Audio equipment giant Marshall has announced the launch of the Made of Loud Tour, a new live music initiative that combines touring, venue investment and community support to champion the independent venues and local music scenes that keep live music alive.
The initiative comes at a time when grassroots venues continue to face significant challenges. According to Music Venue Trust‘s Annual Report 2025, 30 grassroots music venues permanently closed during the year, while 175 towns and cities across the UK no longer receive regular touring shows by professional artists, highlighting the pressures facing the spaces where new artists develop and music communities are built.
Taking place across 16 UK venues from Dover to Glasgow this October, the tour will feature Marshall Records artists Cancer Bats and Knives, joined by Ignite. Launching alongside Cancer Bats’ new album ‘Give Me Dirt’ and coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Marshall Records, the tour has been designed to bring live music directly to fans while creating lasting value for the venues, artists and communities that make grassroots music possible.
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At the heart of the initiative is direct investment in independent venues. All venues on the tour will receive support from Marshall, with six selected grassroots venues, including Manchester’s Gorilla, receiving wider investment in venue-led improvement projects, working directly with venue owners to identify enhancements that will deliver long-term benefits for their spaces and local communities. Projects include dressing room and green room refurbishments, backstage improvements, custom stage backdrops, venue branding and infrastructure upgrades designed to strengthen venues long after the tour has ended.
Nick Street, CMO at Marshall Group says “Grassroots venues are closing faster than they are opening. The Marshall ‘Made of Loud’ Tour funds real improvements in the venues, upgrades that will still be there long after the tour ends. Marshall would not exist without independent venues and the musicians who play them. This is us listening to what they actually need and acting on it.”
The Made of Loud Tour also reflects the values of Cancer Bats, whose two-decade career has been built within the independent music scene. Throughout the tour, the band will help spotlight the venues, promoters, staff, volunteers and fans that continue to shape grassroots music culture.
Liam Cormier of Cancer Bats exclaims “We are so excited to kick off the first ever Made of Loud Tour! We’re playing some of our all-time favourite cities across the UK in the best venues! These independent spaces are what keeps the UK scene alive and kicking and we’re so stoked to be hitting so many of our fave spots! On top of all that we are bringing an amazing bunch of bands with Ignite and Knives. This is going to be the best tour ever!”
“We would never be in the position we’re in without playing independent venues. These are the places where we learnt how to be in a band, what type of music we wanted to make, and met so many people who have been integral to our journey,” added Knives. “Moles in Bath had to close in 2023 and we were gutted as it was one of the first venues we ever played. That’s why Made of Loud means a lot to us. It’s so good to see a company directly support our music scene and it’s encouraging to know there are people in our corner who make us feel heard.”
A dedicated content series will explore the importance of independent venues, the challenges they face and the impact of Marshall’s support. Through Marshall’s Keep Live Music Alive initiative, the tour will spotlight the people, places and communities that continue to shape grassroots music culture.
Following the tour,. Marshall will revisit venues to explore the long-term impact of the programme, demonstrating how sustained investment can strengthen venues, support local scenes and help secure the future of grassroots live music.
The Made of Loud Tour will visit 16 venues across the UK between 12 and 31 October, culminating in a special Halloween show at London’s Electric Brixton.
Northern dates include:
- 25 October – Manchester, Gorilla
- 26 October – Newcastle, Anarchy Brew Co
- 28 October – Glasgow, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
- 29 October – Leeds, The Key Club
