Passport: Back To Our Roots, which is raising money for grassroots music venues at risk of closure, has confirmed a second wave of artists who have committed to playing gigs in support of their campaign.

In exchange for a minimum of a £5 donation to help grassroots music venues, Passport: Back To Our Roots gives you the chance to see a big act on a small stage. Donating gets you a spot in a prize draw to win two tickets to a show of your choice. Winners will be given admission by showing photo ID at the venue, eliminating the need for physical tickets, thereby also helping to tackle the threat that ticket touts pose to the music industry.

The new wave of artists just confirmed for Passport: Back To Our Roots shows is Pet Shop Boys at Camden’s Electric Ballroom, Russell Watson at Manchester’s Stoller Hall, Passenger at Brighton’s Komedia and KT Tunstall at Windmill Brixton and PJ Molloys in Dunfermline.

The second wave of the campaign opens on 14 September and will run for three weeks to 5 October, but you can register your interest through the Passport: Back To Our Roots Crowdfunder page now. Two further artists will be announced on BBC Radio 6 Music during the station’s ‘State Of Independents Day’ on Thursday 10 September, and more acts will be announced each month.

They will join Elbow, Public Service Broadcasting, Everything Everything, The Slow Readers Club and Ash, who all featured in the first phase of the campaign, and raised £75,000 through their prize draw.

Sally Cook, co-founder of Passport: Back to Our Roots, said: “We’re blown away by the incredible response to the first block of fundraisers, and want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who donated, and to every artist who pledged to play a grassroots venue show.”

Speaking about the campaign KT Tunstall said “Without grassroots music venues, there are no big acts. It’s as simple as that. The incredible eco-system of small venues exists, in the vast majority of cases, as labours of love. Constantly up against rapidly rising business rates and big developer interests, these essential community hubs are kept alive by often overworked owners and staff with an unending passion for music and the music lovers and musicians they serve.”

The Passport: Back To Our Roots gigs are not socially distanced and will only be taking place when they can happen safely. The shows are currently planned to take place between March and September 2021.

For more information please visit the Passport: Back To Our Roots website.

Author: Joe Sharratt

Joe Sharratt is a writer and journalist based in the UK covering music, literature, sport, and travel.