This month ’ s catch up …
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Festival Republic MD Melvin Benn said he is looking to organise a second greenfield test event , without social distancing , as part of the Government ’ s Events Research Programme ( ERP ).
Benn ’ s company oversaw a 5,000-capacity concert in Liverpool ’ s Sefton Park on 2 May , that has been hailed by culture minister Caroline Dinenage as a milestone on the path to the return of full-capacity live events .
Along with Festival Republic , other live music industry operators to help stage the Sefton Park pilot event were Isle of Wight Festival director Caroline Giddings , who oversaw testing for media and guests . Also involved in the event were DF Concerts and SJM .
Benn said nothing had yet been confirmed but he is “ working hard ” to stage a second greenfield ERP event
On 11 May , The BRIT Awards at London ’ s O2 Arena will welcome 4,500 guests , without social distancing , as part of the ERP . Some 2,500 of those invited to attend the event will be key workers and their guests .
73 % of music fans have bought tickets for shows since March
More than 50 % of music fans would attend a live show right now , while 73 % have purchased gig and festival tickets since March , according to a survey of 25,000 fans carried out in April by UK live music industry umbrella organisation LIVE .
While more than half of respondents said they would jump at the chance of attending a live show straight away , if they could , a further 25 % said they are ready to attend once they feel the right mitigations are in place . However , 41 % of respondents said they would be put off attending an event if they had to wear a face mask .
Among the other key findings were that 75 % of those who responded would be happy with the idea of Covid certification to attend an event . By July , 63 % of respondents will have attended a show . Of the 27 % of music fans yet to purchase a ticket , one third of them said they just hadn ’ t seen something they wanted to go to yet .
Another encouraging finding was that 85 % of fans are planning on attending either the same or a higher numbers of live music events , when they re-open , than before the pandemic . Some 64 % of respondents stated that attending live music events boosts their mental health .
Wolverhampton to host Relight Festival
As part of City of Wolverhampton Council ’ s recently announced five-year events strategy , it is planning to set up a “ festival-scale ” big top in West Park that will host an array of entertainment for two weeks in August .
The plans for its Relight Festival are part of the council ’ s Relighting Our City strategy to make Wolverhampton an events city .
The five-year plan will kick off in earnest next year when the city will stage the start and finish of the Commonwealth Games road cycling time trials , the British Art Show 9 and the inaugural Creation Day Festival . It will also see the re-opening of the Civic and Wulfrun Halls .
The Council said the festival will involve a programme of varied content , which will appeal to a wide cross-section : “ This will include householdname comedians , music , arts and cultural activities and children ’ s shows .”
City of Wolverhampton Council director of city environment Ross Cook , who is lead director for the council on events , said the big top will have a capacity of up to 2,000 people , or 500 depending on Covid-related restrictions .
Cook said , “ We ’ ve all been through the most horrendous year . The Relighting Our City priority is about stimulating vibrancy and bringing people back out .”
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