The concert at the Giza Pyramids planned as part of the release festivities for Travis Scott (II)’s “Utopia” album has been postponed indefinitely. The event’s organiser, Live Nation, released a statement on Twitter announcing the cancellation.
“We regret to inform you that the UTOPIA show, originally scheduled for July 28th at the Pyramids of Gyza in Egypt is canceled,” the message read on Wednesday, July 26. Unfortunately, the performance could not be built in the desert due to significant production constraints despite our best efforts. We know this isn’t the news anyone was hoping to hear, and we apologize.
In addition, “Refunds will be issued to all ticket holders at the point of purchase,” read the statement. Please accept our deepest condolences for any trouble this cancellation may have caused. Finally, it said, “We remain committed to bringing exceptional live performances to fans and hope to have the opportunity to do so in the future.”
Despite initial opposition from the organization responsible for issuing licenses, Live Nation was adamant that the performance would go on. The Egyptian government-owned newspaper Al-Ahram reportedly claims that the public thinks Travis’ performances are “strange rituals.” Reportedly 10 individuals died in a “mass casualty incident” at Astroworld in 2021, adding fuel to the flames.
During his concert at Rolling Loud Miami, Travis personally assured his audience that he would be there to greet them in Egypt. The “SICKO MODE” singer also wrote an open letter to the country’s authorities, appealing with them not to cancel the concert.
Travis began his letter to “whom it may concern” by saying, “I am writing to you to address the blatant inaccurate reports that have apparently led to permits being paused for my concert scheduled for July 28, 2023 at the Giza Pyramids.” As he explained further, “My understanding is that the Egyptians Musicians Syndicate took this action in response to bot generated fake information regarding my concerts and character.”
Clicking on the user profiles of these accounts reveals that they are not actual persons, he continued. That which “contradicts the cultural identity of the Egyptian people” was specifically mentioned was “strange rituals.”
Nothing could be further from the truth,” Travis said. When I perform live, my main goal is to bring people together through our love of music. Just this past April, I performed in front of 70,000 enthusiastic Saudi fans without any hitches or complications, despite the country’s reputation for extreme conservatism.
