#letthemusicplay in support of the UK live music industry
Photos from Manchester Academy by Shirlaine Forrest & Danny Payne
These photos are from our final gig at Manchester Academy right before the world turned upside-down with the advent of the coronavirus pandemic. We were celebrating the 15th anniversary of our debut album Young For Eternity with a live tour, the cancellation of which left us all dejected and out-of-pocket. The cancellation of the tour not only affected the three of us in the band, but also our crew, manager, bus drivers, agents, promoters, the venues and their in-house staff, and countless others involved in the making of a live tour. The live-music industry is a huge part of the UK's identity, spanning right back to the middle of the 20th century (at the birth of pop and rock'n'roll), and it will always be of vital importance to individual Brits in countless ways going forwards. However, those who work within the live-music industry are facing extraordinary rates of unemployment, with so much more uncertainty concerning employment and venue closures on the way. Today, we are asking the UK government to no longer ignore the live-music industry, especially given what it contributes to the UK economy and its culture each and every year, and instead to provide it with the vital support it needs to survive. Please share your last gig photo or video today, including the hashtag below. Let's make a noise that simply cannot go ignored! Photos by Shirlaine Forrest & Danny Payne #letthemusicplay
