Mumbai’s live music calendar has begun to feel fragile. Bandland, one of the country’s most anticipated music festivals, was cancelled after headliner Muse pulled out citing unforeseen circumstances. Soon after, John Mayer’s Mumbai concert was postponed barely a week before show day, again attributed to unforeseen reasons. Who is responsible for the losses incurred due to these cancellations? 

For fans, the excitement around a major concert often builds for months. Tickets are booked, travel finalised, work leaves submitted. Richard Fernandes, a Mumbai-based copywriter describes live music as “the difference between a movie and a play.” Understandably, he was excited for Bandland for which he had bought tickets for long ago. When the concert was cancelled, Fernandes says refunds covered only ticket costs, not the R12,000 he spent on non-refundable flights and hotels. He recalls the chaos after Metallica cancelled their India show in 2011. “Fans got violent. I’m not going to break anything, but I completely understand the frustration that comes with planning for months, and then watching it crumble,” he says.