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DHP Family has issued a call for more to be done to support the grassroots sector and push back against the dominance of multinational corporations, according to a press release sent out by the UK music company today, May 14.
The call comes after Nottingham’s much-loved venue The Bodega, owned and operated by DHP Family, was crowned Grassroots Venue of the Year at the recent Music Week awards.
The award comes at a time when the challenges facing grassroots venues are being widely reported on.
“As an independent company that owns and operates grassroots venues, promotes grassroots shows, and supports emerging talent, DHP Family is uniquely positioned to comment as one of the last remaining truly independent national promoters in the UK.
“As well as scooping the Grassroots Venue title, the company showed its credentials as a festival operator and music promoter making the Music Week awards finalists for National Promoter and Festival Line Up with its Derbyshire camping festival, Bearded Theory,” the press release states.
The company is warning of “the threat that the current domination of the industry by multinational corporations pose to the music eco-system.”
George Akins, MD, DHP Family, said, “The real issue is the increasing imbalance of power and money in the live music industry, which threatens diversity, creativity, and sustainability across the sector, leading to ever increasing ticket prices and booking fees.
“We will end up seeing a handful of mega acts going straight from the studio to the arena with massive ticket prices. Very few can afford to see them. How does a young singer-songwriter playing to their mates see a route through to becoming a musician if that is the model?”
While DHP Family stated, it was “able to weather the pressures due to its scale, experience and reach, it fears for the future of the industry if more independents fall by the wayside.”
Akins added, “It’s vital that the industry knows there’s still a serious, high-quality alternative to the corporate mode, and that alternative is independent.”
The Bodega in Nottingham, a 220-cap venue on Pelham Street, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year – 25 years of hosting “the most exciting up-and-coming new artists around, from rising local talent to nationally and internationally touring newcomers.”
It hosted its first gig Nov. 30, 1999, headlined by Shack and supported by Turin Brakes.
Since then, The White Stripes, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Florence + The Machine, Mumford & Sons, Haim, Scissor Sisters, Anne-Marie, Charli XCX, Jamie T, Wolf Alice, The 1975, Lewis Capaldi, Tom Grennan and Arlo Parks, Amyl And the Sniffers, IDLES, Shame, Yard Act, The Last Dinner Party, and many more have graced its stage.
Accepting the award at the May 8 Music Week Awards ceremony in London, The Bodega general manager Steve Walsh paid tribute to Heavenly Records who first opened the venue as The Social 25 years ago, as well as owners DHP Family, the venue management team, all the customers, bands and performers.
“We see ourselves as a key part of the scene and an important stepping stone for local artists looking to make the next move in their careers – whether that’s a small acoustic set in our bar, their first support slot for a touring act, or their own first hometown headline show,” Walsh said.
“As a smaller venue on the touring circuit, we pride ourselves on providing a great experience for artists coming through our doors, and they all love what must be one of the best green rooms on the circuit for the venue size,” he continued,” “we are passionate about hosting new artists just starting out and providing a great experience for them and their fans, and the people of Nottingham who might be hearing them for the first time. Here’s to the next 25 years!”
In 2024, The Bodega provided 150 slots for Nottingham-based musicians to perform across headline shows, support and festivals that take place at the venue. Do Nothing hosted their SXSW-fundraiser show there, last year, and the fast-rising Divorce staged a sold out four-night residency in September, to name a couple of examples.
Sleaford Mods played a sold out show for the 10 year anniversary of their album Divide and Exit in November, their first appearance in their hometown of Nottingham in 18 months, and a return to the grassroots venues where it all began.
Jason Williamson, Sleaford Mods, commented, “I have a long history with The Bodega. I was there for opening night in 1999 and for a few years collected glasses. I saw many bands come through, everyone from Coldplay to White Stripes to The Strokes. All in their infancy, later to go on to big things. My first gig there as Sleaford Mods was supporting The Pop Group in 2014.
“The Bodega is an important part of Nottingham’s creative ecosystem. Nottingham has always had a rich musical culture, but so many of the grassroots venues I played coming up are now closed. The Bodega is the only one left at that level and it’s important that it remains open to keep Nottingham on the musical map.”
The venue has welcomed tons of emerging artists and underplays over the last year including sold out shows with Sprints, 86TVs, Gilla Band, Goat Girl, Thumpasaurus, ADMT, Alessi Rose, and local legends in Do Nothing and Jerub.
So far this year, the venue has welcomed Panic Shack, Daydreamers, Sofy, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Victor Ray, M60, Benefits and Toby Lee. The Bodega will host DHP’s Dot To Dot Festival, May 25.
Accepting the Music Week Grassroots Venue award, The Bodega team also shouted out to all the incredible fellow nominees: Camden Assembly (London), Little Buildings (Newcastle), The Leadmill (Sheffield), The Boileroom (Guildford), The Bunkhouse Music Venue (Swansea), The Half Moon (Putney), and The Sugarmill (Stoke).
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