Unit 1 the Music Industry

A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. A music venue can range in size and location.

Local Music venues in the Welwyn Garden City area:
There are pubs, schools and small theatres  -  some examples;

Royal Oak - Bushey

Sir John Barleycom

The Arena Tavern -

The Baton

The Black Horse

Welwyn Civic Centre -Welwyn Garden City

Digswell Village Hall - Digswell

Green Room

Williots Theatre

Barn Theartre

Radlett Theatre

Club 85

Hertford Corn Exchange - Hertford

Hopfields

Long Island 

Lord Haig

Molloy's - Watford 

The Boot

The Cork

The Crown - St Albans 

The Den 

Cannon Tavern

The Forum

Old Barge

Advantages to Small Music Venues:

• Intimate atmosphere
• close to the audience
• more accessible for local bands
• caters for the community as the audience tend to live locally to the venue
• Usually cost less money                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Disadvantages to Small Music Venues:

•   Poor sound quality and technical facilities
• limited audience
• less publicity and promotion  
• May not have any direct public transport to the venue  

     Larger Venues in the area:

These include large theatres, sport and leisure halls and outdoor venues;

The Alban Arena - St. Albans

Gordon Craig Theatre - Stevenage

Campus West - Welwyn Garden City

Knebworth House - Knebworth

Hatfield House - Hatfield

Advantages to Large Music Venues:

• Excellent sound and technical facilities
• good publicity and promotion
• Usually are in a busy and built up area so public transport available

Disadvantages to Large Music Venues:

• Less accessibility to local bands - tend to have to be well known to guarantee an audience to fill the venue
• Cost of hiring the venue 
• less intimate interaction with the audience

Health and safety Security at Venues:

• Heating - regularly checked to ensure it is working. Need to regulate temperatures to the season/audience capacity
• Adequate ventilation
• All electrical equipment needs to be checked before each gig  -  all wires need to be secured so no accidents occur eg someone tripping over a trailing wire 
• obstacles adequately lit and indicated eg stairs
• Adequate lighting both in and out doors 
• Disabled toilet and access facilities for the size of the venue
• Fire exits are visible and easy to use if required 
• first aid facilities
•  limit to the venues audience capacity - bouncers/door people to monitor the doors once it is full, and also to turn away any unsuitable customers e.g. if they are underage, drunk etc.. 
• flow of people in and out of the venue
• adequate parking and parking facilities
• secure ramps and stage scaffolds secure

Overheads

• Lighting
• Staffing
• General maintenance
•  Building safety
• Gas/Electricity
• Water
• technical Equipment
• Public Liability Insurance
• Advertising

Job Roles

Broadcaster-

Broadcasters are a company that manages TV or radio stations, and pay royalties to the collection agency to the original artist or composer.

Royalty Agency-

Is the payment made by one the licensee to another that owns a particular asset for the right to ongoing use of that asset.

Artist-

An artist performs the music and gets a profit.

Artist Representation-

An artist representation represents artists and gets them as much work as possible. They pay promoters and set up staging and advertising, including travel and requests they may have.They hold a large contact base of record labels, production and venues. 

Promoter-

Promoters publicise the upcoming concerts and events, by the use of technology including media or any other marketing materials. Promoters are responsible of bringing in as many people as possible to the event and booking the venues.

Cover Songs-

At the gig if an artist plays a cover song a profit has to go to the original artist.

Union-

monitoring employment conditions and contracts between employees and employers

advice for freelancers on tax and National Insurance (NI) 

support in relation to negotiation of minimum rates of pay and working conditions

handling of disputes

other services – networking opportunities, information about insurance and pensions, 

Information and updates about changes to relevant legislation

BECTU-

The Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) are members that work in broadcasting film, theatre, entertainment, leisure and interactive media.

Musicians Union-

The Musician's Union represents and protects its members in every field so if there is an accident the Union cover it. They attempt to protect the rights of musicians. Somewhere you can go for advice and guidance is available including approved performance and recording contracts. 

Equity-

Equity is known and respected nationally and internationally for the work they do with, and on behalf of members working with them as the cover Musicians to.