Tour routes in the UK are getting shorter and shorter, but what is the reason behind it?

In recent years, the UK live music scene has seen a significant reduction in the number of shows on tour circuits. Artists now play fewer gigs compared to the 1990s, with grassroots tours shrinking from 22 shows in 1994 to just 11 in 2023, according to the Music Venue Trust.

Despite recording a record high in spending in 2023, the UK live music sector has been slogging through trying times. In the same year, grassroots venues called 2023 the “most challenging year”, with over a hundred venues forced to shut down.

Rising costs are the main culprit behind this decline. The cost of putting on shows – ranging from venue fees to travel and accommodation – has skyrocketed, affecting both artists and fans. Musician Sam Duckworth, of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly (who know works with the Music Venue Trust), refers to the situation as a “spiralling crisis” and explains that these financial burdens force artists to reduce the number of dates on their tours, meaning fans in smaller towns now have to travel further to see live performances.

This has created what Duckworth describes as a “crisis of access,” where fans face increased travel expenses, alongside inflated ticket prices and living costs. Not only do bands struggle to cover their own expenses, but venues also feel the pinch, often running at a loss and cutting back on hosting events.

According to Jon Collins, chief executive of the live music trade body, Live, even mid-capacity and arena-level tours are affected. Collins notes that many international artists are now skipping smaller UK cities entirely. Instead of playing multiple shows across the country, artists are reducing appearances to just a few major cities. Collins states that, “The risk is that we end up with a truncated touring route, which becomes a spine of the country – London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow.”

This truncated touring route has wider implications. As bands avoid smaller cities, local economies lose out. Hotels, bars, restaurants, and taxis miss out on valuable revenue from concert-goers, while British crews often aren’t hired for shorter UK tours.

Collins calls for action to ease the financial pressure on live music. One proposed solution is to reduce VAT on ticket sales, which currently sits at 20% in the UK compared to lower rates in countries like France and Germany. A reduction could potentially increase the number of shows bands are able to play.

In response to the challenges, Coldplay has committed to donating 10% of the proceeds from two of their 2025 UK shows to support grassroots venues, highlighting how artist-driven initiatives can help alleviate some pressure. The Music Venue Trust is also advocating for a £1 levy on arena and stadium concerts to support smaller venues, but implementing this measure industry-wide has proved complicated and challenging.

As more venues close and tours reduce in size, both the music industry and the government are grappling with how to make live music more accessible and financially viable. The hope is that further collaboration and financial support could reverse this trend and keep the UK’s vibrant live music culture alive. More major artists could donate to smaller venues, as Coldplay has pledged. Additionally, larger venues in towns and cities could implement a similar donation scheme to aid smaller local venues in the same town. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told a music industry conference that the government is “deeply concerned about the closure of live music venues and the huge challenges that face existing venues right now”, and said the issue is “absolutely at the top of our agenda”.