Entertainment: Coldplay’s historic two-night performance in Ahmedabad not only shattered attendance records but also triggered a massive economic surge, highlighting the potential of live entertainment as a transformative force across Indian cities. According to a new joint report by BookMyShow Live and EY-Parthenon, the British rock band’s “Music Of The Spheres” tour stop generated a staggering Rs 641 crore in total economic impact, including Rs 392 crore infused directly into Ahmedabad’s local economy and Rs 72 crore in GST revenue.
Drawing over 222,000 fans from more than 500 cities nationwide, the event turned Ahmedabad into a cultural and commercial hotspot. In just 48 hours following the concert announcement, hotel prices soared from Rs 15,000 to as high as Rs 90,000, while local transportation networks recorded unprecedented passenger volumes, breaking new ground for tourism and city logistics.
Beyond Ahmedabad, the report shines a spotlight on Shillong, which is rapidly gaining recognition as India’s emerging live music destination. The city, deeply rooted in musical heritage, witnessed a 65-fold increase in live event consumption in the past year. Its inclusion in Ed Sheeran’s high-profile six-city India tour in February 2025 further solidified its position on the global entertainment map.
The study emphasized the broader economic ripple effect of such mega-events. For every Rs 100 spent on concert tickets, fans spent an additional Rs 585 on local services, including dining, lodging, and transport. Remarkably, 50 percent of attendees extended their stay beyond a single night, boosting local hospitality revenue in ways that far outpaced traditional tourism patterns.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Coldplay concerts as a testament to India’s burgeoning concert economy, which surpassed Rs 12,000 crore in 2024 and is projected to grow at 19 percent annually through 2027. He noted that such events not only enrich cultural life but also drive inclusive growth and employment.
Environmental sustainability was also a key focus. The concerts successfully diverted 95 percent of event waste from landfills, distributed 100,000 biodegradable cups, and retrieved approximately 70 percent of LED wristbands for reuse—setting new benchmarks for eco-friendly live events.
Importantly, the Ahmedabad concerts generated an estimated 15,000 jobs, of which 9,000 were sourced locally. Industry leaders now view this success as a blueprint that can be replicated in culturally vibrant cities like Shillong through strategic infrastructure development, regulatory reforms, and innovative public-private partnerships.
As India’s live entertainment industry accelerates, Shillong stands poised to ride the wave—blending its musical soul with newfound economic momentum to emerge as the country’s next stage for global acts and cultural revival.
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