Russian Stadium Refuses to Stage Kanye West Concerts
The venue said no rental agreement was signed, while promoter Say Agency said the 2 sold-out shows remain scheduled and contracts are pending.
- Gazprom Arena announced on Monday that rapper Kanye West's planned Petersburg performances will not take place, claiming it never signed rental agreements despite previously promoting the shows.
- According to Fontanka, the cancellation followed a call 'from above' in Moscow; organizers also failed to secure mandatory approvals from the Petersburg Culture Committee for gatherings exceeding 300 people.
- Anna Subcheva, CEO of Moscow-based Say Agency, insists the concerts remain scheduled, stating, 'Everything will definitely take place,' and claims Gazprom Arena sent an agreement requiring signature by August 27th.
- Separately, Russian Telegram channel VChK-OGPU reported that businessmen Mikhail and Yuri Kovalchuk, associates of Vladimir Putin, moved to prevent the performance, while sources claimed filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov opposed the Grammy-winning artist's Petersburg appearance.
- Since the invasion of Ukraine, West was on track to become the first top Western musician to perform in Russia, following large-scale appearances attended by 118,000 people in Istanbul and 70,000 in Tbilisi.
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91 Articles
Russian Stadium Set To Host 2 Kanye West Concerts Cancels Them Without Explanation
A stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia, scheduled to host two concerts by rapper Kanye West, said the events will no longer take place there. The promoter insisted that the stadium, Gazprom Arena, canceled them. Gazprom Arena previously posted on social media that West, whom it labeled as “the most influential musical artist of our time,” […] The post Russian Stadium Set To Host 2 Kanye West Concerts Cancels Them Without Explanation appeared first …
Kanye West would be the biggest name to occur in Russia since the beginning of the war, but the regime is struggling with it.
St. Petersburg's Gazprom Arena is in talks with concert organizers for US rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, over the postponement of concert dates.
The controversial rapper is set to play two concerts in St. Petersburg this fall, but the announcement has met with widespread criticism from politicians and commentators in Russia.
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