Big acts unable to get cash registers ringing
Incidentally, whenever a DJ in Delhi wants to declare a party dead, then he plays his “go to get out” number. And curiously true, but as soon as sweaty dancers and smashed floor huggers hear Summer of 69, then shaking booties stop midway, flailing arms flop down and exits are hastily made. But that by no means is an indicator of Bryan Adams’ popularity in India, for he is coming back in February for a four-city tour and if sources are to be believed then tickets already have wings.
But as most might be wondering, when Lady Gaga goes to Japan and Linkin’ Park performs in the Middle East, then why do we see the same names visit us over and again? Sujeet Jain, MD for Netsurf Entertainment, the company bringing Adams this time, would love to have U2 or Coldplay perform, but maintains that Bryan still remains popular with the masses. “He remains the most popular artiste and gets you the ticket sales and the sponsors, something which other big acts in India have failed to get to the table. Someone like Lady Gaga who is one of the most expensive acts today might not be popular at all here,” he says explaining that ticket prices which already seem high to most would soar further. Sabbas Joseph, the director of Wizcraft, a leading event management company, agrees. “People have to learn to spend for entertainment, which somehow they are not used to. Either that or we depend on sponsors as we do now, to rope in the funds. And for some reason, stable names like Adams’ attract more sponsors, who perhaps don’t want to take the risks with newer artistes,” he tells us.
However, seems that it’s only Delhi, with its free-pass culture, political grandsons, heavy bureaucracy and multiple clearance levels which is a nightmare, when it comes to international artistes. Aerosmith, Deep Purple or Beyonce would rather visit Mumbai and Bengaluru and give Delhi a miss. Which makes Parikrama frontman Subir Malik question the government’s attitude to international culture. “Where are the performing arenas? You can’t perform at IG stadium or JLN stadium, which only leaves us with NSIC in Okhla. And events there always run into some trouble or the other,” he questions saying that it’s time the government wakes up to the fact that if artistes perform in the city, then it could be truly world class in terms of culture. “I have seen people from Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka travel to Bengaluru for the Deep Purple concert. And they would do the same, if someone as big came to the city, bringing in the revenue,” he says.
But then all is not lost, for MD of Universal music, Rajat Kakkar says that most popular artistes like Taylor Swift and Justin Beiber are well aware of their popularity in the country and are even keen to tour here.
Post new comment