MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Music is an outlet for singer and songwriter Gavin Heaney of the Latch Key Kid. But he hasn’t been able to play in front of an audience since the COVID-19 closures.

“I perform every weekend, so it was kind of a cornerstone of my income just gone,” Heaney said.

Since then, he’s been focused on providing guitar lessons online and finding some silver linings along the way.

“It made me and my wife realize how fast-paced our lives were and how much we were missing out on the little moments with our kids,” Heaney said.

MORE STORIES:

Heaney wrote and performed a song called "Better World" for the South Bay Eco Festival that was set to take place on April 25 in Manhattan Beach in celebration of Earth Day. But like most things during this time, that event moved their vendors and music online.

The virtual version of the South Bay Eco Festival provides dozens of Earth Day-friendly activities, videos, and links to remind people how they can make a difference, despite physical distancing.

“We can change the way we do things but keep the same goals and I think it’s been very possible with the South Bay Eco Festival, you know, to still have access to all these incredible resources, learn, educate themselves and feel that change is possible,” Cohen said.

Despite the change, Cohen made sure that Heaney and two other musicians set to play at the event were still paid to share their music and inspire others online.

“God bless her. She made sure we all got paid and we haven’t even played the show yet and it was very much needed,” Heaney said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes to many lives, Heaney hopes his song reminds us that even from a distance, we can make a better world.