Rock City already planning a rocking 50th birthday party!

LIPS ARE SEALED ABOUT 2030'S BIG HALF-CENTURY BASH

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

Richardson, Amy Lawson and Adam 'Relic' Wood outside Rock City

(JOSEPH RAYNOR)

PLANS are already being made for major celebrations to mark Rock City’s 50th anniversary in 2030 - as the venue becomes “scarily” unique.

The Talbot Street site has played host to performances from the likes of David Bowie and Nirvana and, although the big half-century is still years away, bosses want to ensure that the landmark anniversary goes with a bang.

The range of artists who have played gigs there is astonishing, including The Smiths, Radiohead, U2, Iggy Pop, REM, Oasis, Blur - and even Hollywood actors Kiefer Sutherland and Juliette Lewis.

But it is a challenging time for the live music industry, with a recent report finding that 40% of grassroots music venues ran at a loss in 2024, despite contributing more than £500 million to the UK economy.

"I think they're really important to the UK’s culture as a whole,’ says senior promotions manager Adam “Relic” Wood, who has worked at Rock City for 17 years.