Oban lockdown party lifts coronavirus gloom
Mick Jagger and David Bowie once got the world rocking with their song, Dancing in the streets.
But closer to home in Oban it was a Saturday night lockdown party that got the neighbours bopping in their gardens.
It all came about after DJ Paul Harvey hatched a plan to see if there was a way he could lift the coronavirus gloom and ensure sure social distancing was respected.
The 40-year-old usually hires out his services for special parties and events from Mull to Dalmally and Dunoon under the name DJ Harv3y, but for those living in Laggan Road and Iona Drive, he has given new meaning to the term ‘resident DJ’.
Paul realised that with the streets separated by long adjoining back gardens to create a natural barrier, there was a safe way of uniting everybody if they all stayed put on their own turf.
Despite concerns from partner Michelle MacDougall that Paul’s earth-shaking 2,000watt speakers might attract curiosity from the boys in blue, he ploughed ahead to put on a show which has already passed into legendary status.
The keen fan of electronic music compiled a set-list to appeal to neighbours young and old, from Sixties classics to Scottish party anthems.
A dedicated Facebook page was set up to spread the word and the music was strictly limited to a 10pm finish so as not to push his luck. Come 7pm, Paul was ready to go with his mixing decks set up outside, fog machine primed and colourful strobe lights streaking the terraced streets.
Around 40 residents came out from tots to grandparents and the fun spread across the internet with Paul livestreaming his entire set on YouTube.
Michelle, the lead singer with Oban four-piece covers band The Fold, even cast aside her initial concerns and joined in. She belted out crowd-pleasers Don’t Stop Me Now, Dancing Queen and a hair-raising Hallelujah.
But tune of the night was when Paul dropped Runrig’s 1979 Scottish classic Loch Lomond.
Speaking to The Oban Times afterwards, the stunned DJ recalled neighbours ‘dancing on coal bunkers and oil tankers’, and youngsters begging for one more song as neighbours cheered and clapped.
‘All the feedback was really positive,’ said an understated Paul. ‘They all said it was brilliant and it had given them a real lift. I still have people telling me that they saw my garden party on You Tube!’
Michelle said everyone respected the restrictions and the night proved a massive boost to the close-knit community in hard times.
‘Everyone said it was just what they needed,’ said Michelle, aged 38. ‘Paul deserves all the acknowledgement for all the work he put in. He didn’t listen to me – he just followed his heart and went for it!’ she said.