- A series of grassroots gigs to celebrate emerging music talent will commence on June 1st with historic Jade Bird performance at Tower Bridge
- The collaboration between Little Concert and Airbnb Concerts is part of the Mayor of London’s Sounds Like London campaign, which supports the capital’s grassroots music scene
Community-driven music platform Little Concert has teamed up with Airbnb Concerts to launch a series of unique Airbnb Concerts in London this June as part of the Mayor of London’s Sounds Like London campaign. The concerts aim to provide vital support for the capital’s grassroots music scene, while shining a light on emerging talent and young women in the industry.
The series will see 11 Airbnb Concerts launch across London over the course of a month, kicking off with an historic performance on June 1st at Tower Bridge. British singer, songwriter and musician Jade Bird, who recently appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, will become the first performer in history to hold a concert inside the iconic landmark’s North Tower.
As Airbnb Concerts are proving to be a great way for artists all over the world to earn income from their gigs, this collaboration seeks to tackle the problems emerging artists face in making a profit from their talents here in the UK. According to figures from Music Venue Trust, approximately 35% of music venues in the UK have closed their doors over the past decade and many others are at risk. Even as an epicentre of the international music scene, London is no exception, hence the industry has been identified by the Mayor’s office as needing vital support at the grassroots level.
London is a powerhouse of music – having produced artists from Adele to Stormzy, and the XX to Dua Lipa. Grassroots music venues are at the very heart of our success as a global capital of music – they are the places where emerging artists are able to hone their talent, and great producers and promoters are able to cut their teeth in the industry.
That’s why I’m delighted that Airbnb and Little Concert are supporting my Sounds Like London campaign – a month of amazing activity in all corners of the capital. This year’s celebrations will put women artists, DJs, producers and promoters front and centre – showcasing the best of the industry and inspiring the next generation of female talent.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
This latest partnership follows on from Airbnb’s work with Culture24 to drive awareness of the need for night-time entertainment and the role that hosts can play in acting as ambassadors for a wide range of evening and night-time activities on offer. In a recent study, 79% of hosts on Airbnb* stressed the importance of having a variety of cultural events available in towns during the evening. Campaigns such as Sounds Like London are a great way for both locals and London’s 2.1m Airbnb guests* to experience the capital’s music scene in the same experiential way in which local communities enjoy all year round.
Little Concert and Airbnb Concerts have united through this shared belief that intimate concerts are the future of music and are hoping their support of the Sounds Like London campaign will pave the way for this movement to grow.
Cultivating unique, local experiences is at the core of what we do at Airbnb, so we’re thrilled to be working with Little Concert to give a platform to up-and-coming artists. This series of concerts is a great way for us to support the grassroots music scene, which is an important part of the industry, while bringing together fans and artists in unique locations around the city.
James Beshara, Airbnb Head of Music Concerts
The music industry is packed with talented artists who may never get a proper chance to perform in front of a larger crowd, and for them, the current market is very limited. Supporting grassroots musicians around the world is in our DNA, which is why we are delighted to unite with Airbnb and be an active part of this important campaign to shine a light on some of London’s hidden gems.
Jimmy Bach, Little Concert Founder and CEO
Tickets to the Concerts will be available through Airbnb and will take place across London on the below dates:
Friday, 1 June – Jade Bird in the North Tower of Tower Bridge
Sunday 3 June – Tara Minton at Knowhere Special
Thursday, 7 June – Anoushka Lucas at The Kings Head
Thursday, 7 June – Laura Oakes at Knowhere Special
Sunday, 10 June – KATIS at Behind This Wall
Saturday, 16 June – Amaroun at The Crypt
Sunday, 17 June – Matilda & Tatyana at Institute of Light
Tuesday, 19 June – Samantha Whates at Phoenix Artist Club
Thursday, 21 June – Ferris & Sylvester at Ziferblat
*See Late Like a Local 2018 research report
*See Airbnb UK Insights Report, September 2017
All experiences in this press release are intended purely to inspire and illustrate. Airbnb does not recommend or endorse these listings or any other experiences on the platform.