Kanye West Sideshow Announcement

He's rewritten the rulebook of music and had more impact on the world of hip-hop in the 2000s than any other rapper or producer. A controversial, outspoken, acclaimed visionary: the man is KANYE WEST, and the only place to see him in Australia is as part of the 2012 BIG DAY OUT.

"This is pop music as theatre, boundary-pushing hip-hop as spectacle." (Rave Magazine, August 2011)

Stronger, Jesus Walks, Touch the Sky, Gold Digger, Diamonds from Sierra Leone, Hey Mama, Heartless... KANYE WEST drops immortal singles like clocks drop minutes. Just when the world thought he couldn't get much higher, in 2010 he delivered the album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, home to singles All of the Lights, Monster and Runaway. "Yeezy goes for the grandeur of stadium rock, the all-devouring sonics of hip-hop, the erotic gloss of disco, and he goes for all of it, all the time," Rolling Stone said of the album. "Ridiculously maximal, blowing past all the rules of hip-hop and pop, even though, for the past half-decade, he's been the one inventing the rules."

"WEST delivered a grandiose, theatrical performance destined to be remembered as one of the great hip-hop sets of all time." Said the Hollywood Reporter, of his appearance at this year's Coachella Festival.

The challenge of presenting My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on stage led to the coming-of-age of KANYE WEST as a live performer. Premiered at Coachella, his set played out like a Greek tragedy in three parts. The reaction was just as immense: "Nothing short of a spectacle... just about everything you could want in a KANYE show and more," said The AU Review. "This was KANYE's bold, singular artistic moment... the 33-year-old star took on the task with unflagging intensity," said Spin. "Compelling," said the Brisbane Times. "A thrilling spectacle ... KANYE gave his all."

KANYE has since reunited with his old mate, mentor and collaborator Jay-Z for Watch the Throne, an album partly recorded in Australia. The next phase also begins in Australia this summer, when WEST unveils his latest live evolution.

"As entertainment, WEST's set was captivating, a festival performance unlike any other." (Los Angeles Times, April 2011)

Tickets go on sale for both dates at 9am AEDT on Tuesday 6 December, 2011.