Police in India have closed an investigation into promoter BookMyShow (BMS) over the ticket sale for Coldplay’s recent concerts in Mumbai after finding “no irregularities”.

The band played three 55,000-cap dates at Mumbai’s DY Patil Sports Stadium on 18-19 & 21 January as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour.

Tickets, priced between 2,500 rupees (€27) to 12,000 rupees (€129), sold out within 30 minutes last September, only to quickly reappear on secondary ticketing platforms at up to 40x face value.

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police launched a preliminary inquiry after lawyer Amit Vyas filed a criminal complaint against BMS and others, accusing the company of using bots to manipulate the sales process and colluding with resale sites to scalp tickets on the black market.

“Scalping and black marketing of tickets is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India and BookMyShow vehemently opposes this practice”

BMS, which said 13 million people attempted to buy tickets, denied any association with unauthorised secondary ticketing platforms and lodged a formal First Information Report (FIR) with law enforcement agencies.

“Scalping and black marketing of tickets is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India and BookMyShow vehemently opposes this practice,” it said at the time. “We have not only filed a complaint with the police authorities but are also proactively working with them to provide complete support in the investigation of this matter in any manner that may be required.”

The Hindustan Times reports that the EOW has now dropped the case, having found no evidence of ticket manipulation.

The week after their three Mumbai dates, Coldplay performed to 111,000 fans a night – the biggest shows of their career –at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, on 25-26 January. The two gigs also set a record as the largest stadium concerts of the 21st century.

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With a vested interest in witnessing live entertainment and a massive English-speaking population contributing to an “extremely healthy live scene,” according to BookMyShow’s Owen Roncon, India is rapidly developing a reputation for being a major stop for international artists on tour or as festival headliners.

“Thanks to the Internet, the walls have come down,” says the ticketer and promoter’s chief of live events business. “90% 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.”

With Dua Lipa recently headlining the Feeding India concert, Coldplay scheduled to perform at the 100,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium and Ed Sheeran gearing up for his biggest-ever tour in India, Only Much Louder’s Rishabh Nahar believes it’s only a matter of time before the world takes notice of India as a vital tour stop for globally renowned performers.

“Thanks to the Internet, the walls have come down”

“The number of successful tours we’ve had in recent years, from bands like Alt-J, Wolf Alice, and Cigarettes After Sex, is proof that audiences here love discovering artists, and hosting talents of that calibre simply showcases the immense potential of ticketing scale and production value that India has to offer to the world,” he says.

Having overseen another star-studded Lollapalooza – headlined by Jonas Brothers, Stine, Halsey, and OneRepublic – as well as a sold-out Ed Sheeran show in Mumbai, Roncon believes that one of the pivotal factors in the Indian market’s recent successes comes down to who fans are seeing onstage.

“I wouldn’t class India as a genre market but rather a ‘headline’ market,” he explains. “The trend is to follow the larger noise, which internationally speaking, usually involves a major pop artist,” adding that the market is in the midst of embracing the emergence of the performer. “Talent alone isn’t enough to break through to a larger venue. People want to see showmanship onstage.”

Given that the Middle East-to-India passage is a natural route for artist tours, UAE-based All Things Live have also increased their presence in South Asia by partnering with SG Sports and Entertainment to co-promote some events – including a Bryan Adams tour across several Indian cities in December later this year.

“I wouldn’t class India as a genre market but rather a ‘headline’ market”

With nearly 20 years of experience working with local live event promoters, as well as setting up VH1 in India, Jitin Abraham says he has never seen such a massive demand for international music quite like the post-pandemic years.

“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,” the music business veteran explains, also referencing the increasing number of people that are attending gigs and festivals. “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.”

However, 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,” says 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.” The lack of architectural and real estate investment has proven to be a major disadvantage for local promoters who can’t afford to take huge risks such as converting greenfield sites into viable concert venues. “Infrastructurally speaking, we’re not there yet.”

The Global Promoters Report (GPR) 2024, the latest indispensable guide to the industry’s leading promoters and touring territories, is out now.

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A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in India calling for strict guidelines on the domestic resale market in the wake of ticket sale controversies for concerts by Coldplay and Diljit Dosanjh.

Police are investigating an alleged touting scam relating to Coldplay’s shows in Mumbai in January 2025 after tickets – priced between 2,500 rupees (€27) to 12,000 rupees (€129) – quickly reappeared on secondary ticketing platforms at eye-watering prices of up to 900,000 rupees (€10,000).

It followed a similar row over Punjabi singer’s Diljit Dosanjh’s upcoming concert in the country, whereby tickets sold via Zomato Live popped up on resale platforms at huge mark-ups soon after selling out.

The PIL, which has been lodged at Bombay High Court by lawyer Amit Vyas of Vertices Partners, alleges “several irregularities and illegalities” during the sale of tickets for large events and accuses resellers of violating consumer protection rules.

“The… facts and circumstances serve as a stark reminder of the challenges facing live events in the digital age”

He is requesting authorities create provisional regulations to “prevent ticket scalping, touting and black marketing until specific legislation is enacted”, reports Times of India.

“The… facts and circumstances serve as a stark reminder of the challenges facing live events in the digital age, where the joy of securing tickets to see your favourite artist can quickly turn into a frustrating and potentially costly ordeal,” reads Vyas’ complaint, as per CNBC. “It also highlights the need for a robust system to ensure fair access to tickets and prevent exploitation by ticket scalpers and bots.”

Vyas previously filed a criminal complaint against Indian ticketing giant BookMyShow (BMS) and others, accusing the company of colluding with resale sites to scalp tickets for the three Coldplay gigs – allegations the firm denies.

BMS, which partnered with the band on the shows, has threatened to void tickets sold on the black market and lodged a formal First Information Report (FIR) with Mumbai police urging authorities to investigate “the unauthorised resale of tickets by individuals and platforms”.

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Indian ticketing giant and promoter BookMyShow (BMS) says it may cancel tickets sold on the black market for Coldplay’s upcoming Mumbai run.

The British band are bringing their Music of the Spheres Tour to the city’s DY Patil Sports Stadium for three sold out nights in January 2025. However, police are investigating an alleged touting scam in relation to the shows after tickets – priced between 2,500 rupees (€27) to 12,000 rupees (€129) – quickly reappeared on secondary ticketing platforms at huge mark-ups.

Lawyer Amit Vyas subsequently filed a criminal complaint against BMS and others, accusing the company of colluding with resale sites to scalp tickets, while Mumbai police’s Economic Offences Wing reportedly questioned an executive from BMS’ parent firm Big Tree Entertainment as part of a preliminary inquiry.

BMS denies any wrongdoing, maintaining its opposition to illegal ticketing practices, and says it has lodged a formal First Information Report (FIR) – a written document prepared by police when they receive information about a criminal offence.

“This action follows our initial complaint filed proactively with the Mumbai Police on September 23, 2024, addressing these concerns much before any formal complaint was raised against us,” a spokesperson for the firm tells IQ. “BookMyShow’s FIR filed with the Mumbai police also urges authorities to investigate the unauthorised resale of tickets by individuals and platforms.

“We have provided details of all resellers that have come to our attention, including independent individuals reselling tickets for this tour across social media platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp and beyond, as also digital platforms such as Viagogo, StubHub Holdings and more, to aid authorities in a thorough investigation.

“We remain vigilant in monitoring such instances of ticket reselling for this tour through black market channels and will continue to share all relevant information with the authorities to ensure appropriate action is taken. BookMyShow is assessing potential cancellation of such tickets that are being sold unethically.”

“BookMyShow vehemently condemns and opposes ticket reselling which is deemed illegal and is punishable by law in India”

Viagogo has also insisted it is not working with the Mumbai-headquartered firm, which says that “emotions ran high” after 13 million people attempted to buy tickets for the Coldplay gigs, which sold out within minutes of going on sale last month.

“Our stance remains clear and unchanged – BookMyShow vehemently condemns and opposes ticket reselling which is deemed illegal and is punishable by law in India,” the BMS statement adds. “BookMyShow has no association with any such unauthorised ticket selling/reselling platforms and/or any third party individuals/platforms for the purpose of reselling Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India.

“We are working closely with the police and regulatory authorities, to provide complete support and cooperation in the investigation of this matter in any manner that may be required right from the start. Our authorised representatives and senior management have been available whenever required by the authorities, ensuring full transparency in sharing all necessary information with the EOW (Economic Offences Wing).”

The company also dismisses rumours that had circulated online suggesting the concerts would be cancelled, asserting they are “proceeding as planned”.

“Reports contrary to this are factually incorrect,” it continues. “As the promoter and official ticketing platform bringing Coldplay to India, we at BookMyShow have worked hard to ensure every fan had a fair chance to secure tickets, by pricing them affordably as also capping purchase at four tickets per user across all shows, providing clear, step-by-step booking guides and maintaining transparent communication through all our official channels.

“We remain committed to ensuring a fair and genuine experience for all our consumers.”

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Police in India are investigating an alleged ticket touting scam relating to Coldplay’s forthcoming concerts in Mumbai.

The British band will perform their first full-length gigs in the country since 2016’s Global Citizen Festival when their Music of the Spheres Tour stops at Mumbai’s DY Patil Sports Stadium on 18, 19 & 21 January next year.

Indian ticketing giant BookMyShow (BMS) said 13 million people attempted to buy tickets for the gigs, which sold out within minutes of going on sale last month. However, tickets, which were priced between 2,500 rupees (€27) to 12,000 rupees (€129), quickly reappeared on secondary ticketing platforms at huge mark-ups – leading to a public outcry.

Lawyer Amit Vyas filed a criminal complaint against BMS and others, accusing the company of colluding with resale sites to scalp tickets on the black market.

“The sale of the concert tickets was controlled by BookMyShow in such a manner that the genuine customers… were intentionally logged out of the platform seconds before… the time when the tickets went live, or were not allowed to access the platform to buy tickets for the concert,” reads the allegation.

“However, simultaneously, the tickets were made available to Viagogo in bulk, which started black-marketing these tickets at very high prices.”

BMS has denied the claim, saying: “BookMyShow has no association with any such unauthorised ticket selling/reselling platforms including but not limited to Viagogo and Gigsberg or third-party individuals for the purpose of reselling Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India.

“Scalping and black marketing of tickets is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India and BookMyShow vehemently opposes this practice”

“Scalping and black marketing of tickets is strictly condemned and punishable by law in India and BookMyShow vehemently opposes this practice,” it continues. “We have not only filed a complaint with the police authorities but are also proactively working with them to provide complete support in the investigation of this matter in any manner that may be required.”

Viagogo has also rejected accusations of collusion, with a spokesperson telling the Indian Express: “Viagogo is not working with BookMyShow. Tickets listed on Viagogo come from a range of sources, including multinational event organisers, corporate ticket holders, season ticket holders, sponsors and fans who simply can no longer attend an event.”

According to local media reports, Mumbai police’s Economic Offences Wing questioned an executive from BMS’ parent firm Big Tree Entertainment about the case for several hours yesterday (30 September) as part of its preliminary inquiry.

India was one of a number of new territories – alongside Hong Kong, UAE and South Korea – to be added to the all-conquering Music Of The Spheres World Tour after ticket sales for the epic trek sailed past 10 million.

Launched in March 2022, the run was recently confirmed by Billboard Boxscore to have grossed more than $1 billion and is already the biggest rock tour of all time. Coldplay, who are represented by Wasserman Music’s Marty Diamond and Larry Webman in North America and WME’s Josh Javor for the rest of the world, will also play 10 nights at London’s Wembley Stadium next summer – a record for a single tour.

The band have pledged that 10% of proceeds from the 2025 UK dates, which also include two nights at Hull’s Craven Park Stadium, will be donated to the Music Venue Trust.

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The organisers of Lollapalooza India say the festival is on course to break even next year as it celebrates a successful second edition.

More than 60,000 fans over two days gathered at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse from 27-28 January to see headliners Sting, Jonas Brothers, Halsey and OneRepublic.

Held across four stages, the lineup also included acts such as Keane, Lauv, Jungle, Royal Blood, JPEGMAFIA, Meduza, Malaa, Caribou, The Rose and Eric Nam.

The festival was produced by co-founder Perry Farrell, Live Nation’s C3 Presents and Indian ticketing giant BookMyShow, which has expanded into staging live events.

Speaking to Mint, BookMyShow’s chief of business, live entertainment, Owen Roncon says the event is projected to become financially stable by year three – in line with expectations. Tickets started at 5,999 Indian rupee (€66.50).

“Lolla will break even by next year for sure. We are in the ballpark and it’s going per the plan with no massive deviation”

“Lolla will break even by next year for sure,” says Roncon. “We are in the ballpark and it’s going per the plan with no massive deviation.

“The kind of brand pickup that we’ve seen in Lolla is unprecedented. I don’t think there’s any other IP that has picked up this kind of inventory from the market. And it’s only increasing. I think by next year, we’ll be able to do far more for brands, and our plans are bigger and better for the brands themselves. So therefore I think that that those scales are gonna get better.”

Last year’s inaugural Lolla India featured performances from local and international artists including Imagine Dragons, The Strokes, AP Dhillon, Cigarettes After Sex, Divine, the F16s, Jackson Wang, Imanbek, Greta Van Fleet, The Wombats and Diplo. Its debut in Asia meant the brand has now grown to eight countries on four continents, including editions in the US, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France and Sweden.

Mumbai-based BookMyShow also launched rock festival Badland in Bengaluru last month, headlined by Deep Purple and Goo Goo Dolls, and is planning a hip-hop festival in Delhi. Roncon reveals the firm is focusing its attention on Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi for large-scale events, and is exploring venue development in various cities as it seeks to improve the country’s live entertainment infrastructure.

“Those can be shared with others too and everyone’s production cost can come down, it brings down the ticket prices and gives talent a platform,” he explains. “We’re looking at that very, very aggressively and I think in the next year or two, you should see a few results.”

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India is enhancing its claim as a global entertainment hub as it entices a growing number of international stars and festival brands to the country.

50 Cent, Westlife, Deep Purple, Goo Goo Dolls, Bastille and Kodaline are among the big-name acts set to perform before the end of the year, while Ed Sheeran last week announced his + – = ÷ x (Mathematics) tour will visit Mumbai in 2024.

The concert at Mahalaxmi Racecourse on 16 March will be the first time Sheeran has played in India since 2017. According to BookMyShow Live, which is co-promoting the concert with AEG Presents, the gig will feature a 360° circular and revolving stage – a first for India.

“The future of events in India is on the cusp of a remarkable transformation,” says Owen Roncon, BookMyShow’s chief of business, live entertainment.

“Our endeavour at BookMyShow Live is to consistently push the boundaries of how live entertainment is experienced here at par with global standards. In line with that, we are thrilled to bring this ground-breaking, production wonder with the 360-degree circular, revolving stage to the Indian audience for the Ed Sheeran: + – = ÷ x Tour (Mathematics Tour).

“The future of events in India is on the cusp of a remarkable transformation”

“With this innovative production, auditory experience and the technological integration, the tour comes to India as a work of art where technology waltzes with creativity, weaving an enchanting blend of visuals and sound; ensuring in fact that it truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

India has already enjoyed a bumper 2023 calendar, with concerts from the likes of Backstreet Boys, John Legend and Bonobo, and festivals including Vh1 Supersonic, Mahindra Blues Festival and Lollapalooza drawing yet more household names.

Live Nation and BookMyShow teamed up on the very first Lollapalooza India at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse, featuring Imagine Dragons, The Strokes, and Diplo alongside Indian-born rapper AP Dhillon, Delhi-based singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad and others. The event drew 60,000 fans over two days, with 40 artists performing across four stages on a 50-acre site.

James Craven, Live Nation president, Middle East, says Lollapalooza coming to Mumbai is a great example of the market’s growing importance.

“It’s really exciting to see global markets open up to music and artists from the Indian sub-continent, as well as seeing how the Indian market continues to open up for international acts,” says Craven in the IQ’s Global Promoters Report. “Expanding global touring routes for artists is key to their growth and that of the industry, and India will play a key role in that going forwards.”

“Our endeavour is to consistently push the boundaries of how live is experienced here at par with global standards”

Lollapalooza isn’t the only global festival brand to plant a flag in India. Palm Tree Festival, an event founded by renowned Norwegian producer Kygo and his manager Myles Shear, will debut in Mumbai this November.

The festival will bring the likes of Kungs (FR), Sam Felt (NL) and Kidnap (GB) to the Mahalaxmi Racecourse between 3–5 November. Palm Tree has also taken place in The Hamptons (US), Cabo San Lucas (MX) and Pag Island (HR).

Elsewhere in the festival market, pre-existing brands have hailed new milestones. India’s biggest metal festival Bangalore Open Air sold out for the first time in its 10-year history.

The 3,000-capacity event, which is produced in partnership with Germany’s marquee metal festival Wacken Open Air, saw acts including Mayhem, Pestilence, Kryptos, Godless, Born of Osiris, Dying Embrace and Amorphia perform at Royal Orchid Resorts at Yelahanka.

Closing out the year, Percept Live’s Sunburn festival will return to Goa in December, with international artists such as Alesso (SE), Charlotte De Witte (BE) and Timmy Trumpet (AU).

“India’s music landscape has witnessed meteoric growth in the past few years,” says Kunal Khambhat, head of live events & IP at BookMyShow, said in the most recent Global Promoters Report.

“Slowly but steadily, the country has set the stage to become a keystone for some of the biggest music performances and markets in the world – from hosting acclaimed international and Indian independent artists at large concerts to smaller formats that are gradually shaping the music landscape in the country.”

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India is enjoying a post-pandemic boom for live music, with ticket sales already approaching last year’s total within the first six months of 2023, according to BookMyShow.

The promoting and ticketing giant’s end-of-year report for 2022 showed that eight million fans flocked to the more than 19,000 live entertainment events held in the country, with over 500,000 concert-goers attending gigs by themselves.

And this year is shaping up to be even more successful, thanks to shows such as the debut edition of Lollapalooza India, which drew 60,000 people over two days, Backstreet Boys, who pulled in 25,000 across concerts at the Jio World Gardens, Mumbai and Airia Mall, Gurugram, and Bangalore Open Air, India’s biggest metal festival, which sold out for the first time in its 10-year history.

“The number of music events hosted and number of tickets sold for music shows have already touched 80% of the 2022 music events roster, within less than six months of 2023 on BookMyShow,” Owen Roncon, BookMyShow’s head of live music, tells The Independent.

The debut edition of Lollapalooza India drew 60,000 fans between 28-29 January, with 40 artists performing across four stages at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse Lawns in Mumbai. The event saw performances from local and international artists including Imagine Dragons, The Strokes, AP Dhillon, Cigarettes After Sex, Divine, the F16s, Jackson Wang, Imanbek, Greta Van Fleet, The Wombats and Diplo.

“India’s music landscape has witnessed meteoric growth in the past few years”

Roncon says live music is BookMyShow’s fastest-growing category, contributing to 25% of its revenue, and 15% of total ticket sales post-Covid, while 23% of Lollapalooza India registrations had come to the platform for the first time.

Insiders credit factors such as the “ever-evolving infrastructure for concerts and festivals” for the upward trajectory, including the development of purpose-built music venues like Mumbai’s Jio World Garden and the NSCI Dome, in addition to the enhanced demand generated by streaming.

The country was on a promising upswing just as the pandemic hit, having welcomed U2 to Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium in January 2020, which followed visits by the likes of the Rolling Stones (Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, 2003), Ed Sheeran (Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai, 2015/Reliance Jio Garden, Mumbai, 2017) and Beyoncé (Antilia, Udaipur, 2018).

Post Malone also made his bow in the country last December, headlining the Zomato Feeding India Concert, which attracted 20,000 fans. Other events include the NH7 Weekender, VH1 Supersonic and Magnetic Fields Festival.

“India’s music landscape has witnessed meteoric growth in the past few years,” Kunal Khambhati, head of live events & IP at BookMyShow, told IQ earlier this year. “Slowly but steadily, the country has set the stage to become a keystone for some of the biggest music performances and markets in the world – from hosting acclaimed international and Indian independent artists at large concerts to smaller formats that are gradually shaping the music landscape in the country.

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India is fast becoming a global entertainment hub, according to some of the world’s leading executives.

Just as the pandemic hit, the country was on a promising upswing in its patchy live music history, having welcomed U2 to Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium in January 2020. The show was the latest in an intermittent stream of superstar visits to Indian soil – The Stones, Sheeran, and Beyoncé have all been down, though Bieber cancelled in October – and was a collaboration between Live Nation and local ticketing giant BookMyShow, which is increasingly positioning itself as India’s foremost international promoter.

In January, the two promoters teamed up on the first Indian Lollapalooza at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse, featuring Imagine Dragons, The Strokes, and Diplo alongside Indian-born rapper AP Dhillon, Delhi-based singer-songwriter Prateek Kuhad and others. The event drew 60,000 fans over two days, with 40 artists performing across four stages on a 50-acre site.

James Craven, Live Nation president, Middle East, says Lollapalooza coming to Mumbai is a great example of the market’s growing importance.

“It’s really exciting to see global markets open up to music and artists from the Indian sub-continent, as well as seeing how the Indian market continues to open up for international acts,” says Craven in the IQ’s Global Promoters Report. “Expanding global touring routes for artists is key to their growth and that of the industry, and India will play a key role in that going forwards.”

“Expanding global touring routes for artists is key to their growth and that of the industry, and India will play a key role in that”

Kunal Khambhati, head of live events & IP at BookMyShow, says the entertainment and ticketing platform has worked hard to break down barriers to live shows, which included a 28% goods and services tax that now stands at 18%.

“India’s music landscape has witnessed meteoric growth in the past few years,” says Khambhati. “Slowly but steadily, the country has set the stage to become a keystone for some of the biggest music performances and markets in the world – from hosting acclaimed international and Indian independent artists at large concerts to smaller formats that are gradually shaping the music landscape in the country.

“BookMyShow’s work in this space has focused on creating exposure for both global talent to the Indian audience and Indian artists on the global stage,” he adds. “Lollapalooza is a global music phenomenon, an incomparable international experience, that will not only amplify this exposure in India but in all of Asia and put the spotlight on the country as a global entertainment hub.”

Elsewhere in the festival market, India’s biggest metal festival Bangalore Open Air sold out for the first time in its 10-year history.

“This will go down in the history books,” said Bangalore Open Air founder, Salman U Syed. “A heavy metal festival in Bangalore, India, is sold out. Thank you for your support. Ten years of hard work determination and patience.”

“The country has set the stage to become a keystone for some of the biggest music performances and markets in the world”

The 3,000-capacity event, which is produced in partnership with Germany’s marquee metal festival Wacken Open Air, will this year celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Mayhem, Pestilence, Kryptos, Godless, Born of Osiris, Dying Embrace and Amorphia will lead the celebrations at the 1 April event at Royal Orchid Resorts at Yelahanka.

It’s not just domestic executives that are touting India’s rapid growth. The likes of Wasserman Music’s Alex Hardee and ATC Live’s Alex Bruford testified to the market’s upward trajectory at the most recent International Live Music Conference (ILMC).

“I was just in India, where Lumineers headlined the NH7 Weekender and it was incredible,” said Bruford. “More than 20,000 people drove for about eight hours to get to the show – all completely local fans – and it was one of the band’s favourite gigs they’ve ever played.”

Hardee told ILMC delegates how Alan Walker (represented by Lee Anderson and Tom Schroeder at Wasserman) recently broke new ground in India: “He did ten shows in ten cities…I don’t think an international act has ever done that.”

“More than 20,000 people drove for about eight hours to get to the show”

While streaming rates point to a large pop market, challenging routing and a lack of infrastructure have hampered the development of an Indian circuit for rock and pop shows. Venues for shows typically have to be built from scratch on outdoor sites, and purpose-built venues are only a long-term prospect.

The EDM market is already creating circuits of its own. Percept Live’s three-day, 30,000-per-day Sunburn Festival in Goa returned in December, having brought many of the world’s top DJs down since 2007, and Percept has expanded into increasingly ambitious tours – including a six-city trek for DJ Snake in November, visiting Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore but also less-travelled spots such as Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.

“This is the first time we have done a six-city tour over two weekends with such a big artist,” says Percept Live COO Karan Singh, noting that DJ Snake drew anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 per city. “If you have eight or ten markets where the top international acts can play, that’s good for the industry overall.”

Other experienced electronic promoters include Mixtape Live, Submerge, and Mumbai’s Krunk Live, whose travelling Bass Camp Festival celebrated its tenth year in November. Another major player in the Indian business is payments provider Paytm, which bought OML’s ticketing arm Insider in 2017.

As well as presenting tours by artists such as Singh and Dosanjh, Paytm Insider is behind the Bacardi NH7 Weekender, which has featured Basement Jaxx, A.R. Rahman, and Megadeth and brought The Lumineers, Dirty Loops and J.I.D. back to its home city of Pune for its 11th edition in November.

This article contains excerpts from the Global Promoters Report, a first-of-its-kind resource that highlights the world’s leading promoters and the 40 top markets they operate in. The report is now available to subscribers of IQ.

Lollapalooza has announced it is expanding to India, with the inaugural edition set for Mumbai from 28-29 January 2023.

Lollapalooza India will showcase both global stars and local talent and will mark the first time the event has been held in Asia.

Offering two days of music across four stages as well as culinary selections, art and fashion, line-up and ticket information will be released soon.

“The music of India is transcendental, it draws our spirits East,” says Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell. “Lollapalooza is an instrument for unity, peace, and education utilising the universal languages of music and art to find common ground.”

Lollapalooza India is being produced by Farrell, WME, C3 Presents and India’s BookMyShow, and means the brand has now grown to eight countries on four continents, including editions in the US, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France and Sweden.

“We are excited to introduce fans to an entirely new festival experience”

“Lollapalooza has always been about exploring boundaries, musically and geographically,” says C3 Presents partner Charlie Walker. “We are excited to introduce fans to an entirely new festival experience that has been a significant rite of passage for millions of music fans around the world for more than three decades.”

BookMyShow is owned and operated by Big Tree Entertainment and is described as “India’s leading entertainment destination”. The company has brought international stars such as U2, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and Justin Bieber to the market over the past few years.

“BookMyShow is proud to bring Lollapalooza to India – making it the eighth country and the fourth continent to do so,” says the firm’s founder and CEO Ashish Hemrajani. “With a mix of some stellar Indian talent and global artists coming together on the same stage, we expect nothing short of magic.”

Launched in 2007, BookMyShow has evolved from an online ticketing platform for movies to end-to-end management of live entertainment events including concerts, theatrical productions and sport.

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