Grassroots venues "poorly run"? At least they can deliver a fucking show
Gary Roden, ex general manager of new Co-op Live venue, struck by arena-sized dose of irony
Hello and welcome to the thirteenth edition of DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. I blew the cobwebs from this newsletter, gave it a little kick and turns out it still works in 2024.
Today’s newsletter is about punching up instead of down. Grassroots venues are on their knees and firing unsubstantiated shots at them feels unnecessary and unhelpful right now. Are they immune from criticism? Of course not. But make sure your comments are factual and you’re running a tight ship yourself. Because if not, as Gary Roden found out, it makes you look very silly indeed.
Irony. We don’t see it played out enough in real time, do we? Prominent dickheads with platforms they don’t deserve spit untruths and, all too often, there seems to be few consequences. In walks Gary Roden and some ill-advised opinions.
Roden joined Co-op Live as General Manager in 2023, giddily cited in his unveiling as an “established industry leader”. What are his credentials to be considered as such, I hear you ask. Roden spent eight years at Ticketmaster UK so yes, he is an “established industry leader” in one sense, leading it down the toilet thanks to dynamic ticket pricing and strangling competition at every turn. And, as always, it’s music fans who suffer.
You might have spotted recently that his role in overseeing the operation of the UK’s largest live entertainment arena in Manchester has not gone well. In fact, it hadn’t even officially opened before he had to step down. Via the BBC on launch day, he dismissed the Music Venue Trust’s (MVT) suggested subsidy of £1 from each arena ticket supporting grassroots venues, declaring some “poorly run” and, perhaps even more bizarrely, labelled the “give us a quid conversation” as “aggressive”.
There’s nothing aggressive about it; it’s desperation. An annual report by the Music Venue Trust in January earlier this year found that two grassroots music venues are closing per week. In the previous 12 months, 125 venues had closed down and, of those left standing, 38% reported making a financial loss in 2023 despite seeing an increased demand for tickets. Grassroots venues face a multitude of complex challenges and I’d argue that no one who chooses to be in charge of one right now, a constant battle to stay afloat, would have the option of running it poorly.
Here belies an attitude of people at the top simply not getting it. People like Roden or arena owners Oakview Group don’t understand the suffocating challenges grassroots venues face, either out of ignorance or snobbery, and choose to punch down when we should be sticking together. And, crucially, they don’t understand why fans hold them so dearly. They don’t understand the escapism or sense of belonging these spaces can bring, nurturing vital communities and the very artists who may rake in the cash for these overpriced arenas in future.
Thankfully, Roden is gone now. He decided to open his big mouth on the day Co-op Live arena was due to launch. Dismissing grassroots venues as “poorly run” does not reflect well when your own house is not in order, as it first slew of shows were cancelled. As a result, Roden tendered his resignation without another public word.
At the time of writing, the Co-op Live arena has just cancelled its third attempt at opening its doors. This time, ticket buyers were already in the queue when the news filtered through. Ultimately, these difficult decisions are made for the safety of attendees, however there’s no reason for communication to be lacking.
Granted, Roden is not there anymore, but it does hint at the chaotic reign he’s left behind and the lack of transparency afforded to music fans who have paid good money. Admittedly, the arena is taking some positive steps when it comes to sustainability - 100% electric power, zero waste to landfill, and the collection and reuse of Manchester’s rain - but it counts for little when the basics aren’t being delivered on time.
Roden will undoubtedly resurface with another cushy job in tow. It’s just the way it works. But let’s hope when he next decides to swing a fist, he punches up instead of down.
If you’ve made it this far, hello again and thank you. Send me a sign on Letterboxd if you’d like to chat. Don’t forget to document everything 👋
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a great read!