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Coldplay is scheduled to perform three shows in Mumbai in January
If you were in India and had 900,000 rupees ($10,800; £8,000), what would you buy? A car? A trip around the world? Diamond jewellery? Or a Coldplay concert ticket?
The British rock band is set to perform three shows of their Music of the Spheres world tour in Mumbai next year, and the tickets are being resold for exorbitant prices after selling out in minutes on BookMyShow (BMS) – the concert’s official ticketing platform.
The tickets went on sale last Sunday and ranged from 2,500 rupees to 12,000 rupees. Over 10 million people competed for approximately 180,000 tickets.
Fans expressed frustration over long digital queues and site crashes, with many alleging that the sales process was manipulated as resellers began selling tickets for up to five times the price – reaching as high as 900,000 rupees – before they were officially released.
Earlier this month, a similar situation occurred with tickets for Oasis’ concert in the UK, where resellers charged over £350 for tickets that originally cost £135. However, the inflated prices for Coldplay tickets are particularly notable. For comparison, Madonna charged £1,306.75 for VIP passes to her Celebration tour, and the top tickets for Beyoncé’s Renaissance concerts sold for £2,400.
These events have sparked a discussion about ticket scalping in India, where individuals use bots or automation tools to bypass queues and purchase multiple tickets for resale. Fans are questioning whether the official site took sufficient measures to prevent this practice or turned a blind eye.
BMS has denied any connection with resellers and advised fans to avoid purchasing tickets from unauthorized sources as they may be counterfeit, yet suspicions persist regarding the site.
Fans reported similar experiences when buying tickets for Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh’s upcoming concerts, which were initially released on Zomato Live and subsequently appeared on reselling platforms at significantly inflated prices.
While ticket scalping is illegal in India, experts suggest that despite enforcement efforts, legitimate ticket-holders may still engage with resellers to profit from the high demand.
Dwayne Dias
Dwayne Dias (left) and his friends traveled to Singapore to attend a Coldplay concert
Graphic designer Dwayne Dias was fortunate to secure tickets for the Coldplay concert through the official site, purchasing four tickets for 6,450 rupees each.
Since then, he has been approached by individuals willing to pay up to 60,000 rupees for a ticket. “If I wanted to, I could sell all the tickets and attend the concert in South Korea [Coldplay’s upcoming tour destination]. The proceeds would cover my travel expenses, allowing me to explore a new city,” he remarks.
While the steep prices of Coldplay tickets are surprising, the immense demand for tickets to see popular international artists perform is not unusual. The live music industry in India has been flourishing in recent years.
According to a report, music concerts generated approximately 8,000 million rupees in revenue last year, with projections indicating a 25% increase by 2025. Brian Tellis, a music industry veteran and co-founder of the Mahindra Blues music festival, notes that concerts have become a significant cultural aspect for individuals and the nation as a whole.
Leading artists like Ed Sheeran, Alan Walker, and Dua Lipa have performed in India recently, with the latter two scheduled to perform again this year. “India is a thriving market for the music industry, similar to other sectors. A large demographic of young individuals with disposable income contributes to this trend,” Tellis explains.
The surge in demand is evident in ticket pricing and sales. Tellis mentions that a decade ago, sponsors covered 80% of production costs with 20% from ticket sales, a ratio that has now reversed.
“Attending a concert is a combination of social status, conformity, and being part of the scene,” he observes. “While genuine music enthusiasts are present, many attend to be part of the hype surrounding a performance and avoid feeling left out.”
Leading up to and following the sale of Coldplay concert tickets, social media featured captivating content showcasing the band’s performances of hits like Adventure of a Lifetime and Fix You in packed stadiums, with fans singing along and creating a vibrant atmosphere. Influencers shared their love for the band, and Coldplay memes circulated widely.
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Popular artists like Ed Sheeran have performed in India
Industry insiders informed the BBC that targeted marketing plays a crucial role in ticket sales, managed by the promoter’s website. Increased demand allows for higher ticket prices, maximizing profits from concerts that often incur losses.
While some fans advocate for government intervention to regulate ticket prices, Tellis disagrees. “Ticket sales are a form of entrepreneurship, and government involvement would not be appropriate. Controlling revenue would necessitate controlling costs,” he argues.
Despite the growth of India’s live music industry, experts believe the country has a long way to go to align with the global music scene.
“We have limited concert venues that do not meet international standards,” Tellis points out. Getty Images “Por eso los artistas realizan menos espectáculos en India a pesar de la enorme demanda.”
Dias y sus amigos viajaron recientemente a Singapur para asistir a un concierto de Coldplay. Él dice que la experiencia de reserva de entradas fue suave, el lugar era de primera clase y la multitud estaba bien manejada.
No está seguro de tener la misma experiencia en el estadio DY Patil – el lugar de los conciertos de la banda en India. “Por un lado, es mucho más pequeño y las multitudes en India pueden ser bastante indisciplinadas”, dice. También está preocupado por lo seguro que será el lugar y si la multitud será gestionada adecuadamente en los puntos de entrada y salida.
Pero por ahora, él está aferrado a sus entradas y está preparado para soportar lo que sea necesario, solo para tener la oportunidad de ver a Chris Martin y compañía actuar de nuevo.