Visitors to one of Norwich’s main parks were treated to surprise shows from two of Norfolk’s most well-known musicians.
Guitarist and vocalist Graham McGrotty was joined by Lee Vasey in Chapelfield Gardens on Sunday and Monday.
Armed with a guitar and microphone each, they played for and took requests from dozens of socially-distant visitors to the park who were out enjoying the bank holiday sunshine.
“It became a bit busy down there, but respectfully so,” said Mr McGrotty. Everyone was sticking to the rules and I think it worked really well.”
He is a guitarist and tutor who has played with the likes of The Drifters and The Supremes in the past, while Mr Vasey has featured alongside Tommy Cooper, Chris Rea and cousin Roy ‘Chubby Brown’, and for the last 24 years has headed up the Lee Vasey Band.
Both are more used to playing actual venues – neither have busked on the street in the past – but decided to put on the shows due to having lost all their bookings due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Mr McGrotty said: “It’s not something myself or Lee would normally do, but we’ve given it a go and it’s been an absolute blast, we’ve loved every minute of it.
“We didn’t make a lot of money out of it but the fact that people came out, spent a couple of hours with us and enjoyed themselves, it was an absolute pleasure.
“I’m sure by next weekend we’ll be doing it all again because at the minute this is the only opportunity we have to play.”
He also said that the pair would “definitely” be heading back to Chapelfield Gardens next weekend if the weather is as nice, and he anticipates they may move into the city once more shops reopen and footfall increases.
More than anything Mr McGrotty is just enjoying playing publicly again, especially alongside one of his oldest friends in Mr Vasey.
“We’ve worked together a lot over the years and we thought we’d go have a bit of fun and see what happened. Gradually it’s evolving and I’m sure we’ll just keep going because we enjoy it so much.
“I’m very fortunate to be doing it with one of my best friends – it doesn’t get much better.”
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