Public Service Broadcasting and KAWALA among new Music Venue Trust patrons

Public Service Broadcasting and KAWALA have become Music Venue Trust patrons today (19 November) alongside Kathryn Williams, Lady Nade, broadcasters and professionals.

The new patrons join the likes of Savages, IDLES' Joe Talbot, Fickle Friends, Everything Everything's Jeremy Pritchard, Honeyblood, Slaves in helping to spread Music Venue Trust's message to protect, secure and improve the UK's grassroots music venues, 30 of which are at risk of imminent closure.

KAWALA's Daniel McCarthy and Jim Higson said of becoming patrons, "It’s a complete honour for us to be made patrons of this incredibly important charity to help campaign for the protection and funding of Grassroots Music Venues. The thought of losing venues across the country due to our politicians failing to prioritise the value in arts and culture is a real concern for us as a touring band, and we need to make sure the venues and the people that work in the sector are protected so that there is an industry to come back to. We will do everything in our power to support the amazing work that Music Venue Trust do behind the scenes."

Public Service Broadcasting's J. Willgoose Esq. added, "Like so many bands, Public Service Broadcasting relied on grassroots music venues in our formative, early years to hone and practice our stage show. In the process we moved from a very static, one-man show with no video element at all to the multi-screen, multi-member outfit we are today. Without those venues at which we could practice, experiment and - crucially - get in front of people, I'm certain we wouldn't have a career in music. I am very proud to have to have been asked to become a MVT patron and as a band we will do our best to pay back our debt to grassroots venues, and give artists and bands the chance to find their feet (and voices) the way we found ours."