It’s a fact that without women, Albert Hall simply couldn’t function. (Neither could the world for that matter.) We pride ourselves on working with some of the best people in the industry and without the strong female presence we have within The Hall, our live events and club nights would not be what they are today. We sat down to discuss the industry and our team’s experiences!
Eilidh – General Manager
Eilidh has been the General Manager of The Hall now for close to three years and has worked in music venues all across the country. Her knowledge of the industry is inspiring and she has first-hand witnessed the changes and developments in the way women are being treated in events. She mentions that although things are getting better there are still a lot of problems around unconscious sexism where people don’t realise there is an issue.
Unfortunately, during show set-ups, there can often be 30 people in the room and often she will be the only person who isn’t male. She would love to see more women going into technical and touring roles in the industry as they are rare to see. When asked about a memorable strong female performer Eilidh recalls seeing Patti Smith play the Pyramid Stage back in 2015 and how incredibly powerful it was. “We talk a lot about the lack of women represented in the industry but older women are practically invisible. It was an incredibly powerful and moving performance, my friend was in tears. That one will really stay with me”.
Charli – Deputy Events Manager
Charli works tirelessly to create our Private Hire events but comes from a rich background in television and music. She has worked in London and has a unique perspective on the events industry. “I’d like to see more female and non-binary directors and production managers being represented but not just because they’re the token demographic box ticker, but because they’re great at what they do and they’re bringing a different voice to the forefront.” Her passion for equality and tenacity to thrive is an inspiration to all. She’s working to help change the future for her child and is wanting to set an example. “I also have a young daughter who I want to grow up seeing that you don’t have to hate your job. You can love going to work and making sh*t happen. Mum did exactly what she wanted to do, in an industry that can keep knocking her back, she always got back up.”
Ellie – Trainee Assistant Manager
Ellie has a strong history with The Hall, being one of the longest-standing employees since starting here whilst she was studying at university in Manchester. She’s worked within different sectors of the industry including Music Marketing and Festival Management. She loves that every day is different in the events industry, and says she’s lucky to have always been surrounded by incredible and inspiring female managers. Ellie spent some time working for Lost & Found festival, where she says it was amazing to see how important it was for festival organiser Annie Mac to curate a balanced and fair lineup.
Gina – Bar Team Leader
Although only half a year into her time working at The Hall, Gina has impressed everyone with her knowledge and drive to succeed in this career. She’s a strong promoter outside of her work at The Hall putting on some of the best nights in Manchester with her brand Lucid Juice. Her knowledge of the local scene here leads her to talk about how Manchester is tackling female issues in the city’s nightlife industry. “There are a lot of collectives/events that I can name that have always been pushing for equality in the scene: Not Bad for a Girl, All Hands on Deck, The Beatriarchy, Shifting Spheres, Tough Act, Rainy City Radio, Steam Radio & Lucid Juice – the list goes on. It is also essential that promoters are doing their bit to make clubbing safer for women”
Farheen – Private Hire Events Manager
Farheen’s knowledge in the events industry has taken her all over the globe planning all kinds of events, from large corporate events to beautiful boutique weddings. Farheen notes seeing Arbda Parveen back in the ’70s as a moment of great inspiration for herself. As someone who is British-Pakistani herself, she recalls how seeing someone of similar descent to herself on stage made her feel empowered. Farheen would love to see more Asian female representation in today’s lineups, and how amazing it would make young Asian girls feel.
Hannah – Marketing and Ticketing Assistant
Hannah’s one of the creators of Manchester’s FAIR PLAY, a festival that celebrates amazing music in amazing music venues. Her constant drive to help give people that goosebumps feeling of watching live music actually stems from how she felt at her first gig, watching Atomic Kitten when she was seven years old and that continued through seeing similar female figure-heads “probably the most memorable female-headlined show is probably Florence + The Machine at Glastonbury in 2015. It’s generally incredibly moving to be a woman and have the knowledge that seeing a woman being at such an influential level didn’t used to be a possibility.” She not only runs a festival but also manages Albert Hall’s marketing and ticketing, as well as manages local band YAANG. She’s potentially one of the busiest people you could meet and it’s all fueled by her love of music and people.
Beth – Assistant Manager
Beth has only recently graduated from university but is already taking to the reins and is managing some of the toughest most exciting shows we have to offer. This includes being here in the early hours of the morning and loading in all the equipment whilst dealing with everyone from Rock Stars to Police Officers. She also cited Florence Welch as a strong influence and remembers the spiritual things that Welch discussed in their headline slot at Sziget. Beth may be somewhat new to working events but has already experienced some hardships due to her sex. “ I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of men who either don’t believe that I am a venue manager or disregard my opinion because I am a young female. One thing that I think is important to highlight is that there are actually a lot of women who work in the music industry. I don’t think this is advertised very much, which is important to do, as it’s important to show that we are no longer a rare minority in music and events. It’s the kind of thing that can really motivate other young women who are looking to push their way into what is ultimately a male-dominated environment. This kind of thing should be talked about and made known!”
Kat Warburton – Club Programming Manager
Check out the playlist curated by everyone interviewed here!
