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Many citizens are looking forward to former Beatle Paul McCartney's planned concert in Palace Square on June 20. But even before it has taken place the choice of venue has been criticized by Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the Hermitage Museum, which controls buildings around much of the square.

In an interview published in newspaper Izvestia on March 18, Piotrovsky expressed his concern about the concert taking place by the walls of the historical palace where the museum is based.

Piotrovsky said he had nothing against McCartney, but he was worried about the "big crowd", in which many people are "often drunk," and about the "wild decibels of a rock concert."

Irina Titova asked people how they view McCartney's concert. Photographs by Sergey Grachev.

Valentina Andrianova, 52, commodity researcher:

I think, it's OK if Paul McCartney holds his concert at Palace Square. It will allow more people to listen to such a celebrity. It will be especially important for young people. I have two sons and I know they would go to his concert with pleasure.

Besides, McCartney has his own audience and it won't be something like a soccer match. It will be mainly nice people who come to listen to this singer.

Alexei Dorkin, 18, student:

It depends on what kind of a music group is having its concert. If it's one of those whose audience usually does not behave then it should not be allowed, but if it's the usually nice audience that goes to Paul McCartney's concerts then why not?

Vladimir Skripnikov, 54, engineer:

It's surprising that such person as Mikhail Piotrovsky could be against McCartney's concert on Palace Square. I can't even believe it. The whole world listens to McCartney!

As for Palace Square, I think, McCartney's audience will not damage it because most of the Beatles fans are people of my generation, and it would be mostly them who would come to the concert. And it's hard to expect they would misbehave.

Natalya, 34, teacher:

Palace Square is a public place, the main square of the city. It always attracts a lot of people, so how can anyone prohibit McCartney performing his concert there? His audience are decent people.

Besides, Palace Square has already hosted other concerts and performances, such as performances by the Mariinsky Theater, and nothing bad happened.

I myself would like to go to McCartney's concert here.

Alexey, 26, fire officer:

I think, it's better to have such events elsewhere in the city because Palace Square is one of our important historical places. It can be damaged when there are big crowds there.

In addition, Palace Square has already suffered once. A couple of years ago at New Year the arch of the General Staff Headquarters caught fire and was seriously damaged.

Since then I have felt a bit wary about big events taking place on the square.

Lyudmila Ivanova, 58, engineer:

There were other concerts before on that square and it was OK.

Besides, they used to hold big political rallies there and they were not banned, so why not give such opportunity to McCartney.

St. Petersburg is indeed the cultural capital of Russia, and let McCartney's concert become a part of the city's cultural life.

I would like to get to that concert, but they say the prices will be too high for my very modest salary.

Polina Zelentsova, 73, pensioner:

I think, young people need such concerts. I'm personally too old to care if it's right or wrong.

In fact, provided they don't make a mess during such performances they should be allowed, but if people don't behave there, such shows should be prohibited.