Sir Paul's bad vibrations rock the Hermitage

[emad]

Snip from The Times
By Jeremy Page



THE director of the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg has accused Sir Paul McCartney of damaging the former home of the Russian tsars and possibly its paintings when he played a concert in a square outside.
Mikhail Piotrovsky said vibrations from the sell-out, open-air concert on Sunday set off alarms, cracked windows and could have caused microscopic damage to the priceless art collection housed in the Winter Palace.

“We cannot say right now how much damage was caused to the Hermitage by the concert. Micro-damage may reveal itself much later. But I can say one thing for certain: we cannot allow such things to be repeated,” Mr Piotrovsky said in an interview with the newspaper Izvestia.

“You have to know how museum workers feel about vibrations,” he said. “Often we refuse to transport our paintings by aircraft. We transport them in special vehicles. And McCartney’s concert — this whole show — produced a noise level incomparably more powerful than that of any aeroplane.”

A spokesman for Sir Paul said the former Beatle had received no official complaint. “I’m certain the proper permits and approvals were secured,” he said. “As far as the noise level goes — it’s a rock concert. I don’t think anyone should be surprised if it’s a bit noisy. We haven’t received any complaints, only glowing approval.” He said there had been no “decibel ceiling” on the concert but the local promoter, SAV Entertainment, was responsible for such arrangements. SAV was not available for comment.

More:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1154705,00.html

[MuseRider]

1. Damn!

I am surprised he wasn't hauled off by the Babushkas! When there a friend and I were pointing at a picture and smiling, (it was cute!) and we were attacked by them. It took another friend who knew Russian to rescue us from the corner they had us pinned in.

[JuniperLea]

2. the last paragraph says it all

if anyone is to blame, it's the agency that permited.

[supernova]

3. Yep,

So ok, don't have concerts near the Hermitage. D'uh.

[northzax]

4. you know, I'd feel a bit more sympathy

for the hermitage if they did a better job of taking care of what they have. I recall standing in a room with rembrandts on every surface, and the fucking window was cracked (and it was February) people were touching them, and taking photos and the guard was smoking.

methinks that did more to the paintings than Sir Paul' post-adolescent noodling.