#letthemusicplay

[Quark]

Lots will probably be aware of this already, but just in case.

UK Music is running the #letthemusicplay campaign today ahead of next week's summer economic update from the Chancellor, highlighting the threat to the UK's live music sector and the need for further government support to keep the industry afloat.  I think by now everyone knows that live music will be one of the last things to really come back to life as restrictions ease, and it needs support if we want there to be anything other than the big venues to go back to.

Lots on the news this morning about the open letter to the govt signed by people like Dua Lipa and Paul McCartney, but there's stuff us lowly gig goers can do as well.  Full details are here https://www.ukmusic.org/policy/let-the-music-play but in the meantime the headlines are:

• Get photos of your last or recent live gig or event up on the socials with the #letthemusicplay hashtag, and encourage friends and followers to do likewise or at least share yours.
• Write to your local MP and ask them to support the campaign and to call on the Chancellor to do likewise.
• Support your own local venues if you can. You can go direct, or check the MVT website http://musicvenuetrust.com/

I know everything feels crap, and that feeling of individual helplessness is an absolute bastard.  But this is something that we can all do to add some weight to it. No-one's really under any illusions that the live music and sweaty little venues we know and love are important to the government, but the more volume this has behind it the harder it is to ignore.

Go forth and #letthemusicplay x

[Quark]

And to get things started, yup I've done mine.  Tag Oliver Dowden, tag Rishi Sunak, tag your local MP.  The thought of only having the O2 to watch gigs at when this is all over is giving me the heebie jeebies.

 

 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Quark

[Deaf Nobby Burton]

Any support from the government for these venues is double good news, because once they provide support they’ll be more inclined to look at ways of allowing them to operate so they can take the support away.

[priest17]

Tweeted and e-mailed my MP. I'm lucky in Manchester that even if some fall there'll be plenty left but at the same times it'll be some of my favorites that will go first.

 

[vintagelaureate]

1 hour ago, priest17 said:

Tweeted and e-mailed my MP. I'm lucky in Manchester that even if some fall there'll be plenty left but at the same times it'll be some of my favorites that will go first.

 

We've crossed paths a few times! 

In a similar vein, in Liverpool we've a few venues but it would be absolutely rubbish to lose some of the smaller ones. I know they're feeling the pressure! 

[gigpusher]

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/manchesters-deaf-institute-gorilla-music-18608539.amp?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3b7-6f3YEE7OPW-NecGqjzX6vpr8Pt2VdWRNF6fyzXhZJ1LDdQykwiQ_A

This is pretty devastating news for the Manchester gigging community. Let's hope someone has some money to invest. Both great venues especially The Deaf Institute. 

[Hugh Jass]

2 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/manchesters-deaf-institute-gorilla-music-18608539.amp?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3b7-6f3YEE7OPW-NecGqjzX6vpr8Pt2VdWRNF6fyzXhZJ1LDdQykwiQ_A

This is pretty devastating news for the Manchester gigging community. Let's hope someone has some money to invest. Both great venues especially The Deaf Institute. 

Now that is a real shame, had some great times in both venues.

[gigpusher]

4 minutes ago, Hugh Jass said:

Now that is a real shame, had some great times in both venues.

I genuinely feel pretty devastated about this. They are 2 of my key venues in Manchester that I always check the listings for. 

[Splonk]

47 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

I genuinely feel pretty devastated about this. They are 2 of my key venues in Manchester that I always check the listings for. 

Me too. This is awful news. Shit. Shit. Shit. Can someone please make 2020 go away please?

[vintagelaureate]

I'm really surprised, especially about Gorilla - I've seen some boss gigs there. Crap news.

[priest17]

croc of shite that, 2 of the best gone, pour one out.

Someone's gotta buy em up surely.

[kaytee...]

I'm properly gutted about those two closing. There's not many venues with caps under 1000 open in Manchester now.

Seems the guys running them didn't even apply to the music venue trust for funding either and since they've got Albert hall and Schloss, they'll still have something to make money, even if they might be making a loss at the moment. 

[fatyeti24]

27 minutes ago, priest17 said:

croc of shite that, 2 of the best gone, pour one out.

Someone's gotta buy em up surely.

Depends really.  The buildings will be worth something to someone - were they owned by the business owners?  There can't be many wanting to get into the live music industry right now though.

[Northern Jack]

3 hours ago, gigpusher said:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/manchesters-deaf-institute-gorilla-music-18608539.amp?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3b7-6f3YEE7OPW-NecGqjzX6vpr8Pt2VdWRNF6fyzXhZJ1LDdQykwiQ_A

This is pretty devastating news for the Manchester gigging community. Let's hope someone has some money to invest. Both great venues especially The Deaf Institute. 

Gutted about this, especially Gorilla, one of my favourite venues.

I was supposed to see The Showhawk Duo there before the shit hit the fan. 

[gigpusher]

1 hour ago, Northern Jack said:

Gutted about this, especially Gorilla, one of my favourite venues.

I was supposed to see The Showhawk Duo there before the shit hit the fan. 

So was I. I'd completely forgotten about that one. Was meant to see The Lovely Eggs there too. 

[gigpusher]

3 hours ago, kaytee... said:

I'm properly gutted about those two closing. There's not many venues with caps under 1000 open in Manchester now.

Seems the guys running them didn't even apply to the music venue trust for funding either and since they've got Albert hall and Schloss, they'll still have something to make money, even if they might be making a loss at the moment. 

Yes I hope I'm wrong but there does seem to be something a bit odd about it. They are both loved venues and I would happily have contributed to a fundraiser if there had been one but I saw one for Band On The Wall and nothing whatsoever about these. As these are owned by the same company as Albert Hall and Trof I just assumed maybe there was a wealthy person behind them keeping them afloat. 

[priest17]

1 hour ago, gigpusher said:

Yes I hope I'm wrong but there does seem to be something a bit odd about it. They are both loved venues and I would happily have contributed to a fundraiser if there had been one but I saw one for Band On The Wall and nothing whatsoever about these. As these are owned by the same company as Albert Hall and Trof I just assumed maybe there was a wealthy person behind them keeping them afloat. 

Yeah I put to for the band on the wall one and the eagle/Gulliver's/castle one but just assumed the others were alright, bad omen though. I'm hoping if I just go to YES loads now maybe Now Wave will pick one of them up.

[zahidf]

 

[gigpusher]

1 hour ago, zahidf said:

 

Oh fingers crossed. Thinking about it more last night and I do hope Mission Mars aren't cynically using a pandemic to get rid of their less profitable venues. It's very odd that they seem to have made no effort to try and fundraise etc to keep it afloat. I do hope all the staff who work at those venues are doing ok. 

[Splonk]

https://twitter.com/MENnewsdesk/status/1285610183092305921?s=20https://twitter.com/MENnewsdesk/status/128561018309230

🙌

Edited July 21, 2020 by Splonk

[Divein]

Bought by the same people who own factory, south, tup tup palace and digital.

So I’d be interested to see how this plays out.

[gigpusher]

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/deaf-institute-gorilla-saved-closure-18630674 

Seems Tim Burgess is involved!! 

[vintagelaureate]

 

[Hutchmaster]

On 8/5/2020 at 2:52 PM, vintagelaureate said:

 

Absolutely gutting. I was on the radio society at LJMU and we threw a live night there; the management were so unbelievably great and helpful with getting us set up and only charged us peanuts to book the place out, with a sound engineer and all!