Stop Blaming Global Politics for Cancelled Concerts. India's Event Management Is the Problem.

Last year, 13 million Indians crashed BookMyShow trying to get Travis Scott tickets, and they sold out in 30 minutes. India clearly wants concerts.

Fast forward to 2026, and the likes of Kanye West and Shakira have cancelled their shows weeks before hitting the stage. So why does the experience keep falling apart?

The numbers look good on paper. Revenue from music concerts was estimated at around 94 million dollars in 2023, and grew 25 percent by the end of 2025. The appetite is undeniable. But hunger and infrastructure are two very different things.

The venues themselves are a major problem. Concerts in India have to happen in public grounds, sports stadiums or shopping centres, each with their own restrictions and limitations. They are not simply technically capable. There is no dedicated concert infrastructure like the O2 Arena or Madison Square Garden. We are essentially borrowing spaces built for everything but music.

Take Kanye's show. India does not have a demand problem. It has a supply and pricing problem. When you price tickets at the level of someone's weekly salary, you eliminate an entire section of fans, robbing them of the concert experience. And that is before counting everyone travelling in from outside just for one show.

India has the demand. Most of it has the money. It most definitely has the fanbase. What it does not have yet are actual dedicated arenas, professional event management and real accountability. And that is the problem.