Oasis or desert? Loss of venues threatens new talent
As Oasis embark on their sold-out comeback tour, a small venue where the Manchester band played one of their first gigs has issued a stark warning. Rich Simm, a director of The Forum in Tunbridge Wells, said the closure of many of the UK’s grassroots music venues means today’s up-and-coming bands risk being overlooked.
To illustrate the point, one simply needs to look at the poster for Oasis’ first tour in 1994. Only four of the 16 venues that hosted the Gallagher brothers’ fledgling band that year are still operating. The high cost of touring and changing habits – going to live gigs is far less popular than it once was – have both contributed to closure of many small venues.
The Forum, which became a CIC about ten years ago, has stayed afloat thanks to the tenacity of its operators and support from the local community. It’s also had a helping hand from funding made possible by National Lottery players.
When the pandemic forced The Forum to close its doors for 18 months, emergency funding from The National Lottery proved a lifeline. More recently, National Lottery funding has allowed it to open a second venue in the basement of a pub where emerging talent can play their first shows in a low-pressure setting.
Rich said, “The great thing for us about this kind of funding is that because the venue has been run on a shoestring for so long, we can make a little go an exceptionally long way. We’re incredibly grateful for it.”
Rich said, “The idea that Oasis played to a packed venue and blew everyone away isn’t right. There were about 80 people in the venue and about 50 of them watched Oasis. Of course, a far greater number of people now claim to have seen the gig.”
The band did have something special, however. One of Rich’s co-directors was the sound engineer that night and after Oasis had completed their sound check, he called his wife and told her to come to the venue, because the Mancunians were “really something”.
Unfortunately, she had worked the previous evening and decided to stay home. Rich said, “She’s regretted it ever since!”
PHOTOS CREDIT: Images of Noel and Liam Gallagher and original Oasis poster courtesy of Stephen Geer.
1st July 2025
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