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Issue 40 June 2010 £4.75
More money in live music than recordings By Christina Eccles THE outdoor event industry is leading a new trend which has seen revenue generated from live music overtake the amount of money made from recordings, figures have revealed. New research released by PRS for Music showed live music revenue was up by four per cent in 2009 – beating recorded for the second year running. Last year, consumers spent £1.45bn on live music – up from 1.39bn in 2008 – with festivals counting for 19 per cent of that and stadium gigs 11 per cent. And according to PRS for Music economist Chris Carey, festival organisers should be proud of the role their events play. He said: “Festivals are the fastest growing segment so they have contributed considerably. Arguably, festivals are the most valuable part of the live music industry. “They have been successful from the fact they haven’t overcharged and have managed their growth sensibly. “Pricing is important and credit is due to the industry as ticket prices have not gone up massively – promoters have been savvy.” Chris also revealed what organisers
should be doing to capitalise on the success of their events in 2009 and to make sure the trend continues this year. He added: “I think there is a good opportunity for organisers. There are a lot of good new bands coming through and it’s important for festivals not to just focus on big names. “They should be keeping an eye on what’s out there as they can really make a difference to small acts.” He added that although the market is growing, events shouldn’t be too worried about their competition as they are being split by genre and location – meaning that if organisers are savvy, there can be room for everyone. “Some events have a premium offer with corporate hospitality and value added services – that customer segmentation will always help grow the market. “Supply has been growing gently and gradually. Festivals have kept growing but organisers have managed the scale without flooding the market, which is a delicate balance.” However, he said although the trend is expected to continue, having a World Cup this summer plus the fact there aren’t as many big stadium gigs taking place this year may impact on 2010 figures.
New report on crowd safety
A festival in the Midlands has partnered with a European event as part of the Association of Independent Festivals’ twinning project. Summer Sundae in Leicester joined forces with Bergenfest in Norway after organiser Rob Challice (pictured) felt the two events were a good match. He explained: “There are a lot of independent festivals and when you run one, you are always looking at what your contemporaries do. It can be very lonely running your own project and assistance and advice can prove invaluable.”
A NEW report identifying areas of good practice in crowd safety has been published by the Health and Safety Executive. The HSE commissioned Buckinghamshire New University to undertake the research into the management of crowd safety at unusual and outdoor street events. Four events from around the country formed the basis of the study – including Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and the Notting Hill Carnival. The aim was to gather information at the events to identify areas of good practice, which was collected by indepth interviews, questionnaires and photographic evidence. Researchers looked at areas including communications, first aid and transport and the findings were then drawn together to produce a good practice checklist for crowd safety. The research will now be considered in a wider project to revise the existing Events Safety Guide. The Main Event is the official magazine of the National Outdoor Events Association