IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT – FIGHTBACK EVENT POSTPONED

With sincere apologies to everyone who has supported this event by buying a ticket, after a meeting today we have concluded that we have no option other than to postpone the Fightback gig due to take place next Tuesday 17 October at Camden Electric Ballroom.

We have a large number of artists who have come forward wanting to be part of an event and support Grassroots Music Venues, but after much discussion, this specific date, for a multitude of reasons, has proved exceptionally difficult to bring together. Alongside this issue, we, as an organisation, are overwhelmed by a wave of potential venue closures and are struggling to give this event our full attention. In a straight choice between running this event or doing everything we can to stop a venue closing, we are always going to choose putting the venues first. We hope everyone who supports our work will agree that’s the priority.

Alternative dates and plans are being discussed right now, and we hope to announce an alternative event shortly. We want to do something exceptional you can be part of it, this specific day isn’t the right day to do it, for the artists or for us. Please watch this space for some news that should, hopefully, blow your socks off.

FULL REFUNDS are available to every ticket holder from your point of purchase. If you have any problems at all getting a complete refund, please write to fightback@musicvenuetrust.com

Music Venue Trust Announces FIGHTBACK 2017

Fundraising drive to secure the future of the Charity, culminating in the FIGHTBACK concert on Tuesday 17 October at Camden Electric Ballroom.

Music Venue Trust today announced plans for a major fundraising drive in partnership with Pledge Music to support its work.

FIGHTBACK 2017

FIGHTBACK 2017 will launch a series of MVT merchandise and special items, including Artist Signature T-Shirts, VIP Fightback + Aftershow Tickets, and the chance to own an exclusive, signed Fender guitar.

FIGHTBACK concert

The six-week campaign concludes on Tuesday 17 October with a celebratory FIGHTBACK2017 gig at Camden Electric Ballroom in association with This Feeling.

FIGHTBACK 2017 – Artists & Fans

“FIGHTBACK 2017 is all about artists & fans, because in the end Grassroots Music Venues are all about artists and fans,” says MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “FIGHTBACK 2017 will be working with artists to create something special that fans can own or take part in, with all the proceeds going to support the work of the Emergency Response Team”.

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MVT Artists Signature T-Shirts

The MVT Artists Signature series of T-Shirts kicks off with a limited-edition shirt specially designed by Frank Turner.

Strictly Limited Edition

Just 200 shirts are available, featuring a print of handwritten lyrics signed by Frank. More signature shirts will be announced in the coming weeks.

FIGHTBACK concert tickets

Early Bird Tickets for the FIGHTBACK 2017 concert at Camden Electric Ballroom on Tuesday 17 October are also ON SALE NOW at Pledge Music.

VIP & Aftershow

Special VIP and Aftershow tickets and packages are also available.

Sponsorship

And there’s a challenge for brands and companies who want to connect with fans, artists and venues in the grassroots sector; Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsorship packages for FIGHTBACK 2017

Brands – show your support

“FIGHTBACK 2016 reached over 36 million people with a story about Grassroots Music Venues” says MVT Board Trustee Chris Prosser “that’s a clear branding opportunity. FIGHTBACK 2017 presents a great chance for companies to show their support for this struggling sector, with direct funding that goes to support the work of the Trust and the Emergency Response Team. The UK live music industry generates £4 billion a year in revenue. It can’t be right that an important local venue gets lost because it can’t afford £2,000 in legal fees.”

Why we FIGHTBACK

Despite the urgent need to protect, secure and improve Grassroots Music Venues, with two new venues every week facing imminent threat of closure, earlier this year Arts Council England declined to support the work of the Trust and made a series of decisions to offer no additional support to Grassroots Music Venues. But Music Venue Trust remains determined to FIGHTBACK, and is taking its appeal directly to artists and fans.

You can help us make a difference

MVT Strategic Director Beverley Whitrick said: “Between 2007 and 2015, over a third of the UK’s Grassroots Music Venues were forced into closure. We were losing twenty venues a year, every year. Music Venue Trust launched our ‘Emergency Response‘ service in 2016 thanks to generous fundraising and support from artists, fans and brands. We promised that Emergency Response would make a real difference. One year later there are the same number of venues open. This isn’t rocket science. We can stop venue closures like The Cellar in Oxford and The Sound Lounge in Tooting, we just need the resources to do it”.

Artists – Get involved!

Music Venue Trust is keen to hear from more artists who would like to be involved. Contact gary@musicvenuetrust.com

Music Venue Trust EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Is your venue under threat from licensing, noise complaints, legal action?
Before you do anything else – CONTACT US.

FIGHTBACK 2017 – IT’S ON! – This Feeling announced as Event Partners

Following the announcement last week that FIGHTBACK 2017 will take place at Camden Electric Ballroom on Thursday 17 October, Music Venue Trust has been deluged with offers to help out and support the event. And now This Feeling, the UK’s most acclaimed club night for future Rock and Roll stars, have got on board the FIGHTBACK bandwagon to join the search for artists to play at the event.

“We’re still on the hunt for the artists that want to play at FIGHTBACK and support Grassroots Music Venues and now we’ve got one of the best promoters in the UK behind us. This Feeling is delivering riotous rock’n’roll in more than forty cities across the UK and next month sees the start of the ‘Alive’ tour, their biggest yet. ”
– Mark Davyd, MVT CEO

“What This Feeling is doing at the moment is vital. When Rock and Roll makes its glorious comeback, you can bet your arse you will have heard it first at This Feeling.”
– Noel Gallagher

“Without Grassroots Music Venues, music dies. It’s that simple. The Libertines, Kasabian, Catfish, Blossoms, every fucking band, they’d be nowhere without these Venues. These venues are Rock n Roll’s heritage and lifeblood. Bands big and small, punters, media, labels, festival promoters, we need everyone to come together. Let’s show we aren’t going to take the closure of our Music Venues, our lifeblood, our love, lying down. We know there are bands out there who feel strongly about this and will want to come and support Venues threatened with closure right now. There’s apathy everywhere, it’s dangerous. EVERYONE needs to get behind FIGHTBACK – without it our future will be very different.””
– Mikey Jonns, This Feeling

Tickets for FIGHTBACK have been on sale for just a week, and despite no acts being announced so far, over 500 tickets have already been sold. Davyd says this shows the strength of feeling people have about the loss of Grassroots Music Venues: “People really want to get out and send a message that we aren’t going to take the closure of our Music Venues lying down. We know there are artists out there who feel strongly about this and will want to come and support venues like The Cellar and Sound Lounge, which are both threatened with closure right now. We want everyone to come together and make this a truly memorable event, raise some cash and send a clear message.”

“In a world where our legendary venues are being mercilessly snatched by developers, This Feeling offer one of the few consistent platforms for up and coming bands. If you’re going to see the emergence of a new great band you’ll see them at This Feeling first.”
– Carl Barat

All proceeds from FIGHTBACK go to support the work of the Music Venue Trust Emergency Response Service, which has already fought 40 potential venue closures since it launched in October last year.

“It’s us against prime time and all that shit…”
– Tom Newman, The Shimmer Band

More info about FIGHTBACK 2017

Where and When is FIGHTBACK 2017?

FIGHTBACK 2017 takes place at Camden Electric Ballroom on Tuesday 17 October.

How can I get Tickets?

Tickets for FIGHTBACK are available now from Ticketweb or Pledge Music.

How can I get VIP Tickets?

A very limited number of VIP tickets with access to an exclusive VIP and Aftershow area, in association with Jack Daniels, Red Stripe, Watneys IPA and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cider, are also on sale at Pledge Music.

How do I apply to play at the gig?

Artists wanting to play at FIGHTBACK can contact Music Venue Trust at fightback@musicvenuetrust.com