Multi-crore gain for Ahmedabad: The rise of the concert economy in India

The live music landscape of India has opened a new dimension. This can be deduced from the recently held live concert of the British rock band Coldplay in Ahmedabad. 

Transport and service sector

The city’s airport handled 1,38,000 travellers during the three-day window, including a record-breaking 47,000 arrivals on the first concert day while the local metro system shattered all previous passenger records, demonstrating how a single event can stress-test and validate a city's entire transportation infrastructure.

Not only this, the hotel rates soared to ₹50,000 to ₹90,000, within just 48 hours of the concert announcement. EY-Parthenon (EY-P), the leading strategy consulting firm and BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment experiential division of BookMyShow, have released a comprehensive report, titled ‘India’s rising concert economy: Coldplay’s Ahmedabad tour sets the blueprint for India’s next cultural boomtowns’.

It captures the sweeping economic, cultural, workforce, sustainability and tourism impact of live entertainment in India, following India’s largest-ever live entertainment spectacle - Coldplay’s two-night ‘Music Of The Spheres’ concerts in Ahmedabad.

₹641 crore impact on economy

As per the EY report, the concert delivered significant economic windfall, generating an estimated economic impact of ₹641 crore (consumer spending across various services specifically attributable to Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres’ concert in Ahmedabad) in total including a direct boost of ₹392 crore to Ahmedabad’s economy, with significant spending on accommodation, transport, dining and retail. It also contributed ₹72 crore in GST revenue to the Government of India, underlining its powerful fiscal impact.

Generational perspective shift

The demographic reach was equally significant – nearly 8 in 10 attendees (79%) were under the age of 35, reflecting a powerful resonance with younger audiences who typically drive entertainment spending.

Over 80% of attendees shared a positive outlook on the concert experience, with 39% expressing confidence in the city’s preparedness to host large-scale events and 29% hoping to see more such concerts in Ahmedabad.

The shift in perception was striking - 78% of surveyed attendees now view Ahmedabad as a major concert city, and two-thirds (66%) expressed strong willingness to return.

(This story was taken from a syndicated feed and was only edited for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital team)