'Poop-Covered Seats, Bad Audio': Ilaiyaraaja's Chennai Concert Attendees Slam Mismanagement
· Free Press Journal

Music legend Ilaiyaraaja brought a grand symphonic experience to Chennai with the performance of his first-ever symphony, Valiant, at the Nehru Outdoor Stadium on Saturday (May 30). The composer returned the following day with a marathon three-and-a-half-hour concert featuring many of his timeless hits.
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While the performances received appreciation from music lovers, several attendees took to social media to complain about what they described as "poor" event management and inadequate facilities at the venue.
The two-day event was organised by ACTC Events, the same company that faced criticism following Marakkuma Nenjam Concert in 2023, where attendees had alleged serious mismanagement issues.
SCAM ⚠️ @ilaiyaraaja
— Aravinth (@weekday_19) May 31, 2026
Travelled 500 km from Cbe just to listen to the live symphony. Heavily disappointed. The most basic thing a concert needs sound, but they scammed. No speakers, no arrangements & 80% we couldn't hear anything. Waste of time, money & effort refund pic.twitter.com/X5rY9IjKAC
Several fans expressed their disappointment on X (formerly known as Twitter), and opened up about a range of problems they encountered during the concert. According to one attendee, visitors struggled due to the absence of volunteers who could guide the crowd. The user also pointed out that the LED screens were too small and claimed that the sound quality was below expectations, eventually forcing him to leave the concert midway.
• 45 mins late ( started only at 7:15 pm)
— Aravinth (@weekday_19) June 1, 2026
• 30 mins of directors speech ( we didn't pay to hear speech wasted the time )
• No speakers ( it was lesser than TV volume)
• Seats full of bird shit
• No ticket checking, my seat was occupied by someone who had no tikcet https://t.co/JvNhAhdJKf pic.twitter.com/mdcKVc9p85
Another concertgoer alleged that the audience could barely hear what Ilaiyaraaja was saying during the show. The attendee also complained about the condition of the seating area, claiming that some seats were covered in animal droppings.
Food prices at the venue also came under criticism, with some attendees describing them as excessively expensive.
Worst experience at Ilaiyaraaja’s Live-in concert @actcevents
— Swarna Rajan (@swarna_1311) May 31, 2026
Poorly set mics and sound system, couldn’t hear half the things Raaja was saying!
And don’t even get me started on the bird poo filled seats.
Symphony day >> Live-in concert#ilaiyaraajaconcert #ilaiyaraaja pic.twitter.com/z2bvXDR5ls
Bigger scam than mismanagement was...The 2nd half of the concert was nothing but a movie promotional event We paid for a concert, not for movie promotions, director speeches, and trailer launches...
— Aravinth (@weekday_19) June 1, 2026
Heavily disappointed #Ilaiyaraja https://t.co/JvNhAhdJKf
Nehru outdoor stadium is not fit for live in concert, I have faced the same issue with ARR program in February and this time with Raja sir concert as well. Poor acoustic and seats maintained, bad ventilation too for the people sitting in lower deck
— Sangamesh (@Sanbas01) June 1, 2026
Had to walk out midway from the Ilaiyaraaja concert today. Terrible event management yet again.
— Jojjabijjan Sreenivas || ஸ்ரீநிவாஸ் (@i_sreenivas) May 31, 2026
Adai ACTC pic.twitter.com/WcNJ7Wst6g
Despite the complaints, many fans praised the event for its musical brilliance and the opportunity to witness a symphony performance of such scale in Chennai. Admirers lauded Ilaiyaraaja for introducing a unique orchestral experience to local audiences and celebrated his enduring contribution to Indian music.
The concert opened with the devotional classic Janani Janani and featured a string of popular songs including Madai Thirandhu, Aanandha Ragam, Megam Kottatum, Raakama Kaiyathattu, Intha Maan, Oru Jeevan Azhaithadhu, Raja Raja Chozhan Naan, Vanithamani and Thendral Vandhu Ennai Thodum. The musical evening concluded with the fan-favourite En Jodi Manja Kuruvi.
Suriya's Karuppu Makers Apologise To Ilaiyaraaja Over Controversial Dialogue, To REMOVE It From FilmAlthough the event sparked debate over its arrangements, Ilaiyaraaja’s performances remained the highlight for many attendees, earning both admiration and emotional responses from fans who witnessed the maestro live on stage.