Live Music Petition please support

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 10 Jun 11 - 07:19 AM

In what respect Shambles?

Ask me exactly what you want to know and I will get back to you on it. I won't be at the hall for a week, so will take your questions with me and get the answers.

I know we are allowed to put live music on up until midnight during the week and Saturday. Sunday is 11pm.

The hall has been checked for safety etc including the fire regulations etc etc and we have the certificate for that. We have a licence holder for the sale of alcohol and that person runs the bar.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 10 Jun 11 - 07:04 AM

The latest in this sorry tale can be seen here.

thread.cfm?threadid=126147&messages=995&page=1&desc=yes

Arthur

It would be interesting to know the conditions of your village hall's Premise Licence re live music.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 10 Jun 11 - 06:25 AM

Hope it works.

Our venue (Village Hall) has the licence and PRS and bar licence.

At the end of the day, we do not want to get nicked.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 25 Oct 10 - 01:41 PM

'Currently the Coalition Government is reviewing the situation concerning live music performance at smaller venues, and the Minister for Tourism and Heritage, John Penrose MP, is considering the result of the Consultation on Live Music which closed in March. The Coalition is committed to cutting Red Tape, to encourage live music and is keen to find the best way forward. A number of options are being considered and the Minister will make an announcement in due course.'

http://www.hmg.gov.uk/epetition-responses/petition-view.aspx?epref=livemusicevents

Sigh! Perhaps they will wait until all live music has been licensed into complete submission.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 26 Jun 10 - 05:39 PM

The following from Phil Little.

Live Music Petition: Waiting for Downing Street's permission to deliver the petition. Presentation group; myself, HB two Lords and an MP.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 12 May 10 - 06:31 PM

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to stop criminalising live music with the Licensing Act, and to support amendments backed by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, and the music industry, which would exempt most small-scale performances in schools, hospitals, restaurants and licensed premises. More details

Submitted by Phil Little of Live Music Forum – Deadline to sign up by: 27 July 2010 – Signatures: 16,948

The above has been closed during the election. The following information is now appearing.

The new administration is currently assessing how best to proceed with the e-petitions service. We will update users as soon as practicable.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 17 Feb 10 - 04:39 AM

The petition now has well over 15000 signatures but is still far short of the two earlier ones. Please do whatever you can to ensure that as many pepole as possible sign.

http://www.folkorbit.talktalk.net/index.htm

Many thanks

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 02 Jan 10 - 06:56 AM

See also

thread.cfm? threadid=126147&messages=10

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 02 Jan 10 - 06:42 AM

It is vital that as many people as possible are made aware of and contribute to this consultation.

http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/consultations/condoc_exemptsmall_livemusicevents.pdf

Many Thanks

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Dec 09 - 11:29 AM

thread.cfm?threadid=122484

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 24 Dec 09 - 05:49 AM

The following PDF from the Commons library, is a very good account of the attempts (so far) to obtain a small premises exemption.

http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snha-05134.pdf

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Dec 09 - 06:05 AM

The following from Hamish Birchall http://www.livemusicforum.co.uk/


Lord Clement-Jones' live music bill is to get a full debate in the House of Lords on Friday 15th January 2010, probably in the afternoon:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldordpap.htm#order [scroll down]

If enacted it would amend the Licensing Act to exempt a range of small gigs:
in alcohol-licensed premises up to 200 capacity, up to midnight, subject to review if there are problems.
in hospitals, schools and colleges with up to 200 audience/participants and providing alcohol is not being sold.
anywhere by one or two musicians, unamplified or minimally amplified.
The bill includes an amendment to permit amplified music accompanying morris and similar dancing (the current exemption only applies when the dancing is accompanied by unamplified live music).

The bill also proposes a definition of 'minimal amplification' which would allow amplification to be used by one or two performers, provided it does not predominate over unamplified instruments. The wording was derived in part from the discussion of music volume already set out in the 'incidental music' section of the government's Licensing Guidance, paragraph 3.22 (secondary legislation that accompanies the Act):
http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/RevisedGuidanceJune2007.pdf

Link to PDF file of Lord Clement-Jones' bill:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldbills/066/2009066.pdf

The debate will include a response from a government minister or spokesperson, but would not conclude with a vote. Provided no hostile amendments are tabled, it would go to a formal Committee stage about two weeks later. If such amendments were tabled, another debate would be required.

Assuming no delays, after a further two weeks the bill would get a formal 3rd reading, and could then go to the House of Commons.

By that time, however, the bill could be thwarted by an imminent general election - the same obstacle facing the government with its yet to be fulfilled promise of swift action on a small gigs exemption consultation.

Despite this, the live music bill, which is supported by UK Music, represents an invaluable opportunity to keep the case for exemptions on the Parliamentary and media agenda.

ENDS

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Dec 09 - 04:29 AM

http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=66037&c=1

Scottish folk club fall foul of Licensing Act

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Dec 09 - 12:53 PM

Kim Howells to stand down at next election

Outspoken former Labour minister adds to potentially record-breaking total of MPs quitting before next year's poll

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/dec/18/kim-howells-standing-down?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 12:58 PM

Merry Christmas to our Licensing folk.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-413100/Council-enforce-fee-band-playing-non-religious-Jingle-Bells.html

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Dec 09 - 10:01 AM

The following from Hamish Birchall

'UK Music chief Feargal Sharkey has criticised a council chief for raising a "moral panic" over plans to change licensing laws around live music', reports The Publican this morning:

http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65992&c=1

'Instead of basing arguments on rational fact and legitimate research, it is faintly absurd that the LGA instead raises a moral panic of sleeping babies being awoken by the volume of heavy metal gigs," Sharkey said.

He was responding to the claim made last week by LGA that noise complaints would increase if the government brought in a new entertainment licensing exemption for small gigs:

http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65985&c=1

In his riposte today, Sharkey points out that live music is way down the list of noise complaints:

"[one study found] twice as many complaints about burglar alarms, three times more complaints about barking dogs and almost thirteen times more complaints about neighbours playing the stereo too loudly than there ever were about live music".

Despite many requests over the past 8 years, neither the government nor the LGA has ever produced any evidence that live music is a significant source of noise complaints. And on 11th November 2009, the government finally conceded that other legislation regulates the potential risks:

'... One reason the Government are considering an exemption [for small gigs] is that other legislation exists to tackle noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour. In addition, we propose to create a power to revoke exemptions if there are problems at specific premises.'

[Written answer by Lord Davies of Oldham to Parliamentary Question by Lord Clement-Jones HL6171, 11 November 2009]

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/91111w0003.htm#09111147000499


ENDS

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 12 Dec 09 - 03:15 AM

This is the only poll that matters on this subject. http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/6498.aspx

On this site, you can tell the DCMS exactly what you think of the proposals in their consultation period set up for that purpose.

Whether they take any notice or not is questionable. The specific proposal to remove the three-yearly review of SOLPs, is being driven by those bodies who feel inconvenienced by the legislation's requirements.

Would that we all could move in this way to change aspects of legislation that inconvenienced us. The current requirement gives the public a voice every three years on local licensing policy. I suggest that voice is used in this consultation to ensure that voice is not silenced by those bodies who may find this inconvenient.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 12:06 PM

The Institute of Licensing have another 'poll'.
http://www.instituteoflicensing.org/

When should councils review their Licensing Act 2003 policy statements?

The 'red tape' brigade want to change it from, every three years, which is the current position required by the legislation.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 12:00 PM

The following from Hamish Birchall

A public rift has opened up between central and local government over licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe's proposed consultation on a new entertainment licensing exemption for small venues.

Commenting in The Publican today, Chris White, chair of the Local Government Association's Culture, Tourism and Sport Board said:

'Common sense measures to allow pubs and bars to put on live music with a minimum of bureaucracy are already in place and make further amendments pointless.'http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65985&c=1

Chris White is also a Liberal Democrat councillor in St Albans - the town where pubs and restaurants are subject to scores of licence conditions restricting the number of performers and even genres of music:
http://www.musictank.co.uk/reports/licensing-act-2003-case-study-st-albans-district-council

Mr White and his council's treatment of live music has already come to the attention of the licensing minister. Restrictions on live music in St Albans were raised during the Westminster Hall licensing debate of 22nd October. During the debate, Mr Sutcliffe suggested to Liberal Democrat MP Richard Younger-Ross that his party might help bring Mr White into line:

'I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman [Richard Younger-Ross] for raising the concerns felt by local government and the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services—LACORS. He has an opportunity to help us because Councillor Chris White, who is a lead member of the Local Government Association on these issues, is a Liberal Democrat. His authority, St. Albans, and its attitude to some of these issues, has been mentioned today. We can get this provision through if we have all-party support. I will be looking for the support of the hon. Gentleman to ensure that people such as Councillor White follow what he suggests.'
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm091022/halltext/91022h0004.htm


But Mr White's comments today not only put him in opposition to Lib Dems in Parliament, but also for the first time place the LGA in direct public opposition to the government on this issue.

His statements were made in the wake of an LGA poll of licensing officers which apparently found that 90% believe a new exemption would lead to more noise complaints.

As usual, however, the LGA is silent on the range of legislation already available irrespective of licensing to tackle noise from pubs or indeed any other premises. This includes pre-emptive or reactive noise abatement notices under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, fines under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, and fines under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 (which covers noise nuisance coming from a dwelling or garden between 11pm and 7am).

Mr White has also missed the point that a new exemption would not only benefit pubs, but potentially any small venue considering having some live music. The Licensing Act defines premises as 'any place'. A new exemption could help schools, hospitals, care homes, village halls and a host of other places where live music could be a regular secondary activity.

ENDS

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Dec 09 - 12:57 PM

The following from Hamish Birchall

On 8th December the Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced a new public consultation on measures to cut licensing red tape: http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/6498.aspx

The consultation includes proposals to allow last minute applications for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN), three working days before the actual event. The present limit is 10 working days. See trade press coverage (The Publican):http://www.thepublican.com/story.asp?sectioncode=7&storycode=65965&c=1

But there is still no sign of the consultation on a new exemption for live music in small venues announced by licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe in Parliament on 22nd October:http://news.parliament.uk/2009/10/westminster-hall-debate-on-the-licensing-act/
[follow links to Hansard debate transcript]

In press interviews, Sutcliffe repeatedly claimed that the government wanted to act 'very quickly' on the small venue exemption, and on Tuesday 10th November, actually claimed this would be 'done before the election':http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8352682.stm
[BBC Daily Politics, 10/11/09, key quotes from about 3'45" minutes onwards]

Sources close to the minister suggest that resistance to speedy implementation is coming not only from the usual suspects (local authorities and police), but also from senior licensing civil servants. This despite the fact that the DCMS licensing team and ministers have been making public announcements about the intention to hold a small venue exemption consultation since 2007.

In his BBC Daily Politics interview of 10th November, Sutcliffe also said that his department had written to opposition parties about his small venues exemption proposal. But it would seem these letters have yet to be received.

ENDS

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 11:57 AM

>You must be a British citizen or resident to sign the petition.,

Yes but you can always find a UK citizen (on Mudcat) and ask them to sign it for you.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: open mike
Date: 08 Dec 09 - 12:46 AM

i guess only UK citizens can sign this?

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 05:23 PM

The following from Hamish Birchall

Friday 27th November 2009 - Incidental music - people must be allowed to talk

New guidance for licensees, musicians and local authorities on the Licensing Act's 'incidental music' exemption has been published by the Local Government Association: http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/ContentDetails.aspx?id=22768

Despite input from the Musicians Union and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the abiding impression is of someone holding a dangerous snake at arms length. The benefits of live music are rarely cited, and where they are, they read as though delivered through gritted teeth:

'We are aware of incidental music examples such as a keyboard player in a restaurant, a jazz guitarist in a cafe and a new group using the local pub as a nursery venue, that have enhanced the cultural activities of an area.'

Worse than this, however, the guidance fails at a fundamental level. Its aim was to clarify the legislation, but it achieves the opposite. Examples given of gigs that would or would not qualify as 'incidental music' reinforce the absurdity of the law, and will undoubtedly cause confusion. Consider the following:

Exempt: a pub promoting a stand-up comedian accompanied by a pianist.
Licensable: a pub promoting a performance by a pianist/singer supported by a stand-up comedian.

Exempt: pub with pianist or other single instrument playing background music.
Licensable: pub promotes a sing-along event with pianist.

Exempt: carol singers outside a shop.
Licensable: shopping centre organises performances of carols in a shopping mall.

What coherent regulatory rationale informs these differences? On what rational grounds should any of the licensable examples deserve criminalisation unless licensed? The potential for noise nuisance, offered as the main reason for regulation, would seem to be the same in both the licensable and exempt entertainments.

Elsewhere in the guidance it suggests that incidental music means 'there should be no expectation to listen or to watch', and that 'the public must be allowed to talk during the performance.'

This ludicrous nonsense was launched with a clutch of cringeworthy quotes, of which by far the saddest must be this from Danny Longstaff, chair of the Musicians Union executive committee:

'This is excellent news. At last we have some real clarity about this area of the licensing act which will be of great benefit to musicians and venues alike.'

Live music campaigner Roger Gall put it more clearly: 'This document may not be good news for the incidental music exemption but it is good ammunition for a new one'.

ENDS

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 07:22 AM

The following from Hamish Birchall

Tuesday 1st December 2009 - MU - mixed licensing message

On 9th October the Musicians Union issued a short statement backing new entertainment licence exemptions for venues up to 200 capacity, and announcing its participation in the Equity demonstration to that end outside Parliament:
http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/site/cms/v4_newsArticleView.asp?article=900

But an MU statement yesterday, 30th November, appeared to endorse licensing for any venue wishing to promote regular live music: http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/site/cms/v4_newsArticleView.asp?article=904

It included this quote from assistant general secretary Horace Trubridge:

'We want to see venues using the incidental music exception as an initial foray into putting on live music. If it works for the venue, then the next step would be to have regulated entertainment added to the licence. For instance, if a restaurant tries some live jazz on a Wednesday then wants to extend it to other nights and advertise the acts, it could do so through the minor variations process, which is much cheaper and quicker than applying for a full variation.'

There was no mention of the union's position on new exemptions, or indeed their policy position that live music should be outside the licensing regime altogether. Read without this context, as it would be by many journalists, the statement could readily be taken as an endorsement, in principle, for the licensing regime as it stands.

It is of course in members' interests that the MU pursues every available means of increasing work opportunities. Working with DCMS and the Local Government Association to that end is not merely desirable, but obligatory.

These pragmatic alliances do not mean, however, that the case for exemptions must be suppressed. Indeed, if the union were committed to the case for new exemptions, this message would surely be reinforced at every opportunity.

But by pouring cold water on the Number 10 licensing petition http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents and issuing mixed messages to the press, the case for exemptions is undermined. The question for members must be 'why?'.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 07:14 AM

The following from Hamish Birchall Wednesday 2nd December 2009 - St Albans piano policy contradicts new guidance

Announcing the new incidental music guidance for local authorities on 23rd November, Chris White, chair of the LGA Culture Committee, spoke warmly of pianists in bars:

'Councils are keen to support their local businesses and venues, particularly during the recession. Introducing background music to a restaurant or allowing a pianist to perform in a bar adds to the atmosphere of a place, and often doesn't require a licence. Making sure everyone knows about this common sense approach should make the process easier for everyone.'

Chris White is of course also a St Albans councillor, and St Albans is now well known for its long list of licence restrictions on live music in local bars and restaurants:
http://www.musictank.co.uk/reports/licensing-act-2003-case-study-st-albans-district-council

But while announcing the LGA's new piano friendly policy, councillor White may not have realised that his own council takes a rather different view:

'If facilities for entertainment are provided a licence is required. Facilities for entertainment include dance floor, pub piano, karaoke machine and other musical instrument.'
[St Albans Statement of Licensing Policy, revised 7th January 2008, p6, para 2.2.1]
http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/Images/Statement%20of%20licensing%20policy%20130809_tcm15-10228.pdf

So, in St Albans it remains a potential criminal offence to provide a pub piano, or indeed a piano for a school concert open to the public, unless first licensed.

Councils must review their licensing guidance every three years, which suggests that St Albans can continue with this policy until 6th January 2011.

By contrast, some other local authorities allow pianos under the incidental music exemption, as this council definition of 'regulated entertainment' shows:

'... A performance of live music (not incidental music, i.e. a piano in a restaurant).'
[Statement of Licensing Policy, Dartford Borough Council, 7 January 2008 - 6 January 2011, p14]
http://www.dartford.gov.uk/business/licensingpolicy.pdf

In fairness, this is a confused area of the legislation and one that the government recently promised to amend. Speaking in the Westminster Hall licensing debate on 22nd October, licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe said:

'As part of the [entertainment facilities] clarification, the consultation will propose a change to the definition of "entertainment facilities" so that the mere provision of musical instruments, such as a pub piano, is not licensable.'
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm091022/halltext/91022h0005.htm

But until the Licensing Act is amended, which is unlikely to be before the general election, St Albans can continue with its licensable piano policy - whatever councillor White says.

ENDS

Hamish Birchall

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 10:59 AM

The live music 'statistics' are examined here.

http://www.straightstatistics.org/article/dont-strike-band

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 05:30 AM

New guidance for licensees, musicians and local authorities on the Licensing Act's 'incidental music' exemption has been published on 23 November 2009:
http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/upload/23037.pdf

The following examples will show just how clear this advice is.

"The description of music in any advertisements should be taken into account. For example, advertisements saying "live jazz tonight" will generally indicate that the music is incidental, where as advertising a named band will generally mean it is a licensable activity, as the strength of the name will attract the public and therefore it becomes the primary purpose for going to that premises.

The music is likely to be licensable if those present at the premises are arranged as an audience, compared to customers seated as diners, for example.

Incidental music does not have to be just "background" music. There should not be an expectation for the public to be able to hold a normal conversation without having to raise their voices – for example, the music at horse guards' parades, where it would be
impossible to hold a conversation without talking louder than normal."

----Elsewhere in the same document it makes it clear that if the music is loud - it then becomes licensable!

This guidance may not be good news but the subjective judgements that licensing officers will be advised to make and the difficlulty the public have in challenging these, is very good ammunition to support the urgent need for an effective exemption for live music.

Which is why it is so important that this current E petition is supported.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: Gweltas
Date: 03 Dec 09 - 02:30 AM

Have signed up on both links. Mudcatters really need to redress the balance in the vote on the 2nd link !! Go for it 'Catters !!

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 01:33 PM

There is another poll on this site.

http://www.instituteoflicensing.org/

This poll is a little slanted - if you ask turkeys to vote for Christmas/Thanksgiving - the result would not be surprising.

So it is with this one. A very large majority of licensing officers has voted here against the introduction of a licensing exemption for small premises.

Perhaps that can be balanced up a bit?

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:37 AM

You missed out Village halls

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: nickp
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:29 AM

Signed it some time ago. Had forgot that and tried to sign it again. Needless to say the 'confirm it' email didn;t arrive. Guess this has been around for a bit.

13 thousand signatories so far isn't too bad.

Subject: RE: Live Music Petition please support
From: Howard Jones
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:26 AM

Done.

On a related matter, since the petition mentions performances in schools, I've now had clarification from the DCSF that performances in schools after school hours will not require the performers to be registered under the government's new Vetting and Barring Scheme which comes into force next year. So bands playing for PTA barn dances, for example, won't need to be registered.

Subject: Live Music Petition please support
From: GUEST,The Shambles
Date: 02 Dec 09 - 05:03 AM

This is latest in a long line of E petitions to No 10 Downing Street. This one is in need of some support. Mudcat has been very helpful with the previous ones and Mudcatter's support can make the difference again.

Could you please sign and circulate this?

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to stop criminalising live music with the Licensing Act, and to support amendments backed by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, and the music industry, which would exempt most small-scale performances in schools, hospitals, restaurants and licensed premises.

Under the Licensing Act, a performance by one musician in a bar, restaurant, school or hospital not licensed for live music could lead to a criminal prosecution of those organising the event. Even a piano may count as a licensable 'entertainment facility'. By contrast, amplified big screen broadcast entertainment is exempt. The government says the Act is necessary to control noise nuisance, crime, disorder and public safety, even though other laws already deal with those risks. Musicians warned the Act would harm small events. About 50% of bars and 75% of restaurants have no live music permission. Obtaining permission for the mildest live music remains costly and time-consuming. In May, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee recommended exemptions for venues up to 200 capacity and for unamplified performance by one or two musicians. The government said no. But those exemptions would restore some fairness in the regulation of live music and encourage grassroots venues.