Studio rules from 19th July

No doubt you’ve seen the news about what changes are going to be made from next Monday and we wanted to set out our position going forward from that date.

Please keep wearing your mask and washing your hands

As a member of the Association of Independent Rehearsal and Recording Studios, we have been advised that, after talking to the Department for Culture Media and Sport, UK Music and the Music Producers Guild, we should keep all procedures in place from the 19th July. As a business that, unfortunately, is a prime location for transmission to take place, we feel it’s too soon to lift the restrictions that have helped us to keep our studios a safe place for everyone to interact and make music together.

As was spelled out in the presentation by Professor Chris Whitty, whilst the vaccine helps to suppress the virus and make infections less severe and the chances of becoming infected much less, it is still infectious and transmissible. The Delta varient seems to be a particularly nasty version of the virus that still has the ability to hospitalise up to 25% of the population if we’re not careful. We have had anecdotal evidence given to us by NHS staff that work at Southmead, that the majority of cases being admitted are people in their 20s who haven’t been vaccinated and 40-50 year olds that have and have stopped being as vigilant.

We want everyone to feel that the studios are somewhere where all are welcome and safe. We have a wide range of ages that use our studios ranging from 6 – 60+. This means that we have people who are clinically vulnerable who use our space, people who are looking after people who are clinically vulnerable and others who are immuno-compromised as well as you lucky ones, who can spring out of bed with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. We need them to feel able to use our space without fear of either themselves or their loved ones being infected because they are coming here.

Like everyone, I’ll be very relieved when this is all over, but it isn’t over yet and that’s why we will be keeping our procedures in place and asking you to be as vigilant at before until such time as we feel we can – and we’re advised to – do otherwise.

Stay safe and see you soon!

21/01/2021

We won an award!!

It’s fair to say that 2020 has been one of the toughest years we’ve all had to go through. 2021 didn’t get off to a great start either, but then we were told that we have been chosen to be South West Rehearsal Studio of the Year 2020/21!!

We were picked from a shortlist of 5 studios in the South West and given how difficult it is for our industry right now, it’s nice to have something positive to share. We’ve worked really hard to build up the business since starting out in 2015 and it’s great to have some recognition of how far we’ve come.

We’re proud to have created a space that everyone says is one of the nicest spaces they’ve rehearsed in. We’ve also built up a fantastic community through our Saturday Music Club music school and have been told we serve the best coffee in Bristol.

We’ve continued to upgrade our rooms and equipment in the studio and we are now able to offer a incredible 60m2 performance and production space – The Engine Room – for 2021.

It goes without saying that we couldn’t have done it without the bands, artists, musicians, teachers and students that have used our studios and helped make it what it’s become.

Thank you all for being with us on our journey and we hope to see you very soon.

09/09/202009/09/2020

Our response to the new 6 person limit

Our response to the new 6 person limit

Firebird Studios

The new limits that have been set out for social gatherings are quite severe, but we are of the opinion that they do not apply to us. Musicians come here to practice their craft and prepare for paid engagements and with that in mind, we consider our studios a place of work. We are also fortunate that a lot of the bands that use us fall under the 6 person limit anyway and as such, they are not subject to this new law.

In any case, we will be carrying on as normal, as, we hope, will the musicians who are using us. We have set out in detail on our website the things we are doing to keep everyone safe – wiping down all equipment, touch points and surfaces, and booking bands in to rooms that incorporate them safely and allow for the 2m social distancing.

Saturday Music Club

As Saturday Music Club has an education purpose, we are exempt from the new law and will be carrying on as normal. We have already put in place new measures to ensure that children and their parents are safe whilst on site and given the size of classes, again, these measures wouldn’t affect us even if the education exemption didn’t exist.