IDLES announce amplifier raffle in support of #saveourvenues
IDLES have announced that they will raffle off one of Mark Bowen’s Hiwatt amplifier stacks in aid of the Music Venue Trust’s campaign, #saveourvenues.
The Hiwatt head and cab were recently used in the band’s live-streamed performance at Abbey Road, will find its way to one lucky participant who donates to the band’s fundraising campaign. All proceeds from the campaign will go towards the Music Venue Trusts efforts to save smaller grassroots venues in the UK from permanent closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
IDLES guitarist Mark Bowen said of the raffle in a statement: “We would have been in the middle of gigging season right now, where grassroots music venues and musicians make their bread and butter, they need your support now more than ever.
“Grassroots music venues are where music progresses, they are the places where future festival headliners start out, its where the music on the fringes gets an opportunity to grow and turn into popular music of the future, they are places of escapism and to speak to our times, make us think of the world around us.
“They are our culture. Our government derides independence in culture and especially the music industry, this short-sighted view of culture and its economy will be all of our undoings. Support an independent venue/artist/movement where you can.”
Entries will be accepted between 12 PM BST today (Monday 23 November) and 6 PM BST Thursday 26 November. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted before Monday 30 November. Find out more and enter the raffle here.
Despite over 1,000 venues, festivals and theatres being awarded the first share of the £1.57 billion Cultural Recovery Fund earlier this year, the Music Venue Trust has highlighted the 30 UK music venues which received no or little funding, and are still in danger of permanent closure. You can find out more about the ‘red alert’ campaign to save these venues here.
For more music news, click here.
The post IDLES announce amplifier raffle in support of #saveourvenues appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
