“I’m going back to my roots and where I started out, playing pubs and small venues – hoping that people turn up.”
Sam Ryder recently spoke with BBC Radio London in anticipation of headlining a pop-up gig in the capital this evening.
The acclaimed singer, songwriter, and producer has been appointed as head of gigs by Greene King Pubs, aiming to enhance access to live music and discover the UK’s finest grassroots talent this summer.
“We know how powerful this country is when it comes to creating scenes with different genres of music,” Ryder stated.
“The story doesn’t begin in arenas; it starts in smaller venues, so it’s very important we foster this culture.”
According to research by Greene King Pubs, average ticket prices for a major UK artist now hover around £100.
Ryder acknowledged the significant costs artists incur to stage shows, adding that for fans, “there’s travel, hotels, drinks at the bar, food, childcare, or something like that, that’s getting to the point where it’s a festival ticket, just to go and see one artist”.
“This is not about chastising any artist at a different point in their career on how much they’re charging for their tickets,” he clarified.
“My biggest concern is that we’re losing sight of keeping the culture alive because without those small venues, you don’t get seen.”
As part of his new role, Ryder will surprise patrons at a selected Greene King pub in London, to be revealed later today, with a special headline performance.
This appearance is part of a broader initiative by the pub chain, featuring nearly 800 acts performing in pubs nationwide on Friday.
Greene King Pubs cited research indicating that 47% of surveyed Londoners missed out on live music last year due to high ticket prices as the impetus for their partnership with Ryder.
The figure rose to 64% among 21 to 24-year-olds across the UK, the company added.
The research also revealed that, among those who did attend live music events, 23% of Londoners had to cut back on essential expenses to afford tickets, while 20% spent more on live music than on a monthly household bill.
Greene King Pubs affirmed that live music remains a “much-loved part of British life.”
The majority of respondents agreed that free or local gigs were essential for sustaining cultural vitality, with a further 63% emphasizing that the energy of live performance was “irreplaceable.”
Having started his career performing in pubs and as a champion of grassroots music, Ryder said: “Grassroots music is at the heartbeat of the scene and those early gigs shaped who I am as an artist.
“These spaces allow live music to be an experience available to everyone, that’s why they’re so important, and I’m stoked to be a part of the team helping to keep that alive!”
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