https://gigxchange.app/blog UK live music industry writing from GigXchange — gig rates, venues, open mics, booking guides and open data. en-gb Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://gigxchange.app/pwa-icons/icon-512.png 38BDF8 https://gigxchange.app/blog/martyns-law-small-venues-guide-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/martyns-law-small-venues-guide-2026 Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT The biggest change to venue law in a generation reaches every 200+ room from ~2027 — and most owners haven't heard of it. The threshold, the two tiers, the four procedures, and a 5-step plan to be ready early. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gig-availability-widget-your-website-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/gig-availability-widget-your-website-2026 Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Your live GigXchange availability can now sit on your own website: pick a full calendar or a compact strip, dark or light, copy one snippet into your site editor, and visitors see your free dates and book you direct. About 2 minutes to set up, £0 to use. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gx-index-june-2026-uk-gig-rates-report https://gigxchange.app/blog/gx-index-june-2026-uk-gig-rates-report Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT GX Index Issue 03: 4,036 UK live music fee observations, a steady market, the artist panel's first full cycle, and a 25-row correction made in the open. Wedding median £1,005, pub band £425. Free, open data. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-ios-app-apple-app-store-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-ios-app-apple-app-store-2026 Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT GigXchange is now on the Apple App Store, a free download for iPhone and iPad. And with it the platform goes full-stack: the same app on the App Store, on Google Play, as an install-to-home-screen web app, and in any browser. One account, every device. https://gigxchange.app/blog/complete-gigging-toolkit-uk-bands-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/complete-gigging-toolkit-uk-bands-2026 Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Every tool a UK band or solo artist gets free on GigXchange: a media-rich profile and EPK, four promo generators (flyer, tour, setlist and a new stage plot), a setlist builder, a contract generator, live UK rate data, Smart Match and direct booking with escrow. The whole working kit in one place. https://gigxchange.app/blog/complete-toolkit-uk-music-venues-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/complete-toolkit-uk-music-venues-2026 Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Every tool a UK music venue gets free on GigXchange: a rich listing with a full technical rider, Smart Match to find acts, team and multi-site management, contracts, escrow payments, licensing tools and a place in the grassroots venue directory. The whole live-music operation in one place. https://gigxchange.app/blog/how-uk-venues-run-live-music-on-gigxchange https://gigxchange.app/blog/how-uk-venues-run-live-music-on-gigxchange Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Discovery, booking, escrow payments, getting found and multi-site team management: how UK live music venues run their whole live-music operation on one platform. What it does, what it costs, and how the booking, contract and payment come built in. https://gigxchange.app/blog/how-to-book-live-music-for-any-event-uk-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/how-to-book-live-music-for-any-event-uk-2026 Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT You no longer need to be a venue or promoter to book live music on GigXchange. Planning a private party, corporate function, wedding, school ball or charity fundraiser? Here's how to book vetted UK artists directly, what it costs in 2026, and how to pay securely. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-first-90-days-founder-update-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-first-90-days-founder-update-2026 Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT 90 days since our first sign-up, 406 artists and industry people across 74 UK cities have joined GigXchange. An honest founder update on where we are, what we got wrong, what comes next, and how you can help. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-june-2026-platform-update https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-june-2026-platform-update Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT Three June releases (v0.3.2 to v0.3.4): the GigXchange Android app live on Google Play, sign-in with Google or Microsoft, a full electronic press kit and promo generators, Smart Match for every role, a Verified badge, report and block tools, a rebuilt payments overview, a redesigned light mode, the GX Index UK gig rates pillar, and a new Platform page. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-android-app-google-play-store-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-android-app-google-play-store-2026 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT GigXchange is now live on the Google Play Store. Download the free UK live music app for artists, venues, agents, and promoters, with one-tap install instructions and a look at what's next in v0.3.4 — after three months of late nights getting it there. https://gigxchange.app/blog/uk-open-mic-directory-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/uk-open-mic-directory-2026 Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The most complete UK open mic directory: 1,100+ verified nights across 120+ cities with day, signup, slot length, PA and entry fee. 98% are free to play. Open data, CC BY 4.0. https://gigxchange.app/blog/uk-gig-rates-gx-index-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/uk-gig-rates-gx-index-2026 Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT The definitive UK live-music rate reference: real median fees by gig type and band size from the GigXchange Index, with full p25-p90 percentiles and sample sizes. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-mainstage-app-launch-may-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-mainstage-app-launch-may-2026 Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Brand-new SvelteKit PWA with 110 components: real-time messaging, booking management, personalised dashboard, payments, media-rich profiles, dark/light mode. Installs on your phone, works offline. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-website-relaunch-astro-ssr-may-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-website-relaunch-astro-ssr-may-2026 Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Entire public website rebuilt on Astro SSR. 68 pages migrated, CSS cut 80%, every page under 2 seconds. Free Setlist Builder, Booking Contract Generator, 8,650+ gig listings, 36 genre pages. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-may-2026-platform-update https://gigxchange.app/blog/gigxchange-may-2026-platform-update Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Setlist Builder, Booking Contract Generator, Compare Profiles, 36 genre pages, 20 new guides, 68-page Astro migration, 80% faster page loads. Everything shipped in May 2026. https://gigxchange.app/blog/gx-index-may-2026-uk-gig-rates-report https://gigxchange.app/blog/gx-index-may-2026-uk-gig-rates-report Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT GX Index Issue 02: 3,847 UK live music fee observations, a third agency feed, methodology fixes, and the numbers that moved. Wedding median £996, pub solo £292. Free, open data. https://gigxchange.app/blog/ai-booking-inbox-workflow-uk-venues-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/ai-booking-inbox-workflow-uk-venues-2026 Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Build an AI booking inbox workflow for your UK venue. Zapier + Claude auto-classifies pitches, drafts replies, and flags red flags. Free to £20/month. https://gigxchange.app/blog/ai-for-agents-managers-promoters-uk-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/ai-for-agents-managers-promoters-uk-2026 Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT AI for UK booking agents, managers and promoters: venue outreach, roster management, contract drafting, lineup research, post-show settlement. 6 prompts. https://gigxchange.app/blog/ai-for-festivals-multi-stage-venues-uk-2026 https://gigxchange.app/blog/ai-for-festivals-multi-stage-venues-uk-2026 Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT AI for UK festivals and multi-stage venues: lineup triage at scale, multi-act comms, settlement automation, and stage-conflict resolution. 6 prompts, field-tested.