Nothing cold about it: Live concert boom brings jobs to smaller cities

Tier-II cities, including Kanpur and Shillong, reported an almost eight-fold increase in live events in 2024

- Lata Jha

India's live entertainment industry is no longer confined to metros. From music festivals to stand-up comedy specials, large-format shows are steadily entering tier-II and tier-III cities, bringing along a wave of new job opportunities.

According to a report by NLB Services, a technology and digital talent solutions provider, the concert economy could create 12 million temporary jobs between 2020 and 2032, with over 100 large-format concerts expected annually across the country.

These events generate work across production, hospitality, technical staff, catering and other services, according to organisers and industry experts.

"Each time we bring an artist or tour to a new city, we unlock an entire localised value chain," said Shoven Shah, founder and chief executive officer (CEO), Tribe Vibe Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, a BookMyShow enterprise that specialises in college festivals. "These mid-large-scale events create avenues for employment and skill development that would not otherwise exist at this scale."