Music scene will return stronger
NI musicians optimistic as they curate online gigs showcasing local talent
TWO Co Down musicians, who have performed and curated a series of weekly online gigs throughout lockdown, have said the Northern Irish music scene will come back stronger than ever when live gigs resume.
Singer/songwriter Matt Mcginn and Cormac Neeson, frontman with rock band The Answer, were both devastated when their busy calendars of tours, festivals and shows were cancelled due to the pandemic.
With free time on their hands and in need of a creative outlet, the pair joined forces and set up Cocoons — a series of live ‘In the Round’ gigs on Facebook, featuring over 130 artists worldwide, with a focus on showcasing Northern Irish talent.
The gigs, performed from the artists’ homes or studios, have featured established names including Mary Coughlan, Ryan Mcmullan, Ciaran Gribbin and JC Stewart, as well as up and coming acts like Odhran Murphy, Ben Cutler and Amy Montgomery.
To mark Cocoon’s 50th show on Saturday night, Matt and Cormac have organised a special, fundraiser gig for Mencap NI.
Their shows have already raised over £10,000 for various charities. Both men are on the bill, alongside Belfast’s Brian Kennedy, young singer/songwriter Roise Mchugh and rocker Ricky Warwick, all the way from his Los Angeles home.
And the shows have proven so popular with music fans and artists, that Cocoons Live will be headlining Eastside Arts Festival in Belfast later this year.
“When we started doing Cocoons last March, we never imagined it would take on a life of its own, nor that we’d still be doing it a year on,” said Matt.
“People miss live music. When lockdown restrictions were lifted and people could get out, there was still no live music available.
“Our audiences are serious music fans, so it’s been great to be able to do this for them and to have that audience engagement.
“There was a real need for Cocoons, not just for the fans but for the artists too. From that first gig last March, there’s been a powerful bond between the artists and the audience and that has stayed week after week.
“When we come out of this,
I think that fans won’t take entertainment and live music for granted.
“I really feel that support is there now; not just from fans and the wider community, but in terms of the support we’ve also received from the Arts Council, Help Musicians NI and Forestside, who’ve sponsored our Cocoons Live show. I can see the music scene coming out of this much stronger.”
Cormac was heading into a particularly busy period when the pandemic forced the cancellation of his plans. With a new single about to drop and a tour organised to support the release of the deluxe edition of his debut solo album, his schedule was replaced with “blind fear of what was to come”..
“Cocoons helped us focus. As creatives we need to be playing and we needed to find a way to keep working,” he said.
“The thing about musicians is that we don’t come up for air. We move from one project to the next; we keep the heads down and keep writing and doing gigs.
“The pandemic forced us to take a breath; to think about the next move. It also made me think ‘will there even been a music scene in Northern Ireland when this is over?’
“But we are moving in the right direction. I’ve no doubt that musicians here will come back more appreciated and bigger and brighter than ever.
“Hearing all the other artists and the lovely blend of styles each week, also reminded each of us of the standard we need to live up to as well as introducing us to new music. In the absence of live gigs, Cocoons has been the next best thing.”
Both musicians are now looking forward to this weekend’s online fundraising gig and, further ahead, Cocoons Live, on August 12, at the Stormont Hotel. That gig will feature Matt and Cormac on the bill along with Odhran Murphy, Brigid O’neill, Johnny Brady and Suzy Coyle.
Cormac said: “Saturday night’s gig symbolises what Cocoons is all about; from Belfast to LA and back to Hilltown, using the tools that we’ve got.”
Matt added: “The fans who’ve watched us every week have been a huge part of it too and we’ve got to know them personally. When we walk out on to that stage at the Stormont Hotel in August and see them in the front row, it’ll be a very emotional moment.”
‘Our audiences are serious fans, so it’s been great to be able to do this for them’
Tickets for Cocoons Live at the Stormont Hotel on Thursday, August 12, as part of Eastside Arts Festival, are available now from Ticketsource, priced £15.