'Grassroots Venues Essential for Emerging Artists to Launch Their Journey'

Should there be someone aware of the significance of local performance spaces for London’s musical scene , it’s Apple Music DJ Matt Wilkinson.

The influential figure within the industry solidified his position as a key player. London seen as a previous new music editor at NME before presenting you with the finest up-and-coming artists through his daily broadcasts. radio show.

And come nighttime, he can frequently be found at one of the capital’s numerous music venues digging up emerging talent. Fontaines DC , Charlie XCX or Lola Young.

'We're experiencing this amazing surge of cultural influences pouring in, and one of the clear outlets for expression has been music and performing arts,' says Matt. .

‘You get different people heading to London – some of them not through choice, some of them because it’s London and because it’s got this history.  When you throw it all together, you just need small venues to be able to give these artists their start.

'It's unrealistic for an artist to create great music and instantly shift from performing for almost no one to packing out Brixton Academy with 5,000 attendees. You require those mid-size performance spaces where you can start by entertaining 50 folks, grow to entertain 100, then move up to 250, followed by drawing in 1,000, and eventually reaching audiences of around 2,000. Having these incremental stages offered by smaller venues is crucial.'

'They're essential. Not only for London's music scene but for the city as a whole. It goes beyond music venues; think comedy clubs, theaters, and indie movie houses.'

DICE's 25 emerging artists to watch in 2025

The ticketing platform DICE has compiled a roster of 25 up-and-coming musicians across various genres whom they believe deserve attention from live music fans in London within the coming half-year.

With tickets ranging from free to £27.50, these shows will ensure a great night to suit all tastes and budgets.

Click HERE to get the complete list.

This week, Alongside the London Mayor’s Office, TfL, MVT, the Featured Artist Coalition, and London Creates Music, the London Creates MUSIC campaign was inaugurated at the Outernet located on Denmark Street. emphasizing the significance of London’s community-based music spaces and its rich musical history.

The map will be displayed for a month at Outernet London, which is the biggest digital showcase area in Europe.

The main attraction of this guide is an enticing alternate Tube map that leads readers through the city’s numerous live music spots, must-see artists for 2025, record stores, historically significant sites, and independent labels.

Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, Skin from Skunk Anansie , Billy Bragg , Charlie Steen from Shame and Prima Queen include some of the performers who have supported the initiative and shared their thoughts on the significance of a vibrant community-based music scene.

Last year, approximately 330,000 musical events took place across 179 community-based music venues in London, drawing an audience of about 4.3 million attendees, as reported by the Music Venue Trust (MVT).

However, Mark Davyd, who founded the trust, cautioned that the expenses for operating these facilities have 'skyrocketed' in the past half-decade.

The night-time economy received another setback on Wednesday following The Leadmill in Sheffield lost its fight against eviction, prompting Liam Gallagher to brand the decision ‘scandalous ’.

Matt says councils, the government, and larger venues need to be working together to help smaller venues and preserve the city’s grassroots heritage.

He stated: "If we don’t have small venues, it will be difficult for artists to develop enough to perform at larger places like The O2 or Brixton Academy, as well as Hammersmith or the Forum. It's essential everyone collaborates since times are quite challenging."

'We come across a new venue each month resorting to crowdfunding—essentially begging for survival. The future appears quite uncertain due to what has transpired over the last five years, possibly even more.

'It’s now crucial for everyone to unite. The responsibility seems unfairly placed on music lovers to rescue these venues. This burden should rightfully lie with the music industry itself.'

A renowned music festival known for kickstarting Billie Eilish’s career is heading to London, and you might have a chance to win some tickets.

We've teamed up with SXSW London To giveaway two sets of Music Festival Wristbands valid from 2nd to 7th June 2025.

The main performers consist of Grammy-winning Nigerian vocalist Tems, Brit Award-winner Mabel, Alice Glass from the band Crystal Castles, and East London R&B artist NAO, alongside up-and-coming artists who will take part in showcasing performances throughout Shoreditch.

Click here To learn more about SXSW London’s fantastic events and discover how you can join for a shot at winning, just fill out the form provided below.* Please check T&Cs for details.

You've got until midnight on Sunday 25th May 2025 to enter. Good luck!

^{* Open to lawful residents of Great Britain (Northern Ireland excluded) who are 18 years old or older. The campaign begins at 06:01 BST on May 13, 2025, and ends at 23:59 BST on May 25, 2025. Participation is free but requires an internet connection. Participants must visit https://.co.uk/2025/05/02/win-a-pair-of-music-festival-wristbands-worth-99-to-sxsw-london-23014181/ Upon being asked by the form, provide your name, email address, phone number, date of birth, and postal code. To join the promotion, you must accept the terms and conditions by checking the appropriate box. Only one submission per individual is allowed, with only one prize allocated per participant. Two winners will be selected. Each winner will receive two Full Week (six-day) Music Festival Wristbands valued at £99 each, providing entrance to the official SXSW London Music Festivals taking place between June 2nd and July 7th, 2025. You’ll require proof of age along with photo identification upon entry (must be 18 years old or older). Please remember that participation and attendance at the event are contingent on adhering to all of SXSW’s complete ticket terms and conditions. here . For full terms and conditions, please refer to here .}

Another facet of the campaign is to guide fans on their own musical journey across the capital – reconnecting memories visiting the likes of The Lexington and the Water Rats and making new ones at upcoming shows.

A memorable performance for Matt was the final show at the Astoria – the renowned live music spot on Charing Cross Road, which shut down in 2009. Hosted by Sam Duckworth from Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, this event turned into an exuberant celebration.

Matt added: 'Following the performance, they unveiled the backstage area which fans rarely get access to. Then someone appeared onstage and announced "all items must be cleared since they're demolishing this location".'

People were pulling vintage phones off the walls to take as keepsakes. I have wild memories like that.

Tune into The Matt Wilkinson Show each weekday at 4 AM in Los Angeles, 7 AM in New York City, and noon in the UK. apple.co/_MattWilkinson

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