India has seen a sharp rise in hosting concerts and attracting international pop stars to our country. Over the years, the country has hosted world-famous artists and bands like Coldplay, U2, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, Guns N’ Roses, Dua Lipa, and more. Bryan Adams recently performed in Mumbai while Cigarettes after Sex will perform in January. Moreover, Green Day & Shawn Mendes are all set to perform at the Lollapalooza in 2025. But is India truly fit to host such artists considering their fanbase and the available infrastructure in the country?

Up until now, people have shared their fair share of experiences of attending concerts. Right from trying to book expensive tickets, waiting in a digital queue and still failing to get tickets to being stuck in traffic long before they reached the concert venue. More people have expressed distress than joy over concerts being hosted in India.

Netizens have also complained about the management, hospitality, and over-priced food and beverages at the concert venue. In a recent incident that took place at Bryan Adams concert, a diabetic man soiled his pants waiting for his turn in a long queue. He criticised Zomato CEO, Dapinder Goyal for installing only 3 toilets at the concert venue for a crowd of 1000 people.

In addition to this, popular Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh called out the organisers for not having proper infrastructure to host a large crowd. "Instead of troubling us, it is better to improve the venue and management. If the venue and management staff remain like this, then we will not be able to do shows in India.” “I wanted to set the stage in the middle of the ground to ensure that all of my fans could enjoy, but this did not happen,” he said.

What improvements can India look forward to?

Organizing concerts in India involves complex licensing, permissions, and bureaucracy, which can be time-consuming and expensive. While the infrastructure is improving, it is still not on par with world-class concert venues in countries like the USA or Europe. Sound systems, acoustics, and crowd management can be limiting in some venues.

Outdoor concerts can face weather-related challenges, especially during the monsoon season (June–September). Some cities face traffic congestion, which can make access to venues challenging for attendees.

Artists need to be mindful of cultural norms, as India can be conservative in certain aspects. Performances that offend religious or social sensibilities may attract criticism or protests.

The concert management needs to make sure that there are enough green rooms for people attending the concert. They need to be age and gender inclusive. Special and high-end arrangements need to be made for medical emergencies.

Basic necessities such as water bottles, sanitary napkins and affordable food alternatives must be a priority.

To avoid overcrowding, stampede, and irritation among attendees, the organisers need to stick to the actual capacity of the stadiums and allot only limited tickets to the audience.

While challenges like bureaucracy and venue quality persist, the country's potential is undeniable, and ongoing improvements can make it a more attractive destination for global tours.