Those historic numbers come as UK Music asks the Government, whose consultation on small venues closed recently, to do more for grassroots live music by supporting Lord Clement-Jones' Live Music Bill.

The boost was driven by a larger number of gigs, bigger audiences at those events and a 12% leap in average ticket prices, according to figures published by the National Arenas Association (NAA) and made exclusively available to Music Week.

In its latest annual report, the NAA reveals that ...