The SPXCEJXM Festival Debacle Comes To A Close, Refunds Finally Initiated

In what has been a tumultuous 6 months for ticket purchasers of the SPXCEJXM festival, which was originally scheduled for the 4^th and 5^th of November 2023 in Mumbai and Bangalore, festival-goers are rejoicing at news that they will be receiving their money back.

The festival, which promised big-name international headliners Bastille, Kodaline and Moonchild – alongside heavy-hitting Indian acts including Prateek Kuhad, Parvaaz and Blackstratblues, now stands cancelled. In an official email that ticket purchasers have received via ticketing partner BookMyShow, notifications have been made the full refunds have initiated and will be completed within 7-10 working days.

The incidents leading to this cancellation have been nothing short of stressful for fans of these acts and the artists that have been booked to perform. On the 14^th of October, 2023, mere 3 weeks before the originally scheduled dates of the festival, SPXCEJXM’s Instagram page announced that the festival will be “postponed to April 2024”. With no intimation or official announcement from the organizers’ end regarding the status of payment refund for ticket purchasers, masses of people were left confused and desperate to receive their money back.

Several individuals took to making consumer court complaints against the organizers, with some even extending the same recourse towards the ticketing partner, BookMyShow. This led to numerous conversations surrounding the ethics of large-scale festival ticketing and which entity can or should be held liable for ensuring the smooth purchasing experience of customers.

While a handful of ticket purchasers have received official communications via email and SMS, it is yet to be known if the booked artists will be receiving any portion of their booking fees back, or compensated for their travel expenses.

Despite numerous attempts, Rolling Stone India has not received any official comment from the founders of SPXCEJXM, Noel Swami and Manav Dhumal, regarding the prior postponement or now, cancellation.

This story is currently developing.