'Stay Home Street Tour' brings music to Edmontonians physical distancing

Edmonton musician plays ‘road shows’ An Edmonton musician has taken to the street to play while maintaining physical distancing guidelines. Graham Neil reports.

EDMONTON — The life of a musician can mean a lot of time on the road usually involves driving but for local singer Martin Kerr, the road is where he’s also playing.

Kerr is doing a series of concerts in the Edmonton area he’s calling the Stay Home Street Tour, where he plays solo shows on streets, crescents and cul-de-sacs.

“All the neighbours come out and sit on their front lawns, their driveways or porches and enjoy the show,” says Kerr.

The Edmonton musician came up with the idea after his tour was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. After writing a song called “Isolation Groove,” Kerr took his grooves to people isolating in the Edmonton area, taking him back to his roots as a street busker.

“It’s really nice to have a chance to get back to where it all started and connect with people in a really personal way,” he says.

Kerr says even though the people watching have to be physically distanced from each other the Stay Home Street Tour is bringing audiences closer together.

“The thing I love the most about doing these stay at home concerts is that you see families together, the whole generations together from the littlest kids to the oldest grandparents,” Kerr says. “To see them singing across the streets to one another is really heartwarming.”

Kerr, who performs his concerts on a donation basis, estimates he’s already done over 35 shows with requests for dozens more. He says even when venues reopen and he’s allowed to continue his tour he hopes to still squeeze in some street concerts.

“I think people are reappreciating the value of community and neighbourhoods and family,” says Kerr.​