We need to support our live music venues more than ever

The loss of both Dan McCafferty and Rab Noakes inside seven days was just awful - two outstanding Fifers who were true masters of their crafts.

Dan fronted Nazareth, the first band I ever saw live as a 15-year old back in 1979. That gig sparked a lifelong passion for live music, one that burns brighter than ever.

Rab was a troubadour, a gent, and an outstanding songwriter. The last time I saw him was at Cash Back In Fife at the Woodside Hotel. I could have listened to his stories and his music for hours.

You could balance the sense of loss with the outpouring of love among the countless tributes which poured in for both.

I’ve nothing but admiration for anyone who can walk on stage with nothing but a set list of songs and a guitar, and hold an audience in the palm of their hand. They create moments that burn bright in the memory for decades to come.

I’ve been lucky enough to see almost all of the greatest bands in the world play live, and those memories remain more precious than ever.

But, this side of lockdown, deep in a cost of living crisis and the red tape chaos Brexit has brought to touring, the industry is in real danger of keeling over. Audiences are down - as much as 30 per cent - and promoters are getting jittery about committing to tours. The obscene growth in dynamic ticket pricing is also putting many major gigs beyond the pockets of lifelong fans.

Live music simply cannot be for those who are comfortably off, but you can only see that trajectory increasing as tickets to gigs soar into three figures.Getting that balance right is crucial if the industry is to emerge on the other side of this hellish mess we’re in - and it must survive.

We need live music more than ever and at every single level. We need to support our venues as much as we can, and they, in turn, need to find new ways of reaching audiences. I can’t wait to see the Adam Smith Theatre open again, but I also want to be wowed by a programme that is as bold, imaginative and as exciting as it can be.

A tall order for sure in the current climate, but the creative sector is crucial to our economic recovery as much as it is essential to our wellbeing. We cannot lose a generation of talent, both on stage and behind the scenes, if venues continue to scale back.

Throughout lockdown, my work from home soundtrack consisted entirely of the one thing I couldn’t get in person - live music. Last weekend was spent at two gigs in two converted churches; one a blissfully relaxed bring your own bottle affair, the other packed to the rafters, hot, sweaty and utterly, utterly joyous thanks to the remarkable Red Rum Club whose music is simply glorious.

Moments like that can sustain you through the darkest of winters. Support your local venues and bands.