Sun Dec 22 07:43:28 UTC 2024: ## Concert Chaos Mars India’s Aspiring Music Festival Status
**Gurgaon, India** – India’s ambitions to become a leading music festival destination are facing a setback after a series of poorly managed concerts sparked widespread criticism. The latest incident involves the Bryan Adams concert in Gurgaon, where attendees reported widespread chaos, including long queues, overpriced food and drinks, and alleged corruption.
Akassh Ashok Gupta, a concertgoer who purchased a premium INR 20,000 ticket, described the event as “chaotic,” citing a dysfunctional cash-only system for food and beverage purchases. Gupta alleges that despite functioning card machines, staff insisted on cash payments, claiming internet outages – a tactic he believes was employed to evade taxes. After confronting staff and threatening to livestream the situation, Gupta claims the card machines were suddenly reactivated. He then successfully used a card to make a purchase, proving the internet issue was a fabrication. He encourages others to refuse cash transactions to combat such practices.
This incident follows similar complaints from the Mumbai leg of the tour, where a diabetic concertgoer reported being forced to urinate on himself due to a lack of adequate restroom facilities.
These incidents cast a shadow over Bryan Adams’ six-city Indian tour, which began on December 8th in Kolkata. The criticisms highlight concerns about systemic mismanagement and potential corruption within the Indian concert industry, raising questions about the country’s readiness to host major international music events. The experiences of attendees underscore the need for improved organization, infrastructure, and ethical practices to ensure a positive experience for concertgoers and to bolster India’s reputation as a viable music tourism destination.
First Piper 