Last modified on Sat 22 May 2021 03.27 EDT
It is Sunday afternoon in Somerset, and Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis is darting around her farmhouse looking for coats for Haim to wear. The Los Angeles sisters have just arrived to record their performance for Live at Worthy Farm, a global livestream – premiering tonight online and in cinemas – that will stand in for the real festival after Covid forced Glastonbury to cancel for two years running. Later this week, the likes of Coldplay, Damon Albarn and Kano will visit the farm to record their sets in the festival’s best-known locations.
Having played here three times previously, Haim know wellies are non-negotiable. But somehow, says Eavis as she appears from upstairs – passing a photo of David Bowie outside the family home in 1971 – they’ve never played one of the festival’s infamously wet years, and so didn’t bring anoraks. She delivers them to the festival office next door, now a makeshift changing room.
The UK Government will not consider festival insurance until lockdown ends, according to culture secretary Oliver Dowden.
Speaking at a Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee meeting on 13th May, Dowden clarified the position, suggesting insurance support would only be considered as an option after Stage Four of easing lockdown restrictions on 21st June, at which point it would be clearer whether planned events can take place. It has to be the case first that we know something can go ahead, he said, adding that he is confident the roadmap to reopening will go ahead as planned. I don t think it s reasonable to expect the taxpayer to provide a full indemnity for all the events if it s not possible for them to happen.
Dua Lipa: ‘the performance was astonishing’. Photograph: Dave J Hogan/Getty
Dua Lipa: ‘the performance was astonishing’. Photograph: Dave J Hogan/Getty
Sat 15 May 2021 10.00 EDT
Last modified on Sat 15 May 2021 14.33 EDT
Usually, I find the Brit awards to be as dry as a mouthful of oatcakes, but this year’s postponed ceremony seemed fresher than in recent years, working within the disruptions caused by the pandemic to put on a more creative, exuberant evening. Following a couple of closely monitored trials, it was one of the first landmark music events to have welcomed back an audience, of 4,000 people, mostly key workers, all extremely up for it.
Beyond The Tracks music festival with acts including The Charlatans is coming to Moseley
The two-day event features acts including Haçienda Classical, The Charlatans and Todd Terry
Hacienda-Classical (Image: Anthony-Mooney)
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Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice Beyond The Tracks will be making a grand return this August in a bid to get the Midlands live music scene back on track.
Bread, Circuses, the Government, and Music
Image credit: Creative Commons
When the ancient poet Juvenal coined the phrase bread and circuses nearly two thousand years ago, he was talking about gladiator fights and the Roman corn dole. What Juvenal was referring to is the fact that largely communities only ever need two things to be content with the way things are – enough food to survive, and enough entertainment to distract. This is a maxim that cynics have brought out to describe governments throughout history, but now more than ever, it appears the driving philosophy of our Prime Minister.
I bring this up because recently, Alex Rice, lead singer of Sports Team, wrote an article for the Independent recently discussing the European Super League, and how the Government’s immediate and vicious response betrayed their apathy towards other similar industries – specifically that of live music. His logic was, if the Government can come out in a matter of hours and swear that they