Kanye West needs no introduction, but he has recently been making headlines over his upcoming concert in Russia. However, the concert has taken a bizarre turn after the official venue issued an update about the event scheduled to take place there.
Kanye West’s planned Gazprom Arena shows face uncertainty after the venue denied involvement with the concerts
As we know, reports had claimed that the 49-year-old rapper would perform at Gazprom Arena, with the venue reportedly planning two almost sold-out shows. However, Gazprom Arena clarified through its official Instagram account that it had no knowledge of the concerts and had not signed any contract regarding Kanye West’s performance.
The venue wrote in Russian, that translated as, “Due to the complaints involved to Gazprom Arena regarding the organization of Kanye West’s concert, we officially inform that Gazprom Arena was not and is not the organizer of this event. This was handled by the Moscow concert agency Say Agency.”
“Gazprom Arena did not sign any contracts for the stadium rent for the event. There is no such agreement. Accordingly, the concert cannot take place on our site,” the arena added
However, Moscow-based agency Say has denied reports that Gazprom Arena canceled the shows, saying the venue’s post also caught the agency off guard and that it only learned about the venue’s position through the social media statement.
As for Kanye West’s St. Petersburg concerts, organizers reportedly scheduled them for October 10 and 11, 2026, with Gazprom Arena listed as the venue. However, the venue may now change following the latest clarification, although the situation remains uncertain. Ticket prices reportedly range from around 9,000 rubles ($106) to 160,000 rubles, while organizers claim they have almost sold out the shows.
If the concert goes ahead, Kanye West would become the first major Western music star to perform in Russia since the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE VENUE DENYING INVOLVEMENT IN KANYE WEST’S CONCERTS?
Originally reported by Vipul Dhawas for Mandatory
