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PANELS: Guy Garvey for 'Pay To Play? OK' Panel
Posted on 24th Sept. 2010
In The City is pleased to announce that Guy Garvey, frontman of Mercury Prize winning band Elbow, is now confirmed as one of the panellists due to take part in a wide ranging debate discussing the thorny issue of developing bands being charged to play live shows by promoters.
Entitled ‘Pay to Play? OK,’ this panel is presented by The Musicians' Union and will be moderated by Horace Trubridge, Assistant General Secretary (Live and Industry) of the Musicians’ Union. Also appearing will be Guardian journalist Helienne Lindvall, Chris Long from BBC Introducing Manchester and leading Manchester promoter Jay Taylor.
A growing trend for some years has been the practice of live music promoters insisting on minimum ticket sales from artists wanting to perform. Known as ‘pay-to-play’ this means that, rather than receiving payment for performing, artists often end up out of pocket after shows. Promoters argue that they too have to make a living while the Musicians' Union has long campaigned against the policy. The panellists will debate all the arguments surrounding this controversial subject and will consider the key issues from both sides.
Horace Trubridge said, “The Musicians' Union supports musicians and likes to see them paid for their commercial efforts. We don’t like to see them having to pay to go about their work. Some musicians not only pay to attend and play their own gigs, but they pay more than the punters coming through the door, and that can’t be right. Some promoters don’t actually like promoting and pass that part of their job onto the musicians by enforcing minimum ticket sales. This is not promoting as we know it, this is pay-to-play. This debate will provide a valuable forum to discuss this important issue and we are delighted to have the services of such esteemed panelists to help us do that.”
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