The Performing Rights Society (PRS) have issued a press release which ‘reveals’ the 100 best music venues in the country.  The list is topped by the Southbank Centre in London, and Crawley’s Hawth Theatre is at number 69, above such places as the Brixton Academy, the Roundhouse, the Carling Apollo, Manchester and the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff.  The O2 Arena is not even on the list!All of which makes you wonder what criteria the PRS use to decide their rankings.  Obviously it is not any sort of qualitative measure.   Even with the Michael Jackson concerts leaving 50 nights to fill, the O2 has, this year alone, had acts like Metallica, Spandau Ballet, Depeche Mode, Green Day, Sister Sledge, A-Ha, Pet Shop Boys and many more on the bill.

It can’t be number of paying punters either.  One sell-out show at the O2 Arena will have as many people as a whole month of shows at the Hawth.

There is some speculation that it is all about just the number of shows put on, ot the amount collected for the PRS.  Could be something in that.

Even when the Hawth has a dance show or stage musical there could be PRS royalties for the music used, and maybe a show like Metallica sdoesn’t count because they do all their own material (except for a Motorhead cover).   Maybe I am just falling into the trap of only thinking about rock/pop concerts, while the PRS will give a school brass band performance or ballet equal weight?

Either way, I still think my own personal list of favourite venues will continue to be topped by the Kentish Town Forum, Shepherds Bush Empire, Brixton Academy and Hammersmith Odeon – or whatever they are all called now.   This bit of press releasery from the PRS doesn’t necessarily mean the Hawth is ‘better’ than the O2 Arena – though it would make an interesting strapline on their publicity material – but it does offend the inner-nerd to see such lists without knowing the criteria.