Dwell music at grassroots venues nonetheless beneath pre-pandemic ranges, report says
The stay music business continues to be struggling to return to pre-pandemic ranges, new analysis suggests.
Regardless of Covid restrictions largely being lifted final yr, the variety of gigs at UK grassroots music venues was 16.7% decrease than in 2019.
Viewers numbers have been additionally at 89% of their 2019 degree, at about 22 million, the Music Venues Belief (MVT) mentioned.
The grassroots scene contributed £500m to the economic system, it mentioned, however venues had a mean revenue margin of simply 0.2%.
Most stay music occasions made a loss, the MVT figures recommended, regardless of the typical value of a ticket rising to £10.90 – up 24% from £8.74 in 2019.
Food and drinks gross sales helped to stability the books. Even so, the typical revenue of a small music venue in 2022 was simply £1,297, according to the MVT’s annual report.
Inflation, hovering payments and altering viewers habits have all had an influence, it mentioned.
Ricky Bates, who manages Southampton’s iconic Joiners venue, advised the BBC he had solely been capable of ebook seven reveals for January 2023, in contrast with the 20 he staged in 2019.
Regardless of that, he’s in search of methods to make reveals “extra inexpensive” within the midst of the price of residing disaster.
“We attempt to do smaller reveals for £5, so individuals can nonetheless go to issues; and we’re now giving out free entry to all NHS staff,” he mentioned.
Edinburgh’s Queen’s Corridor sounded a extra constructive notice. “We have come again [from the pandemic] pretty sturdy,” advertising and marketing and improvement supervisor Emma Mortimore mentioned.
“However we’re additionally tentative after we look in the direction of the long run. In the meanwhile, our electrical energy and fuel payments aren’t too dangerous, however we’re them tripling someday subsequent yr. It is undoubtedly tough, tough instances.”
New bands ‘want small phases’
Many house owners discover themselves in a “precarious monetary place”, mentioned Music Venues Belief chief govt Mark Davyd, including that “the present economics not stack up”.
Because of this, the charity is asking on the federal government and the broader music business to supply help to the just about 1,000 native venues it represents.
It has requested for VAT on ticket gross sales to be diminished from 20% to five%, or eliminated totally.
The belief can also be calling for arena-sized venues to take a position a share of their ticket revenues into the grassroots sector, to assist foster a brand new era of artists.
“We can not go on constructing an increasing number of arenas with no plan of the best way to fill the phases they create in 5, 10 or 20 years’ time,” he mentioned.
Mr Bates agrees that venues like his are essential to the well being of the British music business.
“No person begins a band and walks out on stage on the Hammersmith Apollo. It takes years in some circumstances,” he mentioned.
“Biffy Clyro, for instance, toured for eight or 10 years earlier than they signed to a serious label and now they are a stadium band.
“Even Ed Sheeran did it. He began a tour at The Joiners in Could 2011 and inside two years he was a headliner.”