6 ways to recover from the ticket war you just lost

You ensured your Wi-Fi was working at top speed; you logged into BookMyShow (BMS) at 11 am on multiple devices; you did Google Meets with friends to strategise for seats; and then you went to war with the entire country, only to get stuck in the queue at position 999999+. Despite your best efforts, you’re probably one of the many who didn’t get the Coldplay tickets for the India leg of their Music Of The Spheres World Tour in January 2025.

You’ve seen the memes and the reels that have since emerged about the collective stress we felt as crores of people tried their luck for the tickets. IRCTC was probably smirking at BMS’s fate yesterday since it handles this booking surge daily. If you too spent your weekend plotting, planning, and then playing fastest finger first to watch Chris Martin and the band perform live, we’re sure you’re as drained as we are. But time stops for no one and you must forge ahead with the week. So if your hymn for the weekend was disappointment and sorrow, here are six ways to recover from this ticket booking debacle. 

6 ways to destress from this weekend’s Coldplay ticket booking debacle

Fall down the ASMR rabbit hole

We know your screen time was through the roof and your eyes are tired from focusing on the refresh button, but tuning in to some sensory-pleasing ASMR videos will calm your nerves. Reiki Fairy’s cord-cutting ASMR videos will help fix you(r) nerves as she cleanses your energy through the screen and helps you cut off from the FOMO of not being at DY Patil stadium next year. 

Spend the moolah on another live music show

Nothing can quite replace the vibe of a live Coldplay concert, we hear you. But there are several live music shows happening over the next few months that are worth your while. If you’re an indie music fan, you can attend Prateek Kuhad’s Silhouettes Tour and Shaan’s Mumbai concert is perfect for lovers of Bollywood music. You won’t get your Yellow moment but you can enjoy Jab Se Tere Naina with your significant other. And if you’re still feeling the blues, try your luck with Diljit Dosanjh’s new Jaipur, Mumbai and Delhi show dates. If you’re still holding on to some hope, you can attempt to buy Coldplay’s Infinity tickets in November. Godspeed.

Dance it off

So what if you can’t dance to Paradise with 50,000 bracelets lighting up around you (*cries silently in a corner*), you can sure have your own dance party to the band’s iconic beats right at home. Channel your frustration into a dance workout (here are some other beginner workouts to kickstart your fitness journey) like this walking workout video on a Coldplay playlist. You vibe to the music, destress, and burn a few 100 calories in the process. You win some, you lose some.

Gaze into the real sky full of stars

Would it be fun to sing along with Chris Martin while he performed A Sky Full of Stars? Sure. Would it heal your soul? Of course. But alas, you have to make peace with streaming it on loop on Spotify or rewatching old concert videos. How about you do this while gazing at an actual sky full of stars? Stargazing Mumbai is a company that organises overnight stargazing trips near Mumbai at prices that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. No two night skies look the same and it’s a beautiful experience. Also, you won’t have to wait till January for this — their next trip is scheduled for 26th October, 2024.

Throw your own home concert

No seat selection, no exorbitant prices, no long queues. Just you, your friends, Coldplay music, and unlimited food and drinks. If you can’t go to the concert, bring the concert into your home and throw a Coldplay-themed party. Set the mood with colour-changing fairy lights, make a comprehensive playlist, and get your tribe together for a night of ‘viva la vida’.

Channel your rage on paper

The only thing worse than not getting tickets for the Coldplay concert is watching others get them. If your envy is getting the better of you, pick a journal and rage-write your emotions about the chosen ones and the scalpers who are now reselling them at inflated prices. Go forth and be unhinged, since these are private musings. Once you’ve offloaded all that pent-up anger, a feeling of zen is bound to follow. Maybe this quirky Van Gogh-themed notebook from Living Waters will help you get going.