Christopher BarrettHaving promoted 17 major concerts and festivals show days, including TRNSMT and the Edinburgh Summer Sessions, DF Concerts made a huge contribution to the local economy last year.
The Live Nation-owned company, headed by CEO Geoff Ellis, said the £164.6m boost for the Scotland economy from its programme of summer 2025 live music events illustrates the role major concerts and festivals play in supporting the country’s tourism, transport and hospitality sectors, while reinforcing Scotland’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading destinations for live music.
The research, carried out by Global Tourism Solutions, found that DF Concerts’ summer events led to a £50.68 million supply chain spend across businesses in production, staging, logistics, security and technical services.
Between June and August last year, DF Concerts delivered concerts and festivals at venues including Bellahouston Park, Hampden Stadium, Murrayfield Stadium, Glasgow Green and the Royal Highland Centre. In total, 607,632 fans attended the events, generating £113.8m in direct visitor spend and an average economic impact of £232 per ticket.
One event which delivered particularly strong economic returns was Oasis’ three sold-out shows at Murrayfield Stadium, attracting more than 201,000 fans and generated £67.1m in economic impact. TRNSMT Festival, held over three days at Glasgow Green contributed £16.6 million to the local economy.
The research found that DF’s summer programme of events led to £11.12 million being spent on accommodation, while an additional £15.25m was spent on food and drink, providing a significant boost for nightclubs, restaurants, bars and hospitality during the period. The events also generated £13.26m in transport expenditure.
Ellis said the figures demonstrate how important live music is to Scotland’s economy: “Our summer events bring hundreds of thousands of people into cities across the country, supporting hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, bars and shops, while also driving significant use of public transport and local services. Beyond the headline numbers, these shows sustain jobs, support local supply chains and help showcase Scotland as a world-class destination for live music. We’re proud to work closely with artists, partners, venues and local authorities to deliver events that have a lasting positive impact for communities as well as unforgettable experiences for fans.”