Kanye West kicked off his Yeezus tour this weekend with a giant fake mountain, a Jesus lookalike, Confederate flags – and a major cancellation. After a much-discussed gig in Seattle on Saturday night, West announced he was "postponing" Sunday's Vancouver concert until 31 October.
No explanation was given for the cancellation of last night's gig. "Unfortunate circumstances for everyone involved," the venue's management stated on Twitter, while West himself was uncharacteristically silent.
Less than 24 hours before, West seemed on top of the world, almost literally – rapping from the top of a gigantic manmade mountain. The massive setpiece was just one component of the rapper's elaborate new stageshow: the two-hour, 27-song set also included a choir, backing dancers and an actor dressed like Jesus who strolled onstage before the performance of Jesus Walks. "White Jesus, is that you?" West quipped.
Because the theft of an equipment lorry meant the Seattle gig started a couple of hours late, fans had lots of time to examine West's bewildering new merchandise. The material for sale includes T-shirts with praying skeletons, Native American headdresses and multiple items incorporating the US Confederate flag. "Our mamas were raised in an era when …" tweeted West's creative director, Virgil Abloh, beside a picture of a flag-draped grim reaper.
Almost in tandem with West's postponed tour-date, Drake put back the second night of his new tour. One hour after Saturday's show was due to begin, fans at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Centre were informed that the concert would not be going ahead. Organisers blamed "an unexpected technical issue" and said a replacement gig will take place on 18 December.
Drake is due to resume his tour on Monday in Montreal, while West plays on Tuesday evening in San Jose, California.
