Travis Scott‘s one-off performance at the historic Circus Maximus on Monday (Aug. 7) turned the spotlight on venue safety and the sanctity of ancient sites. The event reportedly left 60 attendees injured and caused earthquake-like tremors.
The concert was originally scheduled to be held at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt but was moved to Rome. Once there, the evening’s tumult began when someone in the crowd used pepper spray, leading to at least 60 concertgoers needing medical aid. On Wednesday (Aug. 9), CNN revealed that no grave injuries were reported, but a 14-year-old fell 13 feet after attempting to scale a false wall.
The news network also stated that widespread unease extended to residents of the Italian capital who made “hundreds of calls” to local fire services, mistaking the vibrations caused by the crowd’s movement for an earthquake.
The high-profile event also featured a surprise appearance by Kanye West, who joined Scott onstage for performances of “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Praise God.” During the introduction, the latter declared, “There is no UTOPIA without Kanye West. There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West, there is no Rome without Kanye West. Make some noise for Ye.”
It marked Yeezy’s first performance since making antisemitic comments and debuting a shirt that read, “White Lives Matter.” In the weeks that followed, the rapper blasted former friends and associates like Justin Bieber, Meek Mill, Khloe Kardashian, Issa Rae, and several more.
Meanwhile, the aftermath of Scott’s gig was marked by a growing call to prevent further live shows at the venue. Director of the Colosseum Archeological Park Alfonsina Russo shared a statement regarding the show.
“The Circus Maximus is a monument. It is not a stadium, not a concert hall,” she stated. “These mega rock concerts put it at risk, including the Palatine Hill nearby. Rock concerts should be held in stadiums so as not to endanger public safety.”
Scott’s Rome peformance was one of his first solo shows since the 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy that claimed 10 lives. Earlier this week, the artist announced his “UTOPIA Tour” with official dates coming soon.