“We’ve been in queues for Taylor Swift tickets. This should be easier,” a friend remarked the night before the Coldplay ticket sales began. Big concerts in India are a rarity, with more artists starting to include the country in their touring schedules, albeit sporadically. However, the anticipation for Coldplay’s “Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025” was different. The band’s last performance in India was in 2016, an event that remains dear to many older millennials who attended.
It has now been a day since what will be etched in the memory of music enthusiasts as “Coldplay ticketing Sunday,” and the online community is at odds. On one hand, there are those who managed to secure tickets, still in disbelief. On the other, many grapple with their disappointment; some even question whether anyone succeeded in obtaining tickets at all, going as far as voicing skepticism on social media platforms like reels and tweets.
Innovative, yet costly alternatives also began to surface. Some proposed booking rooms at hotels near the concert venue — DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai — to be a part of the experience, albeit from a distance. Scalpers, as expected, have made an appearance, reselling tickets at exorbitant rates, much to the ire of fans who argue that it would be more financially sensible to attend an overseas concert instead.
In the days leading up to Sunday, many fans meticulously prepared strategies. They memorised seating charts, analyzed multiple reels to determine the best seats, and coordinated group bookings across different cities. The logistics baffled many: How would they log in simultaneously on mobile and desktop devices while staying in touch? Should they set up a continuous Zoom call in the background? Would they need to decide in advance who gets to go if limited tickets were available?
Despite extensive preparations, it quickly became clear that securing a ticket to what was dubbed the “Adventure of a Lifetime” would itself be an adventure. As expected, the ticketing, scheduled to start at noon, descended into chaos when BookMyShow, the ticketing portal, crashed. The site was unable to cope with the massive influx of users. Memes littered the internet, referencing Coldplay’s hit “Fix You,” humorously turned into pleas for the website to “fix itself.”
As the ticketing resumed a few minutes later, users found themselves in virtual queues, some waitlisted in the thousands or even the lakhs. To everyone’s relief, a third concert was added, offering fans yet another slim chance to secure tickets.
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Ashwin Radhakrishnan, a resident of Chennai who managed to book a ticket for a friend, attributed his success to his experience with booking train tickets at the last minute — a practice known as “tatkal” in India. “I have a great strike rate and have sort of gotten used to the system. We keep trying until we get it. A friend challenged me to book a ticket for her, and I managed to get her a standing ticket for the second day of the concert,” he explained.
An abrupt policy change reducing the number of tickets one could purchase from eight to four per person jeopardized many concert plans right before the sales began. Pooja Hemalatha from Chennai, who regarded the Coldplay concert as a critical part of a friendship pact involving a larger group, had to quickly adapt. “When I got into the queue, there were lakhs of people ahead of me. It was pure luck that an extra show was announced, allowing me to get into the queue for the third concert,” she said. Hemalatha finished at position 6,450 in line, eventually securing standing tickets for the final day. Her strategy involved logging into multiple devices from different accounts, coordinating with friends situated in various locations, and figuring out swift payment methods in advance.
According to a BookMyShow spokesperson, nearly 13 million fans attempted to log in for tickets. “Today marks a landmark moment in India’s live entertainment history, witnessing true fandom, extraordinary love, and tremendous excitement for Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres World Tour 2025 in India,” the spokesperson said on Sunday.
Furthermore, BookMyShow and BookMyShow Live emphasized their efforts to ensure a fair opportunity for everyone. They provided detailed booking guides and maintained clear communication through all official channels. “We implemented a queueing system to manage the overwhelming demand and quickly addressed issues stemming from suspicious traffic, causing a brief delay but ensuring minimal disruption for genuine fans. Due to the unprecedented demand, a third Mumbai show was added, receiving a fantastic response,” they added.
Following the chaotic ticketing day, conversations about what might be India’s most significant musical event in the coming months haven’t slowed. For many fans, the adventure is just beginning, transitioning their focus to planning travel and accommodations. Trains, flights, and hotel bookings are next on their exhaustive agendas, as the anticipation for Coldplay’s return to India continues to build.
Published – September 23, 2024, 05:15 pm IST
Entertainment / Music / The Hindu MetroPlus
