Let the music play! Live scene re-emerging with stronger notes

With global names including Justin Bieber picking India for live performance, the industry is optimistic that the pent-up demand for live events will create a new ecosystem

After several cancellations and delays over the last two years due to the pandemic, the music industry is staging a strong comeback into the live scene, with global names changing the tunes of revival. This year, the music sector has set the tone for the future of the industry. The signals are clear — after a timid return last year, music concerts in the country are now making a strong comeback.

After singer AP Dhillon’s gig last year, Norwegian DJ Alan Walker also brought his EDM beats to the country. In fact, despite singer Justin Bieber’s India visit in October being uncertain due to health reasons, the presence of the country on his tour calendar reflects how India is back on the global map. American rapper Lil Pump is also scheduled to perform in India later this year.

On the home front, singers Arjun Kanungo, Jubin Nautiyal, Divine, Arijit Singh, Papon and Akriti Kakar have also been performing live in India and abroad. “I have been on the road for quite some time for concerts. It’s been a good season for artistes. After a long dull haul, concerts have begun across the globe. I’ve performed abroad and within India. Being on stage is like fuel for my soul,” says Kakar.

To this, singer Shilpa Rao adds, “People have been stressed, physically and mentally, and to be performing again in front of them and making them smile is the happiest feeling. Now, we have become more clever in terms of handling an emergency situation after the pandemic and people have become more conscious about themselves and their surroundings.”

Singer Arjun Kanungo feels the revival is coming with evolution. “Today, the audience is willing to pay for your music and come to your shows. But, we need better venues and bigger places to play live shows, because there are audiences waiting to attend live shows, especially after the pandemic. Recently, I did a show in Mumbai. We expected about 2,500 people, but we sold 7,600 tickets. So, the audience is dying to see live music,” says the Waada Hai hitmaker.

The pent-up demand for live events is helping the tour culture revive and thrive. According to Anil Makhija, COO – Live Entertainment & Venues, BookMyShow, in April 2022 alone, consumer transactions for live entertainment witnessed a 31% increase compared to the levels witnessed in March.

“The pent-up demand translated into huge conversions by quantum across categories, especially music, further reinforcing the appetite for live entertainment in our country. On the music front, techno music is not only gaining a niche, but also a strong consumer base along with indie music bands led by both experienced and relatively new artistes earning fans across major cities in India,” Makhija says.

He adds, “Live entertainment is no longer restricted to metro cities with shows being hosted across tier-2 and tier-3 cities as well. These markets grew for live shows during the pandemic through virtual events.”