Coldplay concert in Abu Dhabi: Some fans to fly to UAE after failing to secure tickets in India

As tickets for the original date in the Emirates sold out quickly, three additional shows were announced by the organisers

Nasreen Abdulla

Published: Fri 27 Sep 2024, 6:35 PM

Last updated: Fri 27 Sep 2024, 10:41 PM

The buzz surrounding Coldplay's upcoming concerts in the UAE has dominated conversations across the Emirates throughout this week, with eager fans hoping to catch the band at these highly anticipated events.

Initially, Coldplay was scheduled for a one-night only performance in Abu Dhabi on January 11, 2025. However, as tickets for the original date sold out quickly, two additional shows were announced on Wednesday, September 25. Fans scrambled to secure tickets, and the demand continued to soar, prompting the announcement of a fourth date.

The band's fanbase stretches across the globe, with a particularly strong following in both the UAE and India. Many Indian fans, unable to get tickets for Coldplay's concerts in India due to sky-high demand and resales reaching Rs300,000, are now making plans to travel to Abu Dhabi to witness the band live.

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Among those eagerly preparing for the concert is Arjun Laksh, a 35-year-old IT professional from Bangalore. Laksh had originally planned a family trip to the UAE in December but has now postponed it in the hopes of attending the newly announced date. “I have postponed my trip to January because of the concert. I have been a Coldplay fan for over a decade but never had the chance to see them live," he shared.

Laksh's luck seems to be turning in his favour, as he has already secured two tickets. “Everything is falling in place. I am so lucky to have gotten two tickets and I'm confident I'll get more for my friend and his family. I have been to other concerts but can’t wait to experience Coldplay live,” Laksh added.

Hours-long queue

Several Indian fans spent almost three hours online trying to secure tickets for Coldplay's concert in the Emirates, with many choosing to turn the event into a vacation.

Among them is Bangalore resident Siddharth Kamath, who is thrilled to attend his first Coldplay concert with his wife Sakshi. “My wife and I logged in on two devices, and we also asked our friends to try for us,” he said to Khaleej Times. “I’m a huge Coldplay fan. I’ve listened to all their albums and know most of the lyrics by heart, but I've never had the chance to see them live. I have been manifesting this moment since 2016 after missing their India concert.”

Siddharth and Sakshi

After spending over two hours online, the couple finally secured tickets. "My wife got the tickets first, and it was a surreal moment,” he recalled. “I was out of town for work, so we could only celebrate over a video call. When I finally got home at 3am, she was still awake, waiting to share her joy in person."

He added, "We were over the moon, especially after failing to get tickets for the India concerts, or even for the shows on the 11th and 12th in Abu Dhabi. We had lost all hope, January 14 turned out to be our lucky day.”

Siddharth hopes the concert will live up to his expectations, given the price they paid. “We spent Dh655 per person for the ticket, which seemed like a better deal compared to what we would have paid in India. We’re also assuming that the event in Abu Dhabi will be better organised for the price.”

The couple is also looking forward to their UAE trip. “I’ve only been to the UAE during a layover, so this time, we’re planning an eight-day vacation along with the concert,” Siddharth shared. “We’ve already booked our flights and are so excited.”

Similarly, Shraddha Patil is heading to the UAE for New Year’s Eve, after which she will attend the concert with a group of friends. “There are six of us travelling from India, and four more will be joining us there,” she said. “Some of us are celebrating NYE in Dubai, and others are flying in just before the concert. Even though we’ve got tickets for different days, we’re all excited to attend.”

Shraddha spent three hours in the virtual queue to secure tickets. “I logged in at 12pm UAE time and my turn finally came at 3pm. I started out in line at 84,000 for the January 11 show,” she explained. “We kept monitoring social media, and when they announced the second show, we immediately jumped into the queue for January 12 and got lucky.”

Like many others, Shraddha tried to get tickets for Coldplay’s India concerts but found them impossible to secure. “Most of the tickets were snapped up by resellers like Viagogo, and they’re now being sold for prices between Rs40,000 (Dh1,800) and Rs12 lakhs (Dh52,000),” she said. “So, it’s actually more affordable for us to travel to the UAE and attend the concert there.”

Concert and tour

Priyanka Saikya, a media professional is also making plans for the January 9 performance with her friends. “I have asked many of my friends who are residing in the Emirates to get 5 tickets for me and my friends. As there are four shows scheduled, I am sure we will be able to make it,” said Saikya.

“We have already started planning our itineraries and all our friends in the UAE are excited. We are also planning to visit Saudi Arabia from there after the concert,”said Saikya, who is thrilled not just for the music but also for the chance to explore the UAE and Saudi Arabia with her friends.

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