In the report, they predict that live music revenue will grow at an annual rate of 17 percent over the next four years in the UK. Revenue fell to £225million in 2020 and is expected to reach £846million by the end of this year. Before the virus hit live music revenue was worth £1.58bn. By 2025, the UK’s live music revenue is forecast to be worth £1.56 billion almost as much as the aforementioned year.

This clearly showcases the massive effect that COVID has had on the music industry. Many artists rely quite heavily on the income they make from live music. The fact that it will take almost four years to reach the same revenue levels as a couple of years ago shows the full extent of the damage caused by the pandemic on the music industry. There has been much grievance towards the government for their handling of the arts and live music claiming that the government was “pushing live music off a cliff-edge”.

The UK head of Entertainment and Media at PwC, Mark Maitland stated that “UK consumers’ rapid migration to digital behaviours in the pandemic has now become embedded in their day-to-day lives, helping to sustain overall growth across Entertainment and Media for the coming five years. As companies race to meet consumers’ evolving needs with new products, services and experiences, the E&M industry will become more pervasive, more immersive and more diverse.

“Some sectors have found interesting ways to navigate the effects of the pandemic – notable examples include B2B events moving to online/virtual and now increasingly hybrid formats. However, sectors such as live music have struggled to go virtual, as it’s so difficult to replicate the in-person experience online. So there’s pent-up demand in those sectors ready to be released as lockdown ends.”

On Monday, July 19 live music is set to return to England without restrictions following the government’s decision to push on with their plans to lift the majority of coronavirus-enforced rules in the country. However, in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland live event restrictions are still set to continue.

Boris Johnson also urged nightclubs and large events to employ checks for ‘COVID passports’ when restrictions in England are lifted next week.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat

The platform will be used on the Sansar app and will allow viewers to move between the dancefloors of the club in vivid detail, with a livestream of all other goers. It will work through phone devices, Mac, tablet, PC or VR for viewers to enjoy a slice of the past in the club.

The company Beatport will be broadcasting the events through Facebook, YouTube and Twitch. The main-events have not yet been announced, as far as dates and times, however it has been released that their will be pre-game parties with music and games for attendees. The main events are scheduled to be announced on February 6th, 2021.

As one of the first widescale virtual events with a livestream and in-person attendees simultaneously, Tobacco Dock Virtual is setting the stage from a more innovative and virtual future. Tobacco Dock’s director Jonathan Read explained the experience, stating that –

“Tobacco Dock is excited to be working alongside our long term partner LWE to develop a cutting-edge virtual venue that will enable remote audiences to have a truly immersive, rich experience with the attributes of being present without the travel. It is a bold new step on our journey to make Tobacco Dock a global destination for music, cultural, fashion and tech events.”

In a press release, it was allusively announced that there will be big acts preforming opening weekend, which does not have a determinate date as of today. Not only were big acts promised, but major party bands situated in London will also be on the ticket.

It is not yet announced how much the app will cost, if anything or if there will be a type of ticket sale for the event. With the plan to open Easter of this year, it is still unclear whether the UK’s most recent restrictions surrounding the Covid-19 new variant will have been lifted at that time, and whether the events will still go ahead without a live-audience.

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Ironworks took the opportunity to book shows with local bands only, as bands coming from tier-3 Covid areas are not welcome to perform for safety reasons. Those who wish to buy tickets should note that they will not be permitted in the building if they are coming from tier-3 areas as well.

The show was headlined by local-indie band Torridon, playing to a maximum audience of an intimate 100; Ironworks usually holds up to 1000 capacity. Protocols for the first indoor gig were strict with attendees instructed to remain seated in their zones and follow the usual social-distancing guidelines.

LIVE MUSIC IS BACK!

We are delighted to announce that our first show since March is happening next Saturday 21st November. And who better to grace our stage than local favourites Torridon!

TICKETS on sale Friday 13th November @ 5pm via Ticketwebhttps://t.co/BZOsHtwzqa pic.twitter.com/RE0IcQx9zj

— Ironworks (@IronworksVenue) November 12, 2020

All in attendance were required to wear masks upon entering and exiting the venue and while walking to the toilet from their seats. Seating was done in four zones, 6, 4, 2 and 1 while only allowing up to 6 heads at a table between up to 2 households. Mingling amongst tables was strictly forbidden, as was dancing and standing for any reason other than necessary.

All tickets for this first in-person concert were done online via e-ticket, the box-office was closed to further show an effort to adhere to safety regulations. Sanitizers were placed throughout the building and upon entering Ironworks utilized the NHS Track and Trace platform so that all in attendance be protected and informed were there a case of the virus later discovered.

Davy & Sam Cowan Under Lockdown Saturday 28th November 2020! Tickets on sale NOW: https://t.co/ipZuIVdtqR pic.twitter.com/pNgoYtggVx — Ironworks (@IronworksVenue) November 13, 2020

Ironworks director Caroline Campbell stated that this new form of live concerts is the new normal for Saturday nights. She went on to comment on the future of in-person music events, saying that it is going to be different. It is not going to be what people are used to. 

Due to its level-one safety restrictions, Inverness is now historically paving the way for what the transitional period in live-music will look like throughout the UK in the coming months and perhaps years. As lockdown slowly lifts, venues such as Ironworks will lay the foundation for what is to expected for new norms in live music.

This is the first inkling of the light at the end of the tunnel. Importantly, this is the beginning of the end for the financial suffering that music venues throughout the UK have experienced during lockdown.