Lowden Guitars launches ‘Stay at Home, Play at Home’

Rallying its global community of committed players – and those who aspire to own one of their award-winning guitars – County Down’s Lowden Guitars has launched a community engagement initiative to encourage players of all levels and backgrounds to Stay at Home, Play at Home.

Including ‘Lowden Livingroom Sessions’ a series of at-home concerts highlighting 3 iconic Northern Irish albums – Ash’s 1977, Snow Patrol’s Final Straw, and Foy Vance’s Joy of Nothing – played by 3 acts each, over 3 weeks and free weekly ‘Lockdown Lessons’ led by British folk guitarist Zak Hobbs, Lowden is giving music fans around the globe more reason to #StayatHomePlayatHome.

Launching Stay at Home, Play at Home, musicians including Foy Vance, Ryan McMullan, ROE, Danny Jones of McFly, The Coronas’ Danny O’Reilly and Drew Holcomb joined forces for a Lowden-produced video which encourages Lowden players to create from home, reminding them that ‘we will endure, together through music’ as they turn to their instruments and the wider Lowden community for support and inspiration.

Opening their Stay at Home, Play at Home campaign to a wider community of brand supporters, this quintessentially Northern Irish brand is also connecting to iconic Northern Irish artists Foy Vance, Snow Patrol, and Ash to offer members of the public an opportunity to enjoy an exclusive series of concerts, ‘Lowden’s Livingroom Sessions’ in support of another Northern Ireland institution – the Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast’s dedicated music hub and resource for music makers and those in the business of music.

“We are thankful to the wider friends of Lowden who have come forward to participate in our ‘Lowden Livingroom Sessions,’” added David Ausdahl, Managing Director, Lowden Guitars.

“As we pay tribute to iconic Northern Ireland musical talent and albums, we are recognising the more than 45 years our local artists have continued to play Lowden guitars at home and around the world. A special thank you to the Oh Yeah Centre, a Northern Ireland music institution which has given so many up-and-coming artists a start in their careers, for helping to make our ‘Livingroom Sessions’ a possibility. A special thanks as well to Zak Hobbs, an extremely talented guitarist in his own right, for leading our ‘Lockdown Lessons” to encourage our friends across the world to continue to further their music making during this important time.”

Viewers can tune in from 8pm on Thursday evenings from 14th May – 28th May to catch three live performances played and re-interpreted by their original artists as well as a range of diverse supporting performers from across Northern Ireland. The full line-up includes:
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• Thursday 14th May – 1977 featuring Ash’s Tim Wheeler

• Thursday 21st May – Final Straw featuring Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody

• Thursday 28th May – Joy of Nothing featuring Foy Vance

Lowden players are encouraged to tune in to a short lesson led by Zak Hobbs each week and upload a video to social media, tagging #LowdenLockdownLesson to show their progress, improve their skills and stay connected. The Lowden team will be sharing their favourite attempts at the lesson material, with those featured also winning a Lowden gift card which can be used to purchase Lowden strings, parts and guitar care products to care for their instrument while they stay at home play at home. Featuring a video lesson led by Zak Hobbs – grandson of Lowden Signature Artist Richard Thompson and an extremely talented guitarist in his own right – each Lockdown Lesson has been designed to challenge the player’s ability, focusing on intermediate through advanced techniques for acoustic guitar.

Discussing the support of the initiative by well-known players including Zak Hobbs through his weekly Lockdown Lessons, Founder and Luthier George Lowden added, “We are privileged to have a tight-knit community of diverse and talented Lowden players and in this sometimes frustrating time of isolation, many of these players are confined to practicing on their own at home, away from their bandmates, collaborators, and teachers. We are pleased to put forward an initiative which focuses on drawing our diverse Lowden family together, encouraging them to ‘Stay at home, play at home.’”

Lowden Guitars Lockdown Lessons and Livingroom Sessions can be found on Lowden Guitars Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube channels. Supporting acts for Lowden’s Livingroom Sessions will be announced via social media.