With “The UK” set to “lose 10 per cent of its grassroots music venues in 2023”, calls have been growing for the “music industry and larger venues to do more”. The Music Venue Trust has also revealed that 67 venues have closed so far this year alone and claims that “the UK is set to lose 10 per cent of its independent venues by the end of 2023.” Bands and artists alike are questioning, how can this be turned around? 

Support grassroots music venues ❤️✊ https://t.co/AAhI0sMJP9

— ENTER SHIKARI (@ENTERSHIKARI) April 23, 2023

Rou Reynolds, MVT patron and lead vocalist and keyboardist of Enter Shikari says “There are a lot of new arenas on the way, while at the same time, there is no support whatsoever for the grassroots circuit. There’s a very clear link between small venues and big venues – especially in terms of providing new artists with a space to find their way in the industry and find their audience.” He continues ruefully “We’re going to have all these new arenas without supporting the ways that artists can grow into them. It just all seems a bit silly!”

During Venues Day, an event hosted in London by The Music Venue Trust (MVT), the band spoke about their upcoming UK and Ireland arena tour. In their bid to help save grassroots venues, the band is donating £1 for every ticket sold to help save the music community. Speaking at the event they declared “We will not be replaced by another block of f*cking flats.” Demanding the industry to “make it impossible” for any more grassroots gig spaces to close.  The band, which signed a funding agreement with the MVT received the Outstanding Contribution Award for their donations to this cause. 

Enter Shikari Drummer, Rob Rolfe mentions that “Grassroots venues helped” to “cut our teeth, hone our craft, meet and be inspired by other musicians, and how to be a proper touring band,” he also added, “It was also the platform to help us reach an audience and build our own fanbase.”

Venues have struggled over the last few years, with the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and then the cost of living crisis causing rocket-high bills. As many businesses switched to online, venues suffered. Many shut their doors back in 2020 either for a short period of time or for good with the grassroots venues which have remained open relying heavily on “support from crowd-funders or fundraising efforts led, in particular, by the Music Venue Trust (MVT).” 

The ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’ European tour opens tonight in VEGA, Copenhagen

Sheeran exclusively said to Official Charts: Thank you so much for making Autumn Variations the Official Number 1 album in the UK. “It’s my first album on my own record label [Gingerbread Man Records], so this means more than any other award I’ve had. Thanks for all the support; it’s been amazing to get reconnected with the fans over the past few months.”  

He continued: “I hope you continue liking the album, and I’ll see you next year for the next one!”   

The international hit-maker took to his Instagram to express his gratitude for the achievement. He wrote: “Thanks so much for making Autumn Variations #1, I had no expectations for the record other than for fans to love it and feel it was their own. It being on my own label meant it didnt have the usual pressures or expectations, but to end up going #1 is mad and I really don’t take it for granted. Thank you for everyone connecting with the album. It’s been so wonderful spending so much time with all you lot over the past month. See you next year when we press play on some big pop stuff finally x.”  

Fans of the “Eyes Closed” singer congratulated the musician in the comments. One person said: “Autumn is so wonderful” whilst another person commented: “I love how it doesn’t matter what he makes under what label it is released, it always ends up No. 1 in the UK.” Pop duo Jedward, who appeared on the X Factor in 2009, said: “Boss rocking it on your own label.” 

Watch the music video for “Eyes Closed.”

“Autumn Variations” also topped the charts in Germany, Australia and the Netherlands.

The record has received a positive reception from critics. James Hall from The Telegraph rated the album four out of five stars and said: “Sheeran sounds like a supercharged David Gray. Grown-up. Energized. Forget Autumn, this feels like an album of bright new dawns.”  

As well as achieving his seventh number one album, Sheeran was also nominated at the annual MTV EMAs, which are set to air on 5 November. The pop-star also became the first British solo act to achieve 10 billion UK streams and was awarded with a Gold Brit Billion Award.

We come across such an artistic crossing of paths after The Lottery Winners spent a good effort trying to catch his attention. After 55 tweets, the 61 year old icon gave them a chance, and decided to give the song a listen, which led to him vocally contributing to the track.

Rylance, the frontman of the band, held his persistence in trying to work with George after researching how a pop song should be written to be considered a classic. Having listened to many of the pop artist’s songs for inspiration he came to the realisation that his creation of “Let Me Down” had been written to be sung by no other vocalist other than the man himself. Which he heroically achieved.

The single has been released, previously, as part of their upcoming album Anxiety Replacement Therapy due to be dropped on the 28th April this year (2023). They’ve also released two other singles of the album, the opening song “Worry” and “Money” featuring the Happy Mondays lead singer Shaun Ryder.

Rylance describes the song as such: “The song has a light and sunny ‘80s feel, with a lot of the same colours as other Boy George songs.” The album is to be received as the reflection of a year in the writer’s life. A typhoon of his mental health struggles and how he dealt with it. He shares his concern for others in similar situations and wants listeners to use it as a self-help tape.

The single comes hand in hand with a music video, which is supposed to pay homage to to George’s legacy of equality and paving a way for the younger generation of artists.  It showcases a young boy sadly getting home from school who turns on the television and gets inspired by the band and Boy George’s fexpressive freedom.

They have also just announced a UK tour set to start next month. Kicking off o the 4th April in Sheffield they will make their way through the country, with a couple of cheeky gigs out in the Netherlands and Amsterdam, until the 19th August finishing in Cornwall.

Get your tickets here.

UK Tour dates:

04/04/2023 – Leadmill – Sheffield
12/04 – O2 Academy 2 – Liverpool
13/04 – Epic Studios – Norwich
14/04 – Bullingdon – Oxford
15/04 – Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff
16/04 – Corn Exchange – Hertford
18/04 – Mama Roux – Birmingham
19/04 – Room 2 – Glasgow
20/04 – Brudenell – Leeds
21/04 – Empire – Middlesborough
22 /04 – Parr Hall – Warrington
23 /04 – Rescue Rooms – Nottingham
25/04 – Phoenix – Exeter
26/04 – Thekla -Bristol
27/04 – Patterns – Brighton
28 /04 – Engine Rooms – Southampton
29/04 – Lafayette – London
02/05 – Sugarmill – Stoke
03/05 – Docks Academy – Grimsby
27/05 – The Park Festival – Leeds
28/05 – Neighbourhood Festival – Manchester
15/06 – Isle of Wight Festival – Isle Of White
12/08 – Boardmasters Festival – Cornwall
19/08 – This Feeling By The Sea Festival – Bridlington

They opened the show with one of the debut tracks “Gene Pool”. Setting the scene for the audience in reassurance that, what they were about to experience, wasn’t like any other of their live shows.

The duo maintained a sturdy setlist throughout. These included their latest releases “Juanita 2022” from last year, “Two Months Off” from 2021 . An appearance from their last studio album DRIFT Series 1 called “Border Country” and a few intricacies from older releases. From their 1999 album Beaucoup Fish the duo played “Cups”, “Jumbo” and “Shudder”. Not to mention the 1994 Dubnobasswithmyheadman playing “Mmm… Skyscraper I Love You”. 

They played golden tracks, and after “Gene Pool” as the intro, they introduced another fresh debut “Strawberry Hotel” as the fifth song, followed by “Denver Luna” as the seventh and “And The Colour Red” as a finishing line for the performance, before their final “Born Slippy” encore.

Their Bristol audience were left buzzing after the show and some consider it to be the best show they’ve attended yet. “Bristol last night was one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to” stated a fan. And another “Brizzle last night…if you weren’t there, you missed an absolute treat. Karl and Rick – thank you”.

Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, the members of the band, are a mysterious double. Cheeky teasers in live shows to uproar fans curiosity and anticipation are done to the tee. It feels like they’re about to announce an upcoming tour, which the audience seem quite desperate for. Or they are about to drop a new album release date. Who knows. The suspense is clearly there and is already starting to boil over.

They performed the same show including these four fresh cuts at another recent gig. On March the 20th they showcased another blindingly flavoursome show in London at the Royal Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust.

The British duo have a few shows coming up. Over the pond they will be playing at Coachella on the 15th April, the Warfield in San Francisco on the 21st April, Coachella Weekend 2 on the 22nd April and at Movement Festival in Detroit on the 29th May. Following after they will be making their way back to the UK to play at Junction 2 in London on the 21st July, they will be playing at The Secret Garden Party on the 22nd July and finish off at Lowlands Festival on the 18th August in the Netherlands.

Tickets are here for upcoming shows.

UK Show Dates:

21/07/2023 – Junction 2 – London
22/07 – The Secret Garden Party – Abbots Ripton