A venue does more than just host gigs; they are the heart of local music scenes, launchpad for many stellar careers, and a training opportunity for crew, industry professionals and musicians alike. WaterBear is a music college, originally founded in Brighton but having expanded to Sheffield, which provides students with the skills, connections and experience to develop their musical careers. Their efforts do not stop at education, with the College taking action to protect grassroots music venues by celebrating them and raising awareness of their plight.
WaterBear’s founder, Bruce John Dickinson, described the value of keeping these venues running: “Grassroots music venues are the lifeblood of the UK music scene, but we are facing an unprecedented threat. With an alarming rate of two closures each week and a record 125 venues shutting down last year, we are at a critical juncture. It was so important to us when we were growing up…So, we’ve got to get out there, we’ve got to support them, we’ve got to buy tickets, we’ve got to spend some money behind the bar, and we’ve got to enjoy live music, as that’s where we’ll be growing the next crop of talent.” Summing up why live music is important, he said, “There’s still that magic when a young person walks into a venue for the first time, feeling the energy, the connection, and the humanity that live music brings, we have to preserve that. Let’s not lose it. Live music is life. Let’s keep music live.”
WaterBear is taking action, with students performing at venues midweek to keep up footfall and revenue. Greg Archer, Careers & Industry Manager at WaterBear Sheffield explained the importance of this: “The importance of grassroots venues cannot be underestimated—it is an absolute ecosystem of new bands, new talent, new careers, new crew, and staff. What we’re doing with the Keeping Music Live campaign is not new—we’ve been putting on shows for our students at grassroots venues for years. We purposely put them on midweek to help the venues, make entry free, and wherever we can, we chuck a bar tab on. We understand the importance of it.”
Music venues and musicians have a mutually beneficial relationship. “It allows us to get plenty of gig experience. We’re playing festivals next year, and it would be impossible to prepare without the help of smaller venues.” explained Brad Widdowson, a student at the College and musician in Sheffield band Sundress.
Adam Bushell, WaterBear co-founder, emphasised the benefits of starting at a grassroots level: “You cannot hop from your bedroom to a stadium. It’s in these independent venues where you develop as an artist, learning to respond to a live audience and perfect your performance. It’s magical, and it’s irreplaceable. When you look into the future, you’ve got to remember what is great about the past. AI will have its place, but it’s not going to make art.”
