Kanye West's Yeezus Tour Kicks Off With Masks, Merch, And A Wardrobe Malfunction
Kanye West kicks off Yeezus tour in Seattle.
Photo: @givenchydonc's Instagram
While you were carving pumpkins and putting the finishing touches on your Halloween costume this weekend, Kanye West was kicking off his Yeezus tour in Seattle. His first solo tour in five years, Yeezy held nothing back, giving his audience a massive show (a two-hour 27-song set list to be exact) complete with an enormous mountain-shaped set, a cameo from Jesus, and of course, a bajillion fashion Easter eggs (our favorite!)—and we're not just talking about MTV News' Rob Markman's first-hand account that Kanye's Red October Yeezy 2s have red glow-in-the-dark soles.
Kanye West wears four masks during Yeezus tour in Seattle.
Photo: Splash News/Instagram
Not only did Yeezy have multiple performance outfits (a relative rarity for male performers), those quick-changes included several different masks. That's right, folks. The jewel-encrusted Margiela and white feathered "Kanyeti" look were just the beginning. Yeezy spent roughly 90 percent of his Seattle set performing in full-face coverings embellished with gold bric-a-brac, opaque white gems, shiny black studs, and square mirror tiles. Below the neck, Ye stuck with dark neutrals, tunic-length tops, and his usual slim cut pants. Perhaps, too slim this time, though, as West managed to rip one pair of his onstage trousers right down the seam of his crotch.
Kanye West's Yeezus tour merchandise.
Photo: @virgilabloh's Instagram
Offstage, Ye's merch table appears to be just as stylish, judging from a small set of photos Instagrammed by Virgil Abloh. A turn from the the Internet-y Been Trill designs Abloh and Heron Preston teased in June, these are more akin to the skeletal Trippy Symphony A.P.C. x Kanye West x Been Trill collaborative tee and to the vintage band tees from the '60s and '70s, subverting classic Southern rock visuals. A closer look at Virgil's hashtags hints that these designs may be courtesy of Wes Lang, an artist and Grateful Dead fan best known for his meticulous drawings and propensity for loaded imagery—a perfect match for Yeezus' cold, explosive soundtrack.
