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London venue Alexandra Palace has installed a new ‘Changing Places’ facility for visitors with acute disabilities. The space includes adjustable equipment and is designed to accommodate carers. Jack Brooks, Head Of Visitor Services at Alexandra Park And Palace Charitable Trust, says, “The Changing Places facility will have a transformational impact, enabling us to host audiences that previously may not have considered visiting”. The project has been funded by a number of organisations, including Haringey Council and the Department Of Levelling Up, Housing And Communities. Tom Hulbert, Managing Director of Innova Care Concepts, which installed the facility, added: “We are THRILLED to be installing these new facilities at Alexandra Palace to make accessibility easier for all of their visitors”.
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ASM Global has been selected as the new operator of Sheffield City Hall, commencing operations in January 2025. This follows their earlier appointment to manage the Utilita Arena Sheffield. Chris Bray, President of ASM Global Europe, says, “We are delighted to have been selected to operate the wonderful Sheffield City Hall – a truly beautiful and unique venue steeped in heritage”. The move is part of Sheffield City Council’s £117 million investment plan for the city’s leisure and entertainment venues. Councillor Kurtis Crossland expressed confidence that “this new investment will help our fantastic Sheffield venues compete on the global stage”.
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Broadwick Live has launched ‘Broadwick Live Presents’, a new music initiative partnering with London venues Studio 338, Night Tales Loft, Electric Brixton and Phonox to support emerging talent and club culture from October. The programme, curated by the team behind Printworks and Drumsheds, aims to address concerns about the health of the night-time economy. Jeff Gray, Broadwick Live Head Of Music, says, “This will involve us hosting events across our favourite London venues, all of which are equally committed to pushing the dance music scene forward”. Confirmed acts include Otik at Peckham's Carpet Shop and D.O.D at Phonox.
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The Country Music Association and Morgan Wallen have hailed the efforts of two music promoters for helping bring country music to mainstream audiences in the UK. At a brief event before Wallen’s Hyde Park concert - which has been billed as the UK’s largest country show to date - the CMA praised Jim King, CEO of AEG’s European Festival Division, and Anna Sophie-Mertens, Live Nation’s Vice President of Touring. Milly Olykan, CMA’s Vice President of International Relations & Development, said, “This is a milestone for the country genre and it’s important that we acknowledge the promoters who are supporting country music's rapidly growing and mainstream appeal in the UK”.
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Amazon Music will livestream select performances from Wireless Festival in Finsbury Park for the second year, broadcasting on Prime Video and Amazon Music’s Twitch channel from 12-14 Jul, while Amazon Music users will be able to access “an exclusive viewing area overlooking the Amazon Music stage”. In a press release, the company says “returning to Wireless marks the continued commitment to connect fans with the artists they love on a global scale”. The livestream will feature artists including 21 Savage, Sean Paul and Digga D, with more to be announced.
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ASM Global-operated P&J Live in Aberdeen has launched a sustainability campaign aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Working with sustainability consultants Positive Planet, the venue has measured its 2023 emissions and implemented a carbon reduction plan to halve greenhouse gas emissions before 2030. The strategy includes initiatives focused on energy, transportation, food supply, waste and marketing. Rob Wicks, Managing Director of P&J Live, says “With everything that was originally designed into the building and wider site... we are well placed to cater for what artists, event organisers and delegates need as we improve our combined sustainability performance”.
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Orchestras for All has announced plans to relocate from London to Sheffield, following a similar move by the English Touring Opera. The youth orchestra will be based at Canada House, a Grade II-listed building in Sheffield’s city centre, which is being restored as a music hub by the Harmony Works charity. Councillor Martin Smith from Sheffield City Council stated: “We are dedicated to creating opportunities for all our young residents and to create a city they can prosper in”. The move comes after a national call-out for suggested destinations, with Sheffield chosen following a “rigorous shortlisting” process.