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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Eurovision 2025 final to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is to be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester next month.
Following the success of the previous two years, initially starting back when the internationally renowned televised event was held on British soil in Liverpool in 2023, cinemas up and down the UK are, once again, set to come together to celebrate 2025’s edition of the major night in the music calendar by hosting the ultimate viewing events.
The epic Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final on Saturday 17 May will be broadcast live on BBC One, and streamed into more than 100 cinemas nationwide – including several in Greater Manchester.
Distributed by CinemaLive, the live stream events will allow Eurovision fans to gather under one roof and share in the unbeatable experience of celebrating the brightest and boldest music party of the year on the big screen.
The Eurovision 2025 final will be screened live in cinemas across Greater Manchester / Credit: CinemaLive | Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)
You may remember that Switzerland is hosting Eurovision this year, following the nation’s well-deserved victory at the 2024 contest with the song ‘The Code’ performed by Nemo.
But thanks to these live stream events, you won’t need to make the trip to Basel to get in on the action, as you’ll just need to nip down to your nearest participating cinema instead.
Not only will the long-awaited final of the show be streamed live onto the big screen in 5.1 surround sound, but fans are invited to bring their Eurovision parties from the front room to the cinema instead, as organisers say fancy dress is ‘heavily encouraged’, as are enthusiastic sing-alongs too.
Speaking ahead of the event next month, John Travers from distributors CinemaLive, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the BBC to bring Eurovision’s grand final live into cinemas across the UK for the third year in a row.
“There’s simply no better way to enjoy the biggest night in music than in a cinema.”
Tickets are now live and available to book at your local cinema here.
Some of the participating Greater Manchester cinemas include Vue Manchester Printworks, Everymans in Manchester city centre and Altrincham, The Light in Stockport, and Cineworld in Didsbury, among others.
Featured Image – EBU
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A new theatre show based on the Oasis and Blur rivalry is heading to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
No one sits on the fence in the great ‘Blur or Oasis’ debate – and now one of music’s greatest rivalries will be brought to the stage in a brand-new theatre show.
Heading to Manchester next year will be the brand-new comedy play, The Battle.
Audiences will take a trip back to 1995, when Britpop heavyweights Blur and Oasis were battling it out on the airwaves – and throwing more than a few jibes at each other along the way.
The Battle follows that moment in time where both bands – one our beloved Northern brothers, the other that clean-cut art-school band from the South – released singles on the same day.
The ensuing ‘battle of Britpop’ saw rivalries flare, friendships fracture, and a media mania that defined the era.
Highlights of the play will include the Brit Awards, the war on the charts, and legendary personalities.
The Battle promises ‘filthy language and razor-sharp dialogue in this cut-throat new comedy that puts you right at the heart of the feuding, the fame, and the fallout’.
The Battle is the debut stage play from screenwriter and Sunday Times best-selling novelist John Niven, and will be directed by Matthew Dunster.
John Niven said: “1995: a time long before music splintered into a billion different Tik Tok feeds. When music was so central to the culture that two pop groups could dominate the entire summer, the evening news and the front page of every newspaper in the country.
“We’re going to take you back there. I’ve never written for the stage before, and it has been an absolute blast to do so for the first time with a producer as supportive as Simon and a director as talented as Matthew.”
Director, Matthew Dunster, added: “I remember the Battle of the Bands. I remember the charts that week. Music mattered.
“I remember being in my twenties in 1995. What a wild time. Full of energy, naughtiness and hilarity. Just like John Niven’s play.
“I’m so delighted to be working with John on such a punchy, hilarious and revealing comedy about two of the best bands of all time, Blur and Oasis.”
Producer, Simon Friend, continued: “Throughout my sister’s teenage years, she had an enormous poster of Damon Albarn on her wall, and I remember her falling out with friends over which band they loved more.
“Ever since, this story has been in the back of my mind, and I was delighted that John Niven agreed to write it because there is no more qualified or hilarious chronicler of this world, and combined with Matthew Dunster directing, we have a fearless team recreating the sweaty mid-‘90s carnage of The Battle of Britpop.”
The Battle will make its world premiere in Birmingham next year before heading out on an extensive UK tour, including a run of shows here in Manchester.
The Battle will be at the Opera House Manchester between 17 and 21 March 2026.
Tickets go on general sale on Friday 2 May at 10am – grab yours HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
11th August 2020 
