Christopher BarrettWith Glastonbury (cap. 210,000), three days of the 65,000-capacity BST Hyde Park concert series (pictured) and Iron Maiden at London Stadium (80,000) alone attracting a collective attendance of around 500,000 over the weekend, the UK live events industry is set for another landmark week.
Birmingham alone is to welcome up to 300,000 people to major events this weekend, including Black Sabbath’s farewell show at Villa Park and Test Match cricket, that are set to result in a £20 million boost to the local economy according to West Midlands Growth Company research.
With a ground capacity of 42,000, and more than 500,000 people expected to attend across the whole event, The Wimbledon Championships commenced today. On 3 July, Silverstone will begin hosting a four-day festival around the F1 British Grand Prix, including headline shows by acts such as Sam Fender, Raye and Fat Boy Slim. Organisers said attendance is expected to top the 480,000 record achieved at least year’s event.
In London, Lana Del Rey is to perform at the 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium on 3 & 4 July, 50 Cent will play the 63,000-capacity Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 3 July, BST Hyde Park will continue from 4 July with headline shows by Noah Kahan and Sabrina Carpenter, while Finsbury Park (45,000) will host events headlined by Stereophonics and Fontaines DC.
Aside from multiple other festivals, concerts and sports events happening across the UK, arguably the most high-profile shows this week are at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium (cap, 74,500) on 4 and 5 July, which will see Oasis commence their Live ’25 tour.
Jon Collins, CEO at live music industry representative body LIVE (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment), said that while the huge number of major shows was great for the industry, consumers and the UK economy, it was important to remember the contribution of the grassroots sector in providing a talent pipeline.
In January, LIVE, which represents 15 live music industry associations and more than 3,000 businesses, launched the LIVE Trust; a funding initiative to support the grassroots live music industry via a stadium and arena show levy of £1 on all tickets sold.
“Landmark shows like this summer’s Oasis and Black Sabbath reunions will be cultural touchpoints and a powerful reminder of live music’s unique ability to capture a moment and bring people together for a collective, joyous experience,” said Collins. “Of course, these two examples form just part of what is shaping up to be a glittering summer of live music with a huge array of talent on display across all of the UK’s venues, events and festivals. With this in mind and to ensure that the live music ecosystem continues to deliver economic, societal, and cultural value from the grassroots up, we urge everyone to support the vital and transformative work of the LIVE Trust.”