NUS Services, the commercial division of the National Union Of Students, is hoping to give the often erratic but potentially very effective university live music circuit something of a boost through the launch of uLive, a new live music network involving fifteen students' unions around the UK. In a bid to overcome the aforementioned erratic-ness of the college network, all the venues in the uLive network will be booked centrally, and will be promoted nationally under the uLive brand.
With the average capacity of the uLive venues around 500, the NUS hope the network will be used by promoters and labels looking to break new artists in the student market, as well as by established acts looking for an efficient way of reaching the college audience. Artists playing at uLive venues will also receive promotion through national and local advertising, a bespoke uLive website, viral activity by participating unions and a partnership with the SUBtv network. There are also plans to build relationships between uLive and the US and Canadian college music network, promoting new UK talent to North American college gig bookers.
uLive will have its industry launch at the London Calling event at Earls Court at the end of next week. The network will properly launch to the student market in September. In the meantime, for more information contact NUS Services Entertainments Manager Luke Fitzmaurice at [email protected].