Earlier this month, we reported on the fact that a clause in the official paperwork sent to artists performing at the South By Southwest music festival meant that they could face deportation for performing shows that were not sanctioned by the festival or its organisers. Understandably, Aussies were shaken, and with increased attention being put on the US in regards to recent changes in travel restrictions to incoming visitors, it looked like it could spell disaster for many bands. However it seems that one band, Italy’s Soviet Soviet have indeed been deported for reasons relating to their SXSW tour plans.
As Stereogum reports, Italian three-piece Soviet Soviet flew into Seattle, Washington on Wednesday, all set to kick off their US tour with a performance at famous radio station KEXP, and a small number of SXSW appearances, but were ultimately deported after what the band calls a ‘humiliating’ ordeal at the hands of border control officials.
The band took to Facebook to offer their account of what happened, with the basic gist of it being that they were deported for being suspected of coming to America to work illegally, despite paperwork stating that the shows they were coming to perform were for ‘promotional purposes’ only, and that they would receive no payment for said shows. The main issue seemed to stem from the fact that they did not hold valid working vias, something the group would not need for shows which are entirely promotional.
The group stated they were subjected to interrogation, before being told by agents that they were due to be sent back to Italy. The group then were detained overnight, after having been “escorted there as though we were three criminals”. The group also stated that they were “relieved to fly back home and distance ourselves from that violent, stressful and humiliating situation.”
You can check out the group’s Facebook post below, but let’s also take a moment to recognise the ridiculousness of this situation for these poor musicians as well.
