Turkish local band ‘Stay at Home’ gives moral boosting concert in streets to confined citizens

IZMIR, TURKEY - APRIL 05: As the deadly coronavirus outbreak has kept millions of people at home, some Turkish local musicians give morale-boosting concerts around streets for citizens staying at home due to the coronavirus outbreak. The newly established Turkish band called “Stay at home” in Karabaglar District of Izmir decided to do something for the residents who could not leave their homes due to the coronavirus epidemic. The musicians, Ai Demir and Esendere Ali who have been singing at weddings with her friends for years founded the band, taking the opportunity after all the wedding parties were postponed in the country. The group, consisting of a total of 10 musicians, aims to draw attention to the epidemic with street concerts. The band members wearing protective clothes started to perform in the streets a week ago in the Refet Bele Neighborhood, paying attention to the social distance between them. ‘Stay at home” band marched in empty streets and played various songs for about four hours on April 5, 2020. The performance was accompanied by applauding and cheering from balconies and windows. Serkan Kayaoglu, a member of Refet Bele neighborhood administration said they decided to do street concerts to encourage the residents to stay at home. “Citizens are very happy with it,” Kayaoglu said. He also “The citizens want us to come every day. Nowadays, our phones are ringing all the time without stopping.” Musician Ali Demir, a member of the local band said their business has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. “While thinking about what to do, we decided to boost the morale of ours and the citizens who did not leave the house. with the thought of cheering the people who are bored at homes up, making them forget coronavirus even if it's 10 minutes or 1 hour,” Demir said. An elderly resident Necdet Yazici, 65 said the street concert helped them to cheer up adding that he has not left his house for 15-20 days.(Footage by /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)