Tens of hundreds of Indian Coldplay followers have been gutted after they did not get the extremely coveted live performance passes for the band’s Mumbai present after queuing up for hours on on-line ticketing platform BookMyShow.
Coldplay’s India live performance – a part of the Music of The Spheres World Tour 2025 – kicked off a rush for tickets, which have been gone inside minutes of occurring sale on September 22.
The stupendous fan frenzy in India highlights the enduring recognition of this Grammy-winning British rock band in a rustic the place such big-ticket concert events are uncommon.
Coldplay, which was born in London in 1997, is arguably among the many most iconic rock bands of the instances. The music made by lead vocalist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Man Berryman, and drummer Will Champion has been described as “melodic, emotional and uplifting”, enjoying on themes of affection, loss, and hope.
Coldplay final visited India in 2016 for a live performance remembered by Gen X and Y with a lot delight.
The 2025 Mumbai tour is scheduled on January 18, 19, and 21 (added later) at DY Patil Stadium. The official ticket costs ranged from Rs 2,500 to Rs 35,000 for lounge entry. Nonetheless, the truth was starkly totally different.
Mad rush
Round 1.3 crore Coldplay followers rushed to scoop up tickets, leading to a sell-out of all 1.5 lakh tickets inside half-hour. Followers flooded BookMyShow’s web site and app when ticket gross sales started at midday on Sunday however have been crushed to be taught that the exhibits have been totally booked. BookMyShow added a 3rd present however has did not silence followers outraging over unfair ticketing practices.
“Soldplay” memes and rants flooded social media, with disillusioned followers flagging reseller websites and inflated costs. Many complained that resale platforms purchased the tickets and, profiting from the massive demand, offered them at inflated costs climbing to as a lot as Rs 3 -10 lakh.
“It actually hurts that I could not get a ticket to your Mumbai live performance. Most individuals purchased them simply to resell at a excessive value, and actual followers like me missed out. Hopefully subsequent time,” lamented a heartbroken fan.
BookMyShow ultimately issued a warning, advising followers to keep away from unauthorised platforms that have been promoting pretend tickets at inflated costs.
“BookMyShow has no affiliation with any ticket promoting/reselling platforms equivalent to Viagogo and Ginsberg or third occasion people for the aim of reselling of Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India,” it mentioned in an announcement on X.
For hundreds, scoring a ticket meant quickest finger first. Or luck. Or if all else failed, the black market.
“We tried shopping for the tickets for Coldplay but it surely hardly took us ten minutes to grasp that there have been no tickets obtainable. Coldplay, being one of many greatest music teams proper now, you do count on such demand. However the unhappy factor is that the tickets can be found within the black market and it was costing rupees one to 3 lakh,” says Bengaluru-based DJ Clitus, who has been within the music business for the final 30 years.
“Who’re these folks promoting the tickets and who’re the folks shopping for them? I do not assume true followers would pay a lot cash for the live performance,” he remarks.
Livid Followers
In at this time’s linked world, musicians and singers have devoted followers throughout continents. They’ve an enormous fan base in India as nicely. But not many of those in style singers have chosen to return to India on their excursions, leaving followers disillusioned. However that hasn’t stopped those that are able to fly to live performance venues overseas to catch their favorite stars on stage.
In March, Taylor Swift held six concert events in Singapore as a part of her international Eras Tour however none in India regardless of her huge fan base right here. Many Swifties from India flew to Singapore for her live performance. Even Okay-Pop teams, although Asian and with an enormous fan base in India, are but to journey right here.
The sheer logistics and prices concerned in touring a rustic as huge and complicated as India doubtless deters many music stars from together with it of their itinerary.
“It may be difficult to organise schedules, prepare journey, and guarantee a clean expertise for each the artists and the viewers. Furthermore, there could also be considerations in regards to the dimension of the audience and the demand for particular genres or artists in India,” says a live performance organiser who did not need to be named.
The world of music now attracts not simply aficionados however a wider viewers of those that merely get pleasure from music and people who wish to be seen at such occasions, be it celebrities or influencers.
“I feel the organising of those occasions is lower than customary. Individuals are making an attempt to make quick cash. It is extra of a social media development. How many individuals would really know Coldplay past a tune or two? Organisers must provide you with some concepts much like how they do within the West – like having followers get the tickets first,” says DJ Clitus.
Those that refuse to surrender at the moment are becoming a member of digital queues for tickets to see Coldplay carry out in Abu Dhabi subsequent yr.