There are multitudes of reasons for this, the most prominent being the rise in cost of living. This impacts not only fans and their accessibility to shows - from travel to tickets – but also artists and the actual venues themselves. In recent years there has been a steep decline in business for all but the largest artists, venues and promoters, and the result is that many small venues have suffered and had to close down, leaving even fewer spaces for grassroots musicians to perform.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy shared that “Too many parts of the country have become cultural deserts” and that there is “a chance to live a larger, richer life, that should belong to us all, denied to a generation.” This is being shown physically through the shift in live concert culture and business in this crisis of economics and accessibility. Artists are having to cut down on the number of shows in order to be able to sustain tours, yet the government has maintained the full 20% VAT on gig tickets (as opposed to 10% in countries like France, Germany and Italy).
Culture is what breathes life into the world, and it is clear that change is vital if live music is to survive. There are a handful of schemes and artists leading the way, however, with Coldplay donating 10% of the proceeds from their Wembley and Hull shows to Music Venue Trust, as well as The Piece Hall in Halifax, which helps subsidise 5 other smaller venues. This is the example that should be set by the music giants, and as for the average music fan, the most influential way to help protect the live music industry is by going to small venues to see smaller artists perform. In terms of sharing the love in Newcastle, one particular venue that regularly supports incredible musicians is Colbalt Studios, which I would recommend till my dying breath as it is one of the most unique and diverse venues that upholds the very tradition of music and the arts.
