by Sam Fender has set a new precedent when it comes to the music industry’s efforts to tackle climate change, becoming the first artist to complete a tour using all-electric trucks.
The singer-songwriter has just concluded his UK leg of the People Watching tour, taking in stops in cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh, and Belfast for huge outdoor shows.
For the tour, Fender’s crew used a fleet of four Mercedes-Benz eActros 600s, helped by the existing infrastructure to charge electric HGVs that are already installed on the UK’s roads.
In a partnership that was pioneered both by KB Events and a report backed by Massive Attack in 2019, which explored sustainable options for tour transportation, the success of the tour now potentially opens up far more options for big artists looking to invest in sustainability.
In response to the announcement, Fender said: “We’ve just finished our Summer tour where we used some Mercedes Benz electric trucks with help from KB Events. Hopefully this will show what can be achieved on future tours, and other artists will jump onboard too. Big thanks to everyone involved, and to Massive Attack for pioneering the way with more sustainable touring.”
Richard Burnett of KB Events, who were the organisers behind Fender’s summer tour, explained that the logistics of managing the electric trucks was relatively straightforward as they only require a short charging time and still managed to cover a distance of over 900 miles, but “it will be even easier when venues start adding their own charging hubs.”
The news of Fender’s use of the environmentally-friendly model comes as even more acclaim for the Newcastle singer, who last week was nominated for the Mercury Prize for a second time, in recognition of People Watching.
It was also revealed that the tour has not only helped battle climate change, but also counter the threat of independent music venues closing, as money raised from its ticket sales helped no less than 38 venues across the UK.
