News / Brexit bureaucracy hits a sour note at European music festivals and gigs

© Piero Cruciatti Dreamstime.com.

Europe’s small indie music scene faces catastrophe following the post-pandemic, post-Brexit return of live concerts and festivals, as logistics companies tackle mass bureaucracy.

Musicians are honouring performances booked pre-pandemic, but with new rules following Brexit, logistics costs have ballooned, leaving artists to foot the bill.

“It’s all been a bit of a perfect storm, as live music has returned to a completely different operating environment,” Ben Cash, of Flare Lighting, told The Loadstar.

“When tickets were booked there hadn’t been a pandemic, but ...