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All eyes have been on the music industry this week after the scramble to secure Oasis tickets saw a huge surge in prices.

Labour has promised to look at so-called dynamic pricing as part of a consultation to create a fairer system, pledging to “put fans back at the heart of music”.

But people across the sector are hoping they don’t stop there and the new government takes a keener interest in an industry that, according to UK Music, contributes £6.7bn to the economy and employs more than 210,000 people.

We speak to a range of industry figures about the challenges they are facing and what they want to see now Labour are in power.

‘Festivals can’t make ends meet’

Rachael Greenfield is the festival director of Bloodstock, an annual rock and metal event in Derbyshire that is family run and sees around 20,000 gather in a field each summer.

But as an independent festival that is only a fraction of the size of the likes of Glastonbury, it has been hit harder by a range of issues impacting the wider music industry.

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“Running a festival is always a huge challenge anyway, because you have got to know your market… and getting the right line up for any festival is tough enough,” she said.

“But then 2020 hit. We were facing Brexit, which while we knew it was coming, created its challenges with bands coming into the UK – it is not as attractive as it is to do tours in Europe now, so that has increased costs to get certain bands that we really want to play.

“And then we got the pandemic, which obviously wiped the floor with the entire events sector. So many festivals fell away, but we only held on by the skin of our teeth.”

Rachael Greenfield (r) and her sister Vicky Hungerford are directors of the family affair that is Bloodstock festival. Pic: Bloodstock
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Rachael Greenfield (r) and her sister Vicky Hungerford are directors of the family affair that is Bloodstock festival Pic: Bloodstock

Rachel praised the previous government’s Cultural Recovery Fund during COVID, saying it saved the event. But that only got them through the worst patch, and it will take at least another five years to recover completely.

Alongside the Association of Independent Festivals, Bloodstock is petitioning the government to give the events side of the industry a 5% VAT break on ticket income for three years to “allow us to breathe, regroup and basically get us onto solid footing and stop these festivals falling by the wayside literally every other day because they cant make ends meet.”

Rachel adds: “Ticket companies are seeing all these festivals going out of business and are becoming very nervous and withholding funds – all the ticket income – until post-festival.

“Well, if you are a huge corporate festival, that’s not such an issue, but when you are a small independent, if you have 70% of your entire festival’s operational costs in advance, you rely on that income or a proportion of it to see you through that year.

“With no ticket income, where you have already gone two years where you haemorrhaged so much money, there is only so long you can go before you say, look I can’t do this anymore.”

‘Nobody can afford rising rates’

Music venues across the country, especially at the grassroots level where every artist and band starts out, are also under growing pressure.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) said at least two closed every week in 2023, with 125 shutting their doors across the year.

And of those that remained open, 38% reported making a financial loss.

Ali and Matt Barnwell, owners of The Fighting Cocks live music venue in Kingston-Upon-Thames, are among those struggling to make ends meet.

“At the top level it’s making enough to pay the bills,” says Matt, who works on the issues of profitability for the MVT. “That’s driven by cost of labour and cost of entertainment, often fixed costs which are therefore disproportionately felt by smaller venues like ours.

“The pub side of the business is much easier to scale and far more flexible based on trade, but the barrier to entry on the live music side is so much higher.”

The Fighting Cocks pub and music venue in Kingston upon Thames. Pic: Ali Barnwell
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The Fighting Cocks has been offering live music since the 1930s, but is struggling to make ends meet Pic: Ali Barnwell

The key appeal to the government for him is ensuring business rates don’t rise again.

“Absolutely nobody can afford for these to go back up,” he added. “Alongside this, easier access to grants and funds to support venue management and industry development.”

Ali also said the wider cost of living crisis was hitting them hard, and more support for gig goers at home would help the industry too.

“Fewer people are coming to live shows across the board and getting people to buy tickets in advance is a much bigger challenge than it once was,” she said.

“We’ve also seen the volume of no-shows to gigs climbing. Generally we’re seeing people not wanting to plan in advance or stick to those plans even if they do.”

‘Nobody goes from their bedroom to playing Wembley’

Sarah Pearson, co-founder of the Beyond The Music conference – something she describes as “a democratic version of Davos for the music industry” – says the sector in the UK is too “top heavy”, with the likes of Ali and Mat suffering.

“It is a growth economy at the top for a few, and it isn’t working for the rest of us as an economic model,” she said. “That needs urgent solutions and there does not seem to be much urgency.

“For example, artists who have record deals or who are trying to become bigger and get better at their art don’t have anywhere to play because the grassroots music venues have closed.

“But also acts aren’t playing out as much as they can’t afford to. Costs have gone up, so promoters can only afford to put on gigs that will definitely sell.

“And actually, when you are growing, you need to be able to play to five or six people to get better and to grow your audience.”

Read more:
Inside Britain’s music festival crisis
Why have concert ticket prices gone crazy?
‘Every barrier in the world went up overnight’

The Fighting Cocks’ Ali agrees, adding: “It’s about appreciating the role grassroots venues play in the wider music ecosystem.

“The Music Venue’s Trust have been doing a great job of showcasing how venues like ours act as the research and development for the industry as a whole.

“Nobody goes from their bedroom to playing Wembley. There’s huge amounts of money at that top level and so little of it for those of us taking the risks on a band’s first show.”

For Beyond The Music’s Sarah, she says there is a call across the industry for more investment from large music companies into the grassroots to then be matched by the government.

“Basically it would reflect the Football Foundation, where the Premier League clubs invest in the grassroots, and the idea is the same would happen in music,” she said.

“We could create a growth plan that was really exciting for grassroots from those who deservedly earn a lot of money from music.”

‘Music is Britain’s contribution to the world’

British punk and folk singer Frank Turner has long campaigned for grassroots music venues to ensure the future of the industry thrives in the UK.

But he also wants more help for the artists themselves.

“I fell in love with rock music as a kid – Iron Maiden, to be precise – and I immediately wanted to participate,” he told Sky News. “It took me a long time to work out what that would realistically consist of as a career, and I was helped on my way by Black Flag and punk rock, but the desire was there from the start.

“But making a living is hard. The margins on recorded music have completely collapsed in the last 20 years or so, and they’re getting thinner on touring as well.”

Musician Frank Turner. Pic: Shannon Shumaker
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Musician Frank Turner has long campaigned for grassroots venues Pic: Shannon Shumaker

For Turner there was also a “physical and mental strain” for those who pursue a performing career.

“It can be brutally tough,” he adds. “Touring is hard, pushing yourself creatively is hard, and social media makes the whole thing a lot worse. There are more structures in the industry now to help with this stuff, but it’s still a huge challenge.”

However, while he warns of a range of challenges – from rising costs through to the impact of Brexit – what he wants to see from ministers is a shift in attitude towards the music industry.

“The music industry has long been a large, stable employer and a huge net contributor to the Exchequer, and that’s without even mentioning cultural capital,” he said.

“For a long time the industry has been regarded as something of a joke, as compared with, say, the car industry or agriculture, while in reality British music has been one of our strongest contributions to the world, economically and culturally, for a few generations now.

“I think there is a shift starting, I’m more encouraged by our new government than its predecessors, but there is still a way to go.”

‘Let us thrive’

Fiona Stewart, managing director and owner of the Green Man festival in Wales, echoed Turner’s concerns, saying the biggest barrier for her part of the industry was a lack of understanding from government.

“Let’s face it, Britain isn’t the economic powerhouse and producer it once was,” she claimed. “In some ways it would be refreshing for this country to see it as it is right now – a small country that has got a fantastic creative industry, and many other industries, which can be agile and contemporary and produce and inspire.”

Green Man's festival director Fiona Stewart. Pic: Green Man
Image:
Green Man’s festival director Fiona Stewart Pic: Green Man

Fiona added: “With all the divisions we face right now… things like music bring people together, and it is needed. It has a power and it would be wonderful for the new government to recognise that but in a much more strategic way.

“That’s what we need. We need strategy. Not just big funding moments or a big statement. A proper strategy to understand what is going on over a period of years and proper investment at the proper time like any business person would do.

“It would bring more respect to the industry and let us thrive where we can.”

A government spokesperson said: “The music industry is a serious national asset that plays a major role in our national identity, and delivers huge benefits for our economy. We are absolutely committed to supporting the sector to thrive, including our festivals and vital grassroots music venues, and ministers are considering a range of policy options.

“As part of our ambitious plans, we want to see stronger efforts from the industry to create career opportunities for more people from diverse backgrounds, to draw upon the wealth of talent that exists across the country and drive economic growth in our communities.”

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BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind

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BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard - with psychological horror close behind

Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.

The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.

But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.

Astro Bot
Pic:Team Asobi
https://www.teamasobi.com/games/astro-bot
Image:
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi

Nicholas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
Image:
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA

BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.

“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.

“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”

Pic: Innovative platform game Astro Bot swept the night, taking the prestigious best game award too. Pic: BAFTA
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Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA

It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.

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Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.

Still Wakes The Deep.
Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Image:
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited

Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.

“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.

“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”

Read more: See full list of winners

Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
Image:
Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA

Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.

It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.

“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.

Helldivers II.
Pic:  Arrowhead/Sony
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Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony

From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.

I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! 
Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
https://thankgoodness.game/
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Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc

Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”

By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II 
Pic: Ninja Theory
Image:
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory

But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.

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BAFTA Games Awards: Full list of winners

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BAFTA Games Awards: Full list of winners

The BAFTA Games Awards celebrate gaming excellence and creative achievement in the best games of the last year.

Hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running, the biggest names in gaming gathered at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

With 41 games nominated across 17 categories, here are all the winners – in bold – from the night.

Animation
Astro Bot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Artistic Achievement
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Harold Halibut
Neva
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep

Audio Achievement
ANIMAL WELL
Astro Bot
Helldivers 2
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Star Wars Outlaws
Still Wakes the Deep

Best Game
Astro Bot
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

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British Game
A Highland Song
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Paper Trail
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Debut Game
ANIMAL WELL
Balatro
Pacific Drive
The Plucky Squire
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Evolving Game
Diablo IV
FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE
No Man’s Sky
Sea of Thieves
Vampire Survivors
World of Warcraft

Family
Astro Bot
Cat Quest III
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Little Kitty, Big City
The Plucky Squire
Super Mario Party Jamboree

Game Beyond Entertainment
Botany Manor
Kind Words 2 (lofi city pop)
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Tetris Forever
Vampire Therapist

Game Design
ANIMAL WELL
Astro Bot
Balatro
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Tactical Breach Wizards

Multiplayer
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Helldivers 2
LEGO Horizon Adventures
Super Mario Party Jamboree
TEKKEN 8
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Music
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
Helldivers 2
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Star Wars Outlaws

Narrative
Black Myth: Wukong
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep

New Intellectual Property
ANIMAL WELL
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Still Wakes the Deep
Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Technical Achievement
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Tiny Glade
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Performer in a Leading Role
Alec Newman as Cameron ‘Caz’ McLeary in Still Wakes the Deep
Humberly González as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws
Isabella Inchbald as Indika in INDIKA
Luke Roberts as James Sunderland in SILENT HILL 2
Melina Juergens as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Y’lan Noel as Troy Marshall in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Performer in a Supporting Role
Abbi Greenland & Helen Goalen as The Furies in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Aldís Amah Hamilton as Ástríðr in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Jon Blyth as Big Ron in Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Karen Dunbar as Finlay in Still Wakes the Deep
Matt Berry as Herbert the Gardner in Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Michael Abubakar as Brodie in Still Wakes the Deep

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‘The heartbeat of Blondie’: Drummer Clem Burke dies aged 70

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'The heartbeat of Blondie': Drummer Clem Burke dies aged 70

Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70

The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.

He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.

Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.

Drummer Clem Burke.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters

In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.

“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.

“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.

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“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”

Clem Burke drummer of the band Blondie in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Image:
Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP

Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.

The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.

It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”

Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.

Read more from Sky News:
King arrives in Rome for Italy tour with Queen after health concerns

Global bank chiefs hold talks over Trump tariffs crisis

Blondie performs during Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Sunday, June 25, 2023.  
Pic: Invision/AP
Image:
Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP

Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.

“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”

Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.

“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”

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