Lockdown ready to rock Cookstown’s Oldtown Inn

Back by popular demand following their debut appearance at the drinking establishment earlier in the year, front man Barry McGuinness says that the band can’t wait to hit the stage again.

“The last gig we played there gig was great”, enthuses the Omagh native, “the Cookstown crowd are really up for it, and they seem to love the tracks that we play”.

With set that features a veritable who’s who of some of the greatest guitar based acts of all time including the likes of Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, and Ireland’s own Thin Lizzy, Barry is keen to stress that there is more to the band’s aural aesthetic than their choice of material might at first suggest. “I wouldn’t like to call what we do simply ‘classic rock’; we’ve a very modern sound that I like to call Rock and Metal Reforged”, he states.

“We do classic tracks with a modern, metal edge”, he reasons, “in the same way that Metallica brought a more contemporary sound to ‘Whisky in the Jar’ when they covered it”.

Though the band keep their sound up to date, they like to play songs the people know, and have a novel way of describing their choice of material; “we call it Meerkat Music”, laughs the singer, continuing; “it’s how we define those songs that make people sit up and strain their neck because they recognise them!” What this means is that Lockdown’s gigs can be as much fun for the band themselves as they are for their audience; “we get to play all the songs that we loved when we were young, and we love getting a reaction.” says Barry.

“The last time we played people were singing the songs right back at us, and we were grinning from ear to ear”. Completed by hard hitting drummer Paul Blevins, bass player Marty McLernon and guitarist Paul Rea, the current incarnation of Lockdown has been together for the past three years, and Barry is in no doubt about what the band has to offer; “Marty is multi-­‐talented and is a great all round musician”, he says of the bassist, whilst “Paul R plays in a world of his own, and we just let him loose”, he laughs with the shake of his head. “It’s sometimes hard for us to take our eyes off him!”

The band’s drummer Paul B meanwhile is “the glue that keeps it all together”, affirms Barry, adding with tongue planted firmly in cheek; “I’m just a grunter with a heavy guitar!”

All of which means that anyone attending a Lockdown gig is in for an entertaining night.

With a set of around two hours planned for the Cookstown show, plus a rock DJ spinning the tracks both before and after the show, the Oldtown Inn is sure to be the place to be for anyone calling themselves a rock music fan. “It’s great to be asked back” concludes Barry, adding; “it’s all about the buzz and the atmosphere, and we aim to bring it in spades!” Denim and leather; optional.