The latest event from the University of Westminster’s music business think tank MusicTank will examine the effects the Licensing Act 2003 has had on the grassroots live music industry, with Chairman of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee John Whittingdale already confirmed to keynote the think tank double header.

Whittingdale has been at the forefront of the growing voice demanding changes to the Licensing Act to exempt small venues for their requirements as well as fronting the opposition to the controversial Form 696, which has been widely used by the Metropolitan Police and has been recommended to forces across the UK.

In July the government ignored Whittingdale’s recommendations; this event will get the reasons behind the call for change, and the reasons behind the resistance to it.

Also in the event - entitled Live Music: Licensed To Thrill? - MusicTank will investigate the use of noise abatement orders and their impact on small venues across the UK. Following MusicTank’s August newsletter editorial examining the effect their use has had in Birmingham, there has been a flurry of other stories from other parts of the UK as well as a response from Australia, where the music sector has campaigned to help venues in similar situations to the noise abatement order effected locations across the UK.

The editorial focused on the issues faced particularly in Birmingham, where the Digbeth area of the city – home to Supersonic Festival, GodsKitchen owned nightclub AIR, Birmingham Barfly and almost countless small grassroots venues – has had a number of live venues curtailed by noise abatement orders. The most recent of these venues, The Rainbow, heavily relies of music concerts to get by, and has had plans to install a £30,000 soundproof roof hampered by their noise abatement order. The landlord of The Rainbow, Kent Davis, will also be addressing the event, giving a frontline view on the issues caused by noise abatement orders and the Licensing Act.

The event will be chaired by MusicTank Chairman Keith Harris, more panellists will be confirmed soon. The format of the event is:

18.30 – 18.35: Introduction by Keith Harris

18.35 – 19.40: The Licensing Act and Form 696: What are the issues?

Keynote: John Wittingdale, Chairman, Culture Media and Sport Select Committee

19.40 – 20.10: Break

20.10 - 21.15: Noise Abatement Orders

Keynote: Kent Davis, Landlord, The Rainbow, Birmingham

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday 22nd September 2009
Time: 18.30 - 21.15 hrs
Venue: The Basement, MCPS-PRS Alliance
Location: 29-33 Berners Street, London, W1T 3AB.
Nearest Tube is Goodge St. (Northern Line), Alliance is at Mortimer St end of Berners St.
Price: £35 standard, £25 MusicTank Members, £30 trade body members (AIM, BACS, BPI, MMF, MPG, MPA, MU, PRS For Music, PPL)
Price includes complimentary drink on arrival, and post-event transcript

All places MUST be booked and paid for in advance via www.musictank.co.uk