What can I say about 2020 that has not already been said?  In my lifetime it has probably been the worse year I have experienced, and I know I am not alone.  My wife is a frontline nurse who has seen the effects of COVID-19 first-hand.  It is not pretty; it is not fake, and it is not ‘just the flu.’

So, the beginning of 2020, my diary was filling up nicely and my new residency at the blue flames was looking fantastic as bookings were flying in.  The blue flames have always been one of my favourite venues and to be asked if I would like to be a preferred supplier was truly an honour.  January was quiet as always; February things were picking up and by march I was fully booked.  Then COVID-19 hit!  My business was stopped overnight.  No parties or events could happen and suddenly, my income just stopped!  The government have been pretty much useless and the lack of support for businesses like mine was non-existent.  I am not going to make this blog post an attack on the government, or the what’s and whys?  All I will say is they could have done a lot more.

The bills keep on coming in, music subscriptions, office software, DJ software, insurance, loan payments etc.  I had to get a bounce back loan to ensure I could meet my bill payments.

I was low, and depression was sinking in.  I decided to do some lockdown discos from my living room.  Facebook did their best to stop me under apparent copyright laws.  Which is strange as I pay for all my music and can play at parties and events, but not on Facebook!  These discos were my mental saviours and I loved entertaining once again, even though through the medium of video live streams.  My wife was the life and soul to be honest.  She would dance the night away.  We at its peak had over 1000 viewers. 

The government continued to keep the entertainment industry closed for the rest of the year.

New Years Eve, this year was the first one I have not worked for as long as I can remember.  It was hard to be sat knowing I should be out entertaining….

2021…

I hope that by April, we have some sense of normality, that we can have parties again.  Children can meet up in a cold church hall and play pass the parcel, adults can have a dance and a drink and people can get married once again.  I have a lot of re-scheduled bookings for 2021 and I hate to imagine them not happening.  I do not know how I will financially survive, as the bounce back loan has gone and there are little finances left in the pot.

In summing up, I am going to be optimistic that 2021 can be the year that the world started turning again.  We can have some sort of normality.

So, lets raise a glass to 2021 and stay positive!