The impact Covid-19 is having on our economic impact is hugely significant, with live music adding £4.5bn to the British economy and supporting 210,000 jobs across the country. We cannot remain silent, we need to be heard and taken seriously.
The Government needs to provide a business and employment support package with a furlough scheme that works for this industry. They also need to support the self-employed and sole traders to prevent mass redundancies. The self-employed make up for 72% of the live music industry, of whom play a crucial part in the success of live music in the UK . There needs to be rent breaks for venues, which will allow them to reopen, extension of business rate relief to protect the ecosystem and large single event premises license fees for festivals to be rolled over to 2021.
So, let’s make as much noise as possible to provide the much needed pressure on the Government, to convince them that action needs to be taken now.
We’ve asked some of our team ‘what was the last gig you went to see before lockdown?’. This is what they had to say.
"Phil X & The Drill at Rebellion Manchester, 7th March. One of the best rock n roll gigs I have been to in a long time. ‘I wish my beer was as cold as your heart’ is classic and a highlight of the night".
"Dropkick Murphys at Alexandra Palace, 21st February. Always the best party atmosphere, favourite song of the night Rose Tattoo, it’s a classic".
"Napalm Death at Electric Brixton, 23rd February. They always play their shortest song, You Suffer. It’s 1.316 seconds long haha!"
"Sigrid at Eventim Apollo, 4 December. The Norwegian pop-sensation’s show was full of energy and good vibes. The best songs had to be the crowd pleasers, Don’t Feel Like Crying and Don’t Kill My Vibe".
"Cher at Manchester Arena, 25th October. Not the last live event I went to, but last live gig. She was incredible. Better than most performers half her age!"
July 2nd 2020
