Burnley music venue one of first in area to use new platform for bands to play and generate much needed income

Natalie George and Cain Bramley, the owners of The Gallery at Creative Arts, have been inundated with messages from bands requesting to book live streams to showcase their music.

The duo have been offering free streaming services to bands during the pandemic and they have now agreed to broadcast a streamed gig with a band who are selling tickets exclusively through a new paid streaming platform called 'show4me.'

The gig, by band All Hail Hyena, will be run exclusively through 'show4me' and will cost £1.99 to watch online. There will also be 40 tickets available, priced at £5 each, to watch the gig live at The Gallery on Saturday, September 19th.

Natalie said: " My inbox has gone crazy with requests from bands wanting to book live streams after they have seen the quality of previous streams we have run with all the new techniques and skills we have mastered during lockdown."

The free streaming serivce offered at The Gallery has provided an invaluable service to bands who may have limited viewings on their gigs.

The venue has also started to hold a series of free socially distanced live events and this weekend will be open tomorrow and Saturday. Tomorrow there is a live stream for One Eyed God and Satuday evening is a live jazz night with The Nightcreatures duo. Table booking is essential for this.

After yesterday's announcement that gatherings of more than six will be illegal from Monday Natalie said she had been contacted by several people concerned how this would affect the venue. But she gave an assurance that The Gallery would remain open with strict covid guidelines in place.

She said: "We already have six person maximum tables in place and there is no change to the opening times at present.

"We are operating at a super limited capacity and it's extremely hard to make ends meet so the support of customers is very much welcomed in these difficult times.

"We have a full risk assessment in place and doing our best to work in a safe and orderly way and we will carry on working until we are told otherwise."

Natalie also thanked all the bands and those involved in the delivery of the shows as without them non of it would be possible."

The couple opened The Gallery, at the back of their tattoo studio in lower St James’ Street, late last year.

It blossomed as an artistic hub that has become a hotspot for emerging and established talent, thriving through a series of workshops, exhibitions and live gigs.

But the Covid 19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has had a catastrophic effect on the business, like so many other similar venues across the UK.

Details about how to get tickets for the All Hail Hyena gig can be found on The Gallery at Creative Arts facebook page.