“IRCTC wale itne bhi bure nahi the,” say netizens as BookMyShow crashes minutes before Coldplay India concert goes live
“IRCTC wale itne bhi bure nahi the,” say netizens as BookMyShow crashes minutes before Coldplay India concert goes live
The excitement surrounding Coldplay’s upcoming concerts in India is palpable, with thousands of fans scrambling to secure tickets for their shows in January 2025. The British rock band is set to perform three concerts in Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium as part of their “Music of the Spheres World Tour,” marking their return to India after an eight-year hiatus.
However, what should have been a smooth process turned into a frustrating ordeal for many fans. When ticket sales opened at 12 PM, BookMyShow’s website and app crashes within minutes, leaving fans unable to access the ticketing page. This was not the first time the platform had faced such issues, as it had previously encountered problems during World Cup ticket sales. Social media was soon flooded with memes and complaints, with one user expressing their exasperation: “Never understood why on earth BookMyShow is chosen as the ticketing partner for bookings. They messed up with World Cup tickets, and now the Coldplay scene. App crashed.”
Even after the platform was back online, many users reported ongoing issues, preventing them from completing their purchases. To the relief of some fans, Coldplay announced an additional show on January 21, 2025, at the same venue. Despite this, tickets for the added show also sold out in record time. Prices for the concerts ranged from Rs 2,500 to Rs 12,500, with a limit of four tickets per transaction.
The demand for tickets skyrocketed, prompting reselling platforms like Viagogo to list them at exorbitant prices. Tickets that were originally priced at Rs 35,000 on BookMyShow surged to as much as Rs 3 lakh on Viagogo. Some Level 1 tickets were even being sold for an astronomical Rs 7.7 lakh.
How does @viagogo get Coldplay tickets at the same time as @bookmyshow but at black market prices several times higher? Clearly there's a nexus and BMS is selling them to Viagogo. This is screaming scam! pic.twitter.com/ZgHmE8JMpp
— Vijaynarain (@Vijaynarain) September 22, 2024
In response, BookMyShow issued a stern warning: “It has come to our attention that unauthorized platforms are listing tickets for Coldplay’s ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour 2025’ in India, both before and after the official sale. These tickets are invalid. Ticket scalping is illegal in India and punishable by law. Please don’t fall prey to this because you will be buying fake tickets.”
Frustrated fans, comparing the experience to the notoriously difficult IRCTC Railway booking system, took to social media to voice their grievances. Comedian Abhijit Ganguly humorously remarked, “Aaj Coldplay ke tickets lene ki koshish mei kaafi Gen Z aur millennials ne realize kiya ki IRCTC wale itne bure bhi nahi the.” One user quipped, “Haha, you’re right. I have a newfound respect for IRCTC,” while another joked, “BookMyShow you were so unprepared, despite knowing what to expect. Now you are being compared to IRCTC.”
Coldplay’s upcoming concerts promise a mix of new tracks from their album “Music of the Spheres” and fan favorites like “Yellow” and “Viva La Vida.” With the band having sold over 10 million tickets globally since the tour’s launch in 2022, the excitement for their second performance in India, following their 2016 appearance at the Global Citizen Festival, is only growing.
Despite the hurdles, fans are still eager for the unforgettable experience these concerts are bound to offer.
