The live music industry is decimated right now all over the world. It affects so many people in so many ways. First and foremost, all of the artists and musicians that survive on touring and playing shows have lost their means of making a living. It's absolutely devastating for them. For most working bands, there isn't money to be made on selling their music. Sites like Spotify pay bands fractions of penny's for their music. Their bread and butter is the door and merch from live shows. Then it trickles down to the music venues that are dropping like flies, including all of the people that work at the venues, small businesses, shops, and restaurants that rely on traffic from these events for revenue.
It further impacts everyone that works in the music industry in some capacity. Journalists, promoters, festival organizers, videographers, and road crews, etc. Lastly it affects millions of people that enjoy seeing live shows. People have always enjoyed gathering to see live music. The energy, the buzz, the people watching. It might not hurt concert goers in the pocketbook, but it hurts the heart, the soul, and the psyche, not to be able to see live music with friends and strangers alike. These gatherings bring us together and make us feel alive. They're often therapeutic, if not cathartic experiences.
If nothing else they're a release, a place to dance, immerse yourself in the music and forget about your problems for a couple of hours. As important as it is to people, I think it was hard for any of us to imagine how disastrous it would be if the ability to go see a band play either in a small dive bar or a huge stadium or festival, suddenly vanished...I know it's left a hole in my life...
For my part, I have tons of high quality live band footage. The very least I can do is share as much of it as I can, as time allows. I know it's not the same as seeing a live show, nothing can replace that. But it's something. Please support musicians and artists any way you can during these trying times.
So, with that said...About 5 years ago, thanks to their original manager, the brilliant Dave Newton, I worked on a very special project with the UK shoegaze band RIDE. They had filmed a concert on 16mm and Super 8 in 1991 in London at the old Town & Country venue (now renamed, O2 Forum Kentish Town) and then for reasons unknown let the footage sit in film cans for almost 25 years! I was asked by Dave to restore the footage, sync it up manually, which tool me the better part of the summer(it was all silent film footage), and turn it into a concert film! This is the result of my work! Love, Matt xx 🙏🏾🎸💪🏽👂👁❤️ #letthemusicplay
