Meghana Srinivas, an entrepreneur from Bengaluru, was looking forward to September 27. Her friend got tickets for Trevor Noah’s stand-up comedy show at the Manpho Convention Centre in Bengaluru. She had a flight to catch the next day. So, she booked a room near the venue to reach the airport quickly. This was her plan: Leave home by noon, check in to the room, rest and refresh, attend the show, return to the room, and catch the next day’s flight.
The plan seemed well-orchestrated on paper. Yet, from the very beginning, things went awry. The parking was at a slushy area about a kilometre from the venue. The ticket-checking process was painfully slow. The toilets were horrible. The food served in the stalls was cold.
Inside the auditorium, Meghana’s disappointments continued to pile up. “It resembled an Amazon warehouse,” Meghana described, “Just a big rectangular room with two screens in the front half.” The screens, unfortunately, weren’t large enough, leaving those at the back struggling to see the performance. When the opening act, Wil Sylvince, took the stage, it became evident that the sound quality was poor. The audience began chanting, “We can’t hear.” Trevor came on stage to salvage the situation. But he realised the audience couldn’t hear him. So, he had to leave.
The troubles, however, did not end there for the audience. “Exiting the venue was chaotic, too, especially for pregnant women and the elderly. It was so disappointing,” says Meghana.
Notwithstanding posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) by the organisers (BookMyShow) and Trevor, offering apologies and promising refunds, the event faced severe backlash.
Just two weeks earlier, AR Rahman’s ‘Marakkuma Nenjam’ concert in Chennai, touted as India’s highest-selling show by the composer himself, drew flak for overselling tickets and poor crowd management. Many ticket-holding fans left the venue after arguments with the police and event organisers (ACTC Events) over the inadequate arrangements. Despite Rahman’s efforts to clarify the situation, he, too, faced criticism on X.
These two incidents prompt two crucial questions: What went wrong with these shows? And is hosting large-scale live events in India now an insurmountable challenge?
Exceptions, not the norm
According to artists and event management professionals we spoke to, these mishaps were exceptions, not the norm.
“I’ve been performing alongside Rahman Sir for the past seven years. While minor issues like people occasionally breaching barricades and accessing restricted areas have occurred, I’ve never witnessed such a large number of people being denied entry. Worse still, there were reports and tweets about molestation and mistreatment of women. This was unprecedented,” says singer Haricharan, who was part of the concert in Chennai.
Singer, composer, and producer Raghu Dixit, based in Bengaluru, notes that the city has been a hub for hosting numerous concerts by renowned international artists. “The Roger Waters show at Palace Grounds [in 2002] is a great example,” he adds.
“However, it’s become apparent in the recent four or five years that there is a rising trend of fly-by-night operators who masquerade as event organisers, only to realise they can oversell tickets for financial gain,” he adds.
He also recalls the Russell Peters show in the city in 2013, wherein technical issues marred the audience’s enjoyment.
“What’s sorely lacking in these cases is a commitment to delivering a high-quality show. Many of these event organisers neither possess the requisite technical knowledge nor seek the counsel of experienced consultants or experts who could ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for attendees,” says Raghu, “This unfortunate trend raises concerns about the integrity and professionalism of the live event industry in our country.”
What’s wrong?
India’s vast population offers a substantial market for big-ticket live events, yet hosting such events poses numerous challenges, say event management experts.
“Lack of venues that cater well to all aspects of event management, whether it’s backstage logistics or crowd management, is one reason,” says Anuj Gurwara, who’s been hosting, emceeing, and organising live shows for nearly two decades. “Places like Dubai, Bangkok, London, or New York have venues that can handle large crowds. They offer a fantastic experience to everyone. Whereas in India, only VIPs or those in premium ticket sections have the best experiences. The people who get the minimum-priced ticket get neglected.”
Anuj, a playback singer and voice-over artist, was part of Trevor’s India tour marketing team. After attending Trevor’s show in Mumbai’s NSCI Dome, he notes that the audience there had a significantly better experience than in Bengaluru.
Apart from venues, the shows suffer from mismanagement. Ritnika Nayan, the founder of Music Gets Me High (MGMH), a music consultancy firm that has organised and worked on several music fests, reckons, “In most Indian shows, the issues lie in the preparation stages.”
“Logistics and security are common concerns at big-ticket events,” she adds, “Ensuring adequate barricading and security staff to manage the expected crowd is crucial. Proper management of exits, traffic flow, ambulance access, and fire brigade readiness are vital aspects that suffer from mismanagement.”
Raghu believes some amount of blame is on our audience, too. “There have been cases where these venues have suffered damage or misuse. People don’t follow queues or park their vehicles randomly. This underscores the importance of fostering a sense of responsibility and respect for our cultural and entertainment spaces,” he says.
Despite all these issues, Ritnika believes India is second to none in hosting live shows.
How to fix the issues?
To minimise mismanagement during events, Ritnika says, organisers should prioritise understanding artists’ needs, assess ticket sales and audience demographics to choose suitable venues with adequate security and facilities. Clearly marked exits and medical services are vital.
The location of the event can introduce additional challenges. For instance, organising an event in a remote area, like the Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh, would necessitate different considerations compared to an event in Delhi.
Effective training for event staff is paramount. Ritnika notes, “Event management companies often employ young, inexperienced individuals for critical roles, putting them in situations they are ill-prepared to handle.” A notable example was the Rahman concert, where some college students were tasked with crowd management.
Anuj says organisers, right from the planning stage, must prioritise the audience’s safety. “Not just their physical safety but also their emotional safety. They must feel safe.”
Accountability should extend to both organisers and artists. The audience attends the event primarily to see the artist, not the organiser.
Though artists don’t directly involve themselves with event management like ticket sales and crowd control, they have their teams to do basic background checks of the venue and organisers. However, despite all this, things can go awry.
“This incident [in Rahman’s concert] gained significant attention, and its impact might not have been as pronounced if it involved smaller artists, says Haricharan. “Now, I anticipate stricter standards and permissions in place for future events. Traffic handling and crowd management protocols are likely to become more regulated, which is a positive development.” Notably, the makers of Leo, starring Vijay, cancelled the film’s highly anticipated audio launch, citing security reasons.
Chennai is gearing up for composer Harris Jayaraj’s concert on October 27. Haricharan, who’ll be performing, hopes it will be talked about for its music.
As for Meghana and others in Bengaluru who were hoping to see Trevor Noah live, there’s still hope. In a post on X, the comedian assured them, saying, “Bangalore, our story isn’t done. I’ll be back, and next time, we’ll make sure it’s the best show ever.”
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