Kanye West's two concerts in St. Petersburg, Russia, scheduled for October 10 and 11, have sold out in less than an hour after tickets went on sale on Monday, August 17. The shows will take place at the Gazprom Arena, with tickets priced at around 9,000 rubles (approximately £78) and VIP lounges at 160,000 rubles (around £1,400).
Rapid sell-out and website crashes
According to the stadium, the high demand caused the website to crash several times as fans tried to secure tickets. Floor tickets sold out immediately, and all available tickets were gone within the hour. Around 160,000 people are expected to attend the concerts.
Controversial history
The 49-year-old rapper has faced backlash over the past year for antisemitic remarks and praise for Adolf Hitler. He has since apologized, attributing his actions to bipolar disorder. In May, his headline appearance at the Pulse of Gaia festival in Italy was cancelled, with the prefect of Reggio Emilia, Salvatore Angieri, pulling the plug after local Jewish community representatives expressed concerns.
West released a song titled "Heil Hitler" in 2025 and previously marketed a swastika T-shirt. He has also faced criticism for antisemitic posts and suggesting slavery was "a choice." In January, he bought a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal to apologize, stating: "I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people."
Impact on career
The Russia shows mark a notable development in West's career, which has suffered cancellations and lost opportunities. He was dropped as the headline act for the Wireless Festival earlier this year, leading to the event's cancellation. Despite this, the St. Petersburg concerts have proven to be a commercial success.
