Live or let die?

Is live music dying on its arse, asks this BBC article. Well, if it is, then the industry must be shitting themselves - it's gigs that the major labels have seized upon as a way of making profit as record sales tumble.

Times sound tough in Sheffield and, to an extent, in Brighton, but Glasgow seems in rude good health (a rare opportunity to use the words "Glasgow" and "health" in the same sentence there...). My old home Cardiff has suffered recent closures - not just the Barfly which gets a mention, but also the fantastic and sorely missed Point which doesn't - but there still appears to be cause for optimism, at least according to promoter extraordinaire John Rostron.

Words are all fine and well, but it's only by getting yourself out of the house and in front of the stage that venues can survive and remain sustainable. Despite regular disgruntlement with particular venues for their acoustics, sound mix, ticket prices, selection of drinks etc, I remain an incorrigible gig-goer, a devotee of the live experience. As such, I'm ashamed to admit that last Friday night was my first dose of live music of 2011 - ordinarily, though, I couldn't be accused of not putting my money where my mouth is. How about you?