The Music Venue Trust has defended the live music industry after a recent study found that half of Brits felt they’d been ‘priced out’ of seeing live music.
The YouGov survey found that more than three-quarters of Britons (77%) think the price to see live music is expensive, with 44% saying it’s ‘very’ expensive.
But the MVT wants to raise awareness for how affordable live music can be, if fans are willing to let go of the likes of Harry Styles and Taylor Swift (who are, admittedly, very expensive artists to go and see).
The music venue charity described the research as ‘incredibly depressing’ and argued that live music is ‘literally the cheapest, easiest, most accessible cultural experience there is’.
The MVT pointed out that there are ‘brilliant, live affirming, incredible shows’ happening every day of the year with tickets for less than a tenner.
It stressed that schools, communities and the media need to champion these smaller, grassroots music scenes as much as the gigs with the ‘flying pianos or cartwheeling robots’.
Blossoms at Night & Day. Credit: The Manc GroupBand on the Wall. Credit: Jody HartleyThe Pink Room at YES. Credit: Facebook, Yes ManchesterGrassroots music venues were used as an example of why music isn’t ‘too expensive’
The YouGov survey also found that most people think £40 or less is a fair price for a ticket – but 75% of the gig-going public have paid more than £50.
It means that even those who are willing to cough up the increasingly high prices for live music are paying what they feel is over the odds.
The full open letter, signed by the Music Venue Trust’s CEO Mark Davyd, is below.
“In a new YouGov survey the UK public says less than £40 is a fair price for a live music ticket. The headline also says that people are being ‘priced out of attending’ live music events.
“There are literally hundreds of brilliant, live affirming, incredible shows happening every single day at local grassroots music venues. The average price of admission is £10.90 a ticket, but there’s almost certainly one near you this week for less than a tenner. They are performed by fantastically talented musicians, just as good as any you’ll see on a huge stage. There won’t be flying pianos or cartwheeling robots, but these days there will be great sound and lighting, delivered by professional technicians. Bar prices are affordable, the staff are welcoming, and the audience in them wants you there as part of the community. And no, Harry Styles isn’t playing, but you know who is? Somebody who deserves an audience just as much, who has written as many songs, is just as passionate about the music they are making, who has something to perform for you that you might fall in love with.
“This survey says an incredibly depressing number of people didn’t attend a live music show in 2022. About a fifth of people apparently didn’t go because they thought they couldn’t afford it. So there’s something seriously wrong there, because it’s literally the cheapest, easiest, most accessible cultural experience there is.
“Let’s make sure every parent knows that. Let’s get every school teaching their pupils that. Let’s get out into our communities and make sure that every single person in them knows they have access to live music. Let’s ensure our local and national press are reflecting that. Let’s see the incredible music from these fantastic spaces on our TV, talked about on our radio, part of the national discussion of who we are and what we do.
“Let’s find the one third of the public who didn’t attend a show in 2022 and make sure they know what they are missing out on. 14% of people regularly attended a gig in 2022. Let’s double that. Let’s make 2023 the best year of live music ever.
“Let’s never leave anybody in the UK believing that this headline is true ever again.”
Featured image: The Manc Group
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Ed Sheeran announces ‘intimate’ Manchester date later this year
Danny Jones
The king of contemporary male pop music, Ed Sheeran, is returning to Manchester for one of his biggest dates ever, as well as his venue debut.
Yep, Teddy’s coming to Co-op Live.
The 34-year-old solo star and songwriting extraordinaire hasn’t played a standalone Manchester show since 2023, when he played the legendary AO Arena barely a year on from playing four sold-out nights at the Etihad Stadium.
And now he’s back for more with his first-ever gig at the city’s newest and Europe’s biggest indoor entertainment space.
Confirmed on Wednesday, 3 September, Ed Sheeran is set to play just a small handful of huge headline spaces this winter, including dates in Paris, Munich, Coventry and Dublin, as well as here in Manchester.
Announced ahead of his new LP and eighth studio album, Play, of which we’ve already heard four new tracks: ‘Sapphire’, ‘Old Phone’, ‘A Little More’ and ‘Azizam’ – the latter of which went straight to number one and stayed there for five whole weeks after it dropped.
These upcoming shows will be an extra and rare chance to see Sheeran before his all-new ‘Loop’ stadium tour, which kicks off in Australia next January.
Revealing details about the limited number of EU dates via his own social media channels, Sheeran wrote: “Coming to play some shows in Europe. These shows will be more intimate than a stadium show, obvz, but still will be incredible.”
We don’t know how he plans to make a room as big as the Co-op Live arena ‘intimate’, but we’re looking forward to seeing what he has in store…
He went on to add that he loves “playing these venues so much”, urging fans to pre-order the new record if they want to get their hands on tickets ASAP.
Play releases on Friday, 12 September, and those who pre-order the album exclusively through Amazon.co.uk before 7pm BST this Sunday, 7 September, can put themselves in with a chance of securing pre-sale tickets.
Elsewhere, early access will also be available to official Co-op members next Wednesday (10/9/25) ahead of general admission going live on Thursday, 11 September.
You can get ready to grab your tickets for Ed Sheeran at Co-op Live on Sunday, 7 December HERE.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/Ed Sheeran (via Instagram)
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A new online series spotlighting Manc songwriting is set to debut this month
Danny Jones
This region has produced some of the greatest songwriters of all time; it’s just straight-up facts, and now the brand-new digital docuseries entitled Manchester:Unplugged is set to spotlight that treasured truth online.
Created by StreamGM – the non-profit digital streaming service dedicated to showcasing and supporting the music, nightlife, and culture of Greater Manchester, which evolved from the all-important ‘United We Stream’ project back in lockdown – this is just as much a hometown celebration as it is a show.
They’re the same team behind the Spill The Sound series presented by Louise Schofield, and given they’re now a few seasons deep into old-school music telly, we’d wager this new programme is going to be a similar success.
Getting underway on Thursday, 4 September, the very first episode of Manchester:Unplugged is nearly here. Keep reading to find out more.
The new show is filmed at various familiar venues, such as The Freemount and Bay Horse Tavern in NQ. (Credit: StreamGM)
Put in the simplest terms, this new series is all about our many marvellous Manc lyricists and the best of local and contemporary songwriting.
The new free-to-watch online documentary series uncovers the stories behind the songs that make Manchester one of the world’s greatest cities for music.
Available via the streaming platform itself as well as uploaded directly to YouTube, each 10-minute episode follows the journey of one song born in the region, from the spark of an idea to the creative process of writing, recording, release and its eventual impact on us listeners.
Better yet, the show is filmed in iconic and grassroots local venues, rehearsal rooms, pubs and creative spaces and more, all portrayed at their cinematic best, blending stripped-back performances with intimate interviews from the artists reflecting on their work.
With a focus on both the city’s rising stars and its more established names,Manchester: Unplugged captures the energy of the city’s diverse and constantly evolving scene, while staying rooted in its ever-growing history and heritage.
The Covasettes after their performance at New Century Hall. (Credit: Supplied)
Speaking on the new project, producer Laura Graham told The Manc: “Manchester: Unplugged is about more than music, it’s about memory, place, and the moment and reason why a song was brought to life.
“Each episode is a personal narrative by the songwriter. At its core, it’s about meaning and connection: between artist and audience, song and place, past and present.
Daisy Jackson -
28th December 2022 
