The 1975's Matty Healy warns of ‘cultural erasure' as he backs small venue event

South Wales Guardian

5 days ago

The Seed Sounds Weekender, which will take place September 26-28, will see more than 2,000 gigs take place in more than 1,000 venues in an attempt to unite small venues.
Speaking of the event, Healy told the PA news agency: 'The political neglect behind this crisis, steadily hollowing out arts funding and cultural infrastructure is a class war by omission.
'Councils across England have slashed arts budgets by 20% to 30% over the last decade. Without government-led reforms – like a mandatory stadium-and-arena ticket levy, VAT relief, business rates reform, and real investment in venue survival – this ecosystem collapses.
'The UK music industry delivers £5.2 billion to the economy, supports 228,000 jobs, and exports its soft power globally – but its entire pipeline starts in those 150‑capacity rooms above pubs.
'Lose them, and you aren't just losing venues – you are losing the conditions that made all that possible. That is cultural erasure, and it will not come back.
'And that's precisely why movements like the Seed Sounds Weekender are so important, this festival isn't just a celebration, it's about uniting and sustaining this network, ensuring that art isn't just for the privileged, and that Britain's unique, musical heartbeat keeps beating.'
Last year, the Music Venue Trust's annual report warned that, in 2023, 22.4% of venues closed as a result of 'operational issues', while 42.1% of its members reported 'financial issues'.
Just last month, Sheffield's well-known Leadmill venue saw its last gig in its current form, after losing a long-running eviction battle with its landlord, the Electric Group, with singer Miles Kane performing on June 27.
Tickets for most of the gigs which take place as part of the Seed Sounds Weekender will be free, with events taking place across 20 UK towns and cities including London, Liverpool and Manchester.
Healy added: 'Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth – they're the foundational infrastructure of our culture. Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Idles, Little Simz, or Wet Leg, you get silence.
'Since 2007, we've lost 38% of UK grassroots music venues – over 1,200 of them – and venue closures continue at a frightening pace. In 2023 alone, 125 venues shut down, and right now two venues are closing every month.
'These rooms barely scrape by, average profit margins are just 0.5% – under £3,000 per year – and nearly 44% operate at a loss. The sector effectively subsidises live music by £162 million annually.
'That means communities across the country: working-class towns; inner cities; regional centres; lose their only accessible creative spaces.
'When that happens, the only art that thrives is the art already bankrolled, safe, sanitised, and profitable. Art becomes a luxury for the privileged.'
Organised by live music marketplace GigPig, the event will partner with Uber to give attendees discounted rides to and from gig venues, with tickets available from the Seed Sounds Weekender website.
It comes after Healy and his band recently headlined the 2025 edition of Glastonbury Festival, having achieved five UK number one albums and 12 UK hit singles.
The 1975 are best known for songs such as Chocolate, The Sound and Love Me.