The importance of live grassroots music

Does your local pub or bar host live music? It may not have done so for a while, because of a law in 2003 that made hosting live music costly and difficult. The Live Music Act changed all that in 2012 – and has now been extended to cover even more venues.

The Live Music Act is a law that deregulates amplified live music. There are criteria that have to be met, time limits (8am–11pm) and audience limits (no more than 500 people). But it makes life much easier for small pubs and clubs that want to put on live music – great news for gigging musicians.

It marked a real achievement for the Musicians’ Union. We campaigned on behalf of our 30,000 members for more than a decade to get it, and to see the Act extended shows how important grassroots music is.

Because it means more jobs for musicians. Once the Licensing Act came into place in 2003 our members immediately started telling us that the number of gigs being held in small venues was going down. Every paid gig matters, and now it’s easier to put one on.

It also benefits the venues. Year after year, research shows that pubs that put on live music increase their takings and have a better chance of survival than those that don’t.

Our worry now is that venues don’t know about it. This is where you come in.

We want you to go to your local pub or bar not currently putting on live music and convince them to try it out.

Share our Live Music Kit, available via theMU.org. It has practical advice on how to go about hosting live music – the legislative, practical and creative elements involved as well as performance contracts, health and safety issues, promotional advice and useful contacts.

And if your local pub or bar has questions, put them in touch with the Union.

Together, let’s keep grassroots music live.