'Without a lifeline they will struggle to stay afloat' - Kaiser Chiefs' Simon Rix on future of music venues in Leeds during Covid-19 pandemic

The Kaiser Chiefs playing a gig at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Live music has been hailed as the "lifeblood" of the industry by the Kaiser Chiefs' Simon Rix, who has warned venues may struggle to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking exclusively to the Yorkshire Evening Post as we today look at how the city's live music scene has been impacted by Covid-19, the Mr Rix has spoken about the importance of the sector.

He said: "Live music is, without saying an essential part of our culture in the uk, music is wheeled out on parade when we want to celebrate, commemorate, fundraise, even to commiserate Music is something that all people of all backgrounds can mutually access and relate to. As an artist working in the contemporary music industry, I can confirm that the lifeblood of all this is live music.

"From a numbers perspective, the live music industry in the UK is worth £5.2bn, with the music industry as a whole being one of our biggest exports. To me that sounds like a business worth investing in. In this instance, we aren’t talking about accessing funding for experimental projects that can draw down funds from the arts council.

"We are talking about provision of support for live venues, viable (often small) businesses that if supported, will allow our industry to pay this money back in dividends through their proven contribution to our economy."

Mr Rix also underlined the importance of local venues, which have struggled during the lockdown and pandemic, and how their stages serve as a "right of passage" for emerging talent.

"A big part of this discussion surrounds our grass roots venues, which are so important to the whole infrastructure-operating not just as somewhere that artists can find their feet, but providing hubs where creative people meet, form bands, find work on the touring circuit, do fundraising events, hold political meetings," he told the YEP.

"They offer an essential right of passage, and are effectively essential to the industry as a whole. It’s also important to note that if only a few venues manage to survive there is no “circuit”, which makes touring unviable. If new bands offer new blood, then grass roots venues are main arteries of the UK Music scene.

"In my 20 years experience, these ‘hubs‘ aren’t run by people set on making their fortunes, they are run on guts, and a love of music and the creative communities in which they are founded and based. So, at a time when many such venues have been closed for almost 6 months, with no clear way forward in place - it‘s obvious that without a lifeline, they will be struggling to stay afloat."

Mr Rix urged others to call on the Government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to support the industry.

He added: "These smaller, unsupported venues don’t have the funds or the infrastructure or space to operate with social distancing measures in place.