Music Venue Trust shares graphic highlighting grassroots venues’ importance to Reading & Leeds 2024 line-up
A similar mock-up has also been shared for this year's Glastonbury line-up, detailing how few stars on the bill haven't cut their teeth at small venues.
The Music Venue Trust has shared a graphic highlighting grassroots venues’ importance to this year’s Reading & Leeds festivals line-up.
The dual August bank holiday festivals will be headlined by the likes of Liam Gallagher, Lana Del Rey, Fred again.. and Blink-182.
The new graphic shows the line-up minus all the acts who started their career playing in grassroots venues. For Reading & Leeds 2024, no headliners remain and only four acts appear on the entire line-up.
The MVT said: “Today’s festival headliners can only sell thousands of tickets because of the essential role played by these venues in their development.
“Nurtured in grassroots music venues, they built their audiences from tens to hundreds, laying the foundation for their success on the grand stages of festivals like Reading & Leeds.”
See the line-up below, alongside a similar one for this year’s Glastonbury bill.
The live music sector has hit further struggles this year. The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has painted a grim picture of the future of grassroots venues, revealing that 31 per cent of nightclubs in the UK have been forced to close since the pandemic.
Bath institution Moles also recently shut its doors after 45 years due to struggles related to the cost of living crisis, while London’s Bush Hall have launched a crowdfunder campaign to try and secure their future as a live music venue.
Last week though, it was revealed that Manchester’s Night & Day Cafe will be allowed to continue operating as a music venue and nightclub.
The grassroots venue was threatened with closure in 2021 after being handed a Noise Abatement Notice following complaints from a nearby resident. A petition was then launched to support the venue against closure, which received support from Johnny Marr, New Order, Mogwai and more.