When You Try Your Best, But…

Tens of thousands of Indian Coldplay fans were gutted when they failed to get the highly coveted concert passes for the band’s Mumbai show after queuing up for hours on online ticketing platform BookMyShow.

Coldplay’s India concert – part of the Music of The Spheres World Tour 2025 – kicked off a rush for tickets, which were gone within minutes of going on sale on September 22.

The stupendous fan frenzy in India highlights the enduring popularity of this Grammy-winning British rock band in a country where such big-ticket concerts are rare.

Coldplay, which was born in London in 1997, is arguably among the most iconic rock bands of the times. The music made by lead vocalist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion has been described as “melodic, emotional and uplifting”, playing on themes of love, loss, and hope.

Coldplay last visited India in 2016 for a concert remembered by Gen X and Y with much delight.

The 2025 Mumbai tour is scheduled on January 18, 19, and 21 (added later) at DY Patil Stadium. The official ticket prices ranged from Rs 2,500 to Rs 35,000 for lounge access. However, the reality was starkly different.

Mad rush

Around 1.3 crore Coldplay fans rushed to scoop up tickets, resulting in a sell-out of all 1.5 lakh tickets within 30 minutes. Fans flooded BookMyShow’s website and app when ticket sales began at noon on Sunday but were crushed to learn that the shows were fully booked. BookMyShow added a third show but has failed to silence fans outraging over unfair ticketing practices.

“Soldplay” memes and rants flooded social media, with disappointed fans flagging reseller sites and inflated prices. Many complained that resale platforms bought the tickets and, taking advantage of the huge demand, sold them at inflated prices climbing to as much as Rs 3 -10 lakh.

“It really hurts that I couldn’t get a ticket to your Mumbai concert. Most people bought them just to resell at a high price, and real fans like me missed out. Hopefully next time,” lamented a heartbroken fan.

BookMyShow eventually issued a warning, advising fans to avoid unauthorised platforms that were selling fake tickets at inflated prices.

“BookMyShow has no association with any ticket selling/reselling platforms such as Viagogo and Ginsberg or third party individuals for the purpose of reselling of Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India,” it said in a statement on X.

For thousands, scoring a ticket meant fastest finger first. Or luck. Or if all else failed, the black market.

“We tried buying the tickets for Coldplay but it hardly took us ten minutes to realise that there were no tickets available. Coldplay, being one of the biggest music groups right now, you do expect such demand. But the sad thing is that the tickets are available in the black market and it was costing rupees one to three lakh,” says Bengaluru-based DJ Clitus, who has been in the music industry for the last 30 years.

“Who are these people selling the tickets and who are the people buying them? I don’t think true fans would pay so much money for the concert,” he remarks.

Furious Fans

In today’s connected world, musicians and singers have devoted fans across continents. They have a huge fan base in India as well. Yet not many of these popular singers have chosen to come to India on their tours, leaving fans disappointed. But that hasn’t stopped those who are ready to fly to concert venues abroad to catch their favourite stars on stage.

In March, Taylor Swift held six concerts in Singapore as part of her global Eras Tour but none in India despite her massive fan base here. Many Swifties from India flew to Singapore for her concert. Even K-Pop groups, though Asian and with a huge fan base in India, are yet to travel here.

The sheer logistics and costs involved in touring a country as vast and complex as India likely deters many music stars from including it in their itinerary.

“It can be challenging to organise schedules, arrange travel, and ensure a smooth experience for both the artists and the audience. Moreover, there may be concerns about the size of the target audience and the demand for specific genres or artists in India,” says a concert organiser who didn’t want to be named.

The world of music now draws not just aficionados but a wider audience of those who simply enjoy music and those who like to be seen at such events, be it celebrities or influencers.

“I think the organising of these events is not up to standard. People are trying to make fast money. It’s more of a social media trend. How many people would actually know Coldplay beyond a song or two? Organisers need to come up with some ideas similar to how they do in the West – like having fans get the tickets first,” says DJ Clitus.

Those who refuse to give up are now joining virtual queues for tickets to see Coldplay perform in Abu Dhabi next year.