Music promoter from Nairn uses stickers to defend himself after complaints about campervan during coronavirus lockdown
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A music promoter who lives in a campervan has had to get stickers specially made for it after being confronted about being in the area during the lockdown.
Rob Ellen (65), who formerly owned music shop Undercover Records in Nairn, got a friend to design decals for his van – which he affectionately calls The Moose – declaring “I Live Here”.
Mr Ellen said: “It is strange to be attacked for being in your home town. But I just want to say ‘hello’ to everyone and let them know I am here.
“I have been living in The Moose for four years now.
“I have visited 15 countries and 25 US states in support of independent music communities, but I have been in the area for the lockdown.
“I have encountered other demonstrations of what I now call ‘motor-home-aphobia’ – fist waving and the like – but as many people recognise The Moose from Belladrum and follow us online, I wave back anyway in case they are indeed friends.
“I limit all travel and contact to the purely necessary and hope the stickers will put people’s minds at ease more as we all come out of the restrictions.”
Mr Ellen hosts the popular online Medicine Music Radio Show and has also run the popular Potting Shed stage each year at the Belladrum Tartan Heart music festival.
While that and many more live music events have been cancelled for the year due to coronavirus he is still working to promote local talent.
“What a wealth of talent there is in Nairn,” he said.
“When it comes to promoting and developing new talent it seems there are lots of people who are now having to take their music to a new audience online.
“While the large gigs have all been stopped for now, it means that people are able to do what I have been doing for decades and promote music online.”
To find out more about Mr Ellen’s work and enjoy live performances see www.medicineshowontheroad.me
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