Frank Carter and the Sex Pistols sold-out shows at London’s Bush Hall will help secure a future for the iconic independent venue.
Last month it was announced that Frank Carter would be joining Glen Matlock, Paul Cook and Steve Jones to play ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ in its entirety to raise funds for the historic Shepherd’s Bush venue.
They were originally billed to play two nights, but after the dates on August 13 and 14 soon sold out, they added a third show, taking place on August 15. You can find any remaining tickets here.
Now, thanks to some crowdfunding and the success of these upcoming shows, the independent London venue is continuing to make plans for the months ahead. All proceeds from the ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ shows have gone to help the venue’s long-term cultural output.
It comes after the future of the venue was put under thread, and it seemed increasingly likely in recent months that it may close down for good. Earlier this year, for instance, it revealed that it needed to raise £42,000 through crowdfunding to prevent it from losing its music status.
Bush Hall saw a 24.5 per cent decrease in live music bookings last year. Charlie Raworth, the managing director and co-owner of the venue said: “We couldn’t be happier that Bush Hall is able to continue its legacy as a much-loved venue for live music and events.”
He continued: “This was only possible with the tremendous support of our community and our team. We can now look forward to confidently programming music for the years ahead.”
The site has also created new partnerships with companies Sugar & Rind and Fightback Lager – which donates a portion of its profits to grassroots venues every time a pint is sold – in a bid to keep the doors open.
Speaking about the historic venue coming under threat, Carter spoke to NME at Download Festival 2024 and said that supporting grassroots venues like Bush Hall is a cause that has always been a cause close to his heart.
“It’s important for me to support grassroots venues, always,” Carter explained. “Now though, it’s most prevalent because they’ve been so let down by the government. There is no funding for arts. No funding for the places where arts happen.”
He continued: “Not only are those spaces important for entertainment, influencing younger musicians and giving a new generation of bands a place to go, but they’re also important for communities. That’s one of the main things that we’ve seen been absolutely obliterated under the Tory government.”
The threat of closure is far from one isolated to Bush Hall. It was reported by NME earlier this year that 2023 was the “worst year” for music venue closures, according to Music Venue Trust.
Statistics from the MVT showed 125 grassroots venues shut down in 2023 – causing a loss of 4,000 jobs, with 14,500 events no longer possible and 193,230 opportunities lost to musicians.
The MVT found that venues solely dedicated to live music were among the hardest hit of all independent venues, facing an average shortfall of £137,501 over the past year. This is despite fans typically paying higher ticket prices and spending more per head.
Bush Hall, located in the Shepherd’s Bush neighbourhood of West London, was established in 1904 and became a music venue in 2001. It has hosted gigs by the likes of R.E.M, Amy Winehouse, Florence & The Machine, Adele, The Killers and Nick Cave. It was also the venue for Kings Of Leon’s first UK show in 2006.
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