SCOTTISH artists are uniting once again in the fight to save music venues across the country.
A raft of major acts have committed their voice to the cause as vital grassroots music venues face closure as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown.
Earlier this week, Music Venue Trust (MVT) confirmed the line-up for the #SaveOurScottishVenues virtual festival, taking place on Friday, June 19, across three "stages" and streamed on livefrom.events.
The festival will feature recorded performances by the likes of KT Tunstall, The Xcerts, Hunter & the Bear, Wet Wet Wet, Be Charlotte, Fatherson, Luke La Volpe, Hue & Cry, Honeyblood and Anchor Lane.
Host Vic Galloway will also be talking to musicians and venue reps to highlight the synergy between these venues and the artists whose careers they help develop.
The weekend will start on Thursday, June 18, at 8pm with a free-to-view performance from Travis frontman Fran Healy.
Filmed on a hillside overlooking Los Angeles, this special acoustic performance will be streamed on Facebook.
Organisers have also confirmed ticket prices for the event.
- £5 – to watch the festival live, in real-time, on Friday, June 19, at 8pm
- £8 – to watch the festival live and on catch up from Saturday, June 20, 10am until Sunday, June 21, at 10pm. Viewers watching on catch up will be able to watch all three stages
Viewers will be able to donate to the Scottish national fundraiser page or to venue’s individual fundraising pages.
Speaking about the festival, Bathgate musician Luke la Volpe said: “It’s absolutely vital that we support grassroots venues at the moment...They've all had the rug pulled from under them by this whole terrible situation and the longer it goes on the harder it is for them to survive with no money coming in.
"The team at Music Venue Trust is working incredibly hard to support them and I’m really happy to be part of Save Our Scottish Venues alongside all these legends.
"Every single successful musician has been given a hand up by grassroots venues putting them on in front of people who love discovering new music. It’s time to give them a hand in return so every single venue can make it through this incredibly tough period and get the doors open again as soon as possible.”
The #saveourvenues campaign was initiated by Music Venue Trust in response to the continued economic threat to over 500 grassroots music venues throughout the UK.
As a result of donations from music fans, music industry companies and other organisations, alongside important interventions from public bodies such as The London Mayor’s Office, Creative Wales and Arts Council England 207 grassroots music venues are now protected from imminent closure.
However, even as the lockdown eases, the future of these venues remains bleak with only 3 per cent of venues able to open under the proposed two-metre distancing rules.
Beverley Whitrick, strategic director at Music Venue Trust, added: “There are over 60 Scottish members of the Music Venues Alliance, each of which is essential to the music ecosystem as social, economic and cultural hubs within their communities.
"The love that artists have for these spaces and the people who run them is clear from everyone stepping forward to help raise money to support venues through the crisis. Please enjoy these events and donate what you can to help.”
The Scottish grassroots music venues that will benefit from ticket sales and donations include:
Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/sneaks-saveourvenues
The Tooth & Claw, Inverness
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/thetoothandclaw
The View, Oban
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savetheviewoban
PJ Molloys, Dunfermline
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/pjmolloys
Temple Falkirk, Falkirk
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savetemplefalkirk
The Bungalow, Paisley
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/df729995740b5a49eaf16da54206118c
The Glad Cafe, Glasgow
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/saveourvenuesglad
Church Dundee, Dundee
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savechurchdundee
Audio, Glasgow
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/saveaudioglasgow
Slay, Glasgow
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/saveslayglasgow
Ivory Blacks, Glasgow
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ivorys-saveourvenues
Leith Depot, Edinburgh
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/leith-depot
Henry's Cellar Bar, Edinburgh
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savehcb
Summerhall, Edinburgh
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savesummerhall
Bannermans, Edinburgh
- https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/bannermansliveedinburgh
The Bongo Club, Edinburgh
- https://www.facebook.com/TheBongoClubEdinburgh/
Mac Arts, Galashiels
- https://crowdfunder.co.uk/savemacarts
For more information on the #saveourvenues and #saveourscottishvenues campaign visit www.saveourvenues.co.uk
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