26th November 2020 (Access All Areas). Following the Government’s announcement that venues in tier 2 can stage events with physically distanced audiences of up to 1,000 from 2 December, the operator of the Clapham Grand has announced a busy December schedule of shows, including concerts by acts such as The Hoosiers, The Feeling and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. In September, the venue’s socially-distanced event capacity was increased from 280 to 400 with the opening of its newly refurbished top tier balcony for the first time in 15 years. The following month, the venue received £300,000 from the Arts Council England
Reporting by Christopher Barrett 

25th November 2020 (The Quietus). Rules that alcohol can only be served with 'a substantial meal' spell trouble for music venues offering socially distanced events, the organisation says. The Music Venue Trust has responded to the UK government's latest tier-based outline of coronavirus restrictions which will come into effect next week following the end of a month-long nationwide lockdown. The organisation has described aspects of the new restrictions that will affect grassroots music venues as "inconsistent and illogical," particularly calling on the government to rethink limitations within tier two.
Reporting Christian Eede 

24th November 2020 (Pollstar). A human tragedy is currently unfolding across the world in general, and the live entertainment industries in particular, where vast numbers of self-made entrepreneurs are currently being ignored by their governments. In the UK alone, some 3 million taxpayers are currently excluded from meaningful government support. Support they only require because they have been unable to work since March because of COVID-19 restrictions, when only select businesses were deemed essential and allowed to remain open – notwithstanding the fact that any self-employed professional would probably describe their business as essential to their survival.
Reporting by Gideon Gottfried 

23rd December 2020 (Access All Areas). The Government has issued its Winter Plan, which states that outdoor events such as concerts and sports will be able to accommodate audiences of up to 4,000 in Tier 1 and Tier 2 areas when the UK emerges from national lockdown on 2 December. It said in Tiers 1 and 2, live events can now resume inside and outside with capacity limits and social distancing in place. In Tier 1 the capacity limit will be 50% of a venue’s capacity or 4,000 outdoors and 1,000 indoors, whichever is lower. In Tier 2 these will be 50% capacity or 2,000 outdoors and 1,000 indoors, whichever is lower.
Reporting by Christopher Barrett.

19th November 2020 (Brighton & Hove Independent). The event will come to Brighton from May 12-15 2021 with tickets on sale now. Acts include Arlo Parks, BERWYN, Holly Humberstone, Bree Runway, Pa Salieu, 220 Kid, Mae Muller and many more. A spokesman said: “The Great Escape festival 2021 will include hotly tipped break-out artists such as Arlo Parks, Holly Humberstone, BERWYN, Pa Salieu and AMA, as well as 220 KID, who made his Top 10 chart debut earlier this year, and Bree Runway, hot off her debut mixtape release featuring the Missy Elliot collaboration ATM.“
Reporting by Phil Hewitt 

18th November 2020 (Nova). According to a new report by UK Music, many musicians will lose two-thirds of their income as a result of Covid-19. With concerts and festivals put on hold during this pandemic, live music revenues are set to fall by 85% in 2020. UK Music’s Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has said the current pandemic has caused a “catastrophic blow” to the music industry, with tens of thousands of jobs at risk. Although, he said music was “an international success story in normal times” so, it is possible to thrive once again.
Reporting by Gary Delaney.

18th November 2020 (Access All Areas). The live music sector enjoyed a record year in 2019, contributing £1.3 billion to the UK economy ­– up 17% on its £1.1bn contribution the previous year, according to UK Music’s Music By Numbers 2020 report. The £1.3bn GVA used in the organisation’s annual report does not include associated spend around events, such as the purchase of food and drink. The UK music industry campaigning and lobbying group’s annual report found that the live sector employed 34,000 people last year, up 11% from 30,529 in 2018. Exports also grew 8% to £86 million from £80m in 2018.
Reporting by Christopher Barrett.

16th November 2020 (The Article). Last week, Parliament debated the “Let Us Dance” petition, which has gained 145,526 signatures in the past couple of months.  It is a response to the complete closure of night clubs, events and festivals since the beginning of the first lockdown, and the fact that unlike theatres, cinemas and other cultural institutions, they have received very little governmental financial support. As a consequence, historical music venues across Britain are at risk of closure and thousands of people have lost work, without any reassurance they can go back one day.
Reporting by Agatha Johnson  

13th November 2020 (The Music Network). Pharmaceutical firm Pfizer’s announcement this week about its coronavirus vaccine breakthrough saw the Australian live entertainment sector breathe a sigh of relief. The possible vaccine would see a combination of technology and science play a major role in our live music experience. There are still questions as to how long each booster shot will last, however another possible vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, has reported a similar immune response in both older and younger adults. Additionally, the Federal Government has announced its intent to purchase 84 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
Reporting by Christie Eliezer 

11th November 2020 (Isle of Wight County Press). MPs are looking into how UK music festivals can survive in 2021 after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out the majority of this year's events, resulting in revenues falling by 90%. An inquiry organised by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will appraise how best to support the future of festivals, with legal and social-distancing requirements continuing to affect large-scale events. Isle of Wight MP, Bob Seely, said: "The Isle of Wight is Britain’s festival island and the impact of Covid-19 on festivals and live events has been devastating.
Reporting by Dominic Kureen 

10th November 2020 (Dancing Astronaut). Live Nation‘s CEO Michael Rapino has confirmed that the company is working on a series of measures that will allow for “full scale” shows by the summer of 2021. The goal is a “COVID secure” live music experience, which will include strict venue sanitation procedures in addition to fan-friendly policies on ticket purchases. Policies may also include presenting a negative COVID test to gain entry into festivals and shows—a potential solution that has long been discussed in regards to reviving large-scale events. The announcement comes after Live Nation posted a 95.1% drop in revenue, with the company’s net revenue totaling $184 million in the period from June to September.
Reporting by Farrell Sweeney 

9th November 2020 (DJ Mag). A #DearBoris virtual protest is also underway on social media, with 145,000 signatures and more than 5,000 letters now sent in support of the campaign. The UK's #LetUsDance petition is being heard in parliament today (Monday 9th November 2020) after the online campaign garnered more than 145,000 signatures. The initiative is designed to raise awareness about the need to provide more protection to Britain's nightlife industries as the coronavirus pandemic continues, and promote the importance of electronic music within the country's cultural landscape.
Reporting by Martin Guttridge-Hewitt 

6th November 2020 (Complete Music Update). UK-based livestreaming company Driift has announced that it is expanding into Australia and New Zealand. Formally launched in August by Ric Salmon and Brian Message of ATC Management, the company has already put on ticketed livestream shows from artists including Nick Cave, Laura Marling, Biffy Clyro, Dermot Kennedy, Lianne La Havas and Sleaford Mods. This weekend it is set to host performances from Kylie Minogue and Niall Horan. Announcing the international expansion, Salmon says: “In what’s been a tough year, the growth of paid-for livestreaming has provided our industry with one of its few shoots of optimism.
Reporting by Andy Malt  

5th November 2020 (Pollstar). Live Nation Entertainment reported its third quarter and year-to-date 2020 earnings Nov 5 and while there’s not a lot of good news to share, given the entire industry has been virtually closed since mid-March, not all of it was grim. The company reports it has reduced operational cash burn projected at $110 million per month on average for the last nine months, prior to any benefits generated by revenue from operations. Live Nation has total cash and equivalents of $2.6 billion, including $951 million of free cash. According to the report, The cash along with $963 million of available debt capacity gives LNE more than $1.9 billion in available liquidity.
Reporting by Deborah Speer 

3rd November 2020 (Access All Areas). At the back-end of 2019 Virgin Money carried out a strategic review of its sponsorship and partnerships activity that resulted in a major focus on live music. Covid-19 may have reduced the impact of its deals, this year, with The O2 and The SSE Hydro arenas but the brand’s determination to support the sector has certainly paid off. The company’s sponsorship of the first bespoke venue built to accommodate audience distancing, the Virgin Money Unity Arena, won worldwide media coverage.
Reporting by Christopher Barrett. 

2nd November 2020 (Hot Press). Originating in Australia, the entertainment giant TEG joined forces with MJR in the UK to become one of the most active groups in global entertainment. Their new move into the Irish market will also allow them access to European audiences in the evolving post-Brexit scenario. TEG MJR will today announce the launch of a new Irish division. The company is regarded as one of the biggest players in the global entertainment market, with its UK arm alone promoting over 2,000 events a year. TEG MJR is owned by parent company TEG, which is based in Australia and operates a ticketing and technology business, alongside its activities as a concert and events promoter.

29th October 2020 (Access All Areas). With regulations changing frequently, it can be difficult to keep up with current rules around whether live music and events are permitted. Access has rounded up a selection of countries from around the world, and the current situation (as of 29 October) with regards to whether or not they can stage events.
France – As of 29 October, France is re-entering a national lockdown which will see all social gatherings banned. People will only be able to leave home for essential work or medical reasons. The government has announced €115m of funding to support cultural industries during the closure, with €55m specifically for live music. 
Reporting by Stuart Wood 

28th October 2020 (EW) Dua will drop some Future Nostalgia on us when she livestreams a warehouse performance called Studio 2054 next month. Dua Lipa has new (virtual) rules and she counts them. One: drop an album earlier than expected so that people have something to listen to in quarantine (even if it was released for other reasons). Check. Two: Make animated music videos when live-action shoots become too difficult. Check. Three: Now stage a virtual concert you can livestream after having to cancel in-person events due to the pandemic. Check that, too.
Reporting by Nick Romano 

27th October 2020 (News Shopper). The O2 Arena has announced it will host its first live music event in more than eight months with a socially distanced set in December. The world renowned venue on the Greenwich Peninsula will host Squeeze, a local band hailing from south east London, on December 5 for its grand reopening. Organisers say the event is a "major step forward in getting the live event industry back up and running" after a long hiatus, and the band have said they are "thrilled" to be playing at hallowed ground. The gig is a socially distanced event, meaning seating configurations must be in line with one metre plus guidelines, plus new one way systems and stewards on hand to direct people to their seats. 
Reporting by Jamie Bennett-Ness 

23rd October 2020 (Music Week).  McDonald’s has announced a weekend of live music from major UK acts on October 30 to November 1. The online music event I’m Lovin’ It Live features artists including Stormzy, Lewis Capaldi, Jess Glynne and Craig David. Michelle Graham-Clare, VP food and beverage, product development and marketing, said: “We know the new normal is tough on everyone. I’m Lovin’ it Live is our way of saying thank you to our people and to our customers for all their support this year. Hopefully, our week of good things and good times offers something for everyone from families looking for fun to music fans missing the gig scene”.
Reporting by Andre Paine 

22nd October 2020 (In Your Area). A local music festival will reopen next year with support from the Government’s grant. NASS Festival set to receive £585,000 from the Arts Council and Department for Digital Culture, Music and Sport (DCMS) as part of the UK Government’s Culture Recovery Fund. This grant will provide vital support, allowing NASS festival organisers to take the careful steps towards reopening the event safely in 2021, after the festival was forced to postpone this year. Taking place in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, each year NASS welcomes 30,000 festival goers who attend to enjoy and explore the very best in music, street-art, skate and BMX, over four exhilarating days.
Reporting by Olivia Scull.

21st October 2020 (IQ Mag). 'Things are becoming desperate': Over 26,000 full-time and 144,000 FTE jobs will cease to exist before year's end without government help, new research shows. More than 26,000 permanent jobs will be lost in the live music industry before the end of the year if government support is withdrawn, new research published today (21 October) reveals. In addition, 144,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) roles, including self-employed and freelance workers, will have effectively ceased to exist by the end of 2020, the new report, UK live music: At a cliff edge, shows. Revenue into the industry has been almost zero since March, with a fall of 81% in 2020 compared to 2019 – four times the national UK average, where reductions across industries run at around 20%

19th October 2020 (NME). The cyclists completed their mammoth Newcastle-to-London charity ride on Sunday. The team behind #WeMakeEvents’ cycling ‘Survival Tour’ have raised over £30,000 so far for live music and events workers in the UK. The five main ‘Survival Tour’ cyclists, who are all live events professionals, completed their 15-day ride from Newcastle to London yesterday (October 18) to raise money for those who work in the live events industry, which has been blighted this year by the coronavirus pandemic.
Reporting by Sam Moore 

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. 

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 

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.

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 

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

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.