With England back in lockdown, one local musician is bringing back a popular online concert for friends and fans across the water.

Local BBC journalist, crooner and piano player Al Bell is to resurrect his popular online music show, ’Al’s Saturday Night Dance Party’, at the Thirsty Pigeon this coming Saturday, from 9pm.

The show will be live streamed, so friends and fans can tune in from the UK and elsewhere to watch Al perform a wide range of pop and sing-along songs, by ABBA, Shania Twain, Neil Diamond, Eminem, Right Said Fred and even the island’s own Stuart Slack, on his ropey 1980s Yamaha keyboard, which he bought at an auction for the princely sum of £10.

Al began the online concerts during the island’s lockdown period, playing songs from his dad’s garden shed, dressed in not much more than a questionable dressing gown, and soon found that he had a attracted an audience of thousands from all over the world.

’I asked a few mates to suggest covers for me to learn during lockdown,’ said Al.

’I was self-isolating at the start of April so decided to do a livestream on Facebook playing some of them while wearing my comfiest and most stylish kimono.

’Hundreds of people ended up tuning in from all over the place: England, Ireland, Belgium, the USA, even Colby.

’It was proper nuts. It really showed how desperately bored people were for something to do.

’After a few weeks of doing them, we had a lovely little community going.

’People were sending me videos of them dancing, drinking and singing along to my questionable interpretations of Nirvana and Boney M.’

One night, Al even went as far as to shave his head live during the concert, raising more than £1,000 for the Manx Solidarity fund and winning the praise of David Ashford during a Covid-19 press conference. ’Obviously it’s all gone "Pete Tong" in England again, and I feel a certain sense of guilt that we can go to the pubs when they can’t,’ he said. ’So I’m reviving the Saturday Night Dance Party for a special edition live from the Thirsty Pigeon this weekend.

’I hope it can bring some love and relief to my friends who are back in the throes of it, or at the very least, a sound track to get house-drunk and dance their troubles away to.

’It’ll be streamed on my Facebook page on the night.’

Al’s Saturday Night Dance Party can be watched at Facebook.com/ alexrichardbell