VMS Live has entered into long-term partnerships with The Olympia in Liverpool and The Welly in Hull.
The venue management company, which launched in 2007 and is led by Steve Forster, formerly of AMG and MAMA, along with Richard Maides and Carl Bathgate, is also extending its relationship with Wakefield’s Warehouse 23.
“In terms of our portfolio of venues and booking partnerships it is really important that we have a range of both venues by size as well as location so we can bring mutual benefits to everyone that we work with,” said Forster. “New Venues along the M62 corridor certainly bring a new breadth to the range of options we can offer. We are in the process of trying to finalise negotiations with a couple of other established venues as well, which if they come on stream will further enhance our coverage in the UK.”
Built in 1905, the 2,400-capacity Olympia has hosted acts such as Foals, Tame Impala, New Order, Last Shadow Puppets, Robert Plant and The Specials. “We aim to vastly improve the venue, enhance the customer experience and ensure the venue is a viable option for artists, agents and promoters alike,” said owner Chris Zorba. Personally I’m overwhelmed by the initial response and firmly believe that working closely with VMS Live we can establish the Olympia as the Jewel in the crown of Liverpool venues”.
The Welly, meanwhile, has two rooms with capacities of 600 and 400, along with the 300-capacity Fruit venue. “Our long-term deal with VMS Live has started very positively and we are already seeing a significant increase in our gig trade,” said the venue’s GM Mark Hall. “Working together we aspire to re-establish Hull on the national touring circuit and hope to attract national promoters to utilise our venues more often.”
VMS’s portfolio already included clients such as Manchester Academy, UEA and Waterfront Norwich, York Duchess and William Aston Hall Wrexham.
The firm is working with Kilimanjaro Live on Stereophonics’ concert at Glyndwr University Racecourse Stadium on July 2, the first show to take place at the venue in more than 30 years. It is also staging 10 racecourse shows with ARC, featuring acts such as Tom Jones and Simply Red, along with national tours including Gary Numan.
“Overall, we are in a relatively lucky position where people are asking us to work with them rather than us having to chase too much business,” added Forster. “I think in reality this is because we do try and provide ‘bespoke solutions’ rather than a one size fits all policy.”
