Venue closures prompt calls to protect music scene

There have been calls to protect venues in “Music City” after the sudden closure of one of Cardiff’s most famous venues.

The Moon on Womanby Street in the city center closed its doors for the last time in November.

was cardiff Named the UK’s first Music City in 2017 As the capital increased its efforts to protect grassroots sites.

A long-term strategy has been put in place to support, develop and promote the Welsh capital’s music sector – but is enough being done, the city council said.

The closure of The Moon is the latest in a long list of venues lost in the city in recent times, including gwydihbuffalo and 10 feet tall,

Ed Townend, the venue’s former promoter and technical manager, is quite pessimistic, saying: “The future is quite bleak.”

He told how employees did not know about the closure until the day.

“A music venue like The Moon was everyone’s first step,” Ed said. “A lot of people’s first program was here, or their first program that they put on themselves was here.”

Ed said the closure means fewer opportunities for emerging artists in the city, who relied on venues like The Moon for their early gigs.

He said: “Having a venue like The Moon that was so in touch with the community, that first step has now gone.

“You have to make a bit of a leap to get where you want to go, which isn’t really possible in Cardiff anymore.

“With music venues, the profit margins are so thin that one bad week, one bad month, can sideline you.”

Ed said he is concerned that not enough safeguards have been put in place to protect the future of grassroots music in Wales.

“I want to remain optimistic,” he said. “But when you work in the music industry there’s a level of skepticism and naivete that you try to draw a fine line between.

“It’s about thinking about what more can be done to prevent venues like this from closing and closing the door for people to enjoy music.”

Cardiff was named the UK’s first Music City in 2017, as the capital stepped up its efforts to protect grassroots venues.

The move aims to protect grassroots venues and boost the city’s international profile while attracting the world’s biggest stars.

Seven years later, in 2024, the city hosted its first Cardiff Music City Festival,

The festival ran over 24 days, across 25 venues and featured over 200 artists, ranging from emerging Welsh-language folk artist Mari Mathias to 2024 Mercury Prize-winning English teacher.

Christian Punter of Ferndale, Rhondda Cynon Taf, a singer-songwriter who performs under the pseudonym of Otto Ade, had his first Cardiff headline gig at The Moon.

They have since performed at international concerts, recorded their debut album Persona in Nashville under Bay Street Records and supported Sir Tom Jones on his 2018 tour.

Christian said the closure of smaller venues would remove a lifeline of support for emerging artists.

“If you’re booking a show at a local venue, you can sell merchandise and build your fan base,” he said.

“It’s not only about getting your music in front of new crowds, but as an emerging artist, you discover your sound in these smaller venues, refine your sound and discover that you are a Who want to be as a songwriter and artist.”

“Once you’re playing in the stadium, you already know who you are.”

Welsh-Jamaican reggae artist and presenter Aleigha Scott agreed, saying that without early experience on stages like The Moon, artists would never be prepared to play larger arenas or venues like the Principality Stadium.

“As a performer you really need early experiences performing on stages so you know what you need, the technicalities of performing and building your audience,” Aleghia said.

“I am concerned for emerging artists who have fewer opportunities to perform”.

Aleghia’s debut album, Windrush Baby, was released in 2023, and the following year, she was invited to join The Recording Academy (GRAMMY) New Member Class to celebrate and advocate music.

In Eleghsia’s early career, she performed at venues such as Gwydigh.

“An emerging artist can’t potentially perform in a 2,000-capacity venue because they need to build their audience first,” he said.

“Take that away, and the music scene in Wales won’t be as healthy.

“We’ve got Cardiff Music City Festival this year, which is obviously a great thing for Cardiff.

“I’m hoping after this things can start to open up, it’s so needed here.”

Both Christian and Ed have now called for grassroots venues to add mandatory donations to major event tickets.

Ed said, “If you’re sometimes buying tickets worth £300 to £400 for big shows at the stadium, no one is going to spare a pound to support a local music venue.”

“If you have 60,000 people in your stadium, that’s £60,000 for local venues.”

Christian said, “If all the grassroots venues close down, there will be no artists to play in stadiums for years to come.”

Cardiff Council described grassroots music venues as “vital to the development of new talent and vital cultural hubs in our towns and cities”.

A spokesperson said: That’s why we’ve launched the Music City strategy and why we’re doing so much work to help venues.

“Of course, this does not mean that we have the power or the finances to save every site that faces difficulties.

“Like any business, there needs to be a sufficient number of customers coming through the door to ensure viability.”

The Welsh Government said: “Grassroots music venues, like many businesses across the country, are facing difficult decisions in the current financial climate.

,Creative Wales continues to work closely with Sangeet Sthal Trust – as well as a stakeholder group of venues, studios and rehearsal spaces – to ensure that this sector of the music industry in Wales is being supported in the best possible way.”