Northland music concerts restart under level 2

Drummer Peter Grattan plays in two bye bye lockdown '60s party C'mon gigs this weekend.

Northland music lovers have been doing it hard over the Covid lockdowns with virtually no live music to go and watch.

The country will find out on Monday when it heads into Covid alert level 1, with no restrictions on gathering numbers and social distancing.

But this weekend three gigs are being held in Whangārei under alert level 2 rules that limit punters to 100 a venue, while social distancing.

The bye bye lockdown '60s party C'mon out features stars of the 1960's TV show C'mon and plays at Kamo Hotel on Friday from 7pm and then at the Waipū Citizens and Services Club on Saturday from 7.30pm.

The third show is an evening of smooth jazz from the John Leigh Calder Trio at the Mt Manaia Club on Saturday from 6.30pm.

The bye bye lockdown '60s party C'mon will be playing favourites from the era and features Peter Grattan (ex Peter Posa, PG and the Hot Tips) on drums, Roger Skinner, (Keil Isles, Pleasers, Motivation) on guitar and Chris Parfitt (Hi Revving Tongues) on bass.

Skinner also wrote the Number 1 hit Lets Think Of Something for Larry's Rebels.

Chris Parfitt is the bassist for the bye bye lockdown '60s party C'mon.

Grattan said it's been tough for musicians and venues these past eight weeks with no income due to the Covid lockdown and he was looking forward to gigging again. He suspected music lovers would also be keen to see some live gigs again.

Grattan said one of the upsides of the lockdown was that it gave musicians a chance to be creative and he had written 29 songs during the period.

"So it's been a good time up here overlooking the marina and Hundertwasser [construction site]," he said.

John Leigh Calder Trio plays at the Mt Manaia Club on Saturday.

Interestingly Grattan and Calder have been friends for decades and both performed in the band The Clan when they were at Whangārei Boys' High School together in 1966 when they were 14.