Making Gigs Accessible: Q&A with Nerotune Founder Ben Goffin
Ben Goffin, founder of Nerotune UK, is a Brighton-based musician and promoter. Nerotune organises ‘sensory-friendly’ gigs, aimed at autistic or neurodivergent people. I chatted to Ben about how he founded Nerotune and the great work they’re doing for the Brighton community.
Let’s start from the beginning: what is a ‘sensory friendly’ gig?
A ‘sensory friendly’ gig is a special type of gig in which the volume is lower, lights are dimmed, there’s no flashing lights, and it’s generally quieter and darker than a usual gig. We pick special venues that have ‘quiet spaces’ for people to step away and relax, and we also offer fidget toys for people to purchase. The environment is friendly and inclusive, there’s no judgement.
We also partner with a local charity, Gig Buddies, to really push our message: we want to include more neurodivergent people in the music scene, and make sure they can have a good time!
When did you first get the idea for this project?
The idea for a sensory friendly gig came to me last year. I took an autistic friend of mine out clubbing for the first time, but the security guards weren’t welcoming at all. They even accused him of drug use, but in reality he’s just different, quirky. It really gave me a taste of what going out is like for autistic people, so I wanted to do something about that.
I also went to an all-boys autistic school, and barely any of those boys go out at all, especially to see live music. Live music is the best thing that’s happened to humanity! So I wanted them to experience it too.
Photography by @snapsunlikely
What are the things you need to think about when organising a sensory friendly gig?
The secret is sound adjustments to the drums. At first we would put tea towels on the drums and symbols, and we would use a ‘drum shield’, which is a big plastic shield. We did that for a while but now we’ve switched to ‘low volume’ symbols, which make the drums sound so much better while still keeping the volume low.
We do shorter sets, between 15-20 minutes, to avoid tiring people out too much.
I wrote some guidelines for the venues and artists, so they can understand what we need in terms of volume, equipment, lighting, and even behaviour (so we don’t get anyone trying to jump into the crowd or screaming at the top of their lungs).
Can anyone play at a sensory friendly gig?
At the moment I do have limitations, I can’t do any metal or punk, that’s a bit too extreme, anything that’s really loud and screamy we can’t accommodate.
Hopefully one day we can put up a sensory-friendly metal night!
Photography by @snapsunlikely
What’s the reception been to this project?
The reception’s been great, I can’t lie! I’ve had people reach out to me telling me they love what I’m doing, I’ve had artists reach out saying they want to play with us. We had someone from London ask us to play a gig, and we were even mentioned on BBC radio!
Can you tell us about plans for 2026?
My plan is to put on a sensory-friendly gig every two months for the whole year. The first one is on 26th February, so don’t miss it!
You can keep up to date with Nerotune on instagram (@nerotuneuk) and support Gig Buddies over on their website, gigbuddies.org.uk.
Written by Roberta Guarini