Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh dammit.

Just as I had put the finishing touches to this week’s gig guide, the (slightly) inevitable happened and, before you know it, everything has been pulled.

No Friday Folk at the Peel Centenary Centre, no Manxical Mystery Beatles shenanigans at Jaks, Dusty Plankton at 1886 or Jamie Blackburn playing at The British, The Sidings or at Quids.

No Dickie Kelly at the Whitehouse either.

By far the biggest tragedy of this whole affair, I’m sure you’ll all agree, is the postponing of the Ballaghs at the Rovers this Saturday.

I know. Devastating.

Among the many exciting projects to be postponed was a potential link up with singer songwriter Alice Dudley and Sound Records.

Alice was all set to open a display of her artwork in the shop next week, along with her playing some of her songs.

Clearly that had to be called off and Alice is hoping to host the night as soon as she can.

Also, the Voodoo Bandits had just announced a second feature ’Indie Sandwich’ night in the Promenade suite of the Villa Marina on Saturday, February 27.

The indie-rockers were yet to announce the full line up. However, all being well, and the hard and fast lockdown goes to plan, there should be no reason for this night not to go ahead.

There are many silver linings to this lockdown. What was so striking during last year was how many people picked up their guitars and broadcast themselves across the island and elsewhere.

Maybe this time around we’ll see a return to Steve Nash’s attic, Kizzie Puzzar’s songs from the bedroom, John Barker’s bluesy Overdale sessions or any of the other many fabulous musical adventures many seemed to throw themselves into over that period.

Last time around, the pages of Island Life were full of images, screen grabs and zoom slides of musicians keeping in touch, sharing songs and keeping the local music scene, not just alive, but positively thriving.

And, of course, as soon as it was possible, local bands legged it back into the pubs and helped wake the island up from its enforced period of hibernation.

From a spread of pictures in mid-June of people packing the pubs to listen to singers one week to the Manx Punx filling the Compton Vaults in a joyous carnival of colour and raucous noise the next, the local music scene proved it didn’t just have a place in the corner of the pub, but rather was the beating heart of public life in and around the island.

We’ll all be back in the pubs playing as soon as its safe to do so and, much like last time, the gigs will that little bit better for it too.

Until then, keep yourselves safe and, if you’re not singing, then stick a mask on it. When the gigs return, so will the Manx Sound Exchange.