DHP Family Reflects On Distanced Concert Series
– DHP Family turned a bandstand in Nottingham into a concert location in line with government restrictions.
UK promoter and venue operator DHP Family put on a series of concerts over the past four weeks at the Nottingham Arboretum Garden Bar & Bandstand that provided more than 65 jobs, as well as full-time work for DHP Family staff on site. It enabled once furloughed DHP Family staff to come back to work to provide marketing, ticketing and production support for the event.
“In addition,” according to a press release from DHP Family, “the event series provided much-needed work for industry contractors, including stagehands, site crew, sound engineers, sanitation, PA and lighting, site infrastructure staff and IT providers.”
More than 40 local musicians took the stage during the series that began in late August at what is the oldest park in Nottingham, England, including Frank Turner, who wrapped the event Sept. 19-20, with his “Campfire Punk Rock” live show.
The concerts were limited to a capacity of 450 to enable people to follow the COVID-19 social distancing regulations imposed by the UK government. There were two stages and eight local food vendors.
When questioned about the economic viability of the concert series, DHP Family director Anton Lockwood told Pollstar, “it worked because it was a series and we were able to manage the costs, but no way this model is sufficient on its own to support the live music industry.”
At least, the success of the Arboretum Garden Bar & Bandstand demonstrated a demand for live music from gig goers, who are willing to adhere to distancing guidelines, however, the company reiterates that this is not a sustainable way of making live music work in the future.
– The concert series provided jobs, not only for DHP Family staff.
Lockwood added, “Whilst the success of our socially distanced events at Nottingham Arboretum have been a ray of light for live music during this difficult period, they are simply not a full-time solution for the music industry. As summer draws to a close, outdoor events become less viable and reduced capacities are not feasible long-term.”
Company MD George Akins, who had seen the potential of the historic bandstand as a stage for local artists, realized the concerts within a very short turnaround. Planning permission from Nottingham City Council, and a partnership with Camden Brewery made it possible.
“A great deal of effort went in to turning the Arboretum’s bandstand into a safe and fun environment. Creating the pop-up event space enabled us to support local musicians, connect with the local community and provide some much-needed positivity in a time where the live music industry is struggling. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved and hope to continue the event next summer,” Akins commented.
“At a time when both the event and live music industry are greatly suffering, it was hugely important for us to be able to provide regular work for so many people. As the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign highlighted, the crew and freelance contractors are the lifeblood of this industry, so we were very pleased to be able to work with so many great professionals to deliver these events,” he added.
A comment from Frank Turner reads: “The whole experience of lockdown has been a nightmare for the live music industry. Personally, I had to cancel an ongoing tour at the start, which was due to finish in Nottingham. So I was extremely pleased to be finally making good on that show with two at the Arboretum. Hopefully this is a sign of green shoots for the live industry as a whole.”
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