a studio where I play solo,” Anastasiia said. “I have our records to play to, a metronome. Of course, it’s not as cool and productive as when you play with a band. But you have time to hone your game more.”
“Each of us regularly rehearses a concert programme solo, under a metronome and MIDI (digital) drums from Guitar Pro,” Mariana added. “Of course, a solo rehearsal will never replace a rehearsal with a group, but in our case it is impossible.
“We put [so much] effort to make this tour happen against the backdrop of this waking nightmare – and I will take full advantage of this tour.”
Death Pill play The Crown Bar in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 20 May, with shows in Bradford, Manchester, Bristol, Brighton and London in June
Oasis have said they are “shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan” at their Wembley Stadium concert on Saturday.
Together with their bandmates, Liam and Noel Gallagher have offered their “sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved”.
Metropolitan Police said officers on duty at the stadium responded, alongside venue medics and the London Ambulance Service, to reports a person had been injured at around 10.20pm.
The statement continued: “A man – aged in his 40s – was found with injuries consistent with a fall. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”
According to media reports, the man fell from the stadium’s upper tier.
A concertgoer on social media said they saw the incident and described it as “horrific”.
Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage at their first reunion gig. Pic: AP
Metropolitan Police said: “The stadium was busy, and we believe it is likely a number of people witnessed the incident, or may knowingly or unknowingly have caught it on mobile phone video footage.
“If you have any information that could help us to confirm what happened, please call 101.”
Oasis performed at the venue as planned on Sunday night, delivering the final concert of a five-night run at Wembley.
Addressing fans at the stadium, singer Liam said: “This one’s for all the people who can’t be here tonight, but who are here if you know what I mean, and aren’t they looking lovely. Live Forever.”
The band then played the track of the same name.
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Oasis support act Richard Ashcroft paid tribute on Instagram, writing: “I was shocked to hear of the death of one of the audience last night sending my love to the family and friends.”
A spokesperson for Wembley Stadium said: “Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.”
They will then head to Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States, before returning to Wembley for two more dates in September.
The reunion tour began at the start of July and marks the Gallagher brothers’ first performances together since Oasis split acrimoniously in 2009.
The BBC has responded after it was reported that two Strictly Come Dancing stars have been accused of taking cocaine.
The broadcaster is said to have hired an external law firm to probe the drug-taking allegations, which a source said were “well-known” on the show, The Sun on Sunday reports.
The claims were reportedly made on behalf of celebrity contestant Wynne Evans in a legal submission to the BBC in March.
In response, a BBC spokesperson told Sky News: “We have clear protocols and policies in place for dealing with any serious complaint raised with us. We would always encourage people to speak to us if they have concerns.
“It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”
Sky News understands that it is not unusual for the BBC to engage an external individual to provide additional expert resource to help deliver a BBC-led investigation. In these cases, they would report to an established BBC team.
PA file pic
The allegations published in The Sun on Sunday include a source saying that one Strictly star had told another about a third celebrity on the show: “Have you seen their pupils… they’re off their face.”
“The BBC have known about these allegations for some time, and acknowledged receiving them. Now they are taking firm action,” the source reportedly said.
The two individuals accused of drug taking have not been named.
It is the latest crisis to hit the BBC and Strictly.
In July last year, Amanda Abbington accused Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice of “abusive or threatening behaviour”. The actress, who was paired with Pernice, withdrew from the show in 2023.
The BBC upheld “some, but not all” of the allegations, with Abbington describing an apology from the corporation as a “vindication”, while Pernice denied displaying “abusive or threatening behaviour”.
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Also in July 2024, Strictly professional dancer, Graziano Di Prima confirmed he was leaving the show amid reports of alleged misconduct.
Separately, Laura Whitmore alleged “inappropriate behaviour” during her time on the show.
In January this year, Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans made “inappropriate and unacceptable” comments at the Strictly Come Dancing live tour launch, for which he later apologised.
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