Craze for live concerts diminishes in Indore:3 major shows cancelled after poor ticket sales

In Indore, popularly known as “Mini Mumbai”, the growing craze for live concerts is now turning into a loss-making affair for organisers. Within just one and a half months, three major artist shows in the city have been cancelled, disappointing music lovers and dealing a major blow to the local economy. The cancelled events include Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy on 15 March, Salim-Sulaiman on 4 April, and now Honey Singh’s mega event scheduled for 25 April. Low ticket sales and high costs behind cancellations
The biggest reason behind these consecutive cancellations is reported to be extremely low ticket sales and a complicated tax structure imposed by the administration. For Honey Singh’s show, organisers had expected 15,000–20,000 attendees, but only 6,000–7,000 tickets were sold. Sources said the artist’s fee alone was around ₹3 crore, while the total cost of the event ranged between ₹8–10 crore. Event organisers believe that back-to-back big events in the city have divided audience interest, and people are no longer willing to spend heavily on every show. Tax burden and free passes creating pressure
Experts say the biggest hurdle for Indore’s event industry is the complex administrative process. Unlike cities like Jaipur, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad where permissions are granted through a single-window system, organisers in Indore have to run from office to office. Additionally, a 10% tax on total revenue and nearly 1,500 free passes distributed to various departments are severely impacting profitability. There have also been past incidents where tax disputes led to municipal action, including seizure of equipment during shows by artists like Karan Aujla and Honey Singh, affecting the city’s reputation at the national level. Economic and employment impact
The cancellation of these events is not just an entertainment setback but also an economic loss. A major concert boosts hotel occupancy in Indore up to 90%. Outstation fans and teams contribute to revenue for cabs, restaurants and local food vendors. An estimated 3,000–5,000 people get direct employment through security, parking, lighting and sound arrangements during such events. Warning from organisers
Organisers say that if the situation does not improve and tax and permission processes are not simplified, major artists and event companies may start avoiding Indore altogether.