No amplified music?

[DJ Jules]

I've just had the following enquiry come through:

"I am hoping the hire out a venue for my wedding reception but the problem is they have told us we are not allowed a DJ or amplified music. Can you help me find a way around this?"

Now to me this sounds like they don't have a license for entertainment (from memory there is something specific in the licenses about "amplified music"). Does anyone know anything more about this and music licensing - or any possible way around it?

Julian

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

That's a pretty strange one.

Definitely sounds like a licensing issue.

The only possible way I could see getting around that (even at that i'm not sure if it's legally kosher) would be a silent disco and that's probably not what they're after.

Seems like a strange place to decide to have a wedding reception in.

[musicologydisco]

No way round it. They need to find another venue. End of.

[funkymook]

I'd ask for the venue details and speak directly to them (and preferably somebody who knows what they're on about), and ask how they've held wedding receptions in the past etc. In my experience clients often get these sort of things slightly wrong (like asking for your DJ 'licence' when it's just PLI and PAT).

[LeapCreative]

Actually, I'm not sure how the licensing goes around there, but there may be a possibility of applying for a temporary events notice/license, which can grant exemptions to the usual licensing restrictions. Normally these are used for extended opening hours, but I'm fairly sure the same principal could be applied to another element of the premises license.

The downside of this is that you're limited to 12 temporary notices per year, so sometimes it can be a challenge to get venues to apply for them, as they may want to save them for their own events.

However, this would be something for the venue to do. On your part, I don't think there's anything you could do other than the silent disco already mentioned.

[funkymook]

No way round it. They need to find another venue. End of.

Do you know the venue then?

I prefer checking these 'facts' for myself before coming to any conclusion.

[DJ Jules]

I prefer checking these 'facts' for myself before coming to any conclusion.

Part of the reason I'm asking the question is because of the recent thread about the relaxation of licensing laws to allow live acts to play in a much broader range of venues. I vaguely remember there being something in there about "amplified music" and there being some funny exceptions to the definition.

I don't know if they could possibly get round this by hiring kit and running it themselves? Though I suspect the fact that they they're hiring the venue would probably stop this little game...?

Julian

[DJ Jules]

Quick update on this for anyone interested...

I've asked the customer for more details of the venue, but I've also had a look into the licensing laws in more detail. So far I've found out that:

1. A "silent disco" would still require an entertainments license as it's still considered a regulated activity (being a performance of recorded music for the purposes of entertainment and dancing).

2. Karaoke is exempt as it is considered a "live performance with backing music" - obviously in fill between "performances" is a grey area and I imagine that bands have the same issue? If they proceeded under this exemption, they'd have to finish at 23:00.

3. If the customer dry hires a PA and lights and plugs in an iPod for a private audience, then in theory they would not require a license as it isn't considered a "performance"

Regardless of the need for the license, there may be other issues at stake (noise pollution, locality, etc) and until I know more about the venue then I won't know what else might impact their event (it could be in the back garden of a pub in a densely populated urban area for all I know). There is also the issue of a PRS license (if the venue doesn't usually play any kind of music they might not have one) though if they went with dry PA hire at their "private party" then they wouldn't need one anyway from memory.

I'm still interested to know if anyone else has encountered similar problems before and if anyone has anything to contribute (or correct) on my interpretation of the licensing laws above - please feel free!!

Julian

[funkymook]

My first step would've been to speak to the venue - until you understand their objections it's all speculation. (well actually I'd have googled them first to see if I could get any clues before contacting them).

By this time I'd have also pinned down the prospective clients plans if it's a definitive no from the venue. It's great being helpful but unless there's a good chance of a booking you want to keep the time you spend running around for them to a minimum.

[Kernow]

Does anyone know anything more about this and music licensing - or any possible way around it?


A Harpist who can play Gangnam Style ? ;)

[mark@pegasus]

I had something similar a couple of years ago, the venue in question had their licence revoked 4 days before the wedding. I spoke to the licencing office at my local council (not the one that revoked the licence) and they told me that if I was an invited guest supplling music for free than the licence would not be needed, so our way around this was for the bride to cancel me in writing as per T&C thus I get paid cancellation fee and they then invited me as a guest of the wedding. Hope that helps.

[DazzyD]

No way round it. They need to find another venue. End of.

There are plenty of ways around it. You just need to establish the reason why the venue have said they can't allow amplified music.

As has been said, if it's due to the venue only having the new basic entertainment licence, which doesn't allow the use of amplified music, then the client (not just the venue) may apply for a temporary "one-off" licence to cover the event. The client will need a PPL licence which costs as little as £11.86 for a one off event (http://www.ppluk.com/Documents/Tariff%20PDFs/PPLPP002.pdf). The client may also need a PRS for Music licence but, in this case where the event is a private one with only privately invited guests in attendance and is not open to the general public, PRS for Music would waive the licence requirement. So, for this event, I'm assuming under 500 guests, the licence charge would be merely £11.86 (not sure if this is with or without VAT, though).

Now, another scenario is where the venue has had it's licence revoked due to not complying with the terms of the licence. But, again, there are ways around this as Mark has suggested:


I had something similar a couple of years ago, the venue in question had their licence revoked 4 days before the wedding. I spoke to the licencing office at my local council (not the one that revoked the licence) and they told me that if I was an invited guest supplling music for free than the licence would not be needed, so our way around this was for the bride to cancel me in writing as per T&C thus I get paid cancellation fee and they then invited me as a guest of the wedding. Hope that helps.

Now, we've covered music/performance licences but the venue may have been subject to noise control (ie after complaints from neighbours that the noise was too loud). This would be a different kettle of fish altogether as the venue itself may be restricted from obtaining one-off licences (this is a very rare occurance and would be dealt with by the Local Authority). I would then be looking at obtaining advice from the Local Authority under which the venue comes under. Only then can you make an informed decision on how to proceed. I'm assuming that all health & safety licences and policies, fire certificate, etc. are in place at the venue as they wouldn't be allowed to have any public entertainment at all - again, that's something different but always worth checking on if you're hiring a venue.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I had something similar a couple of years ago, the venue in question had their licence revoked 4 days before the wedding. I spoke to the licencing office at my local council (not the one that revoked the licence) and they told me that if I was an invited guest supplling music for free than the licence would not be needed, so our way around this was for the bride to cancel me in writing as per T&C thus I get paid cancellation fee and they then invited me as a guest of the wedding. Hope that helps.

Interesting way to get around it.

The only advice I can give to the OP is to contact the venue and find out the exact details behind the situation otherwise you're just guessing. At the very least you'll have a much better idea of how big a headache the thing is and whether it's worth pursuing or politely passing up.

[hammy]

I did a wedding in a barn in Kent and the website states " No amplified music allowed" I had a full set up that night, So yes check with the venue.