Most of us probably remember our first -- and the best -- concerts we attended. And if you're like me, the two probably weren't the same.
That's because my first concert was the "American Idols Live! Tour 2008," and the best one was one of Dead & Company's final stops on the East Coast.
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You see, show business is full of dichotomies. The pretty-goods and the greats. The best concert you ever went to and...the Wiggles Concert you took your niece to. Also, iconic settings, set against the glorious Great Pyramids of Giza, and "satanic" rituals led by a rapper whose last concert series left eight people dead after a disastrous stampede in Houston.
That's at least how the Egyptian General Syndicate for Musical Professions is referring to it, which cancelled rapper Travis Scott's "Utopia" concert, slotted to kick off on July 28 at the foot of the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
"Since the General Syndicate is part of the fabric of this beloved country, it is keen on its stability and security and refuses to tamper with societal values, and Egyptian and Arab customs and traditions," a statement about the cancellation read.
"Based on research and documented information about strange rituals at Travis's concerts that are inconsistent with our authentic societal values and traditions, the Board of Directors has decided to cancel the license issued to hold this type of concert that contradicts the cultural identity of the Egyptian people."
Travis Scott's concert at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza has been canceled by The Egyptian Syndicate of Musical Professions, a local group responsible for approving permits.
— Rap Alert (@rapalert6) July 18, 2023
They claim he is a Freemason who opposes Egypt’s heritage and performs satanic rites during his shows. via… pic.twitter.com/fgATKjJsXf
Tickets for the tour were on sale July 9 and sold out within 15 minutes of announcement.
Since live concerts are getting increasingly expensive, artists are getting creative in how they involve the masses. Scott had plans to livestream the event, which would also release his new album, "Utopia."
"Utopia is wherever you are," the rapper posted to his 50 million followers on Instagram in July.
Scott's next concert series has been hotly anticipated and something of a lightning rod for debate. His smash 2021 tour, "Astroworld," culminated with a stampede in his hometown of Houston. Eight people were killed during the melee and two more died in hospital. All 10 died of what medical officials ruled as accidental compressive asphyxiation. Over 300 additional victims were treated for injuries. The incident resulted in a lawsuit filed on behalf of the victims by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, naming Scott, Apple Music, Live Nation Entertainment, and others as defendants. Scott settled privately for an undisclosed amount.
