Episode 2 - The CON in Concerts

Date: Tuesday, 18th February 2025

Context: I began writing this episode the night after watching the Coldplay concert live-streamed on Hotstar. (Sorry it's now Jio Hotstar - the logo is quite bad)

I find myself at a rather peculiar crossroads—should I be ecstatic or mildly concerned about the positive response to my pilot episode? On one hand, it’s heartwarming; on the other, I’m now dangerously close to believing I’m a literary genius. If only my English teachers could see me now… though, they’d probably ask, “Where are your punctuation marks, Vishrut?” (I tend to miss them, don’t judge me). They’d also be the first to point out that I always mess up the spelling of "receive"—it’s like that “i before e” rule just doesn’t apply to me.

But hey, who’s counting? Certainly not the readers. Or the teachers. But that’s all part of the charm, right? (Wait, is that a charm or just a red flag for editors?)

Aaj ka Mudda: (To any foreigners reading this – Today’s Agenda)

We’ve had the thrill of concerts echoing across India—“I’m in love with the shape of you” was heard in the air, as we felt ourselves “levitating” under the stars. There were moments when it felt like “everything I do (I do it for you)”, and we couldn’t stop shouting “Tera ni main tera ni main lover” when the beats hit just right. The energy of “Fix you” swept over the crowd, as if every song could somehow heal us all. And those moments of bliss? “The Scientist” in us all, wondering why we didn’t appreciate it more when it was happening.

But, as with all things, there’s a twist—something about concerts just doesn’t quite add up, and that’s exactly what we need to talk about...

We’ve all been there, right? The anticipation, the excitement, the magic in the air as the first notes begin to play. But then—boom—reality hits. You’d think after all the hype and excitement, we’d be in for a seamless, unforgettable experience. Yet somehow, something just doesn’t click.

And no, I’m not here to talk about the obvious—the unrealistic pricing, the horrible management, or the “queueing system” that somehow makes you feel like you’re at the starting line of a race you didn’t sign up for. Seriously, how does the same group of people end up at the front after multiple rounds of “But I was here first!”? It’s like a live-action game of musical chairs—except nobody wins and we’re all dehydrated by the end. (or in some cases – getting drenched in the rain – that’s another story for later)

Now, I’ll apologize for being salty here—it’s just the Blitz in me coming out (if you've seen How I Met Your Mother, you’ll get it).

You know how they say music brings people together? Well, concerts take that quite literally stuffing thousands of people into a space where the only thing louder than the music is the collective suffering of wallets, feet, and personal space. But hey, we love it, don’t we? Or at least, we think we do. Until reality kicks in.

And that’s exactly what we need to talk about… I’ve made a few observations about concerts from what I’ve seen over the past year—and by ‘seen,’ I really mean it. Take last year, for example, when I went to Arijit’s concert at Sus Gaon... except I was watching it from Lavale. 

Picture 1: Yep, that’s how close I was—just not the right area

Picture 2: That's a screen in the silver section not the big tron next to the stage

Sorry, hold on—the milk is about to spill, and cleaning the induction stove is a nightmare. Thank goodness my parents only visit once a quarter. If they saw the mess I make, I’d never hear the end of it. Though, now that I’ve just admitted it publicly… I’m probably about to get a call. Also, shoutout to my parents on their 30th anniversary! See what I did there? 😊

1. Pretend, Post, Repeat

Picture 3: I wonder if anyone did get it

Lately, I’ve been seeing something that truly defines FOMO culture—a service on Instagram where companies sell video clips from concerts for ₹50 so that people who didn’t go can post them on their stories and pretend they did. I mean, we’ve all exaggerated experiences, but this? This is next-level digital cosplay. Nothing says "I was totally there" like a pre-recorded, mass-sold, shaky 10-second clip of blurry stage lights.

2. The Social Media Mirage

The second con? Social media itself. Now, no offence to the influencers and PR pages—I respect the hustle—but I’m starting to lose a little faith in them. ("Hello Vicky Yapapa"? Yeah, I don’t think that’s how the song goes) The way social media curates and packages concert experiences has turned them into mirages in a desert. What was once about an artist or a band we love is now just about getting there—being seen, proving attendance, and capturing the perfect reel. The concert itself? Secondary.

At some point, we need to ask: Are we going to concerts to feel the music, or just to make sure everyone else thinks we did?

3. VIP’S Or Very Illusory Perks

Ah yes, the ever-elusive VIP experience. You pay triple the price, expect a premium experience, and what do you get? The same cramped standing space but with a fancy wristband. Maybe a slightly better view, but hey, at least you get to pretend it was worth it. VIP sections often turn out to be just as chaotic, just as sweaty, and just as unpredictable as the regular crowd—only with a bit more entitlement sprinkled in. The real scam? Convincing yourself it was all worth it.

4. The Final Con: Humans

Part 1: Mission Front Row

Getting to a concert isn’t just an event—it’s a full-blown survival test. You camp out, arrive hours in advance, battle the crowd, and hold in your bladder for what feels like an eternity. But concerts are also a social experiment in disguise. People who couldn’t agree on dinner plans are suddenly united in a common mission: securing the best spot. There’s the Olympic-level sprint to the front, the military-grade strategic planning, and the unspoken rule that whoever yells “Bro, thoda adjust kar na” the loudest wins.

Part 2: Stranger Things (No not the series)

Remember the rule about not taking candy from strangers? Apparently, that doesn’t apply when it comes to concert tickets. We trust complete strangers with our money more than our friends. Case in point: My friends, sitting comfortably in Mumbai, wanted Coldplay tickets for the 21^st Jan concert at DY Patil. But the seller? Oh, he was in Pune. No worries, though—I had all his details: where he worked, his Aadhaar card, and if I’d pushed a little harder, maybe his entire life story.

The best part? The guy was selling the tickets to fund his trip to the Ahmedabad concert. The hustle is real, my friends.

So, what’s the real con in concerts? Maybe it’s the system. Maybe it’s the industry. Or maybe… it’s just us.

But will I still go to the next one? Absolutely.

Because at the end of the day, we love the chaos.

Even if it’s a scam, it’s our scam. And that’s the magic of it.

Final Thoughts

Alright, folks, that’s all for this one. 440-odd people subscribing? Yeah, that was definitely not on my bingo card. But hey, neither was paying ₹500 for water at a concert, and here we are.

Speaking of things, we spend too much on—whether it’s food, travel, or those quick e-commerce apps that somehow convince us we need a moon lamp at 2 AM because there’s a flash sale—looks like we have a lot to talk about next time.

Till then, try not to let your cart total shock you. Or do. Who am I to judge?

Anyway, I’ve got to water the plants—or as I like to call them, my mother’s spies, who are probably waiting to tattle when she arrives – (I see you Jade)

Mischief Managed!