A dedicated Irvine DJ is heading for a magical musical milestone after streaming live shows from his home since the coronavirus pandemic struck.
Dad-of-three Paul Downie, who lives at Harbourside, has been staging virtual shows free of charge on Facebook since last March.
An Elvis gig is staged on a Friday, with a rock ‘n roll one on a Saturday.
And on Saturday, February 13, he will spin the discs for what will be show number 100.
Little did Paul think when he hosted the first golden oldie disco that he would still be at the turntables almost a year later.
“These gigs have been great as they have brought people together,” Paul said.
“I usually hold an Elvis show every month in Glasgow and I’m normally in Carlisle on a Friday night.
“I was thinking I would miss my gigs and it was just going to be for a month. I was planning to do one Elvis and one rock 'n' roll one but decided just to keep going.
“Amazingly, last Friday was my 92nd show. It helps keep me sane and people entertained.”
And Paul says the shows have a big reach.
“It’s unbelievable, we’ve had people viewing from all over the USA, France, Holland, Germany, Spain, Australia and New Zealand,” he added.
“The same people keep coming back. I enjoy the shows as they help keep me sane and people say it’s great for their mental health.”
Paul, whose wife Linda dances on air during the gigs and sports a host of wacky costumes, has also done his bit for charity, raising £1,300 for the NHS in two of the early shows.
Also in the summer, he offered his services free of charge at 13 nursing homes across Ayrshire, including Hazeldene in Kilwinning.
He added: “The residents enjoyed the music and had a great time.
“It’s good to keep people entertained and I get a few messages from people after the shows saying how the music has helped them.”
