Get your gladrags ready for showtime
Finally, there’s light at the end of this very long tunnel for grassroots music venues.
A UK-wide survey by the Music Venue Trust has revealed that 2,500 socially-distanced shows have been confirmed from May 17 as UK lockdown eases.
And 28,500 shows are expected in grassroots venues between May and September.
The survey of members of the Music Venues Alliance (MVA) has revealed the full extent to which venues in England – and Scotland thereafter – are planning to re-open their doors from May 17 and beyond, based on the timeline laid out by UK Government.
May 17 signals the penultimate stage in the UK Government’s roadmap to ease lockdown restrictions in England before a planned return to full capacity social activity on June 21.
In Scotland, from June 1, restrictions will be eased on concerts and gigs. By the end of June, life should, hopefully, be near normal as we enter Level 0.
Beverley Whitrick, strategic director at MVT, said: “It’s incredible to see the enthusiasm for getting live music back into our towns and cities being shown by venues, artists and crew.
“These socially-distanced shows aren’t being delivered for financial return. In fact, it is precisely the opposite.
“The grassroots sector is stepping up and putting its own time and money into answering the demand for live music in our communities.”
By the end of September, the survey indicates that over 17,000 full-capacity shows are already confirmed to take place, with nearly 30,000 shows likely to take place in front of 6,803,481 audience members.
There will be 91,500 individual live performances during the period, offering over 300,000 work opportunities for musicians as they finally get the chance to return to paid employment.
The sector turned over £360million in 2019/20 prior to the pandemic, delivering over 200,000 events and more than half a million performances to 33 million ticket holders.
Mark Davyd, CEO at MVT, said: “As we emerge from the darkness of the last year and move towards our plan to Revive Live, it is incredibly exciting and heartening to see the positivity with which UK grassroots music venues are approaching reopening their doors.
“The fact that musicians can get back to work, music fans can start to