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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).

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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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 

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. 

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.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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."