Watford Borough Council has appointed venue operator and concert promoter, AEG Presents, to run the Watford Colosseum. The 2,000-capacity venue is set to reopen in the English town in 2024 following an extensive programme of improvements and refurbishment. AEG was top of the pile after a rigorous procurement process to find a new operator for …
Preston City Council supports Music Venue Trust’s ‘Own Our Venues’ scheme with loan
Music Venue Trust (MVT) has received a boost to its fundraising campaign from Preston City Council, in a bid to save grassroots music venue The Ferret. The council has provided a £150,000 (€170,000/$180,000) loan to MVT’s ‘Own Our Venues’ campaign, with the fundraiser set to close on March 30. The charity is calling on other …
Claims of not enough medical staff at O2 Academy Brixton crush
Only half the recommended number of medical staff were on duty on the night of the crowd crush at the O2 Academy Brixton, according to a report from the BBC. Two people died as a result of a crowd crush at a gig from Afrobeats artist Asake in December. According to the report from the …
Music Venue Trust reveals latest Pipeline Investment Fund recipients
Music Venue Trust (MVT) has revealed its third round of recipients for its Pipeline Investment Fund, which provides grants to grassroots music venues in the UK. The charity has announced that a further 13 venues will benefit from grants of up to £5,000 (€5,700/$6,000) to help with projects and improvements including lighting, sound, CCTV, air …
AEG Europe calls on Government to block MSG Sphere London plan
AEG Europe, owner of The O2, has called on the UK Government to permanently block the proposed MSG Sphere in London after Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove indicated that he is preparing to call in the planning decision. In AEG’s latest attempt at preventing the construction of the MSG Entertainment venue in the UK’s capital …
Dice partners with new Liverpool venue Content
Live event discovery platform and independent music ticketing company, Dice, has launched in the UK city of Liverpool as the ticketing partner for Content, a new venue in the Cains Brewery Village. Content is a purpose-built events space and has been constructed from sustainable, repurposed materials including shipping containers. The venue boasts partitioning and …
AXS extends partnership with Dreamland Margate
Dreamland Margate (pictured), a family-focused attraction and entertainment centre on England’s southeast coast, has announced a new deal with AXS. The multi-year partnership will see the ticketing company continue to provide its services for all events across the attraction complex. Dreamland Margate reopened in 2015 and expanded in 2017, and in addition to the amusement …
The Killers to open new Omaha venue
The Killers are the headline act that will open the new Steelhouse Omaha venue this May with tickets going on sale this week. The Omaha Performing Arts venue will feature mid-sized concerts for audiences between 1,500 and 3,300 people. The $104m venue in the US state of Nebraska has been developed by Ennead Architects, Holland …
U2 announce Las Vegas residency at the MSG Sphere
Irish rock band U2 have announced a Las Vegas residency which will take place at the new MSG Sphere at the Venetian, which is set to open this year. Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere will begin this autumn, but exact dates have not yet been revealed. The band shared a trailer during last night …
Grassroots music venues continue to feel the strain
Grassroots music venues in the UK have said that the mix of the cost-of-living crisis, Brexit and cancelled shows have created a ‘perfect storm’. Talking to NME, Gareth Barber, owner, promoter and a band manager at Esquires in Bedford, said: “COVID’s not gone away, everyone’s feeling the pinch, there’s a cost of living crisis and …