“We sincerely regret to inform you that Ye's concerts in St. Petersburg will not be able to take place on the planned dates“, the company said. The organizers promise that the possibility of refunding tickets will open on October 12.
The concerts were announced in August, and tickets ranged from about 9,000 rubles to 160,000 rubles for VIP seats. The plans quickly came into question after Gazprom Arena said it had no lease agreement with Say Agency and could therefore not host the concerts. The Russian promoter initially insisted that the events would go ahead despite the venue issue.
At the end of September, the American Access Opera, a partner of Kanye West's tour, also announced that the concerts had been cancelled and directed ticket holders to Say Agency for a refund.
Police are investigating the organizers
The case now also has a legal aspect. According to the Russian newspaper “Kommersant”, the St. Petersburg police are conducting a preliminary investigation into possible fraud on a particularly large scale by the organizer. So far, this is an investigation and there is no confirmation that a criminal case has been opened. The company has also been sued by ticket buyers seeking a refund and some of the related costs.
The planned concerts have sparked controversy in Russia since they were announced. The reason was Kanye West's string of anti-Semitic statements in recent years, including his public admiration for Adolf Hitler. Some Russian political figures have urged that the concerts not be allowed, while others have supported the idea of the rapper visiting the country.
If the concerts had taken place, the multiple Grammy award winner would have been among the most famous Western musicians to perform a large-scale show in Russia since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Kanye West himself has not yet made a public statement about the final cancellation.
In the meantime, the possibility of another visit by the rapper to Russia has arisen. Turkish promotion company Ilsvision has listed a concert in Moscow on July 10, 2027, among its projects in development. The company explicitly specifies that such events depend on a final agreement with the artist, the availability of a suitable venue and the necessary permits, so the Moscow concert cannot be considered confirmed for now.