Shillong, May 1: With Coldplay’s two-night concert in Ahmedabad generating a staggering ₹641 crore in economic impact, the spotlight is now shifting to Shillong as a potential cultural powerhouse in India’s growing live entertainment economy.
A new report released jointly by EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow Live—“India’s Rising Concert Economy: Coldplay’s Ahmedabad Tour Sets the Blueprint for India’s Next Cultural Boomtowns”—lays out a roadmap for cities like Shillong to transform into premier concert destinations. Known for its rich musical heritage, Shillong is already making waves on the national stage, with a 65-fold surge in live event consumption reported in 2024, according to BookMyShow’s Throwback 2024 entertainment report.
The momentum continued earlier this year when global pop sensation Ed Sheeran chose Shillong as one of six Indian cities for his landmark +–=÷x Tour in February 2025. The move was a clear nod to the city’s growing appeal among international artists and positioned it as a serious contender for India’s next concert capital.
“The time is ripe for Tier-2 cities like Shillong to tap into the live entertainment boom,” said Raghav Anand, Partner and Leader – Digital, Media and Convergence, EY-Parthenon. “With the sector crossing the ₹12,000 crore mark in 2024 and growing at 19% annually, cities investing in infrastructure and cultural promotion stand to benefit immensely.”
Coldplay’s shows at the Narendra Modi Stadium—the largest cricket stadium in the world—saw over 222,000 fans attend from 500 cities, pumping ₹392 crore directly into Ahmedabad’s economy and generating ₹72 crore in GST revenue. The events also created over 15,000 jobs and triggered a record-setting influx of tourists, pushing hotel rates as high as ₹90,000 a night.
The report suggests this model can be replicated in emerging entertainment cities like Shillong, provided there is focused investment in public facilities, streamlined regulatory support, and partnerships between government and private players.
“Hosting Coldplay was not just a concert—it was a catalyst,” said Anil Makhija, COO of BookMyShow Live. “With the right support, cities like Shillong can follow this blueprint and unlock their entertainment economy.”
Tourism officials and city planners in Meghalaya have taken note. With Shillong’s youthful audience base, cultural legacy, and proven appetite for live experiences, stakeholders are now exploring infrastructure enhancements to accommodate future large-scale events.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public recognition of Coldplay’s India tour as a sign of the country’s entertainment potential only adds fuel to the fire. With growing support for public-private partnerships and the call for a national single-window clearance system for events, the stage is set.
If the Coldplay phenomenon was a declaration of India’s arrival on the global concert map, Shillong could well be its next headline act.
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