Do you support live music? Then sign this petition now!
| Posted in Music Technology
Live music is close to all of our hearts here at DV247, not least because most of us are gigging musicians. That’s why when the 2003 Licensing Act came into law, effectively criminalising live music in venues not able to invest in costly licenses, we were appalled.
As UK law stands, if you’re a solo performer playing a guitar, a keyboard or any other musical instrument in a bar, a restaurant, a school or even a hospital that can’t afford to buy the correct license, then both you and the venue are committing a crime.
We believe that it’s a ridiculous law that has to change, and thankfully a growing movement is now underway aiming to achieve exactly that. What’s more, you can join in by signing an online petition on the Downing Street website, adding your support to a list of 10,000 signatories including Lord Clement-Jones, Fabian Hamilton MP, Chris Huhne MP, Jenny Willott MP, Don Foster MP and one-time Undertones frontman Feargal Sharkey.
However as necessary as this change might seem to those of us who care about live music, the Government clearly doesn’t agree. As recently as May of this year, the Department of Culture Media and Sport recommended a change to the law that would have exempted venues with a capacity of up to 200 people from the Licensing Act, including a provision for acoustic performances by one or two musicians. Faced with a simple way of making it far easier to play live music in the UK, the Government flatly refused.
As a result, it’s never been more crucial to show your support for this amendment of the law. We here at DV247 have already signed up. To do the same, follow this link and add your name to the tens of thousands who want to see a change: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/
According to the petition, the proposed changes would “restore some fairness in the regulation of live music and encourage grassroots venues”. Is there any better cause for musicians to support?
About Barney Jameson
A contributor, editor and in some cases creator of more music and pro audio magazines than he cares to remember, Barney Jameson is a veteran of writing about gear, and a pretty keen singer songwriter to boot.
Having started his musical education reading old copies of the Melody Maker while riding the tube to University in the mid-nineties, Barney once sang in a band called Sugarstone, troubling record company chequebooks not quite enough to make it a career option. Instead, he achieved his goal of starting a music magazine of his own when he founded Playmusic in the early noughties. Later on, having exploited VIP access to as many festivals as possible, he wrote about the pro audio industry throughout Europe and the Middle East, travelling to far-flung destinations such as Dubai, Doha and Muscat (nice mountains).
As the latest addition to the DV247 team, Barney has big plans. But when he’s not plotting online domination of the musical instrument world, he keeps himself busy writing songs on a battered old acoustic guitar and playing them to audiences in his home town.
Tags: Government, Guitars, keyboard, live music, performance, petition, pianos
Nightlife is important! Let’s keep it alive in London and all over the world… build elsewhere, please!!
Jesse Rhodes
you cant beat live music
Gaz