Live music lifts curtain
Legends tune up after viral shutdown
TASMANIAN musicians cannot wait to be centre stage again after the live music scene was stalled by the pandemic.
And a new survey has shown the general public too is keen for the return of gigs.
The latest EMRS poll commissioned by Federal Group reveals 70 per cent of respondents would go to live performances as frequently as they did before COVID- 19, while a further 9 per cent said they would attend them more frequently.
It comes as Wrest Point’s Birdcage Bar this week launches a month of performances by local musicians in what will be known as the “Legends of Wrest Point”.
Federal Group executive general manager Daniel Hanna said Tasmanians’ appetite for live gigs was great news for local artists and venues.
Mr Hanna said the survey found more than 40 per cent of respondents attended live performances once a month to once every six months pre- COVID.
The poll also showed cleaning and hygiene practices at venues and social distancing measures were important to the overwhelming majority of those surveyed.
Wrest Point general manager Andrew Fox said the Birdcage Bar was a Hobart institution and a popular performance venue for local musicians for more than three decades.
“It’s great to be able to kickstart live gigs again after a really challenging few months for local artists,’’ he said.
The upcoming live music series will showcase Tasmanian talent, including a mix of pop, contemporary, acoustic and classic musicians who will play every Friday and Saturday night.
Among them will be singer Susie Gregory, who said she had missed performing live and attending gigs.
“At my age, I don’t work terribly often, but I really do feel for the other musos around Hobart and internationally who have been cut off at the knees because of this thing,’’ she said.
“My opinion is COVID is going to be with us forever and a vaccine isn’t going to be around for a long time and we need to learn to live with it. You can’t lock down people’s entertainment indefinitely.”
Lyn Thomas, a singer and guitarist who headlined the opening of the Birdcage Bar in 1973, said he was excited to be part of the line- up again, and hoped restrictions were eventually eased to allow people to dance.
Fellow musician Mike “The Fox” Walden said he was eager to return to his old stomping ground.
The performances will be staged in the Birdcage Bar and Wrest Point’s newly refurbished bar, Level One, starting on Friday.
Music starts from 7pm in the Level One bar and from 9pm at the Birdcage every Friday and Saturday night, with free entry.
Federal Group has commissioned several surveys since May about COVID- related matters, and 500 people took part in the most recent poll which was representative of all demographic groups.