"There's nothing like Eastern Europe. I think the sun sets different here", a marturist nostalgicul Serj Tankian la sfarsitul saptamanii trecute, in cadrul festivalului ARTmania 2010, adaugand ca Romania ii aminteste de Armenia, de "acasa". In seara versurilor subversive si a mesajelor antiglobalizare, fostul solist al trupei System Of A Down a vorbit cu dispret despre "the f***ing Bush administration" si si-a exprimat nemultumirea fata de situatia fostelor tari comuniste unde, dupa caderea URSS-ului, o serie de indivizi au facut averi din vanzarea uzinelor si fabricilor.

Serj TankianFoto: serjtankian.com

Ca un veritabil predicator, avand sprijinul trupei alaturi de care merge in turneu, precum si ajutorul a opt artisti romani (o mica orchestra clasica), vocalistul, poetul, activistul si compozitorul armean Serj Tankian si-a inceput primul concert din Romania (sustinut in Piata Mare din Sibiu) in stilul sau caracteristic, cu ajutorul socantului (prin titlu cel putin) Beethoven's C***.

"Wow, you guys pronounce my name better than every American I've seen in my life. Thank you! What an amazing place to be! I mean... I got into Romania yesterday and we drove over to Sibiu, watching the sunset... Reminds me of Armenia, my own hometown... There's nothing like Eastern Europe. I think the sun sets different here, if you know what I mean. And then coming into Sibiu, watching all you beautiful people, the hospitality here...", a marturisit Serj cu nostalgie.

A pus si el mana pe chitara cu ocazia piesei Saving Us, pentru ca apoi sa-si arate dispretul fata de unii colegi de breasla.

"There are a lot of artist, a lot of people that I've met that think they're the s*** because they've written a goddamn song. F*** them! Music comes from the universe. If we're lucky enough to be inspired by and be able to present it and inspire other people by it, we shouldn't be so attached to it! Music belongs to all of us!"

A interpretat Left Of Center, piesa de pe noul album (Imperfect Harmonies), programat sa apara in septembrie, apoi si-a reluat "predicile", introducand cu abilitatea sa de orator piesa The Unthinking Majority.

"What happens when a country is a democracy, but no one reads? What happens when a country is a democracy and no one votes? What happens if a country is a democracy controlled by corporations? What happens if a country is a democracy with no moral code? What happens if there's something like a f***ing Bush administration...? That's never gonna happen again! Because the unthinking majority has to start thinking!"

"On one hand are these people who say "praise the lord!" On the other hand they say "pass the f***ing ammunition", don't they? They say "praise the lord!" And they want to pass the f***ing ammunition! Well, we are tired of that kind of hypocrisy in this f***ing world!", a continuat armeanul cu emfaza, prezentand astfel cantecul Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition.

"We're gonna slow it down a little, we're gonna cool it out a bit, we're gonna silence it out", a anuntat Serj si a interpretat alaturi de cei opt romani de pe scena o piesa noua, acustica, intitulata Blue.

"I've noticed this in a lot of countries: when the Soviet Union collapsed, a lot of f***ing people went, grabbed a lot of machinery, closed down the factories, sold everything up and made billions of dollars. I've one thing to say to those people: "f*** you!", a fost introducerea "decisa" a piesei Money, pentru ca atmosfera sa se detensioneze cu prilejul unui cantec nou, Deserving?.

"I think we have another new song. It's called Deserving?. Are you ready to disco, are you ready to dance? I'm serious, I'm not f***ing around! We're gonna disco here. It's a disco song. It's all about disco!"

"Think of a small molecule inside a body! Think of a small molecule inside a body with protons, electrons and neutrons bombarding each other. The electron goes right into the neutron. Think of energy being created! Think of that as your universe!", a cerut Serj inainte de Electron, intr-o mica lectie de fizica, pentru ca pana la finalul serii sa ceara desfiintarea granitelor si a zidurilor.

"Butterflies don't know any f***ing borders. Natural catastrophies don't know any f***ing borders. Birds don't know borders, dogs don't know borders, trees don't know borders, the sky doesn't know borders, the oceans don't know borders... Why the f*** should we know borders?" (Boarders Are)

"Before we go, I wanna say one thing: let there be no f***ing walls stopping the people of Romania! (Empty Walls).

Setlist Serj Tankian la ARTmania 2010

  • Intro (The Hand)
  • Beethoven's Cunt
  • Lie Lie Lie
  • Sky Is Over
  • Saving Us
  • Baby
  • Left Of Center
  • The Unthinking Majority
  • Praise The Lord And Pass The Ammunition
  • Blue
  • Elect The Dead
  • Money
  • The Charade
  • Deserving?
  • Honking Antelope
  • Electron
  • Borders Are
  • Feed Us
  • Empty Walls