Nearly 1000 people who work in the live music industry in Manchester participated in a socially-distanced silent march through the city centre today.
The march formed part of the #WeMakeEvents – RED ALERT Day of Action nationwide event.
The #WeMakeEvents campaign – which has been organised by PLASA – is to raise awareness of the UK’s one million highly-skilled live music industry professionals, all of whom have had little to no work for the past four months amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and with little likelihood of the industry restarting until Spring 2021.
The live music sector includes a huge supply chain of workers in areas ranging from production, audio, lighting and video, to logistics, planning, transportation, and some of the world’s leading technology manufacturers.
#WeMakeEvents is calling on the UK government to “throw us a line”.
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As stated on the PLASA website, without additional government support for the supply chain, the UK is not only “in danger of losing its global position as a world leader in world class events”, but “all of our incredible creatives and technicians could lose their livelihoods for good”.
Manchester is a city synonymous with music and the industry needs our help.
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We support the 100,000+ professionals in #Manchester who make our city one of the top destinations in Europe for live music and events.
You should support them too. Their jobs could be lost without intervention. #WeMakeEvents
#WeMakeEvents is calling for “meaningful support from the government until the industry is allowed to operate in a way that is not limited by social distancing policies”.
This includes three main objectives:
1. Grants – not loans – made available to businesses in the events supply chain.
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2. Furlough scheme extended until the industry is back to work.
3. Extension of the self-employment scheme – tailored towards the live music industry.
#WeMakeEvents Great scenes in Manchester. First industry to stop, last to return! More support is needed from the government until live music and events are able to start up again #letmusiclivepic.twitter.com/izny27imai
There has been a substantial amount of support seen for the #WeMakeEvents campaign within the wider music industry and across social media this week.
Many famous and well-respected names in the Manchester music scene have publicly expressed their support.
Sacha Lord – Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester and co-creater of Parklife Festival, The Warehouse Project and United We Stream GM – said that work by many crucial events staff goes “unseen by the public”.
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This morning I will be marching (socially distanced and wearing my mask!) to support the freelancers, event and festival staff who have been simply forgotten. Nearly 114,000 people need urgent financial support now #WeMakeEventspic.twitter.com/JterGW7Cn1
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester this morning, he said: “From my own experience with Parklife, there are about 4,500 people working on that,”
“The stages don’t erect by themselves, the Portaloos don’t arrive by themselves, the fences, the arenas, the lighting techs, it is a vast swathe of freelancers that work behind the scenes, and sadly they have been forgotten.”
Mr Lord was also seen present at the city centre March today as well.
Without major immediate support from the Government, the entire live events sector supply chain is at risk of collapse. Red Alert is a campaign to raise public and media awareness in support of the live events sector #WeMakeEventspic.twitter.com/IX3YdLtvvp
#WeMakeEvents is an initiative looking for a solution to the devastating crisis that the live music industry is facing. Concerts have been organised in the past to help people all around the world – right now, it’s those who arranged and worked at those events who need help
Yes, performers, artists, speakers. But also venues, lighting/sound engineers, photographers, event planners, bar & catering teams, security, tent & stage hire, booking agents, festival teams etc etc. So many of us with little or no support. #WeMakeEvents I’ll see you there. pic.twitter.com/iIGvRVYwzL
Today the #WeMakeEvents RED ALERT Campaign calls on the government to support the live events industry before we lose the talent and expertise that is the envy of the world.#WeMakeEvents
Buildings across Manchester and the UK are also set to light up red this evening in support of the live music industry and as part of the #LightItInRed campaign.
Over 500 buildings throughout the country are said to be registered to take part.
CALL TO ACTION!
We are calling again for companies and venues to light up red on the 11th of August 2020.
With many other activities also happening throughout the day, we want YOU involved!
You can find out more information and show your support for the #WeMakeEvents campaign here.
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AJ Tracey is playing a VERY intimate gig in Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
London rapper and respected grime artist AJ Tracey is ‘live and direct’ once again, announcing a whole host of UK dates, one of which is a rather intimate gig right here in Manchester.
It’s official: one of UK rap’s leading gents is getting back on the road and he’s showing a ‘Little More Love’ to lots of cities, including Manchester.
In a post on the UK star’s socials, AJ Tracey trades his music persona for that of a sports pundit as he announces the dates for his upcoming tour while impersonating an F1 commentator.
Anyone looking to attend Tracey’s ‘Not Even A Tour’ can catch the star up and down the country on his over 20-date tour with a stop in Manchester as soon as this month.
The rapper has reached phenomenal heights since dropping the unforgettable ‘Ladbroke Grove’ in 2019 and is heading out across the nation to make sure everyone knows about it.
Get ready to spit bars left and right as this rapper’s discography is stacked with serious tunes like ‘Dinner Guest’, ‘West Ten’, ‘Thiago Silva’ and more.
More recently, he collaborated with Walsall’s finest Jorja Smith for a flirty garage beat also known as ‘Crush’ with the video being the two artists talking it out in a good old fashioned caff.
The latest collaboration with Smith marks the start of a new era for Mr. Live and direct as it fell in line with the announcement of his third studio album.
Titled Don’t Die Before You’re Dead, we’re sure he’ll be “building a vibe” wherever he goes and probably previewing a few exclusive tracks from his upcoming project too.
This gig may come as quite a surprise for any hardcore fans of the ‘Ladbroke Grove’ star as the venue in which he’s performing is definitely intimate only, holding just over 250 guests.
This rap giant is bringing his unbelievable beats to none other than the legendary small-cap city centre live music venue, The Deaf Institute, at the end of this month.
It’s safe to say you won’t get many more chances, if any, to see him in such a tight-knit space again.
AJ Tracey is bringing ‘Not Even A Tour’ to Deaf Institute in Manchester on 30 April, with tickets on sale Friday 4 April from 12 noon.
Manchester City’s Nathan Aké donates piano to grassroots music venue
Thomas Melia
Footballer and Manchester City star Nathan Aké has donated a piano to an iconic city centre grassroots venue in Manchester.
To celebrate ‘International Piano Day’, the Dutch defender has teamed up with legendary instrument-makers Casio by donating a state-of-the-art piano in one very lucky music venue.
Aké and Casio are donating pianos across the UK through their joint project titled ‘Playing For Change’.
The iconic grassroots venue that’s receiving this prestigious instrument is none other than Band on the Wall, which has been pumping out live music under this name since 1975.
Processed with VSCO with kp5 presetProcessed with VSCO with kp5 presetCredit: Supplied
This new addition will help the venue as a whole, but more importantly, it will come in very handy for their Saturday Music Club.
Running every weekend, this session helps young people discover music and develop their skills, now via the fantastic PX-S7000 Casio piano.
Band on the Wall is a much-loved and adored Manchester city centremusic institution, and they aren’t the only place benefitting from the Manchester city star and Casio.
So far, 12 disadvantaged schools in the UK have benefitted from this joint effort from Aké and Casio, all of which were surprised with their very own digital piano.
This newest partnership won’t come as a surprise to fans of the Man City centre-back, as he’s been known to play the piano since teaching himself in 2020, and now he’s spreading his love of music to communities nationwide.
Neil Evans, Head of Casio EMI, commented:“It’s exciting for us to support Band on the Wall with a gift of a brand new Privia piano.”
“We’re hoping it’s used often and inspires people into learning the piano and increasing their access to the joys of music, which is at the core of Playing For Change.”
As for Aké, while he might be sidelined for the foreseeable following surgery on a fractured foot, the Netherlands international will hopefully be able to get lots of practice playing those keys.
Emily Sergeant -
11th August 2020 
