Mainland said ticket sales were strong and she was looking forward to a "successful" festival. She added, "We live in uncertain times. I think the thing about the Fringe is that it is an entirely open access arts festival. We don't decide who should take part in it. We don't decide how big it should be. We don't decide what the make-up should be. It will be interesting to see how it responds to the economic times we are living in but signs are good for a very successful festival this year."
Positive Statistics - The UK music industry grew by 5% in 2009 thanks to an upturn in revenue from concerts, according to a report. Live music events raked in an estimated £1.5bn last year - an increase of more than 9% on 2008 - the Performing Rights Society (PRS) for Music said. UK Music sales "stabilised" against a global slide in CD revenues, it added, outperforming DVDs and computer games. "2009 was simply not a bad year," the report said, given the poor state of the global economy. It acknowledged that huge record sales by Susan Boyle and Michael Jackson may have bucked the downward trend, along with major live events including Take That's Circus tour.
PRS for Music's findings also revealed that live music revenues continue to be concentrated in London, but the city's share is diminishing. The UK continued to be one of only three countries in the world whose music exports financially outweigh imported music, the others being the US and Sweden, it added. Meanwhile, British live music overseas generated an extra £4m during 2009 to make a total of £18m. Earlier this year, the British Phonographic Institute (BPI) reported that the music industry had registered its first growth in sales for six years.
Bono's Back - U2 frontman Bono has taken to the stage for the first time since sustaining a spinal injury in May. The band resumed their world tour in Turin, Italy, where the singer thanked fans for "all the love and letters you've sent me in recent months". He added: "That's in the past now and I'm very much fit for the future."
In Turin, the band unveiled a new song called Glastonbury - which they had intended to perform at the event. Festival organiser Michael Eavis has invited them to play next year, and is waiting to find out whether they are available.
(Jim Evans)
