Ke$ha had been scheduled to perform at Chicago’s Loyola University months in advance. But with the recent firestorm of attention attracted by the New York Supreme Court’s denial of her injunction against Dr. Luke, the concert has become much more significant—it will be the singer’s first public performance since the ruling.
The concert will be preceded by a #FreeKe$ha rally on the university’s campus, where emotions will likely be running high. Legions of music fans and many entertainers have rallied around the embattled Ke$ha, whose fight for release from her contract on the basis of Dr. Luke’s alleged abuse (though the injunction isn’t directly related, it wouldn’t exist without the abuse allegations) is unprecedented in the history of music law. The fight in the courts is expected to rage on for at least several more months, barring a settlement, as Ke$ha’s abuse suit and Dr. Luke’s defamation countersuit arrive at further hearings. The results will hold far-reaching implications not just for the music industry, but also for the treatment of sexual abuse, which is notoriously hard to prove even without all of the psychological barriers to victims coming forward.
In the wake of all this hubbub, the concert organizers at Loyola decided to open the show to the public. Previously, only those related to the university could purchase tickets. If you feel like a weekend in Chicago and a momentous Ke$ha concert, you can buy tickets here.