India’s Festival Phenomenon: Hamza Kazi Explores Growth, Global Recognition, And 2025 Potential

The year is 2002, and I'm fresh out of school, all set to attend my first-ever live show—the mighty Independence Rock at Rang Bhavan! Imagine my frustration when I fell sick literally on the day of the show and had to wait another four months to attend its next-of-kin, Mood Indigo, at IIT Mumbai. That show, however, was nothing short of exhilarating, partly because it was my first live experience and partly because of the energy of 5,000 students living moments that they would cherish for the rest of their lives! I still fondly remember the vocalist of the winning band - Acquired Funk Syndrome, dressed in orange overalls, similar to the members of Slipknot, one of the biggest metal bands in the world. I wondered for a few minutes, what it would feel like to attend a Slipknot show but I brushed it off thinking - "I live in India, that's never really going to happen!".

Back then, Mood I was the most prestigious college rock competition in India but it was still just a college event. That was until 2008, when Ensiferum, a Finnish extreme metal band performed at the festival, much to everyone's surprise! It marked the turning point in India's live performance history. IIT Mumbai went on to bring some of my favourite international bands like Porcupine Tree, Katatonia, and Karnivool, among others. Other IITs not wishing to get outdone started bringing bands like Opeth and Textures, putting India on the map for rock and metal acts. The IIT rock and metal culture paved the way for festivals like Bangalore Open Air, the Indian subsidiary of Wacken Open Air - one of the biggest music festivals in the world that draws almost 1 lakh metalheads. And the rest, as they say, is History!

Currently, there are numerous homegrown festivals and concert tours like Sunburn, NH7 Weekender, The Lil Flea, Bollywood Music Project, BMW Joytown, Hornbill Festival, Mahindra Blues Festival, and Independence Rock, to name a few. We also have international properties like Lollapalooza, Global Citizen, and Boiler Room that have cemented India as a destination for music festivals. If someone had told me in 2002 that Greenday would perform in India, I would've laughed it off. But now, with the tickets in my hands, I'm eagerly counting down the days to their gig!

It won't be long before festivals like Coachella, Rolling Loud, Knotfest, Rock in Rio, Mad Cool, Burning Man and similar other festivals start their Indian versions, bringing down some international acts that would otherwise not tour India as part of their solo tours.

During COVID-19, the live industry had taken a massive hit and it looked like the end of live performances, globally. However, almost 5 years on, live entertainment has come back with a force, toppling its pre-covid stats and figures. It has taken a huge share away from the movie industry as audiences desire more experiential events, helping to break records for ticket sales. Within minutes of the announcement of the Coldplay shows, my waitlist queue number was 7 lakh plus. That is a statement of the upward trajectory of the live entertainment business.

Concert tours are announced every week, with the likes of Armaan Malik, Diljit Dosanjh, Karan Aujla, Anirudh, Anuv Jain, and Prateek Kuhad selling out stadiums within minutes. The demand for Karan Aujla was so high in Delhi that the promoter had to announce the second and third shows at the same venue, which also sold out on the day of their announcement. Diljit's tour sales were so incredible that he partnered with an airline for concert branding and promotion on the aircraft, much like Ed Force One - the official airline of Iron Maiden, the biggest metal band in the world! These are all indicators of the changing scenario of the Indian live scene which clearly showcases an unstoppable upward trend!

Following are some insights that can be indicators of what 2025 will look like for music festivals:

• After a steep drop in 2020, global live music revenues are on track to hit $30 billion in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels (Statista).
• Major festivals like Coachella saw record-breaking attendance in 2023, with over 125,000 attendees per day, reflecting strong demand (Pollstar).
• Virtual access to festivals continues to thrive, with events like Global Citizen Live reaching 23 million online viewers in 2021 (Global Citizen).
• 72% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennials prefer live music experiences, making younger generations a key driver in the festival's comeback (Nielsen).
• AR and VR integrations are expanding, with 12% of major festivals offering immersive tech experiences in 2022 (Eventbrite).
• Smaller, niche festivals are growing in popularity, with some seeing 30-40% attendance growth post-pandemic (Live Nation).
• More festivals are prioritizing eco-friendly initiatives. 51% of festival-goers consider sustainability when choosing events (Eventbrite).
• Global touring revenue for major artists rose by 25% in 2023, with top tours like Ed Sheeran’s "Mathematics" grossing $93 million (Billboard).
• 67% of Gen Z discover new music on platforms like TikTok, directly influencing festival lineups and ticket sales (Nielsen).
• 50% of major festivals in 2023 featured diverse artists, up from 20% in 2019, reflecting a shift toward more inclusive lineups (Feminist Frequency).

From the above, it is clear that 2025 will see growth in the live entertainment space because of the focus on technology, sustainability, and inclusivity. As the industry evolves, it promises more vibrant, diverse, and memorable experiences for fans worldwide but growth in India will be exponentially greater, in comparison.