NASS Festival set to receive £585,000 in funding from the Culture Recovery Fund 

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.

170,000 UK live music jobs lost by end of 2020 

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than 26,000 permanent jobs will be lost in the live music industry before the end of the year if government support is withdrawn, new research published today (21 October) reveals.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%

The streaming startups trying to save the music industry mid-pandemic. 

19th October 2020 (The Guardian). From livestreaming platforms sharing their revenues with roadies, to immersive weekend-long gigs over high-end speakers, new music companies are innovating out of a crisis. Two decades ago, digital technology pulled the record business inside out, a shock from which it has only recently recovered. But in 2020 it is helping, at least partially, to remedy a live business obliterated by coronavirus cancellations. Early in the pandemic, the likes of Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook filled a gap with their livestreaming capabilities.
Reporting by Eamonn Forde.

‘The Survival Tour’ raises over £30,000 for live music and events workers 

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 

Live shows may NEVER return: Legendary music venue boss warns events industry faces catastrophe unless government acts 

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. 

Kilimanjaro Live's Alan Day launches Action! Presents touring brand 

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 

Zoom launches paid-for live events with OnZoom 

14th October 2020 (BBC News). Video calling app Zoom has announced a system to let people pay for live "online experiences". Called OnZoom, the new spin-off platform is launching in beta with live events for fitness, music and art online events. Zoom said it had "added event discovery and monetisation features" for online versions of "traditionally in-person events". Tickets can be sold for events with up to 1,000 attendees. That puts it in a segment of the market between major live-streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube, and one-on-one calls. Joseph Evans, head of technology at Enders Analysis, says the decision comes as things that people used to think had to be done in person have been forcibly moved online during lockdown. 

Asahi UK becomes official beer & cider partner for American Express presents BST Hyde Park 

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.

UK live music industry say workers are being “ignored” by Rishi Sunak’s new job support scheme 

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 

From beats to eats: How nightclubs try to survive. 

10th October 2020 (BBC News). A night out looks very different when compared to a few months ago.  The ten o'clock curfew, the 'rule of six', sound limits on noise and music and the no dancing rule make it all a different experience. So what are nightclubs doing to adapt and how does a night out feel? As soon as the lockdown was lifted, Birmingham club The Night Owl decided it would have to try and change the direction of its business. Gone are the times when club-goers would dance the night away on its sprung-wooden dance floor. Now, socially distanced tables are on the floor, food is served and there is no dancing - at least not much.

UK Government "doing everything we can" to support the UK's live music industry. 

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

2020 Electronic Dance Music Festival in Europe 

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. 

MPs to debate perilous state of UK music scene ‘indefinitely on hold’ 

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).

The O2 to bring back concerts in December with just 4,700 seats instead of 20,000 

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 

Music festivals plan for phased return in 2021 after Covid wipeout 

4th October 2020 (The Guardian). In the UK and across Europe flexibility is key as organisers put safety precautions in place. Thermo scanners, interactive wristbands that vibrate to mark a lack of social distancing, and rapid on-site testing are all being considered by music festivals to ensure the 2021 season goes ahead despite the Covid-19 crisis. The 2020 season was decimated by the pandemic, which forced nearly all major European festivals to cancel or shift to virtual models that acted as stopgaps while the industry came to terms with coronavirus. 
Reporting by Lanre Bakare 

England's pubs and bars could face £1K fine for loud music and 'allowing dancing' 

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 

Industry rallies behind We Make Events in call for government to support live sector 

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 

Eric Clapton joins Van Morrison’s Save Live Music campaign 

29th September 2020 (The Sun). ROCK legend Eric Clapton is backing Van Morrison's Save Live Music campaign to combat the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The Wonderful Tonight singer, 75, hailed the Brown Eyed Girl vocalist an "inspiration" as he opened up on the "deeply upsetting" consequences of the global illness and its social distancing stipulations for the music industry. Currently in the UK, mass gatherings such as crowds at music gigs and sporting events are banned as the second phase of the airborne virus takes hold.
Reporting by Beth Allcock 

U.K. Music Makers Demand Sector-Specific Government Support for Workers 

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 

New job support plans 'leave nightclubs behind' 

25th September 2020 (BBC News). DJs and nightclub staff say the government's new job support plans are leaving them and their industry behind. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has outlined plans for employees in "viable" jobs - working at least a third of their normal hours - to benefit from a wage top-up scheme.  But those hours aren't there for club-workers, as many are shut or operating limited hours as bars amid Covid rules. "I'm genuinely scared for the future of our industry," DJ Ryan Arnold tells us. Ryan says it's unfair that the government isn't supporting people like him, who are being told they can't go back to work.

EFG London Jazz Festival 2020 Full Programme Announced for Live and Online Edition  

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 

Music venues can stay open past the 10pm curfew – as long as the show has already started 

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 

Third of British musicians may quit industry amid pandemic 

22nd September 2020 (The Guardian) Musicians’ Union, whose survey also finds one-third of professional musicians can’t access emergency support, criticises DCMS and Treasury over ‘lack of understanding’ One-third of professional British musicians are considering giving up their careers amid the coronavirus pandemic. A survey of 2,000 members of the Musicians’ Union found that 34% “are considering abandoning the industry completely”, because of the financial difficulties they face during the pandemic, as performance opportunities are severely curtailed.
Reporting by Ben Beaumont-Thomas 

‘Red alert' events campaign goes global 

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. 

Manchester Food and Drink Festival postpones 2020 event in Cathedral Gardens 

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.

U.K.’s First Socially Distanced Venue Shut Down Due to Lockdown Measures  

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

Austrian start-up launches world’s first DIY Covid-19 test for live events 

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.

UK’s First Purpose Built Social Distancing Festival Announces Closing Parties Line Ups 

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.

New petition calls for UK government to extend furlough scheme for live music industry 

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. 

Boris’s rule of six could sound ‘death knell’ for live music sector warn experts 

12th September 2020 (Daily Express). Groups of no more than six people will be allowed indoors or outdoors in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, but experts have warned the future of live music is in doubt. Millions of businesses were forced to shut their doors back in March as the UK went into a strict lockdown but there was a glimmer of hope as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced easing of restrictions. Earlier this week, Mr Johnson imposed new measures banning groups of more than six people in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.
Reporting by Steven Brown.

Larmer Tree Festival - Salisbury - 2021 - Cancelled 

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." 

Camden’s Jazz Cafe Reopens for Socially Distanced Live Music Gigs 

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. 

Without government financial support, theatres and live events venues can no longer get commercial insurance. 

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

Culture Secretary outlines plans to reintroduce live indoor events 

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

French gov rolls out €220m package for live sector. 

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

Newcastle to host more drive-in action with inflatable stage, mass party and midnight movie screenings 

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

2020’s Vale Earth Fair will go down as one of the only festivals to be held in Europe this summer 

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 

Scammers target UK music festivals forced online by coronavirus  

1st September 2020 (The Guardian) Facebook phishing schemes charge fans to view events’ free live streams. Festivals across the UK have been hit by internet scammers this season, who are taking advantage of the fact most have been forced to go online-only because of coronavirus restrictions.  Facebook phishing scams with fake pages and events are charging individuals to view live streams – even though they are often free to view on official festival pages. Scammers have also been reported to create fake events and pages weeks before an official event takes place. Their aim is to redirect consumers to websites that illegally charge them for what should be a free service.
Reporting by Rhi Storer 

Reading and Leeds Festival to have two main stages on each site in 2021 

1st September 2020 (BBC News). Reading and Leeds Festival will be back next year with six headliners split across two main stages in each site. The event, which sees acts rotate between Reading and Leeds, had been due to happen last weekend but was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now 2021's headliners will be Stormzy, Liam Gallagher, Post Malone, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Disclosure and Queens Of The Stone Age. Up to 200,000 fans are expected at next year's events - from 27 to 29 August. The head of the event's promoters Festival Republic, Melvin Benn, said it was their "most epic plan yet". "Two main stages, six headliners, the best line up of acts 2021 will see and 200,000 fans are going to celebrate the best music," he added.

Police battle to shut down illegal raves as thousands attend one event in South Wales  

30th August 2020 (Sky News). New rules came into force on Friday meaning people holding illegal gatherings could be fined £10,000. Police are trying to shut down illegal raves in South Wales and Norfolk after thousands travelled from across the UK to attend one event, despite new rules to crack down on mass gatherings. Up to 3,000 people attended the "totally unacceptable" event in the rural village of Banwen and officers are at the scene, South Wales Police said. It comes as police in Norfolk worked to shut down an all-night unlicensed music event in a forest attended by more than 500 people. New rules which came into force on Friday ahead of the bank holiday weekend mean organisers of illegal raves could be hit with £10,000 fines.  
Reporting by David Mercer 

Depressingly, Live Nation’s ‘Return To Live’ Concert Has Been Postponed As Germany Extends Its Moratorium On Major Public Events 

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

France axes social distancing for smaller events 

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

NTIA publishes return-to-live roadmap 

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

Live music, but don’t have it loud? UK venues react to the latest performing arts guidance. 

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

Culture Recovery Fund saves 135 grassroots music venues with emergency grants 

22nd August 2020 (Gov.uk) 135 at risk grassroots music venues have been saved by emergency funding as part of the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. £2.25m funding topped up by more than £1 million to help more venues in need of support to survive. Recipients of the fund include The Troubadour in London, where Adele and Ed Sheeran performed in the early days of their career, as well as The Jacaranda in Liverpool, where The Beatles played early rehearsals and one of their first gigs. Arts, film and culture organisations encouraged to get their bids in for a share of £880 million worth of grants through Arts Council England, the British Film Institute, Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Grassroots music venues across England are the first recipients of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary has announced today. 

Music Venue Trust welcomes UK Governments decision to allow indoor performances, but warns much more must be done 

20th August 2020 (RouteNote) After the UK Government eased lockdown rules on live shows in England, Music Venue Trust warns that only a small percentage of venues will be financially able to re-open. Venues were originally scheduled to re-open on the 1st August in the UK, however this was pushed back moments before as COVID-19 infections increased. Last week, the UK Government announced that indoor performances could restart in England providing venues enforce social distancing measures, limited capacities and masks.
Reporting by Tom Newman 

The perfect storm: Inside the UK’s only live shows 

19th August 2020 (IQ Mag) It’s taken four times more toilets and a space 15 times the normal size. Meet the team who pulled off the UK’s only working arena. Selling over 72,000 tickets for a concert series that began when live shows in the UK were – strictly speaking – not allowed, is no small undertaking. But then neither is building a new outdoor arena for shows at a time when strict social distancing rules are in place. “All the things that could have gone wrong would’ve gone wrong on the opening weekend but they didn’t,” says Jim Gee, a director at Manchester-based production company, Engine No.4. Gee and his team have spent the last few months working tirelessly on the launch of the UK’s only major summer concert series of 2020 at the country’s first socially distanced arena in Newcastle.

New 'Covid-19 barrier' face covering launched in bid to bring people back to live events 

18th August 2020 (Music Week). A new Covid-19 barrier face covering is being launched in a bid to enable live events to operate with higher capacities. In a potential breakthrough for the industry, the face coverings are treated with Swiss-based HeiQ Viroblock technology, a "tested and proven" barrier said to significantly counteract airborne transmission of the virus. Colin Graham, founder of HeiQ's UK parner AnyBrand, said the development could provide a "silver bullet" for the live business, minimising the need for social distancing requirements at concerts and other entertainment events.
Reporting by James Hanley.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Dutch events sector joins Belgium’s Sound of Silence 

17th August 2020 (IQ Mag) The Netherlands is also taking note from Germany's initiative Night of Live to draw attention to the country's struggling sector. The Dutch live business has announced it will participate in Belgium’s Sound of Silence campaign, which went viral at the beginning of August. The initiative saw swathes of Belgians denounce the government for the lack of support in the culture and events sector by changing their profile pictures to an orange “Sound of Silence” cross and tweet with the hashtag #SoundOfSilence. The campaign was launched on 10 August as the country’s newly formed Live Sector Consultation warned in an open letter that tens of millions of euros are needed to prevent the collapse of the €1bn Belgian live music industry.

The Sun Sets on Marcato Festival Management Software. 

18th August 2020 There is news today that Marcato Festival, the music festival management software company will cease trading in October 2020. Marcato is one of the mostly widely used festival management software platforms so this news is sure to affect numerous festival organisers. Marcato, a Canadian company, was acquired by Patron Technology in October 2018. Patron have been focusing on the ‘virtual’ event space this year and it’s not clear yet why Marcato will be closed. It is likely that the company is yet another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused the cancellation of almost all music festivals until 2021. Fortunately for Marcato customers there is still plenty of time to explore other festival specific software platforms like erm.....Festival Pro.

Ripley Castle to host live outdoor concerts 

16th August 2020 (Harrogate News) North Yorkshire will be one of the few, if not the only, part of the country enjoying live outdoor concerts this summer. A new event, Sounds in the Grounds, will be bringing four popular and internationally-renowned bands to the grounds of two of North Yorkshire’s most beautiful stately home. Ripley has featured live music on numerous occasions. The Wanted, supported by Lawson, played to thousands in 2012. Since then they have had such acts as Jools Holland, Charlotte Church and The Last Night of the Proms. Due to covid-19 restrictions, planning for these events has been more challenging. Both venues will mark out squares for groups to picnic in and watch the shows. Also greater attention has been put to the movement of people into and away from the events.

London's music venues stay quiet as uncertainty reigns over return of indoor gigs. 

13th August 2020 (London Evening Standard). London’s music scene looks set to stay quiet this weekend, as uncertainty reigns over whether indoor gigs will be allowed to take place from August 15. Restrictions on indoor concerts were set to be lifted on August 1, as long as audiences adhered to social distancing and venues maintained Covid-secure protocols. However, on July 31, the plan was postponed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, citing an increase in Covid-19 infections in England as a reason for the precaution.
Reporting by Jochan Embley. 

Photo by Nikita Khandelwal from Pexels

Standon Calling festival secures emergency funding 

12th August 2020 (WHTimes). A popular Hertfordshire music festival is among the county’s first tourism and hospitality businesses hit by COVID-19 to successfully secure emergency funding. Four county businesses have secured funding from Crowdfund Hertfordshire: Small Business Innovation Fund aimed at providing support to those in the retail, tourism, hospitality and other related sectors most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Save Our Standon (Standon Calling Festival) is one of the organisations to be awarded money from the countywide scheme. The others are Wheathampstead’s Auriel Holidays, The Brewery Tap in Furneux Pelham, and Rickmansworth’s Creative Juices Brewing Company.
Reporting by Alan Davies. 

World's first socially-distanced gig: Singer Sam Fender will entertain up to 2,500 fans at Newcastle venue.

11th August 2020 (Mailonline). Singer Sam Fender kicked off a series of socially-distanced gigs tonight when he performed for 2,500 people at a park in Newcastle. Fans in groups of up to five people are watching the show from separate viewing platforms at what the promoters say is the world's first socially-distanced concert. The 500 raised enclosures and metal pens at Gosforth Park are 6.5ft apart to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus, and revellers are able to order food and drink. Fender's home-town concert marks the UK's first music event of its kind since Covid-19 restrictions were introduced in March.
Reporting by Faith Ridler.

Photo by Geoff Duke from Pexels

Music and events industry workers are staging a huge march in Manchester tomorrow (11th August 2020) 

10th August 2020 (Manchester Evening News). Thousands of music industry workers are expected to march through Manchester city centre tomorrow to throw support behind the #WeMakeEvents campaign. The campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the crisis facing the touring, festival and events sector, which is facing 114,000 job losses. The protest will pass some of the city's most iconic venues, many of which remain shuttered. Those taking part will include truck drivers, producers, engineers, tour managers, security staff and cleaners, as well as the raft of freelancers and self-employed people left penniless since March. They will push a fleet of flight cases - a common sight at festivals and concerts - through the streets from Manchester Academy.

Life’s a beach: Germany’s deck chair concert series sells fast. 

7th August 2020 (IQ Magazine). Organisers of Strandkorb Open Air say they’ve sold more than 35,000 tickets for Germany’s open-air deck chair concert series. The 60-show series, which runs from July until October, has so far sold out 20 shows including VNV Nation, Philipp Poisel and Gentleman. In the first month of Strandkorb Open Air, Brings, Höhner, Markus Krebs, Kasalla, Pietro Lombardi, Martin Rütter and Michael Mittermeier all delivered sold-out events. “This summer, with more than 60 shows, we will ensure that this season is remembered,” SparkassenPark MD Michael Hilgers told MusikWoche. “We never expected that the concept would attract such a great response and demand, both from artists and from the audience, and we are proud that we can realistically target the sound limit of 50,000 concertgoers. We are very much expecting it that many more shows will be sold out at short notice.”

A new Drive-In festival is coming to the UK this month with nine live music concerts. 

6th August 2020 (DevonLive) The festival is a selection of drive in concerts, with live music, food, drink and a film. The UK's first-announced live music Drive-In is coming to the country this month, with nine live music concerts over nine nights. Nightflix, a national drive-in cinema company, has revealed the dates for its August 2020 festival. The festival makes for the perfect social distancing event while the UK continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, and will be taking place at Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire. The line-up is comprised of the UK's number one tribute acts, straddling multiple music genres, offering a little something for everyone. As well as a support DJ, each event will now also include a movie following the main performance, and tickets are priced from £39 per car plus a booking fee.
Reporting by Sian Filcher

Dutch Performing Arts Fund gives generously to festivals 

5th August 2020 (IQ Mag) Eurosonic Noorderslag, Into the Great Open Wide, and Welcome to the Village receive grants from the Dutch government. The Performing Arts Fund (Fonds Podiumkunsten, FPK), a €62 million cultural fund provided by the Dutch government, has published decisions on multi-year grants between 2021 and 2024. Almost 60 festivals across the Netherlands will benefit from multi-year subsidies that include a contribution to programming costs and an organization contribution. The fund announced that the percentage of grants given to festivals is much higher than the other creative sectors that applied for subsidies, with almost all positively assessed festivals receiving a programming contribution. Eurosonic Noorderslaag has been granted €75,000 per edition between 2021 and 2024, while Into the Great Wide Open will receive €100,000 for each edition and Welcome to the Village, €50,000 per event. 

Match&Fuse compilations to help artists and the Vortex (7 Aug and 4 Sep) 

4th August 2020 (London Jazz News). Remember Match&Fuse? Those pan-European tours and festivals of bands with a bit of an edge combining to do fresh and new things? They’re back. While live events – hot, vital, sometimes sweaty – happening in small clubs was what Match&Fuse was all about, the current crisis means their improv roadshow needs to head down a different path. The upshot is two compilations of live music recorded at the Match&Fuse festival and tours, with a percentage of each Bandcamp download purchase going to live music champions and M&F’s London venue of choice, the Vortex club. Match&Fuse’s last major event in the UK was their festival in London in 2016, though they subsequently held events in Dublin and Zürich as well as Japan.
Reporting by Peter Bacon. 

UK gears up for #LetTheMusicPlay round 2. 

3rd August 2020 (IQ Magazine) The #LetTheMusicPlay campaign returns tomorrow, sending a message to government that Britain's live music industry is still in crisis. A month after round one helped spur the British government into action, the UK music industry will tomorrow (4 August) again unite for #LetTheMusicPlay, spotlighting the plight of live music during the Covid-19 shutdown. The first #LetTheMusicPlay (LTMP) campaign, which took place on Thursday 2 July, saw thousands of social media profiles – as well as several major music venues – transformed with LTMP branding, with more than 1,500 artists, including the likes of Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa and the Rolling Stones, also lending their support. Of the campaign’s three main demands – a financial support package, a VAT exemption/reduction on ticket sales, and a timeline for reopening venues without social distancing – only the third remains unfulfilled, with the UK government having announced its £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, and then slashed VAT to 5%, in the following weeks. 

Boris Johnson Announces Delay in Return of Indoor Concerts to England 

2nd August 2020 (Live for Live Music) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that indoor concerts will not return to England as early as anticipated. Indoor events, including movies and museum openings, were scheduled to return beginning on August 1st. This delay comes barely two weeks after Johnson announced that socially distanced, indoor events could resume on August 1st. That decision has now apparently been overturned by the U.K.’s Chief Medical Officer, Chris Witty, who warned that England has “reached the limits of opening up society.” In a press conference on Downing Street on Friday, Johnson stated that the return of indoor events will be pushed back at least two weeks. This comes in addition to the extension of face mask requirements past the previously-announced August 8th.
Reporting by Michael Broerman

Photo by Dawn Lio from Pexels

UK production pros launch Covid-19 working group 

30th July 2020. (IQ Magazine). The PSA Tour Production Group (PSA TPG) brings together some of the industry's best-known event production professionals to launch Covid-19 working guidance. Professionals from across the UK concert touring sector have joined forces to launch the PSA Tour Production Group (PSA TPG), a new association that aims to provide a unified industry response to the impact of Covid-19 on live music events. The group is a new arm of the Production Services Association (PSA), the trade body for the live event production industry, and includes tour managers, production managers, safety professionals, venue and festival managers, travel and logistics specialists, promoters and suppliers.

Outdoor music event to take place at Alexandra Palace in August 

29th July 2020 (DJ Mag) An outdoor music event will take place at Alexandra Palace in August. Scheduled to take place on bank holiday weekend on the 30th August, the new event, UNLOCKED, will provide a socially-distanced festival experience for music fans. The daytime event will run from 2PM until 8PM, with an  AV set from DJ Yoda, as well as a performance from Norman Jay MBE, and more to be announced. Socially-distanced queues and hygiene rules will be implemented, with the venue allowing a maximum capacity of 60%. "The team behind the successful 2018 Kaleidoscope Festival are working with the local authority, emergency and transport services and relevant health and statutory bodies to plan the event and ensure it provides a safe and enjoyable environment for visitors.

AWAKE Croatia follows as planned with Paul Van Dyk and Aly & Fila on a first-class line up. 

28th July 2020 (We Rave You). Trance and progressive festival Awake Croatia 2020 might be one of the very few live music events taking place this summer. The organisers have announced that the festival will be celebrated as planned and will take place on 20-23 August at the iconic Zrce Beach in the beautiful Croatian island of Pag. If this news weren’t enough, they have gone on announcing two major artists such as the legends Paul Van Dyk and Aly & Fila, who will join an already amazing and stacked line up.
Reporting by Pol Torà 

Second wave of acts confirmed for UK's first socially distanced arena on Tyneside 

English music venues to receive £2.25 million in pandemic relief 

27th July 2020 (Resident Advisor). Venues, including nightclubs with "a significant live music programme," are eligible for grants of up to £80,000. £2.25 million in emergency grants have been made available to English music venues. As part of the UK government's £1.57 billion cultural rescue package, venues can receive between £1,000 and £80,000 until September 2020. (Music venues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be eligible for their own pandemic initiatives.) The scheme includes nightclubs "that regularly host DJ and MC based events but also have a significant live music programme focusing on grassroots talent and original material." The UK nightlife community had been calling for more clarity on which venues were eligible for the government's rescue package, leading to the launch of the #LetUsDance campaign last week. 

Photo by daniel dinu from Pexels

#LetUsDance: the UK dance music and events industry comes together to ask for urgent help from the UK government 

23rd July 2020 (MusicRadar) “Without the dance there’s only the drab and the dark,” says Irvine Welsh. The UK dance music and events sector has come together today to issue an urgent plea for help from the UK government in light of the Covid-19 crisis. The #LetUsDance campaign says that dance music and events must be protected and recognised as an important part of the UK’s artistic and cultural landscape. The campaign is being backed by artists, festivals, nightclubs and industry figures, all of whom say that the dance music sector should receive the same level of support as the wider live music sector.
Reporting by Ben Rogerson 

COVID May Make Festivals Too Expensive for Most 

22nd July 2020 (EDM Tunes) Music festivals–where would we be without them? Oh wait, we’re here…without them now. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic making the environment utterly useless for our beloved events, here is a look as to what its future might be like. Already, we see high ticket prices and high drink prices inside the venue. What happens to live events with a pandemic? Decreased capacity, stringent sanitation policies upon entry, remarkably even higher ticket and drink prices. Solution? Artists could play for less money to offset the costs, but that’s not happening.  
Reporting by Nina Chiang 

Photo by Thibault Trillet from Pexels

German coronavirus experiment enlists help of concertgoers 

20th July 2020 (The Guardian) 4,000 music fans to attend gig as part of study into how virus spreads in large gatherings. German scientists are planning to equip 4,000 pop music fans with tracking gadgets and bottles of fluorescent disinfectant to get a clearer picture of how Covid-19 could be prevented from spreading at large indoor concerts. As cultural mass gatherings across the world remain on hold for the foreseeable future, researchers in eastern Germany are recruiting volunteers for a “coronavirus experiment” with the singer-songwriter Tim Bendzko, to be held at an indoor stadium in the city of Leipzig on 22 August.
Reporting by Philip Oltermann  

Live One-to-One Music Events Return To Kings Place London With Their Free Culture Clinics 

20th July 2020. For the first time since lockdown began, Kings Place London will welcome audiences back to the venue to experience a unique day of live performance. The Kings Place Culture Clinics begin on Saturday 1 August and will offer a bespoke service of free live performances for those who have missed the tingle of live music and who are anxious about returning to a venue. Audiences are invited to step over the threshold of Kings Place again, share their personal lockdown story or mood with one of the guest artists who will prescribe a piece of music.

Reporting by BWW News Desk  

Boris Johnson signals return for some “socially distanced” live music events in August 

18th July 2020 (NME) "We will restart indoor performances to a live audience subject to the success of pilots" Prime Minister Boris Johnson has signalled the return of some “socially distanced” live music events this August in a new press conference. Under the proposed plans, from August 1, socially distanced audiences are able to return for indoor performances in theatres, music halls and other venues. From October, Johnson said “audiences in stadia”, conferences and other events would also be able to restart, subject to successful pilots around the UK. The PM warned, however, “the timetable” was “conditional,” adding “we will not proceed if doing so risks a second peak.”
Reporting By Elizabeth Aubrey 

Photo by Tim Mossholder from Pexels

Exit and We Are FSTVL cancel postponed 2020 editions 

15th July 2020 (CMU) Although some live music is returning across Europe as COVID-19 measures are relaxed in many countries, there remains much uncertainty as to what gigs and festivals – and what kinds of gigs and festivals – will be able to take place in the months ahead. One of the bigger European festivals that had hoped it could proceed with an albeit postponed 2020 edition – Exit in Serbia – has now confirmed its cancellation.

Organisers of the East London dance music centric We Are FSTVL have said they are calling off their plans to stage a rescheduled edition of the event in September because current government guidance is “contradictory and unhelpful”. 

Reporting by Chris Cooke 

Malta to host trio of festivals this summer 

6th July 2020 (IQ Magazine). Music fans may get their chance to party in the Mediterranean sunshine this summer, as festivals are planned for the island of Malta in the coming weeks. The southern European island state of Malta is preparing to welcome festivalgoers over the next few months, as it gets set to become one of the only European countries to host large-scale music events this summer. With one of the lowest rates of Covid-19 in Europe, Malta is lifting lockdown measures – including all international travel restrictions – on 15 July. It is one of 60 countries included in a list of “travel corridors” with the UK, meaning those travelling between the two countries will not need to self-isolate on arrival. Escape 2 the Island, organised by UK-based promoter Bass Jam, will see artists including Aitch, AJ Tracey, Fredo and Charlie Sloth perform at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre (MFCC), an indoor and outdoor events venue in the town of Attard, from 28 to 30 August.

UK festivals 2021: Line-ups confirmed for next summer, from TRNSMT to Creamfields 

14th July 2020 (Evening Standard) Dreaming about the summer that might have been? Us too. The pandemic has made our hopes of hopping from festival to festival little more than a fantasy. But, all being well, things may return to something approaching normal next year. Across the UK, a number of major music festivals have committed themselves to a triumphant return in 2021, booking artists and releasing their planned line-ups. Here, we've rounded up the heavy-hitting festivals to have locked down dates for next summer. If you had tickets for a festival this year, then they will remain valid for 2021, too. If you don't have a ticket, then new ones are on sale now. 

Reporting by Jochan Embley 

UK government slashes VAT on concerts 

9th July 2020. Another #LetTheMusicPlay objective fulfilled, as British chancellor Rishi Sunak announces a 15% reduction in value-added tax on live events until the end of the year. The British government has announced that value-added tax (VAT) levied on concert and event tickets will be reduced to 5% from next week. A cut in VAT was one of three main demands of last week’s #LetTheMusicPlay campaign, along with a financial support package and a timeline with reopening music venues without social distancing. Following the announcement of on Sunday of a £1.57 billion aid package for the cultural sector, only the call for a confirmed date for reopening remains unfulfilled. The VAT cut was announced 8th July by culture minister Oliver Dowden, following a ‘mini-budget’ that afternoon by chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak. According to Dowden, the reduction in VAT from 20% to 5% will apply to concerts, theatre shows, exhibitions, circuses and other “attractions”. 

Reporting by IQ Magazine 

COVID-19 Impact & Recovery Analysis- Live Music Market 2020-2024  

11th July 2020 AP News London (Business Wire). The increased popularity of live events to boost growth says Technavio who have been monitoring the live music market suggesting it is poised to grow by $10.66 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 9% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Live Music Market 2020-2024. Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. You can request a free sample report on COVID-19 Impact 

Photo by Sebastian Ervi from Pexels

Live Nation UK, MelodyVR Announce ‘Live From O2 Academy Brixton’ Virtual Reality Concert Series 

9th July 2020 (Live for live music) Live Nation‘s U.K. arm and MelodyVR will team up to produce a series of concerts with unprecedented virtual access to air from the O2 Academy Brixton in London, England. Confirmed by the two organizations on Wednesday, the Live From O2 Academy Brixton virtual reality series will feature new performances where fans tuning in from around the world will be able to select the various vantage points from which they watch from multiple spots inside the London venue, which includes being on stage with the artists during the set. Each streamed performance will be available to watch with 360° perspective and virtual reality on the MelodyVR app for anyone with a smartphone or an Oculus VR device in the U.K., United States, Canada, and other European countries. 

Reporting by Tom Shackleford  

UK Festival Will Feature Beer Delivery and "Socially-Distanced Raving" This Weekend 

9th July 2020 (edm.com) The Gisburne Park Pop-Up reimagines music festivals for the COVID-19 era. As most of the world's live music events continue to be cancelled due to COVID-19, the UK is joining the likes of Amsterdam by hosting its first socially distanced music festival called the Gisburne Park Pop-Up. The event will last eight weeks, from July 11th to August 30th, 2020, and will be hosted on the breathtaking Gisburne Park Estate in Lancashire. The 10-acre venue plans to welcome 24,000 guests over the duration of the event, all of who will be treated to a mix of music, entertainment, food, drink, and boutique glamping while observing the latest social distancing guidelines. Joining the groundbreaking event will be some of the UK's biggest names in dance music, including Jonas Blue, The Shapeshifters, and Sam Divine. They will be part of the festival's weekly "Party in the Park" experience, which also includes immersive movie nights and family-focused events. 

Reporting by Katie Stone 

UK’s Venues Respond to the ‘Light It In Red’ Campaign on 6th July 2020 

8th July 2020. Hundreds of venues across the UK were lit up in red on Monday 6th July in response to the 'Light It In Red' campaign. The campaign is a mass appeal and a call for help to politicians to save the events industry. Companies from all across the events industry, as well as event locations, (event centres, convention centres, conference hotels, theatres, concert halls, playhouses and nightclubs) throughout the UK were invited to join together on the night of the 6th of July 2020. The participating venues lit their buildings in red in order to draw attention to the dramatic situation in the event industry to make a statement that can't be ignored. The campaign was launched by Backstage and Clearsound Productions. 

UK pledges boost for the arts as it eyes socially distant performances 

6th July 2020 LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will invest nearly $2 billion in the arts and hopes to allow outdoor and socially distanced performances at cultural venues as it tries to help a high-profile sector hit hard by the coronavirus. Spanning theatres in London’s West End, opera houses and ballet companies putting on big-budget performances to provincial venues up and down the country, the industry is a prominent British export and popular among tourists and locals alike. But it has been left without a live audience since lockdown measures were imposed in March while other sectors begin to reopen. “I want all our cultural institutions to return to normal,” minister Oliver Dowden told Sky News on Monday. “Very soon I hope we will be able to permit outdoor performances and then later over the summer be able to have socially distant performances.” The government said the 1.57 billion pound ($1.96 billion) investment was the biggest ever for Britain’s culture sector and one prominent concert venue director called it a life-saver. 

Reporting by Costas Pitas, Alistair Smout and Ben Makori.

Photo by Donald Tong from Pexels

UK must be at Level 2 before events can run, says minister. 

3rd July 2020 (Exhibition World). The UK events industry may need to wait until the Government’s Covid-19 alert level is dropped to Level 2 before live events can run, EW's UK sister title Conference News can reveal. In a letter seen by that magazine, Conservative Member of Parliament for Daventry and minister of state for transport, Chris Heaton-Harris, responded to a constituent, saying that while the Government is keen to get the sector reopen “as quickly as possible”, the process would depend on the transmission rate of the virus, the ‘R’ value, falling further. It is the first time a UK government minister has suggested when events might be able to return. The events industry has been reporting to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), but it has been, so far, unable to indicate when a restart date for the sector will be announced. 

Reporting by Martin Fullard 

Stars back plea to support UK live music industry 

2nd July 2020. (BBC News) Liam Gallagher, Dua Lipa and Sir Paul McCartney are among 1,500 artists who have signed an open letter calling for support for the UK's live music scene. Ed Sheeran, the Rolling Stones and Coldplay also signed the letter to the culture secretary warning of the impact of Covid-19 on venues and musicians. It says the music industry faces "mass insolvencies", with gigs and festivals unlikely to return until 2021. The organisers said there had already been "hundreds of redundancies". 

Job losses, across a range of connected professions, have been reported by venues, agencies and promoters, they said. 

Reporting by Paul Glynn Entertainment & arts reporter 

Venues and Studios to Become Virtual Stages Across the United States 

1st July 2020 (Campbell, CA – NewMediaWire). Friendable Announces Fan Pass “Official Launch Event” July 24, 2020 Featuring Artists, Producers and DJs Performing Live. Fan Pass will showcase its wide range of features and to show off the mobile and desktop Live Streaming capabilities. The Company’s launch event will feature a variety of artists from multiple genres of music and entertainment, all performing Live throughout the day on July 24, 2020. Additionally, Fan Pass has secured venues and studios to broadcast certain artists as well as others who will be performing from their home-based stages or venues from locations around the US. 

LiveXLive’s React Presents Announces Its First-Ever Spring Awakening Music Festival (SAMF) Virtual Experience, Presented By Corona Electric Beach Benefiting MusiCares 

30th June 2020 CHICAGO (PRNewswire) React Presents, LLC, a subsidiary of LiveXLive Media, Inc, a global platform for live stream and on-demand audio, video and podcast content in music, comedy, and pop culture, announced today that the Midwest’s largest all-electronic music festival, Spring Awakening Music Festival (“SAMF”), is going digital with a new virtual experience on July 4th and 5th, 2020 streaming on LiveXLive, in partnership with Corona Electric Beach benefiting MusiCares. React Presents also announced the festival’s lineup including Claude VonStroke, Bear Grillz, Krewella and Shiba San confirmed for the two-day event. 

London police to crackdown on illegal parties as officers attacked again 

26th June 2020 LONDON (Reuters) - London police will crackdown on illegal street parties after officers came under attack for the second night running as they tried to disperse an unauthorised gathering, the capital’s police chief said on Friday. As Britain has begun to ease strict coronavirus lockdown rules, police have had to deal with a number of illegal parties and raves across the country with many people flouting guidelines that only groups of up to six can meet outdoors. “The events were unlawful and should not be happening,“ said London police chief Cressida Dick, warning: “We will come and close them down.” On Wednesday night, 22 officers were hurt and a number of patrol cars were vandalised when trouble broke out at an unauthorised music event in Brixton, south London.  Officers came under attack again on Thursday night from revellers throwing missiles in the Notting Hill area of west London, the scene of one of a number of unlicensed music events.

Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Hold 

Photo by Viajero from Pexels

Beazley designs transmission cover for live virtual events 

23rd June 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Specialist insurer Beazley has launched a contingency policy designed to cover event organisers if a transmission failure disrupts or cancels a virtual event. 

Streaming live events is not new in itself, however with social distancing rules in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19, many major events have been either cancelled, postponed or moved online. 

Beazley’s virtual events transmission policy supports organisers whose success relies on technology platforms providing seamless transmission or broadcast to their audiences. If an event is cancelled due to transmission failure, the policy covers first-party losses including organisational costs, expenses, or gross revenue from advertising and ticket sales. 

U.K. Competition Regulator Launches ‘In-depth’ Investigation Into Viagogo StubHub Merger 

25th June 2020 (Billboard) - Viagogo’s $4 billion acquisition of StubHub faces further scrutiny after the U.K.’s competition watchdog opened an “in-depth investigation” into the merger. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Thursday (June 25) that Viagogo has failed to address its concerns that the merger could result in a substantial lessening of competition, leading to music fans paying more for tickets. As a result, the regulator has launched a "Phase 2" inquiry into the deal before deciding what, if any action, should be taken. Phase 2 investigations by the CMA are conducted by an independent panel and can last up to 24 weeks  

(Reporting by Richard Smirke) 

Coachella music festival unlikely to take place in 2020 - Billboard 

10th June 2020 (Reuters) - The Coachella music festival in the Southern California desert is unlikely to take place this year, entertainment news website Billboard reported on Wednesday. The move comes as Anschutz Entertainment Group, the parent company of the music festival's organizer Goldenvoice, is laying off 15% of the workforce Goldenvoice did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Earlier in March, Goldenvoice said the music festival had been postponed for six months until October due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

(Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru) 

Live gigs in Britain are back - but you’ll need a car. 

19th June 2020 LONDON (Reuters) - There won't be any moshing going on, but entertainment company Live Nation Entertainment are rolling out a series of gigs across the UK where fans can be together to get their fix of live events from the safety of their own designated area. ‘Utilita Live From The Drive-In’ will be a mix of gigs including live music from artists such as Dizzee Rascal, Kaiser Chiefs and The Streets, as well as science show - Brainiac Live, staged across 12 UK venues in cities including London, Birmingham and Edinburgh this summer. 

(Sarah Mills - Reuters)

ArcTanGent - Bristol - 20th - 22nd August 2020 - Cancelled 

5th May 2020. After the organisers of the rock festival announced the cancellation of their 2020 event they have successfully arranged a crowdfunding exercise and raised £90k to keep the festival going next year. ArcTanGent is now scheduled for 19th – 21st August 2021 and tickets will automatically be rolled over. The organisers have only confirmed Opeth in their line up for 2021, this year’s event was also to have included Amenra, TesserAct, Ihsahn. This Will Destroy You, Perturbator, Rolo Tomassi and Earthstone.  

Barn On The Farm - Gloucester - 2nd - 5th July 2020 - Cancelled 

21st April 2020. The organisers announced a while back the cancellation of their 2020 event, tickets will roll over to next year's event now scheduled for 1st – 5th July 2021, although they offered a refund at the time of the announcement you only had 4 days to apply for it. The organisers never did confirm the lineup for 2020 and there is no news about 2021. Last year's event did feature the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Dermot Kennedy and Maggie Rogers 

Red Rooster Festival - Suffolk - 4th - 6th September 2020 - To Go Ahead in 2020 

18th March 2020. The organisers of the Rhythm and Blues, Roots and Country music festival announced a few months ago that the festival will proceed this year in September after the original May dates were cancelled, all tickets will be automatically rolled over to the new dates. The confirmed headline acts include: Richard Hawley, Asleep at the Wheel, North Mississippi Allstarts, Luther Dickinson, Chuck Prophet, The Sheepdogs, Tommy Mclain and Nicole Atkins  

Knockengorroch Festival – Scotland - 10th - 13th September 2020 - To Go Ahead in 2020  

21st March 2020. The organisers of the long standing Celtic themed festival announced several months ago that they still planned to hold their festival this year. The dates are confirmed as 10th – 13th September 2020. Tickets are still valid for the new dates or customers can transfer to 2021, there was no mention of refunds. The headliners for September have been confirmed as: Afro Celt Sound System, Kel Assouf, Shooglenifty, Pump DJs, The Poozies, Moishe’s Bagel, Cut Capers, The Inexplicables and Mungo’s HiFi.     

Sziget Festival - Budapest - 5th - 12th August 2020 - Cancelled 

30th April 2020. The organisers of one of Europe’s largest music festivals announced cancellation of their 2020 event, all tickets sold will automatically be valid for next year’s event although no dates have been been confirmed yet. Ticket holders can also opt for a refund too. The organisers have yet to confirm the lineup for 2021, this year’s event was to headline Stormzy, The Strokes, Major Lazer, Kings of Leon, Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris, A$AP Rocky, Khalid, Lewis Capaldi, Foals, Mark Ronson, FKA Twigs, Foals, Foster the People and Diplo.     

Reading/Leeds Festival - Reading & Leeds - 28th - 30th August 2020 - Cancelled 

12th May 2020. The organisers announced cancellation of their 2020 event, all ticket holders have the choice of either rolling over to next year’s event now scheduled for the August Bank Holiday Weekend 2021, or opting for a refund. The organisers have yet to confirm the lineup for 2021, this year’s event was to headline Stormzy, Liam Gallagher, Race Against the Machine, Courteeners, Gerry Cinnamon and Migos 

Pride Cymru Festival - Cardiff - 24th - 30th August 2020 - Goes Virtual 

11th June 2020. The organisers of the popular LGBT annual event have announced that the physical festival will be replaced by an online virtual event. The Price Cymru Big Week will now run online only between 24th – 30th August 2020. No mention yet regarding tickets or the lineup that previously included Charlotte Church and writer Rod Thomas aka Bright Light and top flight tribute acts including Lady Gaga, Cher and Whitney Houston. 

Beat Herder Festival - Clitheroe - 16th - 19th July 2020 - Cancelled 

14th May 2020. The organisers announced cancellation of their 2020 event, all tickets will be automatically rolled over next year’s event now scheduled for 15th – 18th July 2021. For ticket holders who are unable to make next year’s event refunds are also available. The organisers have yet to confirm the lineup for 2021, this year’s event was to headline Mura Masa, The Wailers, Craig Charles, Wilkinson, David Rodigan and Nightmares on Wax.   

Nozstock: The Hidden Valley - Herefordshire - 23rd - 26th July 2020 - Cancelled 

4th May 2020. The organisers announced cancellation of their 2020 event, all tickets will be automatically rolled over next year’s event now scheduled for 22nd – 25th July 2021. The organisers have confirmed that most of their line up for 2020 will appear in 2021 including Andy C, Sister Sledge, Gentleman's Dub Club, Submotion Orchestra, Calyx & Teebee, Ibibio Sound Machine, Break. Dirty Dike w/ DJ Sammy B-Side, Mungo’s Hi Fi Ft. Gardna, Stanton Warriors, Kingdom (Rodney P, TY, Black Twang), Tankus The Henge and the Dutty Moonshine Big Band.   

Shambala Festival 2020 - Northamptonshire - 27th - 30th August 2020 - Cancelled 

26th May 2020. The organisers announced cancellation of their 2020 event, as an independent and non-commercially focused event the organisers have appealed to ticket holder to roll over to 2021 and to donate £30 each to keep the festival viable. They have confirmed dates for next year’s event as 26th – 29th August 2021. Despite the event being sold out the lineup for 2020 was never announced and there has been no further news on any confirmed artists for 2021 either.  

Towersey Festival 2020 - Thame, Oxfordshire - 28th - 31st August 2020 - Cancelled 

9th April 2020. The organisers were one of the first to announce cancellation of their 2020 event, after a successful crowdfunding exercise they have confirmed dates for next year’s event as 27th – 30th August 2021. They are now selling tickets for 2021 and the lineup will include: Bill Bailey, Steeleye Stan, Kate Rusby, Show Of Hands, This is the Kit, Gruff Rhys, Grace Petrie and Talisk. 

Cambridge Folk Festival 2020 - Cambridge - 30th July - 2nd August 2020 - Cancelled 

27th March 2020. The long-standing festival will not take place in 2020 and currently no date for 2021 has been announced. The organisers said they will be in touch with ticket holders to offer options of a refund or reallocation to 2021. The lineup for 2020 was to have included: Cat Stevens, Yusuf, Seasick Steve, Passenger, Suzanne Vega, Show of Hands, Lankum, Martha Wainwright, and Fatoumata Diawara. 

Fairport’s Cropredy Festival 2020 - Banbury - 13th - 15th August 2020 - Cancelled 

17th April 2020. The Fairport Convention country festival has been cancelled for 2020 and the organisers are rolling tickets over to next year’s event, now scheduled for 12th – 14th August 2021. Refunds can also be requested by those that cannot make it in 2021. The lineup for 2021 has been confirmed as the same for the cancelled event and includes The Trevor Horn Band, Clannad, Steve Hackett, Genesis Revisited, Richard Thompson and of course Fairport Convention.  

Lakefest 2020 - Hereford - 13th - 16th August 2020 - Cancelled 

29th May 2020. This popular summer festival has been cancelled for 2020 and the organisers have given ticket holders a choice of either rolling over to next year’s event, now scheduled for 12th – 15th August 2021 or, an option for a full refund, but you have to decide and confirm your choice by 12th June 2020. The lineup for 2021 has not yet been confirmed but this year’s event was to headline Seasick Steve, Razorlight, New Model Army, Echo and the Bunnymen, Ash, Stereo MC’s and the Sugarhill Gang.

Beautiful Days 2020 - Devon - 21st - 23rd August 2020 - Cancelled 

24th April 2020. The Levellers’ independent family festival has been cancelled. Tickets will automatically roll over to next year’s event now scheduled for 20th – 22nd August 2021. Ticket holders can also apply for a refund. The lineup for 2020 was to include Travis, Flogging Molly, Levellers, Gary Numan, New Model Army, Imelda May, Hawkwind, Indigo Girls and Deadzone. 

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2020 - Inverness - 30th July - 1st August 2020 - Cancelled 

24th April 2020. The Scottish Highland festival has been cancelled for 2020 and the organisers will automatically transfer tickets to next year’s event now scheduled for 29th – 31st July 2021. Ticket holders can also apply for a refund if they are unable to make the 2021 date. The lineup for 2021 has not yet been confirmed but this year’s event was to headline Nile Rogers and Chic, Emeli Sande, Passenger, Shed Seven, Stiff Little Fingers, Tide Lines and The Magic Numbers. 

Exit Festival 2020 - Serbia - 9th - 12th July 2020 - To Go Ahead With Revised Date for 2020 

29th May 2020. The popular European dance music festival Exit will go ahead in 2020 with a revised date of 13th – 16th August 2020. Ticket sales will commence again from 1st June 2020 and the organisers have stated that Serbian borders will be open with no restrictions in time for the festival. The final lineup has not yet been confirmed but should include Fat Boy Slim, Marky Ramone, Kosheen and David Guetta. 

Greenman Festival 2020 - Brecon Beacons Wales - 20th - 23rd August 2020 - Cancelled 

14th May 2020. The organisers have announced cancellation of the 2020 event. Tickets will be automatically rolled over to next year’s event now scheduled for 19th – 22nd August 2021. Ticket holders wanting a refund will be contacted and offered that option too. The headliners were to have included Goldfrapp, Michael Kiwanuka, Caribou, Mac Demarco and Little Dragon. 

Tech Fest 2020 - Newark Showground - 2nd - 6th July 2020 - Cancelled 

6th May 2020. The organisers of the heavy metal festival have announced cancellation of the 2020 event. The organisers have asked ticket holders to roll over to next year’s event now scheduled for 1st – 5th July 2021 and each will be contacted individually with the option for a refund. The headliners were to have included Reflections, The Ocean Collective, For the Fallen Dreams, Loathe, Slaughter to Prevail, InMe and GOROD.

South West Four 2020 - London - 28th - 30th August 2020 - Cancelled 

21st May 2020. The organisers of the popular EDM weekender festival have announced cancellation of the 2020 event. Ticket holders will be contacted in due course regarding a refund. No mention of rolling over to 2021 as of yet and no dates confirmed either. The headliners were to have included Armin Van Buuren, Dizzee Rascal, Goldie, Ferry Corsten, Idris Elba and the Streets. 

Field Day Festival 2020 - London - 11th July 2020 - Cancelled 

20th May 2020. The Field Day Festival organisers have announced cancellation of the 2020 event. Tickets will be rolled over to 2021 automatically, applications can also be made for refunds for those unable to make the event in 2021. Next year’s event is now scheduled for 20th July 2021 and the headliners confirmed so far for 2021 include Bicep and The Black Madonna,

Wychwood Festival 2020 - Cheltenham - 29th - 31st May 2020 - Cancelled 

13th May 2020. Wychwood Festival organisers left it till the last minute to announce the cancellation of the 2020 event. Tickets will be rolled over to 2021, no mention of refunds yet. To help them continue a crowdfunding page has been created too. Next year’s event is scheduled for 4th – 6th June 2021. The headliners will mostly stay intact for 2021 and include The Christians, Deadzone, Lightening Seeds, Sleeper, Embrace and Craig Charles.

Creamfields 2020 - Cheshire - 27th - 30th August 2020 - Cancelled 

13th May 2020. The world’s leading dance music festival has announced that Creamfields 2020 will not go ahead and that tickets can either be refunded or rolled over to next year’s event scheduled for 26th - 29th August 2021. The headliners were to have included Carl Cox, Eric Prydz, Tiesto, Timmy Trumpet, Todd Terry, Ferry Corsten, Basement Jaxx, Charlotte De Witt, Paul Van Dyk, Pete Tong, Roger Sanchez, Sander Van Doorn, Nina Kraviz and Faithless DJ set.

Bearded Theory 2020 - Derbyshire - 10th - 13th September 2020 - To Go Ahead 

21st May 2020. The organisers confirmed that their date changes from 21- 24th May 2020 to September 2020 are still confirmed. However, keep in touch with their news feed for any changes and updates in their lineup. The headliners should remain largely unchanged and include The Flaming Lips, The Damned, Dub Pistols, Patti Smith & Band, Primal Scream, My Bad Sister, Kelvin 373, The Swingers and Sports Team. 

End of the Road 2020  - Dorset - 3rd - 6th September 2020 - Cancelled 

20th May 2020. Just announced today the organisers have decided to cancel this year’s event and customers have been asked to roll over their ticket to next year, however refunds will also be available. Next year’s event will now run between 2nd – 5th September 2021. The headliners will remain the same with Pixies, King Krule, Big Thief, Bright Eyes, Little Simz and Aldous Harding. 

Wireless Festival - Finsbury Park London - 3rd - 5th July 2020 - Cancelled 

5th May 2020. A statement from the organisers, Live Nation, have confirmed cancellation of the 2020 event, tickets will be refunded or can be rolled over to next year. The dates for next year's event will be 2nd – 4th July 2021. The headliners for this year included Travis Scott, Meek Mill, A$AP Rocky, Skepta, AJ Tracey, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug and Burna Boy. 

Standon Calling - Hertfordshire - 23rd - 26th  July 2020 - Cancelled 

7th May 2020. After quite a bit of holding out the organisers finally confirmed cancellation of Standon Calling for this year. All tickets will be automatically rolled over to next year's event now scheduled for 22nd – 25th July 2021. If you want a refund you have been referred to their website. The headliners were to have included Bombay Bicycle Club, Craig David, Hot Chip, Primal Scream, Grandmaster Flash and Joey Negro  

Latitude Festival - Suffolk - 16th - 19th July 2020 - Cancelled

27th April 2020. The organisers have stated that given the timing of their event in 2020 it is just not possible to go ahead this year. Festival Republic will contact ticket holders soon for refunds or the option to roll over to next year's event scheduled for July 2021 with no specific dates yet. The headliners were to have included Celeste, Liam Gallagher, The Chemical Brothers, Bill Bailey and Jo Brand.

Wilderness Festival - Oxfordshire - 30th July - 2nd  August 2020 - Cancelled 

13th May 2020. The organisers have announced with sadness the cancellation of Wilderness 2020. Tickets will be rolled forward to 2021 or customers can request a refund. Next year's event will now take place between 5th – 8th August 2021. Wilderness 2020 was to feature Foals, Supergrass and Loyle Carner plus the myriad of theatre, and arts performances   

2000 Trees Festival - Cotswolds - 9th - 11th July 2020 - Cancelled 

28th April 2020. Since announcing the cancellation of this year's event the organisers of the independently run rock festival have launched a crowdfunding scheme to help them survive financially for 2021. Tickets will be rolled over to next year or refunds can be requested. Their crowdfunding scheme has hit 90% of their target and they are offering a multitude of benefits for contributors. The lineup for next year's event, scheduled for 8th – 10th July 2021, has not been announced yet with the exception of Jimmy Eat World. 

Boardmasters Festival - Cornwall - 5th - 9th August 2020 - To Go Ahead 

12th May 2020. Since their first statement on 18th March 2020 stating the event will proceed as planned in August there have been no Covid-19 related updates from the organisers of Cornwall's surf and music festival. Now in its 40th year this year’s headliners Kings of Leon, Skepta, The Kooks, Blossoms, Basement Jaxx, The 1975 and Dizzee Rascal. 

Tramlines Festival - Sheffield - 31st July - 2nd August 2020 - Cancelled 

8th May 2020. The organisiers have now announced that the Tramlines Festival is cancelled for 2020. Tickets will be valid for next year’s event now scheduled for 23rd – 25th July 2021, refunds can be made although the exact process for this has yet to be confirmed. The headliners were to include Ian Brown, The Kooks, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Dizzee Rascal, The Hives, Madness and Sister Sledge. 

Truck Festival - Oxfordshire - 31st July - 2nd August 2020 - Cancelled 

8th May 2020. The team organising this event were devastated to announce its cancellation. Tickets will be valid for next year’s event now scheduled for 23rd – 25th July 2021, alternatively customers can request a full refund. The headliners were to include Bombay Bicycle Club, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Blossoms, The Hives and The Kooks. 

Kendal Calling - Lake District - 30th July - 2nd August 2020 - To Go Ahead 

1st April 2020. There has been no change from their original announcement made on 13th March stating that the 15th anniversary of Kendal Calling will go ahead this year. The confirmed headliners include Supergrass, Stereophonics, Primal Scream, Blossoms, Craig David, Dizzee Rascal, Johnny Marr, Bill Bailey and Goldfrapp 

Victorious Festival - Portsmouth - 28th - 30th August 2020 - To Go Ahead 

17th March 2020. Currently this event is still planned to go ahead this year with no updates from the organisers since last month but it’s advised to keep up to date with any announcements they may make. The confirmed headliners include Royal Blood, Ian Brown, The Streets, Blossoms, Manic Street Preachers, Craig David and Ran ‘N’ Bone Man 

Y NOT 2020 - Derbyshire - 24th - 26th July - Cancelled 

22nd April 2020. Organisers have taken the difficult decision to cancel this year’s event.  Y NOT will now be moved to 29th July – 2nd August 2021 and customers have the option of either a full refund or rolling over to next year. To encourage rolling over to next year the organisers are offering a free VIP upgrade and entry to a prize draw to win a luxury cabin for the 2021 event. The headliners were to include Royal Blood, Richard Ashcroft, Levellers, Craig David and Annie Mac among many others 

Neverworld - Kent - 30th July - 1st August 2020 - To Go Ahead 

20th March 2020. The Neverworld team continue to monitor the current COVID-19 situation and currently they are still planning to proceed with the event at the end of July, although this could change at any moment. The headliners include Travis, Groove Armada and Basement Jaxx DJ. 

Camp Bestival - Dorset - 30th July - 2nd August 2020 - To Go Ahead? 

22nd April 2020. The original news published on 27th March has not changed and Camp Bestival continue to plan for the 2020 event. Although a word of caution this could change at any moment. The headliners include Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada and Level 42.  

Boomtown Chapter 12 Festival - Winchester - 12th - 16th August 2020 - Cancelled

30th April 2020. Sad news from the organsiers as they announced the cancellation of this years event, Boomtown Chapter 12 festival. Ticket options include rolling over to next year or a full refund. It will now take place next year 11th - 12th August 2021. Headliners were to have included The Libertines, Del La Soul, Kool & The Gang and The Shapeshifters. 

Parklife 2020 - Manchester - 13th - 14th June 2020 - Cancelled 

27th March 2020. The popular EDM festival for 2020 has been cancelled and the organisers announced that ticket refunds will be made automatically. If customers wish tickets can be retained for next year, now scheduled for 12th – 13th June 2021. This was to be the festival’s tenth year running and headliners were to include Fatboy Slim, Khalid, Lewis Capaldi and Nina Kraviz.  

We Are Playgrounds – Blend Fest 15th May 2020 – New Online Event (Date Change) 

21st April 2020. The Dutch company that showcases and celebrates the creative image with events and workshops have announced their 2nd Blend online fest to be streamed online (via Twitch) on the evening of 15th May. Please note this is a date change from the previously advertised 30th April.     

A free to attend event with online artist talks, panels and portfolio reviews, We Are Playgrounds bring you cutting edge creativity through their Blend festivals celebrating artists bending mediums and shifting limits. Blend is about mixing, mashing things up, bending genres and blending disciplines.  

We Are Playgrounds facilitates artists who create progressive and produce innovative work in the field of digital design, film, illustration and animation. There is collaboration outside their fields with scientists, theatres, environmental organizations, and even NASA. Expect vanguard artist talks, an insight into their work, progress via demo’s and panel discussions. You will be able to pick their brains, see how they did it, how they started, what they studied, how they became famous as well as what amazing projects they are tackling at the moment. 

Online portfolio reviews start at 14.00 – to apply click here. Application open on 1st May. 

This online event kicks off at 17.00 (CET) and runs through to 23.59 on 15th May and you can stream the event on Twitch - Stream 1 and Stream 2 

Larmer Tree Festival - Salisbury - 16th - 19th July 2020 - Cancelled 

14th April 2020. The 30th running of the Larmer Tree Festival featuring national and international artists in music, outdoor theatre, live performances, arts and comedy has been cancelled. Ticket refunds will be made automatically and so far there has been no announcement about any dates for the event in 2021. The headliners were originally meant to include James, Frank Turner and Jack Savoretti. 

Roskilde Festival - Denmark - 27th June - 4th July 2020 - Cancelled 

7th April 2020. The 50th running of the week-long festival of art, music and parties with togetherness and community has had to cancel this year's event. The event will run again next year 26th June to 3rd July 2021 and they will try to retain headliners including Taylor Swift and Deftones. Tickets already purchased will be valid for the 2021 event or customers can apply for a refund. 

Neighbourhood Weekender - Warrington - 23rd - 24th May 2020 - Re-scheduled 

26th March 2020. This popular local music festival famous has been re-scheduled to 5th and 6th September 2020 and the headliners remain with Ian Brown and Catfish and The Bottlemen. Tickets already purchased will be valid for the revised dates

WOMAD - Charlton Park UK - 23rd - 26th July 2020 - Cancelled 

8th April 2020. The famous World’s Festival due to take place in July 2020 has been cancelled. WOMAD 2021 has be scheduled for 2021 between 22nd – 25th July 2021 with the line-up mostly being kept intact. Ticket sales can be refunded or rolled over to 2021. 

Montreux Jazz Festival - Switzerland - 3rd - 8th July 2020 - Cancelled  

17th April 2020. Europe’s longest running annual Jazz festival (53 years) in Montreux for July 2020 has been cancelled. Plans are in place to run the event between 2nd – 17th July 2021 with the line-up mostly being kept intact. The organisers will announce arrangements for ticket holders soon. 

La Linea -London April and May 2020 - Rescheduled 

1st April 2020. The famous Latin Music festival in its 20th year has been rescheduled to run later in 2020 from 4th September to 19th October. La Linea hosts global superstars and the very best emerging talent from across the Latin Music world in venues across Central London. Tickets already purchased will be valid for the new dates. 

Coachella USA 10th – 12th April - Rescheduled 

11th March 2020. In its 20th year the famous US music festival in the desert has been rescheduled to later in 2020 now on the weekends of 9th – 11th and 16th –18th October. Tickets already purchased will be valid for the new dates.  

Glastonbury 24^th – 28^th June 2020 - Cancelled

Tomorrowland – Belgium – 17^th – 19^th and 24^th – 26^th July 2020 - Cancelled

15^th April 2020. Europe’s biggest techno dance music festival has been cancelled for 2020. Tickets will roll over to next year’s event scheduled for 16^th – 18^th and 23^rd – 25^th July 2021. The lineup was to include Erci Prydz, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox and Timmy Trumpet, There was no confirmation of the lineup for the 2021 festival.

We Are Playgrounds – Blend Fest – 30^th April 2020 – New Online Event

16^th April 2020. The Dutch company that’s showcases and celebrates the creative image with events and workshops have announced their 2^nd Blend online fest to be streamed online (Facebook) in the evening of 30^th April. A free to attend event with online artist talks, panels and portfolio reviews.

All Points East – London 22^nd – 24^th May and 29^th – 31^st May 2020 - Cancelled

27^th March 2020. One of London’s biggest music festivals has been cancelled for 2020 and the organisers are now looking at May 2021. The lineup was to include Massive Attack, Iggy Pop, A Certain Ratio, Johnny Marr, The Kooks and Kraftwerk 3D. Apparently the event will run in 2021 but there is no confirmed date yet. They are also in the process of organising ticket refunds.

Download – Donington Park – 12^th – 14^th June 2020 - Cancelled

26^th March 2020. The rock festival has been cancelled this year and will reappear next year from 4^th – 6^th June 2021. Tickets will be automatically transferred to the revised dates although if you can opt for a refund if required. There was no confirmation of the lineup for the 2021 festival, this year’s event was to feature KISS and Iron Maiden.

Terminal V – Edinburgh - Easter 2020 – Re-scheduled

Forest Live 2020 – throughout June 2020 - Cancelled

3^rd April 2020. This popular series of events held throughout the UK in stunning forest parks run by Forestry England have announced that all events this year will be cancelled. All 7 events have been cancelled and the orgnaisers have confirmed that ticket refunds will be made automatically. The events had scheduled popular acts including Jack Savoretti, Jools Holland, Kaiser Chiefs, Keane, Madness and Noel Gallagher among others.

The Great Escape – Brighton 13^th – 26^th May 2020 - Cancelled

23^rd March 2020. The event organisers have announced that this event will be cancelled. The TGE event was to feature over 290 artists with Aitch headlining including support from Tiffany Calver, DENO and Mae Muller. They hope to run the event on 12^th to 15^th May 2021, if you bought a ticket for this year’s event you can get a refund or carry it over to the 2021 event.

Isle of Wight Festival 2020 – 11^th – 14^th June 2020 - Cancelled

26^th March 2020. One of the UK’s largest festivals on the Isle of Wight has been cancelled. As with many other events you can choose to receive either a refund or carry over your ticket to the 2021 event which has been confirmed for 17^th – 21^st June 2021. Featured acts for the cancelled event included Happy Mondays, Lionel Richie, Lewis Capaldi, Primal Scream, Snow Patrol, Chemical Brothers Kaiser Chiefs and Duran Duran.

Lovebox – London 12th – 14th June 2020 - Cancelled

27^th March 2020. The Lovebox family announced with a heavy heart that this event will be cancelled. The headliners among the 83 acts included Khalid, Disclosure, Tyler the Creator and Fatboy Slim. Lovebox state that the event will now run on 12^th to 13^th June 2021, as is the case with most cancelled events if you bought a ticket for this year’s event you can get a refund or carry it over to the 2021 event.

Riverside Festival – Glasgow 23^rd – 24^th May 2020 - Re-scheduled

31^st March 2020. The Easter weekend event has been re-scheduled to run from 12^th to 13^th September 2020. Tickets will be automatically transferred to the revised dates although if you want a refund you have to contact the organisers directly. They aim to keep the original line up that featured Disclosure, Fatima Yamaha and Floating Points.

This is Tomorrow – Newcastle 22nd – 24th May 2020 - Re-scheduled

20^th March 2020. There is confirmation from the organisers that this event is still taking place on the rescheduled dates 14^th – 16^th August 2020 from the original dates in May. The lineup remains intact and features Royal Blood, Gerry Cinnamon, Sam Fender, Blossoms and The Kooks. All tickets are automatically valid for the rescheduled dates.