Hundreds of people who bought tickets for a planned Kanye West concert in St. Petersburg, Russia, say they have been unable to get refunds, according to the Telegram channel "Ostorozhno, Novosti" (Careful, News). Ticket holders told the channel they have gone several months without clarity on whether the concert will take place or whether they can get their money back.
The affected fans have set up a group chat with more than 500 members and filed complaints with Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer protection watchdog, and with prosecutors.
One woman said she bought a ticket for 55,000 rubles for an October 10 show on August 18, but has received no response since trying to get a refund. Many ticket holders said their complaints are simply forwarded back and forth between companies without being resolved.
Organizer and Ticket Seller Point Fingers
Say Agency, listed as the concert's organizer, has said ticket holders seeking refunds should contact the ticket operator. The ticket platform Inticket, in turn, has said the money has already been passed on to the organizer.
Fans say the uncertainty has already cost them money, with some forced to spend extra on replacement tickets and hotel bookings, while others have avoided booking travel altogether. What they want most, they say, is clarity on whether the concert will happen, where and when it will take place, and whether they can get refunds if it is cancelled or postponed.
Dispute Over the Venue
Kanye West, the American rapper also known as Ye, was originally announced by Say Agency to perform on October 10 and 11 at Gazprom Arena, the St. Petersburg stadium that is home to the football club Zenit.
The arena itself said on August 17 that it would host the concerts and began selling tickets, but on August 24 said it had never signed a contract for the shows, meaning they would not go ahead. Say Agency responded that the concert had not been cancelled, saying the arena had previously approved an official letter of agreement, though a formal rental contract had not yet been signed.
