Looney and The Vikings are a popular covers band on the Manx music scene, thanks to a fairly prolific batch of live dates each month.

Now, whilst they’re known as a covers band, they’ve decided to branch off into writing some of their own tunes and are set to unleash their first ever single.

The band, led by Dan Looney on vocals and also featuring Dave Ball on guitars, Susan Harrison on sax and keys, Wayne Harrison on bass and Charlie Crowe on drums recorded their song ’Skol Of The Vikings’, with Gypo Buggane at Ballagroove Studios.

The result is a firm slab of all things rock and proudly so.

Released today (Thursday), the band has a launch gig for the single on Friday night at The Quids Inn in Douglas from 9pm.

Further information on where to stream the single can be found via Facebook.com/Looneyandthevikings/

Next we head to The Compton Vaults in Castletown where on Friday night you’ll find the 9 Bar Gypsies in residence.

Featuring a line up of Jimmy Lee on vocals, Dave Atkins and Jason Cain on guitars, Ivan Jackson on bass and Mark Cain on drums, the band essentially specialise in the music of Guns ’N’ Roses.

A delve into the back catalogue sees You Could Be Mine, Paradise City and Sweet Child O’ Mine all get an airing amongst many others.

This event is well worth checking out and kicks off from 9.30pm, where the band will be boucning on the new Compton Vaults stage.

Get your bandanas, your tightest denim and leather on and go take a look at Facebook.com/9BarGypsies

Finally this week, Ian Thompson heads to Jaks this Friday night for one of his regular gigs at the Douglas based venue.

Featuring a setlist of classics from The Kinks, David Bowie, The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, R.E.M, and the like in his setlist, he and the band head out for two shows in Douglas at The Front Porch on Friday and Sam Webb’s on Saturday night.

If this sounds like the soundtrack to your type of night out then you can’t go far wrong.

For further information about Ian and his forthcoming shows please visit ianthompsonuk.com

That’s just the tip of the iceberg gigs-wise over the next few days.

To keep up to date with any further events as they’re announced, please visit Facebook.com/groups/ttgigs/ and Facebook.com/groups/isleofmangigs/

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading.