Can You Feel The Music Revolution?

I haven’t been a part of the music community in this country for very long. Neither do I feel like I can give an accurate diagnosis on the current state of the music industry as it stands. I don’t have a degree in music business and I certainly don’t have years of experience behind my belt. But I do attend a lot of gigs and I can’t help but notice a mini “revolution”, if you will, in the making.

It has been over ten years since the music world was graced with a bundle of talented artists making their way from grassroots venues to playing arena tours. It was unheard of this past decade. The recession was in full swing. Jobs in the creative sector were vanishing and people lost interest in attending gigs and watching live bands. Generation X were all stuck doing shitty jobs that they didn’t care about just to get by and pop music dominated the charts.

Now I’m not saying that all music was terrible in the early 2000’s. That would be incredibly ignorant for me to say. Especially when around that time I was listening to N-Dubz and sharing Akon songs with my mates on my Sony Ericsson…

I am a true believer in the idea that things have to get worse before they get better. And boy has it been a rough ride for the music venue trust. In the last 10 years alone, 40% of London’s music venues have been closed down. Whether that be a loss of license of noise complaints from residents. It’s abhorrent. Utterly unacceptable. Music venues are the backbone of London culture and have provided us with some of the best talent over the last 70 years. Without small grassroots venues, new bands don’t have a platform to hone their craft, grow as acts and potentially become the next biggest band in the world.

However. I don’t believe that it is all doom and gloom. Hold tight readers. I know what you’re thinking. “But George, venues are still closing”, “New bands aren’t forming”, “Nobody is interested in live music anymore”.

Absolute b*******. I won’t listen to it any longer. I have SEEN growth. I have SEEN desire to attend gigs. I have SEEN a cult following of hundreds of young people that all go to the same gigs. I have SEEN new bands being formed and wanting to follow in the footsteps of their heroes. I have SEEN young people attend Music Industry Meet and Greets wanting to learn more about the industry and how they can better improve their fan base. I genuinely believe a mini revolution is in the making.

Live music is making a serious come back and it all comes down to a fantastic music community filled with passionate promoters, musicians, journalists, presenters, sound engineers, managers. All of which who are working together to make live music relevant once more.