

G e n e r a t o r
The M
e t a project brings together music makers and workers across the British Isles!
A u d i e n c e s
W h a t K
e e p s T
h e m A
w a y

META
AUDIENCE
RESEARCH
by Dave Cross

Generator commissioned an extensive research programme to
find out what prevented people from attending gigs.
REPORT TO
GENERATOR NORTH EAST LIMITED
AUDIENCE
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
RESULTS
OF FOCUS GROUPS
PREPARED BY: SCOTINFORM LTD
JANUARY 2000
CONTENTS
1 Introduction
RESEARCH FINDINGS:
2 - Profile
of Sample
3 - How Leisure
Time is Spent
4 - Likelihood
of Travelling to Pubs/Clubs
5 - Importance
of Music In Lifestyle
6 - Perceptions
of Popular Music Events
7 - Reasons
for Not Attending Live Popular Music Events
8 - What
Makes a Good Event
9 - Factors
Which Would Encourage Attendance
10- Marketing
11- CONCLUSIONS
APPENDIX ONE: Topic Guide

INTRODUCTION
This report
details the main findings from three focus groups held in
Newcastle Upon Tyne with young people who do not
currently attend live popular music events. The research
study was commissioned by Generator North-East, the
popular music development agency for the North of England
and conducted by Scotinform Ltd, an independent market
research company.
The main
role of Generator is to raise the profile of the music
industry by promoting large-scale festivals and events,
through the distribution of Generator Newsletter, by
providing a one stop advice and information service,
training events, schools programmes, lobbying,
sponsorship and close media links. In order to develop
the popular music industry in the North of England,
Generator wished to explore the reasons for
non-attendance at live popular music events and to
identify key participating beneficiaries of the study as
well as ascertain current policies towards live music,
audiences and facilities amongst participating venues.
The overall study consists of Three Phases.
This report details the findings from Phase Two of the
research study - qualitative research amongst
non-attenders of live popular music events. The topic
guide used in the survey is shown in Appendix One of the
report.

RESEARCH
FINDINGS
Profile
of Sample
A total of three focus groups were held in
December 1999. Each group consisted of eight people with
a good mix of men and women and those in employment,
unemployed and students. Attendees were aged between 17
years old and 34 years old and lived either in Newcastle
City or within a 30-mile radius of the City Centre. All
participants listened to popular music at home but had
not attended a live performance within the last year.
How Leisure Time Spent
Participants were first asked how they spend
their leisure time. Most participants visit the cinema,
theatre or city centre or local bars and clubs.
I
go to the pictures and the pub.
Most
of my money is spent going out at weekends, it is quite
expensive to drink in the town
Chase,
Cameo, like the newer bars, at the moment we are into the
Ba Ha Beach Club if you can get in.
One
participant spent her leisure time surfing the Internet
finding out about bands that she liked and looking for
CDs at a cheaper price than in the high street stores.
I
just go on-line and find out if any particular band that
I like has got a new CD out, how much it is and where I
can get it cheaper.
A
significant proportion of participants purchase CDs to
listen to at home or whilst driving in the car. A large
proportion tended to buy dance or compilations CDs, which
are advertised on radio or television.
They
advertise Greatest Hits Compilations on the television,
by playing the good songs and then you buy the CD and the
rest are rubbish.
The general consensus of opinion was that CDs were very
expensive and that people do not buy as many as they used
to. Women tend to spend a large part of their leisure
time shopping for clothes and other household products
whereas men tend to visit pubs with friends and attend
local football matches.
It
varies for me, I am out two or three times a week playing
football and sometimes I have a pint after and then
sometimes at the weekend.
For the
younger participants in the groups (those aged 17-28
years old) their ideal Friday and Saturday night out was
going to the Quayside in Newcastle and visiting the pubs
and clubs. Very few participants ventured into the City
Centre mid-week, however, men were more likely than women
to visit pubs in the City Centre on a Monday night.
Monday night was considered student night
with pub promotions offering cheaper drink and live
bands.
You
spend about ten minutes in each bar, you want to do as
many bars as you can, that is the whole idea of going
down to the Quayside.
Monday
night is classed as a student night.
For men aged
over 28 years old a good night out was to spend time with
friends having a quiet drink in a local pub.
Going
to a pub, you are going to talk to your mates or whatever
company you have gone out with. I would like to think I
would give a live band a try, but you cant hear
yourself think. I go to a pub to sit and have a bit of a
chat, you want to be able to have a conversation and
certainly if there is live music in a pub I would think
twice about it."
Likelihood of Travelling to Pubs/Clubs
A small number of participants, again mainly
young men aged between 19-22 years old, travelled to
other cities to visit clubs. The club scene tended to
centre on Manchester, Blackpool, Liverpool and London.
Last
year I went down to see New Order in Manchester.
Participants
living outside of Newcastle City were quite prepared to
travel into the City Centre for entertainment at
weekends. Pubs and clubs were the main draw for younger
participants and only a few participants had mentioned
that they had visited the City Centre to see a live band
performing. Most of those who had seen a live band
performing in a City Centre bar had come upon the band by
chance and through the offer of cheaper drink at
promotional nights in pubs advertised using flyers
distributed to the general public. The availability of
late night transportation and the cost of taxi fares
tended to prohibit many people from staying in the City
Centre later than the last bus home, which was normally
around 23.00 hours.
The
last bus is about 11 oclock which is quite
restricting.
Younger
participants who visited clubs in the City Centre were
prepared to pay between £5-£10 admission fee.
However, there was the perception that some pubs and
clubs in the City Centre were over priced.
Price
puts me off, there is a bar on the Quayside, it is like a
modern trendy type bar and you pay a fortune for a pint
and it is rubbish.
Participants
who tended to socialise locally were much more likely
than those who visit the City Centre for entertainment to
have seen a live performing band in a pub. Of those who
had visited a pub or club where a band was performing
live, the majority were pleasantly surprised and felt
that the band had added to the atmosphere in the place.
There
is nothing better than a live band.
Most
participants stated that they did not seek out places
were live bands were performing but enjoyed listening to
bands if they happened to be performing in the pub or
club which they had chosen to visit.
There
was a band at my local pub, it was purely by fluke I went
in for a drink and there was a live band on, it was
great, I didnt know them.
Importance of Music in Daily Lives
Music was considered to be a very important
element in peoples lives and most participants
tended to hear about new bands though the local and
national radio stations such as Galaxy Radio, Century
Radio, Metro FM and Radio One. Younger
participants liked to listen to dance music on the radio
prior to going out as this set the mood for the evening.
Participants agreed that music had a strong influence on
changing their particular mood and men in particular
liked to listen to music whilst they worked.
Participants were interested in finding out about new
bands or music, but were reluctant to seek out venues
where new bands were performing. Younger participants
preferred to spend their money at clubs listening to DJ
mixes of dance music whereas older participants (28 years
old and over) enjoyed listening to live bands,
particularly if they were playing songs with which they
were familiar.
All of the participants had their own preference for the
type of music that they enjoyed and were unlikely to
watch a band that was not performing their type of music.
Participants, who did not work within the City Centre,
felt that apart from the radio stations there was little
advertising elsewhere about live performing bands.
There
is not much information about the club scene, apart from
if you listen to Century Radio or Metro FM regularly,
where you will hear about concert information, it is rare
to see on a bill board or some other form of media.
There
is an advert once a week in the Chronicle, in
entertainment, for the City Hall and the Arena.
Record
shops do advertise now and again.
Perceptions of Popular Music Events
Nearly all participants had attended a live
popular music event, mostly when they were students.
Participants who had attended events at Newcastle Arena
were disappointed with the venue and the cost of
tickets.
The main venue in Newcastle for big named bands is the
Newcastle Arena.
Most participants had seen a band performing live at the Arena.
However, nearly all had poor perceptions of this venue.
The Arena was considered to be too big and most
of the seating at the back of the hall had poor
visibility. Participants said that the as the distance
between the audience and the stage was so great most
people had to rely on large TV screens situated around
the Arena to see what was happening on stage.
Participants felt that this defeated the purpose of
attending a live performance.
When
we went to the Arena we were on the balcony and we
couldnt see, it was terrible.
Ticket
prices ranged from £25 to £40 depending on the band and
participants considered prices as too expensive.
To
go to the Arena it is £25 a head, so if you are going
with your partner that is £50, to stand in a big
aircraft hanger and listen to an hour and a half of
music, then go home. I have been once and I swore I
wouldnt go again.
Reasons for Not Attending Live Popular Music
Events
Younger participants said that the reason that
they did not attend live performances was that few good
bands come to the North East of England.
It
all depends if you are prepared to travel down to see a
band, because not many good bands come up here, I
think.
Also
participants agreed that there were few good venues where
live bands could perform in the North East. The City
Hall was considered to be more compact than the Arena
but too small to attract large bands. Other local venues
including pubs and clubs were perceived as more suitable
venues for live performing bands, particularly new up and
coming bands.
Not
the Arena. I prefer smaller places, with people who
appreciate the music better, I also like the music
festivals as well.
I
have been to the Leisure Centre, it is just a leisure
complex, it is quite small. It was packed but it was a
good atmosphere, I cant remember how much it
was.
Some of the
club venues have live bands performing but to a limited
amount of people. Participants felt that more club venues
should promote live bands as they have the space and
capacity, particularly mid week, to attract bands and
therefore more people to the venue.
Oasis
have live bands, but they dont announce it till
about two days before something like that and it is only
about a couple of hundred people.
You
would think that pubs would have more live bands
mid-week, maybe on a Wednesday or a Thursday.
A small
minority of participants, mainly men, preferred to visit
pubs which did not have live music in order to have a
conversation as most live bands were considered too loud
and inhibited conversation. Credit card ticket booking
systems were considered by a small proportion of
participants to be a barrier to attending live music
performances. Younger participants who did not have a
credit card felt that they did not have the same
opportunity to purchase tickets, as those who did have
access to a credit card, therefore they had to queue
outside the City Hall for tickets.
It
is just laziness that I dont attend events, I
dont think tickets are readily available, I know
you can phone, but if you dont have a credit card,
you can only get them from the box office at the City
Hall or HMV sometimes.
Transportation was clearly a problem for people living
outside the City Centre. Most of the women in the groups
did not like travelling on the last bus home. Others
female participants did not find the walk from the
Quayside to the nearest Metro, safe.
To
get from the Quayside to Haymarket, it is a taxi
ride.
I
would carry on getting a taxi home and a taxi in, but I
am sure a lot more people would go out if there was
better transportation, because a lot of my friends do go
for the last bus because they cant afford to pay
for a taxi.
I
think the last bus used to have a reputation for fights,
years ago.
If
it is the last bus, everyone is drunk.
Participants
were concerned with the lack of transportation
particularly late at night. They were most concerned that
there was no transport link between the parts of the City
Centre where all the entertainment is focused and the
nearest hub for public transport to and from the City
Centre.
It
is getting to Haymarket for the last bus, walking up
those streets if you are on your own.
Where
I live I cant get a bus after 6 oclock at
night, so I have to get the metro and then wait.
Admission
costs were not considered to be a major barrier to
attendance, whereas cost of drinks and queuing were.
Safety at the venue was paramount and was not considered
important as it was expected that all venues adhered to
safety regulations. The type of performance and the
atmosphere in the venue were more important than the
reputation of the venue.
What Makes A Good Event
Participants stated that the size of the venue
and the type of music performed were the two most
important factors when choosing to attend an event.
Followed by price and a good atmosphere. The reputation
of the venue was not considered as important as the bands
that they attract.
The
Broken Doll in Newcastle, that used to have a horrible
reputation, but they had some brilliant bands on, it has
gone now.
It
is more cutting edge at the Riverside, up and coming
bands, once they actually hit top of fame, they probably
wouldnt bother, only because of the money.
I
went to see them at the Arena, they were great, but the
atmosphere in that place is stone dead, it is just a big
empty building.
Participants
felt that local bands now found it harder to get gigs, as
people were not prepared to take the opportunity to go
and see an unknown band.
There
is a pub down the road and you could have live bands on
every week and you would still have the same people every
night, you wouldnt attract people from outside I
dont think.
Participants
who lived outside the City boundary and tended to visit
their local pub for entertainment, were more likely to
have seen a live band performing than those participants
who socialised in the City Centre.
If
I had more time on my hands, I would go and see local
bands performing, as I like live music.
I
go to The Crown at the village, sometimes they have a
live group on every other week.
Unless
you knew it was going to be a band that you liked or you
had heard them before, you might go, but to travel along
to somewhere out of the way to see a band that could be
absolutely rubbish, you might as well go to your local
pub and have a few drinks.
Participants
who had visited South Shields and Whitley Bay stated that
they had enjoyed the atmosphere in the pubs and clubs in
both of these areas. The pubs were busy and lively and
the local bands performed well know songs. Participants
stated that their ideal night out was plenty
of drink, good music and having
a laugh with your friends. The pub or
club needed to be busy and attract a large number of
people. Factors which made an evening poor were venues
with high ticket prices, restricted viewing either by
pillars or due to the fact that the stage was too far
away from the audience, venues which lack atmosphere,
expensive drink and having to queue to get in.
Factors Which Would Encourage Attendance
Participants were asked what would encourage
them to attend live popular music performances. The type
of band and music performed were the two key determining
factors followed by the venue.
I
havent seen the St.Trillions and I wouldnt
go, it is more heavy metal, not that I have anything
against them, it is just not my scene.
You
assume that because a band is playing in a certain pub
they will be playing a certain type of music. Participants
would like to see more bands performing at local venues.
There was the view that in the past more bands played at
local venues, however most of the suitable local venues
were now Bingo Halls.
Special offers and promotional nights clearly attracted
more people to events mid week. Monday night was
considered a good night to visit the City Centre as a lot
of the bars had promotional evenings. If a band were also
playing in the bar then this would add to the atmosphere.
However, participants agreed that they were more likely
to be attracted to an event by the offer of free/cheaper
drinks rather than the chance to see a band performing
live. Participants would pay up to £10 admission fee to
a club for a specific DJ, but would be reluctant to pay
to watch a live band performing in a pub.
There
is a place we go occasionally, I cant remember the
name and there is usually a band on and we do stay, so it
is different, but I wouldnt pay to get in though
that is the difference.
I
would only pay to see somebody that I wanted to go and
see, I must be honest, I wouldnt pay to go and see
somebody I dont know.
A high
proportion of participants had visited music Festivals
held in Newcastle and Sunderland. Participants enjoyed
the fact that the Festivals were held outside and that
they had the opportunity to wander around the events and
were not restricted to one particular event.
Marketing
In order to look at awareness of live performing
bands all participants were shown promotional material
including posters, flyers and postcards for bands and
venues.
The leaflets, flyers and postcards were of different
styles and included glossy and photocopied material. Very
few participants were aware of the posters and flyers
promoting venues and bands. Only one participant
mentioned seeing the postcard promoting Legends
night-club and another participant recalled being handed
a flyer for Shindig at the Riverside
and another mentioned the Dance Arena.
I
have seen that one for Legends.
I
have seen the one for the Dance Arena.
All
participants had been handed leaflets and flyers for pubs
and clubs at some point during their time in the City
Centre. Most participants looked at the leaflets or
flyers as many offered cheaper drink as well as
entertainment.
I
look at them sometimes, you can get cheaper drinks, that
is why you look at them really.
Newcastle
is so expensive for drink, you go into a club and you are
paying £3 a bottle, so if you get a place where it is
cheaper to drink, buy one and get one free, it is bound
to fill it no problem at all.
Participants
stated that they were more likely to go and see a popular
music event advertised on a flyer or leaflet if it
included the offer of cheaper drink. When shown the
leaflets/flyers, Shindig was the club which
participants would be most aware of and most likely to
have attended.
The
Shindig was a bit different, the atmosphere was good,
because it wasnt all clean and nice, it was quite
dark and mysterious."
Shindigs
is quite small, it is not flash and it is quite dark and
dingy really, but it is the crowd that get in, the music
and atmosphere. Planet Earth is the same.
Participants
felt that promotional material for clubs should be glossy
otherwise it would look cheap whereas a photocopied
leaflet was acceptable for promoting an event at a local
pub or to promote a local band.
It
has to smack somebody straight away, a picture and key
words, that is what gets the attention.
Participants
felt that they did not necessarily need to see
promotional material in order to attend new clubs.
In
Newcastle it does not matter about the leaflet
presentation because when a new club opens you go,
dont you, so you either like it or you dont
so you know where you want to go or where you dont
want to go.
However,
participants felt that leaflets/flyers were a good way of
informing the general public about new bands and where
bands were performing. They felt that they should be
clear and easy to understand and should describe the type
of music being played, for example, funk, jazz, and heavy
metal as many of the leaflets/flyers shown were for
unknown bands.
If
they had funk music, I would be interested, the type of
music described if important, because you dont know
the band do you, they could be anyone.
Endorsements
from Radio One and other regional radio stations
were most likely to influenced attendance at venues where
live bands were performing. There was the perception that
endorsements by radio stations meant that the bands were
good and up and coming, therefore worth seeing.
If
the leaflet compared the band to other bands, like they
are the hottest thing since Oasis, unless you know the
band it would not do anything for me, but if it was a
quote from like Radio One, then it would be fairly high
profile so it would get my attention.
Its
a quality station (Galaxy), its a brand name.
Participants
were largely unaware of companies, which promote bands
and only one participant was aware of Nice
Productions. Participants agreed that there
was not enough advertising about live performing bands
and that much of the publicity is not presented far
enough in advance, therefore by the time participants
were aware of the band, they had been and gone.
I
agree there is not enough advertising, even for the big
bands, often they have been and gone, even through it can
be quite expensive.
Students
were more likely to be aware of promotional material for
live performing bands than those in employment.
Participants felt that there was little advertising in
the newspapers or on radio about local bands and big
bands.
I
work in the city centre, but I have never had any
leaflets pushed in my hand.
Although, only a small proportion of participants were
aware of listings magazines such as The Crack
and Get Rhythm, none had read them. They
are free, they put batches in clubs, pubs and
venues.
Participants agreed that they did not really look at
posters and were more likely to read a leaflets than look
closely at a poster. They felt that the range of posters
shown in the focus groups (Sunderland Shining and tgg
Taste Middlesborough) were not appealing and did not
fully explain any background information about the bands
and the type of music performed.
The
places like in the Quayside, dont have posters up,
because they are newly decorated, trendy and shiny, so
you wouldnt find anything like that in those type
of pubs.

CONCLUSIONS
All
participants enjoyed listening to music on the radio
whilst at home or at work. Music was considered to be a
very important element in peoples lives. Women
tended to spend their money on clothes and visiting pubs
and clubs, mostly at weekends whereas men preferred to
spend their leisure time at the football or visiting a
pub with their friends. A high proportion of participants
purchase CDs, particularly dance or compilation CDs which
are advertised on television. The consensus of opinion
across the groups was that CDs were very expensive.
Younger participants were more likely to visit a club
than visit a pub where a live band was performing.
Attending a club where a particular DJ was performing
such as Fat Boy Slim was important to young
participants. The two clubs which participants were most
likely to have attended recently were Shindigs
and the Beach Club.
Older participants, 28 years old and over were quite
likely to visit a pub where a live band was performing
but mainly if they were familiar with the type of music
performed. Nearly all participants agreed that they did
not seek out venues where bands were performing live.
However, those who had seen a live performance were
pleasantly surprised. Style of music is an important
factor in encouraging young people to attend popular
music events. Participants were quite prepared to travel
to Manchester or London to see a big named band but were
unlikely to visit their local venues to see an unknown
band. The main barriers to attendance at popular music
events were: cost of drinks, admission costs, credit card
ticket booking systems, transportation and queues at
venues.
Factors that would encourage attendance at events were: a
good atmosphere, cheaper drink, improved late night
transportation, events at more local venues or at small
venues such as clubs and special offer/promotional
evenings. Participants living outside the City boundary
would be more likely to visit the City Centre in the
evening if they had better transportation links.
Participants preferred to attend popular music events
that were held in smaller venues as this created a better
atmosphere. Participants who had attended an event held
at the Newcastle Arena felt that the occasion
had not lived up to their expectations as viewing was
restricted and the venue was so large that it lacked
atmosphere. At £25 a ticket per person they did consider
the venue as value for money.
Participants could not recall any posters promoting live
popular music events.
When shown leaflets/flyers and postcards promoting
events, awareness was low. Participants did not feel that
the posters shown gave them enough information about the
bands. Posters and leaflets should be clear and easy to
understand. They should give the venue, date of the event
and a brief description of the type of band or music
being played, especially if the band is unknown.
Participants were influenced by posters, leaflets or
flyers that were endorsed by a well-known radio station.
The general view across the groups was that people only
pay attention to leaflets and flyers if they are linked
to a special offer or promotional night for cheap drink.
Participants were largely unaware of popular music
events, which were happening in the North of England.
Participants felt that marketing of events was not far
enough in advance and that by the time they started to
find out about an event, it was over.
Participants mostly heard about music events in the North
of England from Radio One or though their local
radio station, Metro FM or Galaxy
Radio. Awareness of the listings magazines was low and
none of the participants had read these magazines.
Participants agreed that leaflets/flyers for clubs should
be glossy and look expensive whereas a photocopy of a
leaflet was sufficient to promote live popular music
performed in a pub.
Participants attending the focus groups felt that the
role of local authorities in promoting popular music was
to provide better transportation and more suitable
venues.

Appendix
One
Topic
Guide
NON-ATTENDEES
AT LIVE POPULAR MUSIC EVENTS
Background (Objective: to
establish the importance of popular music in
participants lives and links between enthusiasm for
popular music and other aspects of lifestyle, leisure
pursuits)
gender, age, marital status, area of residence, no. of
children, occupation, education etc)
how leisure time is spent
Probe for: shopping, pubs, clubs, cinema,
TV/satellite, surfing Internet, hobbies etc.
what do you spend your money on
Probe for: CDs, other music related products,
pubs/clubs, cinema, clothes, household, computers etc
what is your ideal Friday/Saturday night out/midweek
night out
do you watch bands performing on satellite TV or internet
at home
do you travel to pubs and clubs and why
how far are you willing to travel for entertainment
how likely are you to visit the city centre for
entertainment
PROBE FOR those living in out lying areas average
spend on leisure pursuits (including travel, admission
fees, drink)
(Objective: to
establish level of interest in and barriers to attendance
at popular music events)
How would you describe your attitude towards popular
music?
I listen to it at home but do not attend live
performances
I used to attend live performances but now dont
I listen to popular music at home but prefer to visit the
cinema, pubs/clubs for a night out rock, pop, indie,
dance etc why do you not currently/no longer attend
popular music events
what do you now prefer to spend your money on
which event/s have you attended in the past
how far did you travel to attend a popular music event
how event compared with other events attended
what do you consider to be the main barriers to
attendance at popular music events
PROBE FOR: admission cost, cost of drinks,
transportation, quality of event, safety at event and on
route to event, competing events, cleanliness of venues,
accessibility of venues, queues at venues, weather,
childcare, style of music etc.
Objective: (to assist
in determining the factors that would encourage
attendance at popular music events)
what factors are important in determining attendance at
popular music events
type of venues preferred
describe a typical attendee at popular music events
who is your favourite DJ/performer?
which is your favourite venue and why?
any problems attending events/leisure pursuits eg. door
staff, queuing etc
what would encourage attendance at events
(Probe for: small local events/ large-scale events)
eg. better transportation, late alcohol license, better
safety at event/environment, better venues, events at
more local venues, lower admission costs and drinks,
special offers/promotions etc
which events have you attended which you enjoyed the
most, reason why
which events did you enjoy the least, reasons why
what makes a good/bad venue or event eg. venue
reputation, value for money, type of music etc.
(Objective: to look at
the best method of informing the general public about
popular music events)
how find out about popular music events
PROBE FOR: local newspaper, magazines, posters,
radio, listing, at venue, word of mouth etc
what are your views on how events are promoted
how far in advance of performances do you need
information
what are the key messages when promoting a event eg. the
cost, the venue, the band, image of venue, visibility etc
how could events be better promoted
Objective: (to look at
perceptions of the local environment and support of local
authorities)
what is your perception of local authorities attitudes
towards live music performances
how supportive do you feel local authorities are in
improving entertainment facilities
what do you feel could be done to improve the attendance
at events by the local authorities
SCOTINFORM
LTD 28th November 1999
The
findings are presented on three linked pages and are
quite detailed and long reports
Focus
groups of venue managers and promoters
Focus
groups of audiences (attenders and potential attenders) (THIS PAGE)
Interviews
with non-attenders
Return to
the META information resource Home Page META
This
research was undertaken by ScotInform. An established
research company based in Edinburgh.
For more information about this work, please contact Dave
Cross dave@generator.org.uk


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