The worst possible news for festival fans arrived quickly this year. Just 21 days in.
Fresh optimism had filled the air at the turn of 2021 – with the worst year for live music finally behind us and hope for better times ahead.
But on the third week of January, the red hot excitement for the rejuvenation of the gig scene was doused with a bucket of freezing cold water – as Michael and Emily Eavis’ announced that Glastonbury Festival would be cancelled for a second successive year.
The ‘new chapter’ for the events industry had gotten off to a dreadful start.
Still, some music industry personnel urged people to take the news with a pinch of salt.
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Glastonbury, by all accounts, is a different beast to many UK festivals – and there were arguments that festival season could still go ahead if the government offered its support.
That remains to be seen, and there are still hopes that some events could proceed during sunnier (in every sense of the word) days.
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But in the meantime, smaller local events are beginning to go bump.
Sounds From The Other City – the hyperlocal music festival that sprawls right across Salford’s Greengate and Blackfriars areas – confirmed this week that it would also be suspending its 2021 edition.
The beloved May Bank Holiday event has been a fixture of festival season and firm underground favourite for 16 years – championing local promoters, celebrating Salford, and providing a platform for innovative artists to showcase their talents.
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The likes of Barney Artist, James Ferraro, Marina, Alt-J, Slowthai, GoGo Penguin, Black Midi and IAMDDB have all appeared on the SFOTC bill since 2005 – with the previous seven editions of the festival completely selling out.
But, after pulling the highly-anticipated fifteenth party last spring, organisers have now taken the “painful” decision to cancel 2021, too. Four months before it was due to take place.
SFOTC 2021 may be regarded as an unfortunate victim of circumstance in that it simply arrived too early in the festival calendar – with events in late summer still hopeful of a return (Parklife, for example, has moved its ordinary dates back by three months to buy themselves more time).
But with no confirmed lockdown exit roadmap coming until at least February 22, there’s no guarantee (or even likelihood) that tight restrictions on mass gatherings will be lifted in spring. The process of putting social distancing arrangements in place for the 23 venues within the festival – all of which are different sizes – has also proven completely unfeasible on a DIY budget.
Gambling on 2021 was a risk that SFOTC organisers decided they simply could “not afford” to take. But the major driving factor in culling the fest was a realisation it would be “impossible to recreate the true, sweat drenched, hands-on, DIY spirit” that made it so popular.
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Rivca Burns, Creative Director for Sounds from the Other City, said: “We always want to do something we’re super proud of.
‘Sounds’ has always been an opportunity for artists/promoters to let loose – we give them the stage and they put on whatever they’re passionate about.
“We realised that restrictions and limitations this time were too complicated and it would completely take away the enjoyment.”
But Sounds From The Other City isn’t dead yet. Not by a long shot.
The festival is already making hopeful plans for a return next year – but it’ll need the help of its supporters to do so.
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Organisers have officially launched the SFTOC Lifeline appeal – inviting music fans to make a contribution to help keep the festival afloat.
A brand new newsletter publication, The SoundsTown Gazette, is also being published to update the community on progress, as well as featuring interviews, listings and offers from artists, promoters and partners.
Rivca stated: “The festival has always been this lean machine – and all the donations that come in will be used to pay the freelancers and people who make it possible.
“We recognise we’re not the only ones who are in this boat. There are some shocking figures across the industry. But it’s so good to see communities coming together to help one another.
“We’re hoping to use this time to make ourselves stronger as a business.”
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SFOTC has always been operated on a shoestring – run entirely on volunteers, freelancers and goodwill.
The festival was born out of two local siblings’ innate desire to prove that Salford – ie the ‘other’ city in Greater Manchester – was as musically eclectic and exciting as its famous neighbour.
The very definition of a grassroots event, SFOTC has kept its core aim intact during its 16 years of existence: Celebrate what’s happening on the doorstep and invite the community to come and join in.
The fanbase (which has ballooned from dozens to hundreds since 2005) has been the lifeblood of the festival since the beginning. But more so now than ever.
Support is flooding in for SFOTC – and thanks to music fans, it might just have a fighting chance.
Co-op Live went ahead with a test event with Rick Astley last Saturday, albeit with a capacity that was reduced at the eleventh hour.
But the huge venue was hit with ‘power supply issues’ and took the ‘difficult decision’ to postpone Peter Kay.
It’s now gone one step further and pushed back The Black Keys – meant to be their first proper live music event – as well as Peter Kay AGAIN.
In a statement shared today, the Co-op Live said it has been ‘undertaking an extensive protocol of testing critical procedures to ensure all areas are ready for fans’.
It said that the shows are being rescheduled to ensure they can ‘run safely’.
The 23,500-capacity arena said this will give them ‘the extra time we need to continue testing enhanced emergency communications thoroughly’.
The Black Keys will now perform on 15 May, and Peter Kay on 23 and 24 May.
As for the Bolton-born comedian, he sounds somewhat in disbelief himself:
Co-op Live’s statement reads: “Since making the difficult decision to postpone the live shows at Co-op Live due to take place this week, we have been undertaking an extensive protocol of testing critical procedures to ensure all areas are ready for fans.
“To ensure that we can run all shows safely, regretfully we have now had to take the decision to reschedule the planned The Black Keys and Peter Kay shows.
“Both The Black Keys and Peter Kay have graciously agreed to reschedule their shows. The Black Keys will now perform on 15 May 2024, and Peter Kay will now perform on 23 and 24 May 2024.
“All tickets remain valid and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who can no longer attend.
“We deeply appreciate the impact this will have on excited fans, and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience that this change will undoubtedly cause.
“Rescheduling Peter Kay and The Black Keys will give us the extra time we need to continue testing enhanced emergency communications thoroughly.
“This is vital to satisfy the rigorous set of guidelines and protocols that are necessary for a venue of this size to ensure that our fans, artists and staff have the safest experience possible.”
Co-op Live boss resigns just days before venue’s official opening
Daisy Jackson
The boss of Co-op Live, Manchester’s enormous, ground-breaking new arena, has resigned from his position just days before the venue is set to open.
The enormous music-first arena has been taking shape beside the Etihad Stadium for several years, and was due to welcome its first official audiences this week, but has been hit with last-minute challenges.
And now Co-op Live‘s boss Gary Roden has quit the mammoth project, with the news of his resignation announced late Thursday evening.
Oak View Group, which Co-op Live is part of, said in a statement that they would like to ‘thank Gary for his help bringing the UK’s newest arena to live entertainment fans’.
Stepping into his shoes as interim general manager will be Rebecca Kane Burton, who previously ran the U.K.’s highest-grossing venue, London’s The O2 arena.
Gary has previously come under fire for saying that some grassroots music venues ‘poorly run’ – a statement that OVG has now distanced itself from.
A separate statement said that ‘neither Co-op Live nor Oak View Group share the sentiment expressed by former Co-op Live General Manager Gary Roden regarding the grassroots industry’.
It continued: “As OVG Chairman and CEO Tim Leiweke has repeatedly stated, Co-op Live remains committed to grassroots music in Manchester and beyond, including teaming up with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham on the Artist of the Month campaign, and as a founding partner of Beyond The Music.
“Co-op Live also donates over £1m a year to the Co-op Foundation to support communities and empower young people to take social action through its new Young Gamechangers fund.
“Oak View Group and Co-op Live remain happy to meet with grassroots organisations once the venue is fully operational.”
The news of the venue’s boss stepping down comes at a time when all eyes are on Co-op Live, the opening of which has been delayed.
The venue did host a test event with Rick Astley last weekend, but even that faced difficulties, with thousands of tickets cancelled to reduce capacity just hours before showtime.
It’s now set to officially open this Saturday 27 April with a performance by rock group The Black Keys.
The full statement from OVG about Gary’s resignation said: “Gary Roden has decided to resign. We’d like to thank Gary for his help bringing the UK’s newest arena to live entertainment fans and wish him the best for the future.
“Rebecca Kane Burton has been named Interim GM, effective today. Rebecca is a seasoned veteran of venue management and live entertainment in the UK having served as VP/GM of The O2 from 2012-2016 and CEO of LW Theatres from 2016-2021.