As exposure sites continue to increase, Canberra band Cell Block 69 have been caught up in the new rush of cases and are grappling with isolation.
The band performed last weekend at The Basement in Belconnen to mark its 21st year as a group of 10, coming from Canberra, Queensland and NSW.
Its annual performance in the capital is a tradition which marks the beginning of the festive season with all band members going by the name Corey.
Yet now, Lachlan Paine, also known as Corey in te Dominie Corey Exultate Corey, is grappling with an isolated Christmas and the concern for his audience as their Friday performance became an exposure site. The Saturday gig remains safe at this stage.
"I have so many emotions about the whole thing, there's this underlying feeling of being responsible for going ahead with an event where I knew so many people would be attending," Mr Paine said.
"At the same time, though, a lot of people did need a performance at this point.
"For me the biggest stress is that my friends will be visiting their parents who are a bit older and more vulnerable to COVID, so potentially exposing the elderly and other family members is horrible timing with Christmas."
Mr Paine is in quarantine until Boxing Day and has told his family to celebrate Christmas without him.
"My mum and sister came to the concert on Saturday. It was also my sister's first time ever seeing me perform, so I feel really bad for getting them involved. Mum was willing to shift Christmas until Boxing Day but I told her not to worry about it," Mr Paine said.
"Despite how challenging this is, a lot of people have been in touch and really lovely offering me groceries and general support to reassure the band it's not our fault.
"The audience is like one big family, we started through friends watching our gigs and it's just expanded from there, so we're really looking out for each other."
Lead singer of the band Pip Branson, also referred to as Duanne Le Corey-Micheal, is now back in NSW isolating and said the number one concern was for anyone in the audience at the venue on Friday.
"It's baffling that in the most vaccinated city in the world, that people are still at risk," Mr Branson said.
"The annual Cell Block 69 gigs are such a ritual of joy and celebration, where hundreds come together to laugh and sing, so we're pretty bummed that people are now feeling anxious after being at the show, as they isolate and await test results pre-Christmas.
"We really feel for The Basement and want to thank them for their support over the years.
"Fortunately for us, all the band have tested negative. It's frustrating but I also feel like we've all learnt to hold lightly to forward plans over the last 18 months, thanks to COVID.
"I guess we will learn what the Omicron variant will bring soon enough and how to manage it. Anyone who's ever been to a Cell Block show knows we have had many things stolen from us in the past, but no one can steal our dream of continuing this beloved annual tradition."
As the band continues to isolate, Mr Paine was in good character as he embraced Corey in te Dominie Corey Exultate Corey during his quarantine, saying he was also taking up new hobbies.
"The first person that offered to deliver me anything I instantly requested all the ingredients of a Bloody Mary. Food and everything else could be sorted later," Mr Paine said.
"Bloody Marys are going to be a big part of this week. I've also got into playing darts, so I'm staying fit and keeping up my sustenance."
