Local music scene hit as cases spread
Gigs cancelled and postsponed
Coronavirus is hitting the entertainment business locally as worried punters decide not to commit to a night out.
A leading music promoter based in Kinross has described how his bookings are being thrown into turmoil by a stall in ticket sales.
David Mundell brings big name ‘vintage’ rock acts and new bands to the Green Hotel in Kinross.
But yesterday he had to update the PA over a gig cancellation and it revealed a bigger picture.
Gerry Jablonski was due to perform at the Backstage Bar on Saturday, March 14, but the date was scrapped when tickets would not budge.
David told the PA: “Sales have started to decrease by approximately 20 to 30 per cent.
“This is also a mirror image of what’s happening across the country with small grass roots venues.
“Sales for later in the year are sluggish and again follow the 20-30 percent sales reduction in revenue.
“You will have seen various festivals cancelling, I saw that Carlos Santana has cancelled his European Tour so it doesn’t bode well for the entire industry. Yes, I lose money if a gig cancels. It’s too early to say exactly how this is going to go.”
In Perth, Frank BurgerSeed said that, so far, The Venue’s fortunes had been more effected by the recent roof collapse than infection fear.
He said: “Our main problem is we’re missing our front door. Older people see the front and think we are closed. Younger customers are up to date with our entrance arrangements, they’re on social media and are going out as before.
“Because The Venue generally has a free entry policy, I can’t tell you if coronavirus is deterring poeple buying tickets, but we don’t seem to be suffering, not from that. Ask me again in two weeks.”
Meanwhile in Blair Atholl, Food in the Park live music organiser Sally Judd has had a bad year so far.
In January Perth and Kinross Council refused to renew planning permission for the venue’s music marquee which had been the lynchpin to arranging popular weekend events for several past summer seasons.
FITP responded by cancelling the majority of its 2020 programme and moved the four main concerts to Blair Atholl Village Hall while it went for an appeal on the tent permission.
But top name Cameron Barnes of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, who was due to play for FITP in the village hall on April 11, has had to drop the Easter Saturday fixture and his gig has been provisionally moved to July 29.
Sally blamed the change of plan on the increasing uncertainty around the future as coronavirus takes hold. She said: “We had loads of cancellations, probably due to coronavirus, so we’ve had to postpone it. Our next gig isn’t until May 15 now.”