Russian Stadium Cancels Kanye West Concert Venue Deal

A Russian stadium expected to host two concerts by American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has announced that the shows will no longer take place at the venue.

St Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena said in a social media statement that no rental agreement had been signed with the concert organisers, meaning the proposed concerts could not go ahead at the venue.

“Accordingly, the concert cannot take place on our site,” the stadium said.

The concerts, scheduled for October 10 and 11, would have made West the first major Western performer to stage shows in Russia since the country invaded Ukraine in 2022.

West has faced widespread criticism and commercial fallout over a series of antisemitic remarks in recent years. He has since apologised for some of his comments as he attempts to rehabilitate his public image.

Gazprom Arena said it had received complaints over the planned concerts and stressed that it “was not and is not” responsible for West’s booking.

The stadium said the sold-out shows had been organised by Moscow-based Say Agency, which expressed surprise at the venue’s announcement.

“We learned about [it] at the same time as you did, through the media,” Say Agency said on its Telegram channel, adding that the concert had not been cancelled.

“We are trying to contact the venue to find out the reason for the post and resolve the issue. We will keep you updated,” the agency added.

Say Agency said it announced the concerts earlier this month based on an official letter it claimed had been approved by Gazprom Arena. It added that the stadium subsequently sent a rental agreement, although the contract had not yet been signed.

According to the agency, the deadline for signing the agreement had not expired when the stadium issued its latest statement.

The development has left fans uncertain about whether the concerts will eventually proceed at another venue. Gazprom Arena had only last week promoted the shows on social media, describing West as “the most influential musical artist of our time.”

Fans expressed disappointment following the latest announcement, with some questioning the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the venue arrangement.

There has been no indication that Russian authorities directly intervened to stop the concerts. However, some Russian politicians had publicly opposed West’s planned appearance.

Conservative lawmaker Vitaly Milonov, known for his nationalist views, had suggested that the rapper should perform traditional Russian songs instead of his planned setlist, reflecting opposition to Western cultural influence among some Russian nationalists.