Coldplay "illegal" gig update: no fine for BBC

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by Mike Diver [Edit this content] ▾ 17 comments 11:08 February 28th, 2006

Coldplay's recent performance at Abbey Road, recorded for Radio 2, might have landed the BBC in hot water: the studio has no live entertainment licence.

Under laws laid down in November 2005, such a performance is, strictly speaking, illegal. Coldplay's performance would be the first to break the law since it came into force, if lawyers for the local council of Westminster decide to prosecute.

If they do, the BBC and Abbey Road's owners EMI could face a bill of around £20,000.

UPDATE

A genuine oversight by Abbey Road et al has been recognised by potential prosecutors, and no action will be taken. See 6Music for the full story.

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all coldplay gigs

should be illegal

sharp_yet_blunt | 28 Feb '06, 11:12 | X | Reply

hear hear

Andreas @sharp_yet_blunt | 28 Feb '06, 11:15 | X | Reply

this is strange i have to say....

where did you get this news from?

Surely BBC have a blanket licence that covers them for all this stuff. especially at the radio stations.

It doesn't seem like something that would just slip by them.

sarkyfox @Andreas | 28 Feb '06, 11:27 | X | Reply

oh

quit with all the coldplay-bashing, already. frankly, it's boring.

brusma @Andreas | 28 Feb '06, 11:46 | X | Reply

boring?

They sure are!

A (mis)quote from Julian Cope at a recent gig: "Coldplay are timeless: because their songs are about nothing, they'll be about nothing forever."

twat-o-rama @brusma | 28 Feb '06, 12:25 | X | Reply

I highly doubt

that anyone will be fined for playing music in a studio.

JustJay | 28 Feb '06, 13:06 | X | Reply

twas before an audience

Mike_Diver @JustJay | 28 Feb '06, 13:24 | X | Reply

i imagine

coldplay/emi/bbc could put together a fairly formidable legal team

or just pay the fine off with some of their fabulous wealth

soapy | 28 Feb '06, 13:32 | X | Reply

what about

that Kanye West Live at Abbey Road thing on the telly the other day? And An Audience With Paul MacCartney at Abbey Road a few months ago? Will they sue for those too?

thommo @sharp_yet_blunt | 28 Feb '06, 13:40 | X | Reply

note: a few months ago

its only a 3 month old law.

alcxxk @thommo | 28 Feb '06, 13:42 | X | Reply

plus abbey road have live bands all

the time. jo whiley always wanks on about having people play there... white stripes etc.

abbey road would most definitely be covered by a live music license, they'd have to be.

sarkyfox @soapy | 28 Feb '06, 13:49 | X | Reply

hmm

well clearly they aren't.

Otherwise they'd have just said "we have a license", this wouldn't be news and I'd be getting on with my work.

tomddf @sarkyfox | 28 Feb '06, 14:34 | X | Reply

yeah, apparently not.

what idiots really... it's something they should automatically have. although i don't think they're being fined as it was an 'oversight' or something stupid.