Latest news with #grassrootsMusic
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Shropshire music venue profits are worse than during Covid
The CEO of two live music venues has said the rising cost of living is causing his industry more problems than the coronavirus Gregg, who runs Albert's Shed live music venues in Shrewsbury and Telford, said: "At least during Covid there was some kind of light at the end of the tunnel and everyone was keen to get back to it."He added that shrinking profit margins for music venues means they could take fewer chances on up-and-coming Gregg said that is harming grass roots music and performers who want to perform their own original material. In the past, he said he had been able to use profits made at the weekends to subsidise the nights he put on acts who "might not be as commercially viable".Mr Gregg said it was exciting to "push the boundaries a little bit" with new acts, and that he really wanted to avoid "selling out" by taking the easy option with cover bands."Without being a little bit more adventurous grassroots music doesn't move on, it's just recycling the same old stuff," he a fall in profits has forced him to think more carefully about his finances and he admitted "it's clipped our wings really".He's worried that without venues like Albert's Shed booking new bands, grassroots musicians might become discouraged."What you find then is that artists kind of give up on the original side or do it as a bit of a side project," he said. More support needed Some performers have made a name for themselves online, but Mr Gregg said: "I don't think TikTok is really a suitable pipeline, we're not going to see all our artists of tomorrow come from social media."Instead, he said musicians needed to continue the tradition of "playing in rooms above pubs and backrooms".Mr Gregg said he would like to see more support for grassroots music from the top of the music business, in the same way that top-flight football helps fund the lower levels of the he also said: "The best thing that people can do is go to gigs. Use it or lose it." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Tube map celebrates London's grassroots music scene
London's distinctive Tube map has been reimagined to celebrate the capital's grassroots music scene as part of a new Sir Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) have joined with music industry and media leaders to launch London Creates. The capital-wide initiative aims to shine a spotlight on the capital's 179 venues, which helped launch the careers of stars such as Chappell Roan, Coldplay, Charli XCX and Noah Kahan, City Hall special edition Grassroots Tube Map, created by TfL, features lines turned into electric cables and named after songs, albums, artists, record labels, venues and genres. Sir Sadiq said: "London's grassroots music scene is renowned around the world."From providing opportunities for talented aspiring artists to develop their trade, to giving Londoners a great night out, our venues are an essential part of our life at night and provide a huge boost to our economy."However, they have faced huge challenges in recent years, which is why we're joining with partners across the capital to champion all parts of London's grassroots music scene."This special edition Tube map is a great way to highlight what a huge impact the scene has on our capital, as we continue to do all we can to support venues and build a more prosperous London for everyone." In the last year, London's grassroot music venues have welcomed more than 4.2 million people, held performances by more than 328,000 artists, employed almost 7,000 people and contributed £313m to the economy, City Hall of the top 10 biggest selling albums from last year were from artists who made their name and built their fanbase in the capital's venues. This includes Chappell Roan, who performed at the Garage, Charli XCX, who performed in a number of east London clubs, Coldplay, who performed at The Dublin Castle, and Noah Kahan, who performed at The Social. The campaign has been backed by artists including Skin from Skunk Anansie and Bruce Dickinson, the lead singer of Iron said: "You don't get mainstream music without the grassroots and there's no fast way to becoming a band or an artist."If you want to get on stage and learn you craft, the only way you're going to get good as a live band is in grassroots venues because they let you be as wild as you want to be."Everyone comes to London to hear music and we have some of the best venues in the world but I think what makes it so vibrant is because we have so much diversity in London."
