While London's 02 arena has been named the most popular music venue in the world for the fourth consecutive year, fringe venues up and down the country are being threatened with closure.
Birmingham - The Rainbox & The Spotted Dog both face an un-certain future
Brighton - Freebut, closed down because it encountered problems with noise restrictions
Cardiff - The Point was forced to close in 2009
London - Luminaire, north of the city, is no more. The Ministry of Sound is fighting a battle to stop a new residential development being built nearby which, it says, could spell the end for the club after nearly two decades. The 100 Club on London's Oxford Street has only just been saved, after a high-profile campaign supported by Sir Paul McCartney and Ronnie Wood
Leicester - The Charlotte has shut its doors.
Manchester - Has lost both Jilly's Rockworld and the Music Box
Sheffield - Over the last year The Boardwalk, The Shakespeare and The Stock Room have all gone dark.
For lovers of live music, no matter which genre, any others we should know of ?
If the lovers of live music were so keen, the venues would still be open due to demand. Maybe fewer people enjoy live music nowadays. Unless the venues have priced themselves out of the market - after all, live music venues do still exist.
Is this thread just meant to be a list of closed venues then?
Freckle,
sorry a list based on local knowledge would be useful.
However I'm less sure that many of the venues have actually priced themselves out of the market given the current legislation, "under section 79(1)(g) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities have a duty to take reasonably practicable steps to investigate complaints of 'noise emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance".
Therefore if there were a thousand residents, if one person wants to press a complaint - it needn't be about noise - that would be sufficient to be classed as a nuisance and potentially a venue could be forced to close. This is irrespective as to whether lovers of live music were attending and they were popular & well supported venues.
JB's in Dudley closed it's doors for the final time in early January 2011. A massive loss to the Black Country live music scene. It was the longest running live venue in the UK having been putting on bands for over 40 years. It played host to everybody from local tribute bands to Robert Plant.
It was one of my favourite venues and I'm sad to see it gone. I had so many great nights there.
RIP JB's.
It may well be down to simple economics !!!
The size of the venue dictates how many folk can get in, the cost of the band/artist has to be paid out of that number.
Very few of the old type venues can afford the big names.
Most big name concerts these days are in sports grounds, as its the only way the promotor can make a profit.
Our local has live bands every weekend, but at £8-£10 to get in, unless its a band you actually enjoy its an expensive night out.
10 Years ago most local clubs had live caberet every FRI/SAT/SUN.
These days its once a week if your lucky.
Most of the pubs/bars dont even bother, as its far to expensive compared to a "DJ" with his laptop.
People do like live music, but dont like the cost. I.M.O.
Conversely the new Leeds arena will be opened in 2012/13 and I cannot wait as I quite simply adore listening to and watching live bands, whether in small or large venues. Leeds has most certainly lacked a decent sized venue to attract major bands for a number of years now. However I do believe this may adversly impact the Motorpoint arena in Sheffield unfortunately.
Birmingham has a great little venue hosting tribute bands, open mic nights and unsigned bands.
The Roadhouse in Kings norton / Stirchley.
Would recommend
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