Live Music and Recession in the UK

Credit Crunch, UK recession, Negative Equity…whatever they really mean, they seem to have definitely affected the number of bookings we are receiving and the number of bookings musicians are receiving. I received 20 calls this week from musicians hunting for gigs. I have received an email from very high profile function bands looking for more gigs.The work has not dried up completely but there is certainly a lot less of it. So will this last forever, the law of nature says it wont as everything it will improve at some point, but a which point?I once attended a conference about 10 years ago and I remember the record sales had actually gone up during the recession. What about live music bookings for semi professional musicians? Let’s leave the big names out, they are recession proof…Other than the big wedding Saturdays in summer (May, June, July & August), it looks pretty quiet for many bands and ensembles. Established bands who had decided last year not to go out of town anymore are now saying they don’t mind.I should be busy dealing with new enquiries but am posting a blog post!That’s how it is this Friday morning, a bit of gloom in London. Then again London has never really been as busy as presumed by everyone with live music. Luckily for a handful of jazz singers, they are finding their way to Asia www.musicforasia.com where they are decently paid, loved an revered. They are enjoying their gigs. 6 nights a week and being pampered in five star hotels.The bit that really makes it difficult to get more artistes to perform is the cost of flights and local taxes in these countries; otherwise there would be more performance opportunities.