Kanye West has already been commanding headlines this week following his widely discussed apology. Still, while much of the focus has been on that moment, Ye is also gearing up for a major live return. The artist is scheduled to take the stage in Mexico City across two consecutive nights, marking one of his most ambitious performances in recent years.
After completely selling out the first night on January 30 at Plaza de Toros, the rapper confirmed an additional date back in November. The run is shaping up to be a landmark moment for Kanye, as the shows are expected to draw a combined audience of 74,000 people and set a new attendance benchmark for the venue.
That record was previously held by a Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev exhibition match, which took place in 2019.
As if the scale of the concerts was not already enough to generate buzz, new details suggest the events could be even more spectacular. According to a fresh report from Mexican journalist Gil Barrera, later shared by Kurrco, Kanye will not be taking the stage alone.
Based on Barrera’s information, Travis Scott, Peso Pluma and Fuerza Regida are all expected to appear as special guests. With both Peso Pluma and Fuerza Regida hailing from Mexico, their involvement would add an extra layer of excitement for the local crowd.
Ye and Travis Scott also share a long standing creative connection, particularly when it comes to live performances. Their collaborative history includes tracks such as “Piss On Your Grave,” “Watch,” “Wash Us In The Blood,” and several others that have become fan favorites.
Adding to the anticipation, the Mexico City dates could align with the release of Ye’s twelfth solo studio album, Bully. The project is currently slated to arrive on Friday, January 30. That said, given Kanye’s well documented history of missed release dates and the multiple setbacks surrounding this album, many fans remain cautious. Concerns were further fueled by uncertainty around physical pre orders from the Yeezy team. For now, January 30 remains the projected release date, with Bully rumored to feature 13 tracks, no guest appearances, and no use of A.I. technology.
Nick Cave has reflected on reports that his massive Preston Park concert with The Bad Seeds became “the largest ticketed event in Brighton’s history”.
Read More: In conversation with Nick Cave: “There’s no metric that says virtuousness makes good art”
The legendary rock band performed in Brighton on Friday, July 31, delivering their only UK show to more than 50,000 fans while celebrating their praised 2024 record, ‘Wild God’.
The Flaming Lips, English Teacher, Cate Le Bon and Warmduscher appeared as special guests, while Kylie Minogue joined Cave for a moving rendition of ‘Where The Wild Roses Grow’.
Before the main concert, the group gave fans another unexpected treat by performing an intimate acoustic set on the rooftop of Brighton’s Resident Records.
Following the packed Preston Park performance, Cave has now reflected on the milestone event, revealing that the occasion felt like a “homecoming” for several reasons.
Responding to a fan through his Red Hand Files website, Cave explained that he spent the following morning sitting along Brighton’s seafront and taking in the “near-empty, early-morning streets” while thinking about the previous night. He also revealed that his manager had told him “last night’s show was the largest ticketed event in Brighton’s history”.
While remembering the concert, Cave called it a “big day for The Bad Seeds” and said he could not “overstate the pride I feel in performing with a band that can play the rooftop of a record store in the morning, and then perform to nearly 50,000 people in the evening with the same ferocious intention”.
“There is simply no other group that can summon pure chaos and the most acute intimacy almost simultaneously, and that is both tight and anarchic within the same song,” he continued. “They are a force to behold, and it is a sheer privilege to share a stage with them.”
Discussing Minogue’s surprise appearance, Cave shared that her outfit had been created by his wife, fashion designer Susie. He also praised the Australian star as “a performer who only gives, gives and gives, then retreats, as ghosts and great performers do.”
The ‘Red Right Hand’ singer went on to express his gratitude to “everyone who came to the concert”, explaining that the evening felt like “a homecoming in many different ways”.
“Although part of me is relieved the Preston Park show is behind me, sometimes my job is so completely and emotionally overwhelming, I’m happy we could, for a delirious moment in time, create a place where the absent and the present could dance together. Again, thank you,” he finished.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will now complete their tour with a final series of European festival appearances. The group has also suggested that another record may be approaching, having revealed earlier this year that they were “messing around” in the studio and considering what could follow ‘Wild God’.
Following the release of that project, Cave appeared on ‘Honora’, the first solo album from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea. He has also created a fresh recording of ‘Red Right Hand’ for Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.