Dedicated to the Business of Contemporary Live Music
With a stadium. arena, theatres, clubs and festivals, not to mention being UK City of Culture in 2021, Coventry is fast becoming the music city its promoters know it can be and there’s a growing a sense of optimism and anticipation at all levels. Allan Glen reports. With its year-long…
Read moreFrom club gigs to outdoor events and stadium shows Bristol remains one of the south west’s most vibrant cities for live music. Even the temporary closure of two venues can’t dampen local promoters’ enthusiasm, and there’s even an arena in the pipeline. Allan Glen reports It may still be waiting…
Read moreWhile there have been no stadium events in Leicester since Kasabian played Leicester City’s ground in 2016, promoters have been quietly working together to build a vibrant music scene and compete with its more dominant neighbours Birmingham and Nottingham. And they all speak of a hoist of new talent emerging. …
Read moreAlthough widely known as the home of rock, Birmingham has also produced acts as diverse as Duran Duran, and UB40. So with investment pouring into live music in the area, what next for Britain’s second largest city? Allan Glen reports Even for a city the size of Birmingham, when a…
Read moreWhile the city has taken a knock with the collapse of Common People festival, the optimism among local promoters remains high, with new events planned and some venues reporting a record year. Some see the city as potentially rivalling Brighton for music content. Allan Glen reports While it never does…
Read moreFrom the city’s largest venues to some of the smallest, there seems to be an enthusiasm for what this new year will bring, both in terms of successful events and new talent emerging though its grassroots scene. Allan Glen reports Betting on the success of a new act is, and…
Read moreIt may have been UK City of Culture status in 2017 that raised Hull’s international profile, but it’s local promoters who are taking the city’s music scene forward. With two new venues opening this year alone – and one of its longest-serving clubs hitting the headlines this month, this is…
Read moreA few months ago, some would have you believe there is a crisis in Cardiff’s music scene but, as one leading promoter suggests, there’s just been some realignment in the sector and things are again thriving across mutiple venues, from stadium down to entry level. Allan Glen reports What a…
Read moreIt’s the city whose musical eclecticism is legendary. Synth-pop, indie-rock, classic soul – you name it, Sheffield’s promoters were probably the first to put it on. Allan Glen talks to the industry figures who are aiming to take their city to the next level. Few cities in the UK can…
Read moreLong gone are the days when Nottingham was best known as the city that hauled a local record store boss in front of magistrates for displaying the Sex Pistols’ album Never Mind The Bollocks. Today’s city is multi-cultural, vibrant and buzzing – with promoters and events to match. Allan Glen…
Read moreGeographically sandwiched between heavyweight music cities Sheffield and Nottingham does not make life easy for promoters and venue operators in the city, but their determination to put Lincoln on the touring map is paying off, from 20,000-capacity events down to the grassroots scene. Allan Glen reports It’s perhaps fair to…
Read moreFrom John Mayall and Take That to the Gallagher brothers and The Stone Roses, Manchester has produced some of the world’s most popular artistes. And a sure sign of its community spirit is that many of them have rallied in support of the city’s recovery from the Manchester Arena bombing…
Read moreIf there is a crisis in grassroots venues across the UK then the industry has forgotten to tell promoters in Newcastle. From new venues and festivals opening to emerging acts breaking nationally, the city is buzzing. Allan Glen reports Never let it be said that North-East promoters don’t know how…
Read moreThe biggest obstacle to artistes visiting Belfast from the mainland is the Irish Sea and then its closest competitor is Dublin two hours drive to the south, which sometimes attracts artistes that just want to do one big show on the island. Otherwise the city is buzzing, with significant investment…
Read moreIt may be fate, or just the result of passion and hard work, but there is undoubtedly a renewed sense of confidence among promoters and venue operators, supported by multi-million-pound refurbishments, more shows and a plethora of local talent emerging. Allan Glen reports If in the business of live music,…
Read moreWhether it’s in the castle, concert halls, theatres, pubs or makeshift venues during the annual summer festival, Edinburgh moves to the sound of live music every day of the year, despite lacking an arena and venues in the large club sector. Allan Glen reports “Edinburgh promoters – putting the…
Read moreWith venues in the Highlands and Islands often hundreds of miles, and a ferry trip, apart, to sell tickets in the region it’s important to know what works – and what doesn’t. Fortunately for those acts looking to tour this most remote of UK locations, there are several promoters and…
Read moreWith such an illustrious musical history, a popular arena and a conference and festival that highlights its finer points, Liverpool is one of the best-known music cities in the world. But that doesn’t mean its music scene isn’t facing some challenges, as Allan Glen reports “Is Liverpool really a…
Read moreWith several larger cities such as Plymouth, Bristol and Bournemouth relatively nearby, Exeter may not be the first choice for acts touring through the South West, but hope of a long-awaited new venue, growing festival sector and a burgeoning emerging artiste scene could soon change that. Allan Glen reports …
Read moreAs Scotland’s fourth largest city, Dundee has played a significant role in developing Scottish talent over the years and from what its promoters and venue operators say, its enjoying something of a resurgence. Allan Glen reports It may have been ‘jam, jute and journalism’ that put Dundee on the…
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