Inglis, co-founder of the award-winning but now defunct London venue The Luminaire, told delegates in his opening talk at a MusicTank event yesterday that, while reports suggest the live music industry is buoyant, this is not necessarily the case.
‘You keep hearing how live music is booming but it isn’t. While it might be in some ways, it isn’t across the board. There is virtually no downward investment. I think the bigwigs should help smaller venues because they nurture the bands they’ll be putting on in five years.’
He added that live music in the UK is far worse off for funding and investment than in Europe, so needs to be nurtured from within the industry.
Last year the PRS for Music-produced report Adding Up the Industry found that live music revenue reached a record £1.6bn in 2011 - a substantial increase from 2010's total of £1.4bn.
Festivals and arena concerts were the most significant areas in the live music industry, each accounting for around 25 percent of the market.
Inglis drew on these figures, arguing that it was difficult to measure the industry: ‘What drives me up the wall is the term “the live music industry”. We don’t qualify what we mean by that. You can’t lump the tiny Glasgow venue Nice n Sleazy’s in with Wembley Arena. They are completely different businesses within the same industry.’
The three-day MusicTank course, called Get Plugged In: Live Music, Promotion and Venue Management, provides industry context and essential learning for DIY artists, small venue operators, promoters, booking agents and tour managers.
Guest speakers include Ross Allmark (Old Blue Last, Birthdays), Sofia Hagberg (End of the Road Festival), Dave Newton (founder of WeGotTickets), Mark Muggeridge (proprietor of Evil Genius Media) and Ruth Barlow (Beggars Group).
The introductory session was held on 29 January and two more will follow in February. As well as defining the live industry, the first session also considered the ways artists get paid for performing in the UK and how venues can adapt to cope and survive in the economic crisis.
MusicTank is a University of Westminster initiative. For more information, visit http://www.musictank.co.uk/
‘You keep hearing how live music is booming but it isn’t. While it might be in some ways, it isn’t across the board. There is virtually no downward investment. I think the bigwigs should help smaller venues because they nurture the bands they’ll be putting on in five years.’
He added that live music in the UK is far worse off for funding and investment than in Europe, so needs to be nurtured from within the industry.
Last year the PRS for Music-produced report Adding Up the Industry found that live music revenue reached a record £1.6bn in 2011 - a substantial increase from 2010's total of £1.4bn.
Festivals and arena concerts were the most significant areas in the live music industry, each accounting for around 25 percent of the market.
Inglis drew on these figures, arguing that it was difficult to measure the industry: ‘What drives me up the wall is the term “the live music industry”. We don’t qualify what we mean by that. You can’t lump the tiny Glasgow venue Nice n Sleazy’s in with Wembley Arena. They are completely different businesses within the same industry.’
The three-day MusicTank course, called Get Plugged In: Live Music, Promotion and Venue Management, provides industry context and essential learning for DIY artists, small venue operators, promoters, booking agents and tour managers.
Guest speakers include Ross Allmark (Old Blue Last, Birthdays), Sofia Hagberg (End of the Road Festival), Dave Newton (founder of WeGotTickets), Mark Muggeridge (proprietor of Evil Genius Media) and Ruth Barlow (Beggars Group).
The introductory session was held on 29 January and two more will follow in February. As well as defining the live industry, the first session also considered the ways artists get paid for performing in the UK and how venues can adapt to cope and survive in the economic crisis.
MusicTank is a University of Westminster initiative. For more information, visit http://www.musictank.co.uk/
