Indian PM pushes ‘concert economy’ potential

India’s prime minister has spoken of the country’s need to improve its infrastructure to maximise its concert economy in the wake of Coldplay’s huge shows.

The band set the record for the largest stadium concerts of the 21st century after drawing 111,000 fans a night to their two Music of the Spheres World Tour concerts at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on 25-26 January.

The group also played three 55,000-cap dates at Mumbai’s DY Patil Sports Stadium earlier that month, while Ed Sheeran is currently in the midst of his biggest ever run in India, visiting Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Shillong and Delhi.

But with its population exceeding 1.4 billion, PM Narendra Modi suggests the limitations of India’s existing venue network mean it has only been able to scratch the surface of its potential.

“Big artists from around the world are attracted to India,” says Modi, as per Mint. “I expect the state and the private sector to focus on developing necessary infrastructure and skills for the concert economy.

“A country that has such a rich heritage of music, dance and storytelling and a huge pool of youngsters who are big consumers of concerts, there are many possibilities in the concert economy. You have witnessed that in the last 10 years, the demand and trend for live events have increased. You must have seen the beautiful pictures of Coldplay concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. This proves that there is a massive scope for concerts in India.”

“Infrastructurally speaking, we’re not there yet”

IQ‘s 2024 Global Promoters Report also provides an insight into the evolution of India’s “extremely healthy live scene”.

“Thanks to the internet, the walls have come down,” says Owen Roncon, chief of live events business for ticketer and promoter BookMyShow. “Ninety percent of our formal education is in English, and some of the world’s largest Spotify numbers are coming out of India. Before, we were 20 or so years behind a trend, but thanks to constant exposure to content from outside of India, we’ve now caught up with the rest of the world.”

Music business veteran Jitin Abraham, who has nearly 20 years of experience working with local live event promoters, as well as setting up VH1 in India, says he has never seen such a massive demand for international music.

“Thanks to the booming usage of platforms such as YouTube and Spotify, entire generations have been exposed to a wider range of music than ever before,” he says. “Back in the day, you’d have to give away free tickets or have people on the guestlist to guarantee attendances, but nowadays, fans don’t think twice.”

Nevertheless, he acknowledges that infrastructure remains a major issue.

“We don’t have a string of venues that are designed for performances that have a capacity of around 5,000 in multiple cities,” adds Abraham. “Even at a grassroots level, there aren’t enough 500-capacity spaces in teeming metropolises such as Mumbai or Delhi. You can literally count them on one hand. Infrastructurally speaking, we’re not there yet.”

Ed Sheeran made the headlines this week after his surprise street gig in Bengaluru was shut down by police

On a related note, Shillong’s state government has announced it is investing in tourism infrastructure ahead of upcoming high-profile events including tomorrow’s (12 February) concert by Ed Sheeran at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which is expected to draw around 26,000 punters.

India Today reports the city has become a significant player on India’s touring scene, drawing scores of tourists for shows by the likes of Bryan Adams, Akon, Clean Bandit and Nick Carter. The state government is expanding Shillong’s airport runway to accommodate larger aircraft from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, as well as investing in the development of new hotels and event spaces.

It is also supporting  local talent through the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (MGMP), which facilitates performance opportunities and financial assistance for regional acts.

Sheeran made the headlines earlier this week, meanwhile, after his surprise street gig in Bengaluru was shut down by police.

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