Brits disappointed by the cancellation of Kanye West’s UK shows are now flocking to Turkey to see him perform in what organisers say could become the biggest concert ever staged in the country.
The huge show is due to take place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city and a major tourist hub linking Europe and Asia, on 30th May.
Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was due to headline all three nights of Wireless Festival in London in July before the event was cancelled after he was blocked from entering the UK.
Picture shows Turkey’s Largest Stadium – Ataturk Olympic Stadium, undated. Note: Image is a screenshot from video. (Newsflash/NX)
Organisers say British fans are now among those travelling to Istanbul after missing out on the chance to see him in England.
The Istanbul show has already sold or reserved 75,000 tickets, according to organiser ILS Vision.
Demand is expected to climb above 110,000 as the concert date approaches, with the final crowd potentially topping 115,000 once tourists already in the city are included.
Fans are reportedly travelling from Russia, Kazakhstan, the United Kingdom, Germany, the USA and Poland for the event.
Erdem Karahan, founder of ILS Vision, said the Istanbul concert will also mark the start of Ye’s European tour.
He said: “While stadium capacities in Europe average around 40,000 to 50,000, the Ataturk Olympic Stadium’s capacity of more than 100,000 offers a unique scale for the artist.
“This means there is potential for a new record both in the artist’s career and in terms of the scale of the organisation.
“We expect the event to generate between USD 50 million and USD 100 million in extra revenue for our country through accommodation, transport and food and drink spending by visitors from abroad.”
The production is expected to cost at least TRY 150 million (GBP 2.43 million) in stage, lighting and technical equipment, making it one of the biggest ever staged in Turkey.
Karahan said a spherical stage system previously used at SoFi Stadium in the United States will be brought to Istanbul for the concert.
He said the stage will take 10 days to build, with around 40 trucks of equipment and a team of hundreds of workers.
The concert is also expected to feature a 360-degree sound system, lasers, drone shows and around 100,000 illuminated wristbands similar to those used at Taylor Swift concerts.
Organisers say around 1,000 drones will be used as part of the visual show.
British interest in the concert has also been boosted by the venue’s special place in English football history.
Liverpool fans still remember the stadium as the scene of their famous 2005 UEFA Champions League Final comeback against AC Milan, while Manchester City won the 2023 final there.
Organisers said the stadium has therefore become seen by some English fans as a symbolic “lucky place”.
Extra transport services are being planned by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for the night of the concert.
(Mike Leidig/Newsflash)
