Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Nothin’ Carter
Six months without pay for struggling country stars
COUNTRY MUSIC STAR HASN’T MADE A PENNY IN 6 MONTHS:
NATHAN Carter and Lisa Mchugh admitted they haven’t made a penny in six months – revealing the grim reality of the decimated Irish country music scene.
Yesterday, they lifted the lid on life since their concerts and gigs were pulled from under their feet indefinitely due to Covid-19.
Fellow star Mike Denver added: “Things are looking very grim and dark for people.”
It’s been 189 days since the live music industry has closed and all three spoke about how the pandemic threw their careers into chaos – and urged Stormont to do more for the industry before it is too late.
Carter, who has had to cancel 100 gigs including a US tour, said: “To be honest, it has been a bit of a struggle for anybody in the entertainment industry over the last six months.
“To go from having the drug, as I call it, performing most nights to a lot of people and to get the reaction of a crowd enjoying music and a live gig to doing literally nothing for six months.”
Commenting on how he has been coping with the loss, both mentally and financially, he added: “I released a single about a month ago and I’m going to try and stick out an album at the end of the
year or something that will bring in hopefully a bit of income because there hasn’t been a penny in the past six months.
Mchugh, who was due to have her biggest year of her career this summer – booked in for Electric Picnic and Kaleidoscope, as well as support for Tom Jones, added: “I personally have not had a single penny in six months. And that is
worrying because we have no indication whatsoever when we can go back and do our jobs properly and to the extent that we need to.”
Meanwhile, top Sunday Mirror columnist Denver expressed the fear and worry circulating throughout the industry.
He said: “We thought we were going to get through it but it seems to b e getting fur th er away, th ere seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
“You are hoping every time there is an announcement they are going to say we can get back gigging.” Commenting on the Republic’s new strategy, which has proposed events of 50 to 100 capacity going forward, he said they would need at least 300 people in order to just break even.
Speaking on RTE One’s Today With Claire Byrne, Denver added: “But 50 people, 100 people, is no good because the shows are just so big.
“Everyone is worried, it’s a worrying time for a lot of musicians and crew and everyone because at the moment all the trouble with the support payments and people are getting frightened.”
The stars are backing Live Entertainment and Event Industry National Awareness Week, which runs until Sunday.
They are also calling for the reinstatement of the support payment for those right around the sector until it fully recovers.
Everyone is worried. Things are looking very grim MIKE DENVER YESTERDAY