Passion for live music in India have never been higher as the excitement continues to roll. When Coldplay said their three shows in Mumbai were only going to happen, a ticket vanished in minutes to leave fans racing to their position. Those who were unable to get tickets found themselves facing third-party resellers who had bought up the tickets, only to sell them at outrageous prices. Even though BookMyShow officially announced that the events were sold out, a surprising number of tickets suddenly appeared on these unofficial sites, sometimes costing 5 to 10 times their original price.

This has made live music in India hit its most-ever level of enthusiasm and has only increased. When Coldplay announced their three-day engagement in Mumbai, the tickets disappeared in minutes and had fans racing to get a seat. What is particularly worrying is the link between these legitimate ticketing sellers and resellers, which raises equity and transparency concerns. Fans going to catch Coldplay are being taken advantage of and, with some paying rightful substantial sums, contributing to the burgeoning black market. 

In the past, live music events were considered a niche experience, but they have evolved into a cultural phenomenon that signifies social status and a growing yearning to be involved in something larger than oneself. Now, Indian concerts are no longer events of music, but they reveal more than that: social influences, economic conditions, and the communal spirit within a generation that is eager to belong. Fans are willing to expend effort, both financially and relationally, to take in the event. The recent surge in the excitement around concerts, particularly with announcements like those of Diljit Dosanjh and Coldplay, has further intensified this transformation.

Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla: Fans Ready to Pay Any Amount - Through the lens of social media

Coldplay isn’t the only group making waves; Punjabi music stars like Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla are demonstrating that when consumers have a passion for a brand, or in this instance, an artist, they’ll often pay whatever it takes to get what they desire. This is well exemplified by Dosanjh's "DIL-UMINATI" tour. Tickets vanished almost instantly, and the resale market has become highly lucrative, with some tickets fetching outrageous prices. Even Diljit announced a second day for his concert in Delhi, which also sold out within just 4 minutes. This serves as an important lesson for brands: if you cultivate a devoted and emotionally engaged fan base, customers will extend their budgets for the experience.

Karan Aujla’s recent performances in Delhi further illustrate this trend. His popularity has surged so much that his Delhi concert sold out incredibly quickly, prompting him to add two more shows. With three shows already scheduled, there is still demand that outweighs the available tickets, creating an excellent resale business. Such fierce demand also acts as a warning to all brands involved, be it concerts, luxury products, or experiences because consumers are willing to go to extreme measures for items with which they develop an affinity. The spending potential is endless when a band or artist wins the hearts of consumers and becomes their favourite. That's why brand loyalty and creating memorable experiences are very important.

Of course, social media has played a major role in all of this excitement. There's been Instagram countdown stories and Twitter discussions about how to get tickets; now online conversations are complete with this excitement surrounding the concerts. The moment Diljit Dosanjh announced his concert dates, it was like the internet bursting with excitement. 

His ability to combine old traditional Punjabi with contemporary global sound has earned him love from across diaspora communities all over the world. Many are in London and Canada as well as in the United States to be treated to seeing him in a concert of nature close to making him more global star. The international recognition of Diljit has made Indian fans go crazy and has taken the demand to unprecedented levels. The news of Coldplay's tour in India increased the excitement even more — the ticketing platform Book My Show crashed due to the large number of fans trying to book tickets, leaving many disappointed and prompting the online community to respond with memes, reactions, and commentary.

The Dark Side: How Black Markets and Social Pressure Thrive

Let's face reality: not everybody going to a concert is a diehard fan. Loads of people attend merely because it's the in-thing thing to do these days. Anxiety about missing the opportunity has real merit. The effect of social networking can aggravate FOMO to make anyone feel like not going as updates and highlights appear that are non-ending. The growing popularity of live performances has created a booming black market for tickets, as unscrupulous vendors exploit the scarcity of tickets and the urgency of fans. Resales of events with artists such as Coldplay and Diljit Dosanjh have become commonplace, selling tickets for several times more than their face value. For many passionate fans, the only option is to shell out these inflated costs, transforming what should be a celebratory event into an expensive affair. In the instance of Coldplay, the overwhelming demand caused BookMyShow’s servers to crash as thousands attempted to buy tickets.

This only added to the irritation and further fueled the black market, allowing resellers to exploit fans’ urgency. Such a good example is the promotion of Coldplay's concert since most of the "fans" attending have probably not listened to one Coldplay song, but still will "prove" their attendance via social media as if there exists something close to fanatics and a whole other set of folks needing social approval. But then the real story is how much social influence fuels maniacal spending patterns as consumers want to buy their way to what's "cool". Despite efforts to fight black market ticketing sales, the problem remains active, and there is even now a growing demand to establish tough regulations to curb further unlegalized resale.

So, for now, at least, the concert frenzy appears well and truly unstoppable, and unless somehow supply manages to better itself over demand, the black market cannot be stopped. But it has lodged an FIR against black marketing of Coldplay's tickets and is considering cancelling all the tickets sold through unverified means and has restated that they do not condone such illegal resales of tickets. Only time will reveal whether the tickets will be cancelled, but the present situation has put India in a precarious position, especially amid circulating rumours about the concert's potential cancellation. This could cause international stars to think twice about adding India to their future tours.

Conclusion

The concert tourism scene in India is flourishing, with fans demonstrating an extraordinary willingness to travel across states, pay premium prices, and reserve accommodations months ahead just to witness live performances from their beloved artists. However, additional measures must be implemented to safeguard fans from exploitation and ensure that their hard-earned money is directed toward the experiences they treasure, rather than being funneled into the hands of resellers. Concerts in India weren’t always this hectic and chaotic. Yet now, with social media’s rise and the globalization of music, the stakes are elevated, and the distinctions between music, social status, and societal pressure become increasingly muddled.

At their essence, concerts should embody the unifying force of live music, the shared experience of a moment, and a passion for art. Still, with this culture advancing, we have to take a moment and think about this: With the younger fans getting themselves into this frenzy more and more, throwing out big amounts just to get a seat at the concert, the question remains the same: Are we here for the love of music or to chase validation in an endless loop of likes and Instagram reels? Concerts are intended to bring people together, inspire, and make long-lasting memories, but that can only be the case if we allow the experience to transcend being merely a competition for the next viral post.

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