Live music soars as Pop, Rock and Indie top the charts in Newcastle

Since January, more than 660 gigs have been performed in grassroots venues across the city via booking platform GigPig, showcasing the catalytic impact that the live music marketplace is having on artists and venues as GigPig continues its mission to empower musicians to grow and democratise the music industry.

Further analysis of GigPig’s data shows that 43% of live music artists booked to perform in Newcastle venues are solo singers. Bands and DJs come in second and third place, with 17% of bookings each. The top three genres performed in Newcastle are Pop, Rock and Indie.

Showcasing the eclectic mix of tastes, 77 duos, six saxophonists and two tribute acts have also registered via the GigPig platform to perform in the North East. Saturday night has been the most popular time of the week for punters soaking up the atmosphere of live music, with the majority of gigs starting at 9pm on Saturdays.

Looking at the UK-wide picture, DJs are proving most in demand, with 53% of all gigs nationwide providing a platform for this type of live artist. Solo singers represent 21% and bands account for 9% of gigs booked by venues.

GigPig has signed up hundreds of artists and venues in Newcastle since the platform. Venues include Stack, As You like It, Hard Rock Cafe, Victors and Tiger Hornsby. The majority of artists performing in the city hail from a radius of just 15 miles, which is helping to nurture and support talent from the region.

The data is being released ahead of the UK’s festival and beer garden season getting underway. Summer is renowned to be one of the busiest times of the year for live music, boosting the hospitality sector and attracting audiences to grassroots venues.

Michael Forster, CEO of GigPig, said: “Live music has the power to create a buzz in venues like nothing else and solo artists are clearly hitting the mark with Newcastle venues. The region has always had a strong appetite for live music across a range of tastes, it’s great that GigPig can provide access to such a diverse range of artists for all NE venues to book and audiences to enjoy.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be the catalyst for a diverse range of artists being able to gig in their preferred locations - they are the lifeblood of our night time economy. We’re committed to revolutionising the music industry and supporting the hospitality sector. We can’t wait to see how the live music scene now evolves in Newcastle!”

The Houndcats, a 50s/60s cover band, began performing live gigs in Newcastle in 2018. The band signed up to GigPig a year ago and have since performed in a wider range of venues in the city, including Aspers Casino and As You Like It.

Band member, Stephen Wetherell, said: “The ability to perform where and when we want is incredibly liberating. It allows us to share our passion for the music of that era with diverse audiences, bringing joy and nostalgia to people's lives. Flexibility in choosing our gigs ensures we can cater to different events and engage with fans who appreciate the timeless classics we perform.

“GigPig has revolutionised our approach to booking and managing gigs. The platform provides us with a streamlined process, connecting us directly with venues and event organisers. The user-friendly interface makes it incredibly easy to navigate. One standout feature is the auto generated invoices, which saves us time and effort. It ensures that our financial transactions are accurate, transparent, and hassle-free.”

GigPig, a platform which gives artists free access to find, play and get paid for gigs at venues in Manchester and across the UK, rolled out its pilot launch in June 2022. In October, GigPig expanded to ten cities across the UK and it now represents more than 3,500 live music performers. GigPig also works with more than 600 venues nationwide.

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