From Ed Sheeran's stadium-style venue to hosting global artistes, India's live entertainment industry is at the cusp of a revolution

Ensuring that no view was a bad view at Ed Sheeran's concert in Mumbai, the Mahalaxmi Racecourse was transformed into a monumental stadium-style venue recently. Ed, who performed in the city as part of his Mathematics Tour, sang, danced and ran around the stage several times but fans were treated to all the running, singing and dancing from all angles because of the 360-degree circular, revolving stage.Kunal Khambhati, Live Events, IP, Head, BookMyShow, told us how different it has been to create a stage like that. "For the concert, we designed four exclusive decks encircling the circular stage, providing an elevated vantage point for enjoying Ed's performance. Each deck functioned as a self-contained ecosystem, catering to consumers who sought a premium experience. The concert witnessed a 360-degree circular, revolving stage so that fans could enjoy an unparalleled view of the performance from all angles," he said.

While Ed performed songs like Perfect, Thinking Out Loud, Shape of You, and others for his fans, many who were standing at the back and in the general area were able to click the perfect shot because of the circular 'halo screen'. "The giant circular halo screen positioned in the centre of the stage added to the striking play of light, sound and visual aesthetics. Ed Sheeran was visible from all angles ensuring
that no view was a bad view. The outer ring of the stage, studded with math symbols from the tour revolve at a slow pace, allowed the singer to interact with the fans across the venue," added Kunal.
Talking about how the business of live entertainment has changed over the years, Kunal said that India’s music landscape has witnessed meteoric growth in the past few years. "Slowly but steadily the country has become a cornerstone for some of the biggest music bands, artistes, and performances in the world. From hosting international and Indian independent artistes at large concerts to smaller formats that are gradually shaping up the music landscape in the country, it has also introduced India to global artists like Ed Sheeran, Bryan Adams, Coldplay, Justin Bieber, U2, AP Dhillon, Post Malone and Backstreet Boys. The Indian live entertainment industry is at the cusp of a revolution signalled by a strategically woven mix of production innovation and evolution of live experiences. This is exactly what we want to nurture," he told us.
Pic credits: RVR16