Music for the many
Bulletin 03: 27th January 2025
Short one this week!
As I said on Friday, this bulletin is smaller than normal as I’m working on the first big feature for the newsletter due to drop into your inboxes on Wednesday (though don’t hold me to that!)
In the coming weeks I will try unpick what went on over the Climate and Nature Bill in Parliament last Friday (by popular request)! In the meantime it’s time for our special first guest writer!
It’s Independent Venues Week, and so I’ve asked Samuel Sweek from Peace & Justice Project’s Music for the Many campaign to write about their plans for the week and how you can get involved!
Independent Venues Week: How the government can support grassroots music venues and why it absolutely must
Words by Samuel Sweek
This week is Independent Venue Week, an annual celebration of independent music venues, their contributions to local and national economies, and the part they play in shaping Britain’s artistic landscape.
Grassroots music venues up and down the country participate by hosting concerts, showcasing local talent and demonstrating their enormous value to our communities. This value, of course, exists all year round and that is why the government must act now to secure the long-term and sustainable future of these much-loved creative spaces.
Last year, record numbers continued to experience live music in the UK, with nearly 20 million audience visits to gigs of all genres. From the Scottish Highlands to the English South coast and all the cities in between, the heart of British music is truly beating but we have now reached something that is beyond a murmur of uncertainty.
In 2023, 16% of Britain’s grassroots music venues shut their doors for good - a rate of two a week. A devastating loss that cost thousands of jobs and tremendous benefit to the local communities they served. Others, whilst still operating, remain perilously close to succumbing to the unsustainability of the untreated decay of our live music scene.
With unaffordable rent, soaring energy costs and punishing business rates, along with well over a decade of parliamentary inaction, most grassroots music venues have become vulnerable to the plague of financial unviability and, unless the government acts now, the loss of more grassroots music venues becomes inevitable.
But there is hope — and the Peace & Justice Project’s Music For The Many campaign is committed to turning that it into stunning reality.
In May the House of Commons’ Culture, Media & Sport committee published a report on the issues faced by our dwindling grassroots music sector and recommended a small ticket levy be placed on the large arena and stadium shows – with the funds raised administered by an organisation such as Music Venues Trust.
This was a key campaign demand and the government has signalled that they will seriously consider the report recommendations. We celebrate this as a significant milestone in the campaign but, until adopting a ticket levy to save grassroots music venues is legislated, we will continue our work in protecting, promoting and fighting for the future of British music.
Throughout Independent Venue Week, the Peace & Justice Project will be making several exciting campaign announcements, including the launch of a new interview series called MFTMtv, which will feature exciting interviews and performances from the hottest up-and-coming artists, as well as our founder Jeremy Corbyn — recorded at grassroots music venues up and down the country.
We will also be handing in our petition to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, demanding they act now to save British music by introducing a ticket levy on large arena and stadium concerts, paid for by the corporate sponsors profiteering from our arts and culture. There’s still time to add your name and send a powerful message to the government that we refuse to let our music venues die!
Closing out the IVW celebrations, Music For The Many is hosting a very special gig at London’s 100 Club, Britain’s oldest operating music venue, featuring The Menstrual Cramps and special guest Generation Feral, as well as an appearance from Jeremy Corbyn and more.
Tickets are on sale now and available on DICE.
Listings:
Monday 26th January - Sunday 2nd February
Independent Venues Week
The Music For The Many campaign, organised by Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace & Justice Project, has been fighting to promote and protect grassroots music venues.
They will be amplifying their campaign demands throughout IVW with the launch of a brand new live interview series and a concert at London’s 100 Club on Sunday 2 February featuring The Menstrual Cramps and special guests, including Jeremy Corbyn.
Tuesday 28 January
Peace & Justice Project presents: MFTMtv - a Music For The Many series (Filmed at Next Door Records 2, Stoke Newington, London, watch live or on catchup on Youtube.)
Sunday 2 February
Independent Venue Week 2025: The Menstrual Cramps (The 100 Club, London)
Monday 27th January
Dudley: Lynnlanes plea hearing,9:30am- 1:30pm, DY1 1RY
Stafford: Shenstone van 4 sentencing, 9:30am - 1:30pm, ST16 2QQ
Palestine Action say, “Support actionists who disrupt Israel's military supply chain as they fight to prove in court that the war criminals are the only guilty party.
Show up to their court hearings and make it clear that we are all Palestine Action!”
Wednesday 29th January
Westminster: Scotia bank 10 hearing, 2pm - 4:30pm, NW1 5BR
Palestine Action say, “Support actionists who disrupt Israel's military supply chain as they fight to prove in court that the war criminals are the only guilty party.
Show up to their court hearings and make it clear that we are all Palestine Action!”
London: Lord Walney 16 Appeal, 9am, WC2A 2LL
Defend our juries says, “Free Political Prisoners is a UK solidarity movement to call for an end to corporate interests infiltrating UK lawmaking. Britain is leading the way on the silencing and jailing of peaceful protesters.
On January 29 & 30, The ‘Lord’ Walney 16 face an appeal against the extreme sentences handed to them due to corruption in UK lawmaking. The 16 Political Prisoners were imprisoned for campaigning with Just Stop Oil.
The outcome of this appeal sets a precedent for freedom of expression in the UK. This appeal affects everyone.
Events start at 9am on Jan 29th & 30th at the Royal Courts of Justice.
Thursday 30th January
Taunton: Somerset 4 hearing, 9:30am - 1:30pm, TA1 4AX
Palestine Action say, “Support actionists who disrupt Israel's military supply chain as they fight to prove in court that the war criminals are the only guilty party.
Show up to their court hearings and make it clear that we are all Palestine Action!”
Friday 31st January
Manchester: Ferranti 2 sentencing, 9:30am - 1:30pm, M1 3FS
Palestine Action say, “Support actionists who disrupt Israel's military supply chain as they fight to prove in court that the war criminals are the only guilty party.
Show up to their court hearings and make it clear that we are all Palestine Action!”
Saturday 1st February
London: National Demonstration to stop the far right, 11:30am, SW1A
Stand up to Racism say, “Assembly point for national demo against fascist Tommy Robinson. Sat 1 Feb 📍St James’s Street (off Piccadilly), London
Robinson is calling the far right to spread racism and hate on the streets of London. They must be stopped. Join us in our unity and numbers to say the far right won’t divide us.”
Dates for your diary:
Saturday 8th February
London: Stand up for the Miners fundraiser night, W1D 1LL
Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners say, “The Durham miners are coming to London for an evening of comedy and politics marking the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike – and you’re invited!
We’ll be at the legendary Oxford Street venue The 100 Club on Saturday 8 February (7pm – 10.30pm) raising funds for the Durham Miners’ Gala. Our line up of comedians are the fantastic: Ian Stone; Steve Gribbin; Don Biswas; and Jen Ives, with Andrew O'Neill our host and compere.
The evening will also feature a special conversation with trade union leaders and ex-miners about the legacy of the Miners Strike 40 years on.All proceeds will go to the Marras – Friends of Durham Miners Gala.”
Buy your tickets here.
Nottingham: No Transphobia in Nottingham, 12:30pm
Nottingham Against Transphobia say, “Kellie Jay Keen (AKA Posie Parker), that shouty career Transphobe has decided to return to Nottingham next month.
It's been years since Transphobes have dared to stir the pot in Nottingham and we're not going to let it happen again. It's time for us to organise the BIGGEST COUNTER PROTEST we've ever had ✊🏳️⚧️
Nottingham Against Transphobia was formed when this bigot decided to come along to the city 3 years again. Indirectly, she's caused Nottingham to be a hotbed of trans campaigning. Since then we have grown immeasurably... But we still need your help!
Bring placades, bring your voice, bring your passion but most importantly... bring your friends. We know we can massively outnumber these sad little TERFs. Share this with everyone you know. Share this with everyone you DON'T know too! 🥰
We will aim to gather at Speakers Corner but will issue updates later to the time if we know their event is happening elsewhere.
Join us, and let's banish this woman from our lives once and for all!”
Thursday 27th February
Manchester: Solidarity forever — 40 years of LGSM, 6pm- 9pm, M3 3ER
Host Jamiee Star says, “I am SO excited to be hosting a Q&A with Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) legends Mike Jackson and Jonathan Blake at @phmmcr this @lgbthistorymonth! Solidarity Forever is a special ticketed event taking place 6pm-9pm Feb 27th to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1984-85 Miners' Strike and the founding of LGSM. Tickets are going fast, so grab yours through the link in my bio!
Join us to discuss the importance of solidarity campaigns between communities, memories of the strike, the legacy of LGSM and what impact their campaign had on the progression of LGBTQ+ rights in the UK.
On the night you can also visit the galleries to see the original LGSM banner in our 2025 Banner Hang, and for the first time at PHM, see LGSM's travelling exhibition which was created to continue fundraising to support mining families after the strike.
Don't miss this chance to hear about this pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history from the incredible activists who made it happen, and to ask them your questions!”
Tuesday 11th March
London: Support immigration raid resistance, TBC
In May last year, as the Conservatives ramped up rhetoric around the Rwanda plan they announced they would begin ‘rounding up’ those who might potentially be on the flights. A stunning community response in Peckham saw hundreds come down to block the coaches and declare that refugees are welcome here.
The coaches did not go that day. Those at risk of being offshored in the evil Rwanda plan stayed put in the community where they’d started to develop support networks, friends etc. Many brave members of the community (allegedly) sat in the road to block the coaches and were arrested. There have been a number of court dates already for those accused, with most being acquitted. There are still a number of future court dates, one of which is on 11th March.
In the coming weeks, I’ll write more about the stunning community resistance on that day, but for now, save the date for a rally outside the court (details TBC) in support of those who stood up that day and refused to be complicit in the horrors of the immigration system.
Thanks so much for reading. As ever if you would like your event, protest, fundraiser etc. included here or if you have any tips, press releases or save the dates please do drop me a line!
Hope to see you all on the streets!
ben x