Bands keep live music alive

Musicians were among the first workers hit by the COVID-19 crisis when they were forced to cancel live shows in the early stages of social restriction. But some of these local creatives are managing to continue building their following by getting clever. Flood the Moon, a two-piece electronic pop rock band from Albany, have just hosted their first live gig on social media. From his home rather than on stage at a local venue, one half of the band, Aaron Crosby, pretended he had a crowd in front of him on Sunday night. In reality, his wife was the only one watching his gig in person, but dozens more were online. Mr Crosby and fellow band member Caleb Drage had to cancel their upcoming shows and delay the release of their new singles. He said they felt driven to keep local live music alive in some form. “We’re by no means the first band to do this, but often in these types of difficult times, people are forced to think outside the box and get creative,” he said. “Everyone is on social media more than they’ve ever been during this time and there’s a lot of uncertainty and fear permeating through that. “I think we need connection with each other more than ever right now. “So we thought what better time to take what we do in a new and different way, by streaming a live show. “I was so stoked to see how many people tuned in and commented and were a part of it.” As a musician, Mr Crosby said he felt for those in the industry who made their living from live music. “We’re really feeling for them at the moment,” he said. “The same goes for the pubs and other live venues. Unfortunately, lots of people’s livelihoods have been put on pause overnight. “In this crazy and uncertain time, I think more than ever people are realising that we need each other. “Our hope as a band is that we can play a small part in bringing people together, even in isolation, and bring some joy and some small assurance that we can get through this thing together.” Flood the Moon are not alone in pioneering the Albany live-streaming COVID-19 music scene. Rob Vermeulen said his band, Dig the Dust, also needed a way to keep doing what they love. “It was important to keep connected with our fans by uploading some live videos from our homes,” he said. “It’s hard not being in the same room as the guys, but it’s cool to create something online for people to enjoy. We’re also trying to use this time to be creative for future releases.”