Soapbox Sessions I

Three 15-minute presentations by innovators, thought leaders, and inspiring individuals across the business.

11:00–11:15
Inside the World’s Largest Stadium Show
Naman Pugalia, BookMyShow (IN)

In 2025, BookMyShow Live delivered what became India’s largest live music event ever: Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour. This session, by Naman Pugalia, CBO – Live Events, BookMyShow, unpacks what it truly takes to deliver the world’s largest stadium show in an emerging market – from unprecedented ticket demand and infrastructure constraints to city-scale logistics, pricing strategy, and fan experience. A candid look at the challenges, triumphs, systems, and learnings behind turning a cultural moment into a commercially viable mega-event.

11:15–11:30
Touring Smarter: Mental health & welfare on the road
Laurie Pegg, Integrative Counsellor (UK)
& Sascha Heeney, Welfare Officer – Dua Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour (UK)

Working in live music touring can be rewarding, exciting, and full of opportunity, but it also places intense pressure on the people who make it happen. We know from accounts in the press, and from tour health research, that this pressure can impair both your health and your performance. So, what practical support can progressive tours put in place to ensure that individuals and teams are able to thrive? The Music Industry Therapist Collective (MITC) CIC is a non-profit providing frontline health and welfare solutions to touring artists and crew. Laurie and Sascha will share real-world insights from MITC’s work on some of the biggest tours of recent years.

11:30–11:45
Unlocking Classical’s Commercial Power
Thea Paraskevaides, Classical Unlocked (UK)

From Laufey to Anna Lapwood to Jacob Collier, classical music and contemporary crossover are permeating the mainstream like never before. Paving the way for the genre’s next generation is Classical Unlocked, an organisation dedicated to reframing where classical artists belong. From curating festival lineups to placing them in mainstream events, venues, and tours, their work breaks genre boundaries and reshapes context. In this session, they reveal how they’re driving a cultural shift and positioning classical music as an active, visible force within today’s commercial music landscape.