Like many folk in their mid-40s, I’m massively excited about Oasis touring next summer (Report, 27 August). But there’s sadness too. When Oasis toured for the first time in 1994, 34 grassroots venues across the UK took a chance and booked them. Now, only 11 of those places still exist – the other 23 have closed for good.
It’s a stark reminder of what we’ve lost and what it means for the future of music and communities. Those 23 vanished venues were lifelines. They were places where acts such as Oasis, still rough around the edges, could hone their craft. They were part of the social fabric of their communities, essential gathering places. Their closures reflect growing gentrification, rising rents and a society that’s increasingly willing to sacrifice culture for profit. When these venues disappear, we lose places you could stumble into and witness live music that might change your life. We lose spaces where art and community happens, where people connect.
Grassroots venues unite people. We must fight for them as not just part of our past, but vital for our future. Because the next Oasis is out there. But if we’re not careful, they might never find a stage to play on.
James Kirkham
Founder, Iconic agency
• Thank you, Simon Price, for challenging the myth (Stop the celebrations – Oasis are the most damaging pop-cultural force in recent British history, 28 August). And while we’re on the subject, can we also debunk that other “great” Britpop band – how anyone saw Blur as anything more than a middle-class Chas & Dave is beyond me. Britpop produced some fantastic bands with great music and cutting lyrics, but its two most celebrated proponents were bland media darlings with limited artistic merit.
Warren Brown
Ilkley, West Yorkshire
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