Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess brings free Merch Market to Glasgow's Barrowland Ballroom
The event, where bands sell their own merchandise with no fees or commission, comes to the Barrowlands on Sunday, February 28, 2027. Tickets are free.
The Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow's East End, which will host The Merch Market next February. · Photograph: Rob Sinclair (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess is bringing his popular Merch Market to Glasgow's Barrowland Ballroom.
The event will take place at the famous East End venue on Sunday, February 28, 2027.
The Charlatans have played the Barrowlands many times over their career, most recently in December 2025.
"Our aim was to bring it to Barrowlands"
Burgess said that, when the team first thought of doing the market, their aim was to bring it to the Barrowlands, adding that he could not overstate his love for the venue.
No fees, no commission
Stalls are open to all bands, artists and merch makers, with no fees attached and no commission taken – meaning musicians keep everything they make.
Previous stallholders have included New Order, Mick Jones and A Certain Ratio.
The event is supported by AtVenu, a company that handles merchandise sales at live events. Burgess said the Merch Market had previously been funded through the Help Us Help Bands project, and that it was "brilliant to know that it can support sustainable, stand alone events".
Free tickets
Tickets for the Barrowland Ballroom edition are free. Bands and artists interested in taking a stall can contact the organisers.
Why it matters for musicians
Merchandise sales have become a vital source of income for touring musicians, as streaming pays artists relatively little. Many artists have criticised venues that take a percentage of merch sales, and events like Burgess's aim to give that money back to the people who make the music.