Pete Cogle. Podcaster & Grassroots Music Advocate

Twenty years ago today a very young sounding, rather naïve, 45 year old bloke recorded his first podcast. He’d just been given an iPod for Christmas 2005 and just discovered these things called podcasts on the iTunes website. Finding that some of these podcasts featured independent, hobbyist DJs he decided to throw his own hat in the ring. The rest is history. I’ve thought about making...

*CORRECTION: Blane McNab, Bar and Operations Manager, at The Court House Bangor wrote the report mentioned in this episode on reusable plastic cups* The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you...

The press were out in force with the MVT report releasing it’s 2025 report. Here are a few of the articles that came out of that event. All of these focus on different parts of the report. Guardian: Wednesday briefing: ​Can we afford to be optimistic about grassroots music venues?  and: UK grassroots music venues show lowest decline since 2018 as sector stabilises post-pandemic BBC: Grassroo...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this special episode, Toni and Mark unpack the findings of MVT’s brand Annual Report for 2025. They dig in...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode, Toni Coe sits down with Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, for a reflective conversation...

TuffDub… with tracks by… DJ Saeg, Fractal Seed, Dubmatix, Audacious P DubDaddy, Elastica Dub,Sarod Mystics, Makyo, Ras Tamano, Dahbors, Manwel T, Sumac Dub, Youthie, Phoniandflore 00:00:00  DJ Saeg (feat. Fractal Seed) – Rub It Scrub It [Culture Dub Records] 00:05:08  Dubmatix – Tribal Dub (Audacious P. Dubdaddy Dub) 00:08:59  Elastica Dub & Sarod Mystics – Camel...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni and Mark Davyd look back on a defining year for the grassroots music ecosystem. From po...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni and Mark Davyd break down a week of political pressure, frontline crises, and hard won...

Christmas Dub… with tracks by… Total Hip Replacement, Pat Thomas, Aldubb, Wu. D’Sound, Jodie, Khoe Wa, Le Faune Stepper, Isaac Chambers, Dub Princess, Deep Fried Dub, Alia, Spk, Med Dred, Rastaveli Mc, Ras Nelon, South Swell Syndicate, Manwel T, Inner Echo, Wends, Nashwa, Ondubground 00:00:11  Total Hip Replacement – Bra (feat. Pat Thomas) (Aldubb Dub) [RDX Promo] 00:03:26 ...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni speaks with Lala, MVT’s Membership Coordinator, to uncover how the charity understands...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni sits down with Matt and Chris from Music Venue Properties to break down the extraordina...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni and Mark dive into a fast-moving fortnight for grassroots music, covering surging polit...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni speaks with Stina and Aled about the current pressures, regional strengths, and emergin...

Live To Love Dub… with tracks by… Massive Dub Corporation, Kingly T,Claudette King, Manwel T, Crête & Moustache, Shanks, Dub Spencer, Trance Hill, MyDubz x Dub Idren, DJ Saeg, Dubmatix 00:00:00  Massive Dub Corporation – Monir Logical [ODG] 00:03:18  Kingly T & Claudette King – Live To Love Dub (Manwel T Mix) 00:07:05  Crête & Moustache – Nomade (Live Sess...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Arusa Qureshi hosts a panel discussion at EXIT Club in Glasgow, co-produced with Glasgow Lif...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni speaks with Chris Sherrington from Music Venue Properties about the Own Our Venues camp...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni speaks with Lloyd and Jay about the latest trends, challenges, and breakthroughs shapin...

 The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni and Sophie unpack the government’s new consultation on licensing reform and what it m...

Iridescent Dub… with tracks by… E.R.S., Manwel T, Massive Dub Corporation, PhOniAndFlOrE, Rasta Jahlor, Swanga, Magic Empire, Elastica Dub, Gabriele Blue 00:00:00 E.R.S. – Sunday Dub [Explorations In Dub] [Dubmission Records] 00:07:23 Manwel T – Creation Dub 00:10:24 Massive Dub Corporation – Iridescence [ODG] 00:14:16 PhOniAndFlOrE – Horizon [Soundcloud] 00:19:...

The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: This week on The Last Safe Space, Toni and Mark unpack the latest from Westminster and beyon...

The 5th podcast from the Music Venue Trust. The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: In this special edition of The Last Safe Space,...

The 4th podcast from the Music Venue Trust. The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni and Mark tackle government changes, levy de...

Tight Dub… with tracks by… Dub Stax, Korbo Dub, South Swell Syndicate, Manwel T, Phoniandflore, Sendem Sounds, Yosuke Hashimoto, Dubmones, Alpheus, Ranking Joe, Paolo Baldini, Art-X, The Roots Addict, Youthie 00:00:00 Dub Stax – Time Is Tight (Dub Edit) [RDX Promo] [Echo Beach] 00:03:20 Korbo Dub – Solar Dance [Subsquad Prod] 00:05:42 South Swell Syndicate – On The Lo...

The third podcast from the Music Venue Trust. The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: festivals + venues linking arms, Coldplay’s 10...

The second podcast from the Music Venue Trust. The Last Safe Space a straight-talking, data-driven podcast from Music Venue Trust. Each episode breaks down the biggest news affecting the UK’s grassroots music venues – from government policy to local wins, campaigns, crisis cases, and how you can take action to support live music. In this episode: Toni Coe and Mark Davyd discuss the Prime Min...