Local musicians, left without gigs due to the enforced closures, are getting together to host multi-band night online instead.

The regular ’Gigs from the Bedroom’ was set up by friends Kizzie Puzzar, who sings with the group Spaghetti and the Hoops, and beat boxer Ash Ashenafi and will host a series of acts online every other Friday.

Ash and Kizzie along with bandmembers Annabel Curphey and Jay O’Connell performed together, linked online via Facebook, last Friday and have as second evening of music lined for Friday, April 17, with local singers Tom Swift, Billie Crowe, Marc McCabe O’Kelly and Tinesha Kinley all taking part.

It can be viewed on the ’Gigs From the Bedroom’ Facebook page.

’It was something that started last week, and it seemed to go really well,’ said Kizzie.

’We were contacted by loads of other musicians wanting to join in as well, so I thought we would call it ’Gigs from the Bedroom’, as that’s where most are playing from, and see how it goes.

’So far we have had more than 300 people like the page.

’Our first bedroom concert last weekend had 128 people logging in and out, which is pretty good. I don’t think we would expect to get that many people at a pub gig.

’It’s great as well, as you can interact with people as you are going along. It is great to be able to respond to people’s reactions to your songs.’

The gigs will also give each artist the chance to share more of their music with those who are watching.

Kizzie hopes that playing online gigs directly into people’s homes will encourage more people to take an interest in the local music scene.

’Ideally we want to use this time to give people as much exposure as possible and share music,’ she said.

’Hopefully, people will hear something they really like and, once this lockdown is over and things return to normal, they may be encouraged to make the effort to get out and check out the bands or singers live.’