Friday came and went — with no signs of a much-anticipated new album from Kanye West.
But that was Friday.
Several thousand free tickets to West’s “Jesus is King: A Kanye West Experience” on Saturday night at the Auditorium Theatre were snatched up in a matter of minutes after they became available via Ticketmaster just hours before the event.
Tickets were offered at 4:30 p.m. Saturday for the 9 p.m. listening party for West’s new album, “Jesus is King.” Ticketholders were advised that all cell phones would be “locked” in YONDR pouches until end of show.
In addition, attendees would also get a sneak peek at an upcoming IMAX film “Jesus is Lord” from director Nick Knight.
Saturday night had one more surprise in store for Chicagoans: up the road at the United Center, Chance the Rapper was holding court in concert at the United Center, and brought out “surprise guest” West to a thunderous ovation.
.@chancetherapper brought out @kanyewest in Chicago pic.twitter.com/m7IwFW5PA1
— Complex (@Complex) September 29, 2019
The Chicago pop-up follows a similar show in Detroit on Friday where 1,000 fans got a chance to hear the album at the Fox Theatre following West’s Sunday Service gathering earlier in the day at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater.
According to billboard.com, West was present at the Detroit pop-up, “introducing the proceedings from a VIP box in the theater’s mezzanine and then coming to the main floor mixing board to play the 10-track, 35-minute album, blasting it in quadraphonic sound.”
The Twittersphere reports that another listening party will be held on Sunday in New York, after which the album is supposed to finally drop, according to an Instagram post by Kim Kardashian West.
I covered sports for seven years at the United Center. Saw the Blackhawks clinch Stanley Cup here in 2015. The loudest I’ve ever heard this place — just now when @kanyewest came on stage at @chancetherapper concert.
— Sam Panayotovich (@spshoot) September 29, 2019
Have faith... pic.twitter.com/2HF4HiPQoq
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 27, 2019