Say Agency blames industry practice for canceled Kanye West concerts in St Petersburg
In short
Say Agency, the organiser of Kanye West’s concerts in St Petersburg, says its mistake was relying on informal industry practice instead of signing a lease with Gazprom Arena first; the arena says it never signed a lease agreement. The concerts planned for 10 and 11 October were called off on 30 September. Police have opened a pre-investigation check into possible fraud, bailiffs have seized funds from the agency, and ticket refunds are to begin on 12 October.
Read the full story 1 min read
Say Agency, the organiser of Kanye West’s concerts in St Petersburg, said its sole mistake was relying on the informal arrangements accepted in the industry instead of signing a lease first. Its general director, Anna Subcheva, told RBC: “We did not protect ourselves legally. And that is our problem. We reasoned that we trust each other, we have a guarantee letter … looking back, we would have signed this contract first and then done everything else.” The concerts were scheduled for 10 and 11 October at Gazprom Arena; on 30 September the agency announced they would not take place. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Subcheva said Gazprom Arena sent a letter stating that the lease was to be concluded by 28 August and that from 14 August the agency could announce the events and start selling tickets. She said the letter carried a signature and a seal and was received officially through the arena’s document system. According to her, Say Agency signed the lease and sent it to the arena on time but received no answer, and “hope remained for a very long time” until “at some point someone slowed everything down”. Gazprom Arena said it did not sign a lease agreement. [ 2 , 3 ]
The fallout has extended beyond the cancellation. Kommersant reported that law enforcement in St Petersburg opened a pre-investigation check into possible fraud by the organiser of the cancelled concerts. Vedomosti reported that bailiffs seized funds from Say Agency under an enforcement order from the Oktyabrsky District Court of Samara, with the amount of the claim given as 115,500 rubles. The documents do not set out the underlying case. [ 2 , 3 ]
Say Agency said ticket holders will be able to get their money back from 12 October, adding that the rules and conditions of the refunds would be published later. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The case turns a cancelled concert into a legal dispute between the venue and the promoter, with the organiser facing a possible fraud check and seized funds. The agency head’s account, that the announcement went ahead before the lease was signed, points to arrangements she describes as common in the industry. Ticket buyers are directed to a refund process whose terms had not yet been published.
Key facts
- Kanye West’s concerts were planned for 10 and 11 October at Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg; on 30 September Say Agency announced they would not take place [ 2 , 3 ]
- Say Agency general director Anna Subcheva said the agency’s sole mistake was relying on the informal relations accepted in the industry instead of signing the lease first [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Subcheva said the arena sent a letter stating the lease would be signed by 28 August and that from 14 August the agency could announce the events and start selling tickets [ 2 , 3 ]
- Gazprom Arena said it did not sign a lease agreement, according to Kommersant [ 2 ]
- Say Agency said it signed the lease and sent it to the arena on time but received no reply [ 2 ]
- Bailiffs seized funds from Say Agency under an enforcement order from the Oktyabrsky District Court of Samara, with the amount of the claim given as 115,500 rubles [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reported that law enforcement in St Petersburg began a pre-investigation check into possible fraud by the organiser of the cancelled concerts [ 2 ]
- Organisers said ticket holders can get refunds from 12 October, with rules and conditions to be published later [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Say Agency general director Anna Subcheva said the sole mistake in organising the concerts was relying on informal relations accepted in the industry rather than signing a lease agreement in advance [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Kanye West concerts were planned for 10 and 11 October at Gazprom Arena, and on 30 September Say Agency announced they would not take place [ 2 , 3 ]
- Subcheva said Gazprom Arena sent a letter stating a lease would be signed by 28 August and that from 14 August the agency could announce the events and sell tickets [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether a lease was agreed: Gazprom Arena said it did not sign a lease agreement, while Say Agency says it received a letter with a signature and seal through the arena’s document system and sent back a signed lease without getting a reply The documents give two differing accounts and do not resolve the dispute
- The pre-investigation check into possible fraud by the organiser Reported by one outlet, Kommersant; the documents give no outcome or confirmation from officials
- The seizure of Say Agency funds under an enforcement order from the Oktyabrsky District Court of Samara Reported by one outlet; the documents do not explain the underlying case
- Subcheva’s statement that “at some point someone slowed everything down” Single-source remark; she does not name anyone in the documents
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RBC publishes an interview in which Say Agency head Anna Subcheva calls the failure to sign the Gazprom Arena lease in advance the “only mistake” in organising the concerts [ 1 ]
- Kommersant reports Subcheva’s account of the arena’s letter, the unsigned lease and the police pre-investigation check into possible fraud [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti adds that bailiffs seized 115,500 rubles from Say Agency and that ticket refunds will open on 12 October [ 3 ]