This writer was at a couple’s house two weekends ago and both, the young man and woman were really eager to head to Veranda, a gig venue in Khar, to listen to a bunch of Indian DJs spinning music. But when they found out that the entry fee was Rs 1,000, they baulked. They felt that it was too much to pay for what the music would be worth, and decided to stay in. It wasn’t a happy realisation, but the fact is that venues in the city are charging more at the door now that they have reopened for music after laws were eased, than they would before the pandemic. Veranda is one case in point, as is antiSocial, which has increased the base ticket price from Rs 500 to Rs 800. It’s understandable, to be fair, since the past 20 months have been barren in terms of revenue and these establishments are making up for lost time and money.

Yes, it does marginalise a certain section of the audience, especially the college-going crowd that isn’t flush with money. But Daniel Netto, programmer and IP curator at Veranda, reasons that this increase is inevitable given how everybody’s interests need to be safeguarded. “There are multiple players behind every gig, starting from sponsors to show runners to security people. Each and every one of those economies needs to resurface [post restrictions being lifted] and we have to collate our costs before deciding on the entry fee,” he says, highlighting what a nightmare the past year and a half has been for the events industry.