Ye's Shows In Russia Canceled After Venue Says Agreement Was Never Signed

Ye's two concerts in Russia might not go on as planned after the venue claims it never signed any agreements for him to perform.

In a statement issued on Monday, August 24, Gazprom Arena, the Saint Petersburg-based venue that was set to host Ye's pair of shows, said that the booking was made through the Moscow-based concert agency Say Agency. However, they maintain that no contracts for the pair of performances exist. Although the venue previously promoted Ye's concerts on social media, Gazprom Arena stated, "the concert cannot take place on our site" without a signed agreement.

"Gazprom Arena was not, and is not, the organizer of this event," the statement reads. "Gazprom Arena has not signed any contracts to lease the stadium for this event. No such contract exists. Consequently, the concert cannot take place at our venue."

The concerts were scheduled for October 10 and 11. Say Agency responded to the statement from the venue soon after it was posted. The agency said they "learned about [it] at the same time as you did, through the media." The agency said it announced the shows after they received an approval letter from the venue. They admitted that they had not signed the agreement yet, but that the deadline doesn't expire until next week.

"As of now, the Ye concert has not been canceled," the agency said, per BBC. "We are trying to contact the venue to find out the reason for the post and resolve the issue. We will keep you updated.”

If they do move forward, Ye's shows in Russia would mark the first major performance from a high-profile artist since President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022. When the war began, Ukraine had asked its allies to cease all cultural cooperation with Russia.

Russia would've also been another stop on Ye's impromptu world tour. The controversial artist has brought his eye-popping show to multiple cities in the U.S. and Europe. While some shows have drawn out tens of thousands of fans, others have been canceled due to his antisemitic past and safety concerns. He's set to bring the tour to the U.S. with upcoming stops in New Orleans and Chicago.