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COVID-19 Updates

16th October 2020 (This is Money). A prominent businessman and owner of London's iconic music venue, Electric Brixton, has warned the live events industry is on the brink of collapse. Music venues, theatres and events companies have been out of operation since the nationwide lockdown was implemented in March this year, with no sign of restarting. Though small, socially distanced events such as comedy gigs with reduced audiences and restricted access have started to make a comeback, most live events are still stuck in limbo and are appealing for a lifeline from the Government. 
Reporting by Jayna Rana. 

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Andy Robertson - Sunday 18 October 2020

New Event

15th October 2020 (Music Week). Kilimanjaro Live promoter Alan Day will head up new rock-oriented live promotion brand Action! The first tour announced under the banner is Bring Me The Horizon's five-date arena run, which kicks off at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro in September 2021. We aim to build a social community around this brand. “During these trying times of quiet in the world of live music, we are all looking forward to a return to Action! and the full live music experience,” said Day. “From the record to the stage to the mosh pit to the lyrical content, the word Action! is pivotal to rock.
Reporting by James Hanley 

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 15 October 2020

Sponsors

9th October 2020 (Sponsorship.org) As part of its long-term commitment to support the UK events industry, Asahi UK, the UK’s leading super premium beer and cider supplier, has confirmed a landmark six-year deal to become the official beer & cider partner for AEG’s leading European festival, American Express presents BST Hyde Park. The sponsorship of the festival – brokered by ESA member AEG Global Partnerships – will showcase Asahi’s premium portfolio. This reaffirms Asahi’s dedication to supporting the entertainment sector by planning and creating high quality consumer experiences.

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Andy Robertson - Tuesday 13 October 2020

COVID-19 Updates

12th October 2020 (NME). "The chancellor’s most recent announcement gives no comfort to the skilled and talented workforce who face a desperate and bitter winter" Leading figures from the UK’s live music industry have said they have found little comfort in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s new job support scheme, claiming that their sector feels “ignored” by both the plans and the government. Announced last Friday (October 9) and set to launch on November 1, the scheme will benefit employees who work for UK firms that are forced to shut by law due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Reporting by Sam Moore 

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Andy Robertson - Monday 12 October 2020

8th October 2020 (DJ Mag). The UK Government is "doing everything we can" to support the UK's live music industry, the Digital and Culture Minister has said. Speaking in a debate at Westminster Hall earlier this week, the Digital and Culture Minister, Caroline Dinenage, said that the government were "doing everything" they can, and that "the government stands with the culture sector" amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “We want to see full audiences return as soon as possible,"
Reporting by Amy Fielding

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 8 October 2020

7th October 2020 (One EDM).  The most popular electronic dance music festivals are in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom. However, there are many other places to experience electronic music like Australia, Canada and even Africa. So, it will be easier for you to find a good event in your location. If you are planning a European visit, you can do it by taking advantage of EDM Festivals and other electronic music festivals. You might think that such a large-scale show can only be found in Europe, but that is not true at all. A few shows in Canada are also very popular, as well as Australia and Africa. 

Photo by Wendy Wei from Pexels
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Andy Robertson - Wednesday 7 October 2020

5th October 2020 (The Canary). MPs will highlight the plight of the UK’s coronavirus-ravaged music industry during a debate in Parliament. Conservative MP Nickie Aiken, whose Cities of London and Westminster constituency includes a host of music venues, has secured the debate on Tuesday. It comes as the industry steps up its calls for the Government to help the crippled sector. Industry body UK Music says the pandemic has wiped out at least £900 million of the £1.1 billion live music was expected to contribute to the economy in 2020. The pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on the UK’s live music scene, with London’s O2 arena among the venues forced to temporarily close (Ian West/PA).

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Andy Robertson - Tuesday 6 October 2020

5th October 2020 (Metro). The O2 arena have announced the iconic venue’s capacity has been slashed from 20,000 to just 4,700 as they plan to bring back concerts in December. Squeeze are set to play the first live music event at The O2 arena in more than eight months. The Up the Junction rockers will perform at the London venue on December 5, with strict social distancing measures in place but venue bosses say the new arrangement ‘is not a long term solution’.
Reporting by Andrei Harmsworth 

Photo by Jack Gittoes from Pexels

 

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Andy Robertson - Monday 5 October 2020

1st October 2020 (Resident Advisor). New Covid-19-related law go into effect this week that further hits hospitality and nightlife industries. New English coronavirus laws could hit hospitality and nightlife businesses with more potential fines. The new restrictions, which go further than last week's introduction of a 10 PM curfew, include placing an 85-decibel limit on music played in pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes or the businesses face a £1,000 fine. (Unlike Northern Ireland's new rules, this does not also apply to live music performances.).
Reporting by Marissa Cetin 

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 1 October 2020

30th September 2020 (Audio Media). Some of the biggest names in the live music and events industry have taken to social media to show their support for the We Make Events campaign, which is lobbying government for urgent financial support in light of the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The likes of Radiohead, Noel Gallagher, Nadine Shah and many others have tweeted their support for the campaign, which is today (September 30) holding a day of action raise awareness of the live industry’s plight.
Reporting by Daniel Gumble 

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Andy Robertson - Wednesday 30 September 2020

28th September 2020 (Variety). The U.K. Council of Music Makers (CMM) has called on the government for urgent, sector-specific support for individuals for an industry that is worth some £5.2 billion ($6.93 billion) to the economy. While lauding the U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer’s recent measures to support the work force, “these measures do not go far enough for our industry,” the CMM said in an open letter to the government on Monday. The CMM is made up of the Featured Artists Coalition, Ivors Academy, Music Managers Forum
Reporting by Naman Ramachandran 

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Andy Robertson - Monday 28 September 2020

New Event

24th September 2020 (Jazzwise). The capital’s biggest live music event returns in a hybrid edition bringing concerts in venues and livestreamed shows together for the first time. The organisers of the EFG London Jazz Festival have revealed the programme for this year’s very different festival which will be running live and online from 13 to 22 November with 110 shows, 25 specially created livestreams (so far), taking place in 30 venues around the capital. 
Reporting by Mike Flynn 

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 24 September 2020

COVID-19 Updates

23rd September 2020 (NME) However, some venues warn this will have a huge negative impact. Music venues in England are able to stay open after the new 10pm curfew imposed by the government as part of the latest coronavirus restrictions, provided that the performance has already started. As part of new rules that could last up to six months, yesterday (22nd September 2020) it was announced that pubs and restaurants in the UK would have to be closed by 10pm in a bid to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Reporting by Andrew Trendell 

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Andy Robertson - Wednesday 23 September 2020

21 September 2020 (The caterer). A global campaign is calling on venues around the world to raise awareness of the threat to the events sector by lighting up in red on 30 September. Light It In Red is supporting We Make Events, which was created by industry bodies and professionals in the UK at the beginning of the pandemic. The group celebrated its first ‘red alert' on 11 August, which saw 700 theatres and music halls in the UK light up in red. The campaign is being run by a growing industry collective of trade bodies, businesses and freelancers across live music, comedy, theatre and the arts, affected by the shutdown.
Reporting by Jennie Milsom. 

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Andy Robertson - Monday 21 September 2020

18th September 2020 (Manchester Evening News) Organisers say they are 'deeply disappointed' but will come back stronger next year. Manchester Food and Drink Festival has pulled its plans to turn Cathedral Gardens into a food and drink hub next week, on public health advice. The annual festival was set to take over the city centre outdoor space with street food, live music, and an open-air market.  It was going to be the first major event to take place in Manchester since March, and had been given full council approval.
Reporting by Daisy Jackson.

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Andy Robertson - Sunday 20 September 2020

18th September 2020 (Rolling Stone) “For the last six weeks, Newcastle has been the leading light for the live music industry and for that, we should all be very proud,” Virgin Money Unity Arena operators say. The U.K.’s Virgin Money Unity Arena, the first “dedicated socially distanced” venue, was forced to shut down after six weeks of hosting shows due to new Covid-19 restrictions in the Newcastle area.  “In light of the announcement that new local lockdown measures will be introduced in the North East, our upcoming weekend of shows can no longer go ahead,” the venue announced Thursday. 
Reporting by Daniel Kreps

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 17 September 2020

16th September 2020 (NME). "Testing will be the only way within the next six-to-ten months to enable events" Austrian company testFRWD has launched the world’s first DIY test kit for the coronavirus, which it hopes will help get live events back up and running. For the test, users provide samples by gargling for 60 seconds rather than a standard nasal swab. The kit then combines with a smartphone app that allows users to receive their results within 24 hours. testFRWD has said it can process 80,000 tests per day, with 99 per cent accuracy.
Reporting by Patrick Clarke.

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Andy Robertson - Wednesday 16 September 2020

15th September 2020 (About Manchester). After a summer of incredible music and magical memories, the UK’s first-ever ‘socially-distanced’ outdoor festival, Gisburne Park Pop Up is closing with a bang with DJs Solardo and Sam Divine and legendary rocker, Steve Harley, headlining the final two weekends’ closing parties. Set within the idyllic Gisburne Park Estate, the festival – which originally launched in July and was due to close in August has been such a success they announced a 5-week extension into September with further plans in the pipeline for the autumn and winter months.
Reporting by Alan Brown.

Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

 

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Andy Robertson - Tuesday 15 September 2020

14th September 2020 (Crack Mag). A new petition is asking the UK Government to help the live music and theatre industries. Hosted on the UK Government and Parliament site, the petition is calling for the furlough scheme to be extended. You can sign the petition here. Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which allowed workers to be paid 80% of their wages up to £2500, is due to end on 31 October.
Reporting by Vivian Yeung. 

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Andy Robertson - Monday 14 September 2020

9th September 2020. The rescheduled Larmer Tree Festival for 2021 has been cancelled with an announcement from the directors that states "Whilst we’re working on bringing Larmer Tree back in 2022, the financial ramifications of this prolonged period of inactivity sadly means unavoidable redundancies for the wonderful staff who make Larmer Tree happen for you all. Thank you for all your incredibly hard work over the years. Our hearts go out to all industry professionals affected by the Covid-19 crisis. We wish all those events happening in 2021 the best of luck and hope that we all have a better Summer next year. Sorry that we cannot make Larmer Tree part of that." 

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 10 September 2020

8th September 2020 (The Resident). The Jazz Cafe in Camden is set to reopen in September with gigs by Hackney Afrobeat veteran Dele Sosimi and an album launch from Light of The World. The Jazz Cafe, which has been closed for six months, will return with fully seated, small-scale socially distanced gigs that mirror the original layout of the club when it opened in Camden Town 30 years ago. Capacity will be down to 151 when the doors reopen on 18 September 2020 – the day before Soho’s legendary Ronnie Scott’s is due to reopen for live music gigs – with An Evening of Soul with The Sierra Band.
Reporting by Victoria Purcell. 

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Andy Robertson - Wednesday 9 September 2020

8th September 2020 (Broadway World). Insurance Journal has reported that British theaters and live music venues will only be able to keep their doors open if the government provides financial support, as the global pandemic means they can no longer get commercial insurance. Theatres and concert venues in the UK have been staging socially-distanced events since August, however only a few have officially opened, with many citing insurance as one of the barriers; underwriters have been excluding COVID-19 from the cover they provide.

Photo by Adrianna Calvo from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Tuesday 8 September 2020

7th September 2020 (Far Out Mag). Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has stated his plans for Operation Sleeping Beauty, an effort which is his plan to revive indoor live performances in time for Christmas. Theatres across the UK have been allowed to reopen—albeit with social distancing measures in place—which have made it almost impossible to make financially viable openings because of the reduced audience numbers. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Dowden said that he is now planning on getting things back up and running for Christmas, which will be a relief to everybody working in the world of live entertainment.
Reporting by Joe Taysom.

Photo by ELEVATE from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Monday 7 September 2020

4th September 2020 (IQ Mag) The funding is part of a €2bn culture recovery package and is followed by €100bn economy restart plan. In a bid to encourage event organisers to resume live entertainment, the French government has announced €220 million dedicated to the live sector. The funding is part of a wider €2bn culture recovery package, which was announced yesterday (3 September), and is followed by a €100bn campaign to restart the economy – France Relance (France Relaunch). As part of the €220m siphoned off for live shows, the music sector will receive €200m.

Photo by Sebastian Ervi from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Sunday 6 September 2020

New Event

3rd September 2020 (Chronicle). The Parking Lot Social promises 'big, bold and brash' entertainment in Newcastle this September. There have been blockbuster movies, comedy and karaoke and now the latest drive-in experience heading to Newcastle is The Parking Lot Social. Following a summer series of drive-in cinema screenings in the city and in Durham, the latest event to offer some socially-distanced entertainment will be hosted over five days at the Kingston Park Stadium
Reporting by Barbara Hodgson 

Photo by Anthony Holmes from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 3 September 2020

COVID-19 Updates

2nd September 2020 (Dazed) While this year’s Glastonbury has been cancelled in the UK (though it’s still apparently on track for 2021) and festivals such as Coachella and SXSW have suffered a similar fate in the US, the island of Guernsey has kicked coronavirus in time to hold its 44th annual Vale Earth Fair. Taking place last weekend, the 12-hour event was one of the only European festivals not to be shut down or postponed this year due to the pandemic.
Reporting by Thom Waite 

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Andy Robertson - Wednesday 2 September 2020

27th August 2020 (Celebrity Access) Live Nation’s “Return To Live” concert, which was intended to herald the return of live music to major venues in Germany, has been canceled due to a rise in coronavirus cases the European nation. The concert, headlined by Bryan Adams along with The BossHoss, Sarah Connor, Rea Garvey and Joris was planned for Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf on Sept 4th, but has been pushed back to “late autumn.” In a statement, a spokesperson for the arena said that “despite a comprehensive health, hygiene and safety program, organizers felt compelled to cancel the event in view of the increasing number of infections and subsequent capacity restrictions that were imposed on the event.”
Reporting by Ian Courtney 

Nicooo from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Thursday 27 August 2020

26th August 2020 (IQ Mag). There is no longer a requirement to distance patrons at events with under 5,000 people in France, although mask wearing must be "continuous" Indoor concerts may now go ahead without social distancing providing there are fewer than 5,000 people in attendance, the French prime minister said today (26 August). Two days after announcing that large events (ie those with over 5,000 attendees) would continue to be banned until November, Jean Castex announced that masks are now mandatory in all indoor entertainment venues, such as theatres and cinemas – but that in most of France, the requirement for social distancing has been removed.

Photo by Monica Silvestre from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Wednesday 26 August 2020

25th August 2020 (IQ Mag). The UK's Night Time Industries Association has presented a science-backed reopening plan in a bid to save the sector. Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and operators from the UK’s night-time industry have presented the government with a science-backed reopening plan in an attempt to stop the sector from collapsing. Festival Republic and Music Venue Trust are among the organisations that have commissioned the report, supported by the Institute of Occupational Medicine, which examines the science behind Covid-19 and how to mitigate the spread of the virus. Key findings from the report include: the core market for clubs and venues are amongst the lowest at risk in the hospitality sector and that that overall capacity restrictions to 75% of legal building occupancy based on regulations will ensure distancing is possible throughout the venue. 

Photo by Maurício Mascaro from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Tuesday 25 August 2020

24th August 2020 (NME) Gigs are back (kind of)! The Government has issued guidelines to make gigs 'viable' – but what do grassroots music folk make of it all? The Government recently issued a new set of guidelines to help venues of all kinds bring back life performance – with new advice out there for theatres, concert-halls, and other live music venues. After months of being unable to safely put on gigs, it’s a welcome shuffle forward. Slowly, a few gigs are returning with caution: in recent weeks, Sam Fender has played a socially distanced arena show at the custom-built Virgin Money Unity Arena, and Frank Turner serenaded a seated crowd in south London.
Reporting By El Hunt.

Photo by Isaac Taylor from Pexels

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Andy Robertson - Monday 24 August 2020
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