News / Blog - Gigs & Bands News

The 2012 Liberation Day celebrations in Guernsey came to an end with contrasting styles of music being performed in St Peter Port.
May the 9th sees the town front in St Peter Port being closed to traffic and a variety of entertainment is presented during the day.
Tradition has it that the day will end with music.
This year produced quite a contrast! 'Lib Rock' - as the name suggests is aimed at the 'rockier punters'. I was suprised how many people stayed late into the evening on the Albert Pier as the weather was wet and miserable. But, the music seemed to do the trick and there was a good, friendly atmosphere.
However it was much warmer and dryer in St James! Festiva performed to a lively crowd who enjoyed a Guernsey version of a mini Proms. I could have stayed all evening.... well it was warm and dry ;-)
In the end I jumped between the two events.
I photographed Sons of the Desert & The States at Lib Rock and Festiva at St James.
I have added a few pics here:
VIEW PICS OF THE LIBERATION DAY 2012 MUSICAL PERFORMANCES

Saturday saw the Vale Earth Fair hold a fundraiser at The Fermain Tavern.
Four bands featured in a night of live music that did Guernsey proud.
OK, the headliners were Toupe (they are based in Southampton) - but these guys have spent so much time on our little isle that we can now consider them 'one of us'!
The night was one of the best in recent times as far as I'm concerned... and you missed it? Shame.
First on stage was a new band - Of Empires. This is a rock band I will eagerly look-out for again.
Next it was Falenizza Horsepower from Jersey (they're good enough for us to allow them Guernsey status!) This band enthralls every time I see them. So much sound - so few people!
Then it was Black Capsule - a band of established local musicians with a set of crafted originals.
Headlining were the afore-mentioned Toupe.
The combination of all the above made a fantastic night of music. LIVE MUSIC - how it should be taken ;-)
I've added pics of all the Bands to the Gallery. Follow these links:
VIEW OF EMPIRES GALLERY
VIEW FALENIZZA HORSEPOWER GALLERY
VIEW BLACK CAPSULE GALLERY
VIEW TOUPE GALLERY

After watching any performance by the gifted singer/guitarist Joe Corbin you are left in no doubt that this young performer feels the Blues.
Joe has been making a short return visit to Guernsey and he joined up with some of the guys from Spoonful, a band he played in before leaving the island, for a relaxed night at The Fermain Tavern. There was a good turn-out.
Now I admit that I never need any convertion to liking the Blues. But, it is a style that requires the artist to live and feel it to add the final ingredient to the mix. Some people have 'got it', some haven't!
Joe has buckets full. His guitar play is magical, he shows his emotions and he looks the part.
The complete package? You make your own mind up next time there is any opportunity to see him.
For now, you can take a look at a few pics in a new Gallery
TAKE A LOOK AT PICS OF JOE CORBIN

Man , did I feel old at Rock of Ages-16!
With just three more birthday cakes to go before my 60th I guess that makes me at least two generations away from the guys in The Doomsday Project!
I have loved and supported live music since I was their age but never found the talent to play.
Oh yes, I've tried. I seem to remember owning a guitar, a keyboard.... oh, and there is still a harmonica in a draw somewhere. In the end I decided that the best part I could play was to be ''the audience''.
This pursuit has given me lots of memories from many, many gigs and festivals.
I say 'thank you' to all the real talent who take to the stages.
And this is why I enjoyed watching, listening and photographing the ''so young'' The Doomsday Project.
With new young, keen talent always waiting in the wings... LIVE MUSIC is in good hands :-)
A new Gallery of pics is now on-line.
UPDATE: New pics of Breaking the Silence have now been added to the RoA-16 Gallery.
VIEW THE ROCK OF AGES-16 GALLERY

Mark Guillou needs congratulations - and your support - for his epic Rock of Ages series of gigs. Although 'gigs' doesn't really do justice to these events. They always feature multiple bands with great sound and lighting.
Rock of Ages-16 has just taken place and Mark stayed true to form with his support for the younger bands. I only managed to attend the Saturday night of the 'double-header' but was pleased to see The Doomsday Project kick-off the proceedings. I think they were the youngest band yet but show great potential.
Added to the mix was a great UK based band. This was Evarane and they produced a performance that was a 'masterclass' in live performance for the younger bands.
Full of energy and movement Evarane showed how to take performance to a higher level. The band received the appreciation and support from a satisfied audience.
As a photographer I will always capture stronger images when a performer understands there should be more to their performance than just presenting their tunes. Evarane delivered.
Editing and optimising gig photography is a very time consuming pastime. Whilst the stunning lighting and colours offer the potential for strong, powerful pictures, this also means that many of the images need fine tuning to make the best of this. So far I have completed the shots of Everane and these have been added to a new Rock of Ages-16 picture Gallery. Other bands will follow....
VIEW ROCK OF AGES-16 GALLERIES

I'm often asked by fellow photographers and clients about the 'kit' I use.
There is no doubt that for many photographers part of the enjoyment in taking a pic is the equipment they get to use. There is also no doubt that some photogs take the choice of their kit to an extreme level! They can become unreasonable, agressive and perhaps blinded in their allegiance to a favourite manufacturer.
Right at this moment there is a (sometimes heated) debate in progress about the two leading Professional brands - Nikon & Canon. Each Company has two 'top-of-the-range' bodies already available or due shortly. The Nikon D4 & D800 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III & EOS-1DX.
I try and steer clear of this debate - I am heavily committed to the Nikon system (with a large collection of lenses, flashes etc) and don't really have a choice ;-)
  ....... but I do think that my choice of Nikon has been a good one over recent years. The D3 and D3s have been fantastic for my low light gig photography and have perhaps 'given me an edge' over the competition. Always handy, eh ;-)
The next few months will reveal if Canon have got closer in performance... the debate will continue.
  So perhaps it was inevitable (wasn't it?) that a Nikon D4 & D800 would be added to my kit! I am now in the process of getting to know them and they are VERY GOOD! I will bring a few updates on my findings during the next few weeks.
Having said all of the above, I think one of the most important pieces of kit is often overlooked by many photographers. This is their monitor. It is the interface between you and your finished work. It is where every judgement regarding colour and contast is made. However I have been amazed at some of the screens I have seen in use.
My advice to you if you are embarking on the pastime of photography is for you to allocate a decent part of your budget to a quality monitor. There are plenty of web sites offering helpful advice.
  This brings me to the real reason for this post. I have used a dual monitor set-up for many years and when one of them became difficult to calibrate I decided to buy a replacement. After looking at Eizo and NEC I decided to go with the NEC Spectraview REFERENCE 301. This is a 30" High Gamut monitor and it calibrates superbly with the X-rite i1 Display.
I am also loving the 2560 x 1600 pixels in 16:10 format which give plenty of space and an enlarged vertical compared to the more common 16:9 proportions. I highly recommend this superb monitor.
  My new desk layout is shown above... nice!
Whatever monitor you use it is normally possible to improve its colour and tone reproduction using the built-in utility or graphics card program on your system. Give it a try.
This graphic will help you judge if you have a reasonable calibration.

The Band with this indecisive name - Never Means Maybe - knew exactly what they were on stage at The Carlton Hotel for... high energy live music.
This UK based Band had been bought over to Guernsey by The Future Shock and the gig was also supported by Rock of Ages.
  Also on the bill were Teaspoonriverneck - a band that I have stated many times before is one of my favourites. So it was another great night of live music. Of course you have to be there to appreciate it! Next time maybe?
A new Gallery of pics is now online:
NEVER MEANS MAYBE PLAY AT THE CARLTON HOTEL
VIEW TEASPOONRIVERNECK GALLERY

St Patrick's Day took the Punk & Indie road at the Thomas de la Rue on Saturday.
When you could see through the forest of Guinness hats the De la Rue played host to live music on their small stage (read corner!)
This venue is marked down as a 'black hole' when it comes to photography as the lighting is normally abysmal! But, this visit was a bit more useful with some simple stage lighting. I think this made a huge difference for the 'merry revellers'... at least those that noticed that a band was playing :-)
It also greatly improved my pics.
I was able to get along early enough to see The Black Vote and (for the first time) I saw the complete set by Lifejacket. Another two bands on my recommended list.
The Gallery has been updated here:
VIEW THE LIFEJACKET GALLERY
VIEW THE BLACK VOTE GALLERY

This Band must be near the top of the list if you sit down and try to decide which of the Bands currently playing live on the Guernsey scene will guarantee a great night out.
Sons of the Desert play Ska with Madness supplying much of the content.
So you have an idea what to expect and you wont be disappointed. Everyone is affected by this style of music and it doesn't take long for the party to begin.
I saw the guys playing at the Fermain Tavern last night - it was Greeaaaat :-0 The whole thing is repeated tonight... quick, on your bike and you might just catch 'em!
.... or you could just check-out my pics and plan on seeing them next time.
VIEW THE SONS OF THE DESERT GALLERY

I caught up with the Hevvy Bevvy Blues Band the other week when they played a couple of nights at the Doghouse.
It only took a couple of songs to remind me that the Blues are one of the 'foundations' supporting my love of music... especially when it's live!
This five piece band do exactly what it says on the tin and I really enjoyed their set. Harmonica features strongly in most of the songs and gives the band their own identity.
If you are into the Blues keep an eye open for the next gig by the Hevvy Bevvy Blues Band.
PICS OF THE HEVVY BEVVY BLUES BAND

After the disruption of a couple weekends ago when thick fog affected the arrival of visiting bands to our little Island, it was nice to have normal service return.
There were no delays for Dr Feelgood's return to the stage at The Fermain Tavern. This is a band that has seen several changes to its line-up over the decades... yes they have been around that long!
It was way back in 1989 that the band performed here with original singer Lee Brilleaux fronting it.
I often wonder how tangible it is for a band to continue using a name when a key member is no longer in the line-up? However there are many, many 'old timers' still taking to the stage with revised members.
I guess if the new line-up captures an authentic sound we can forgive them ;-)
Dr Feelgood were really tight and worked hard to entertain. They showed real class and experience when performing. A good sized crowd were in 'The Tav' and seemed to appreciate what they saw... another return visit to our Island may be called for?
A Gallery of pics is now online: DR FEELGOOD AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

Today continued according to the script... with more dense fog!
One of many disrupted events this weekend was the gig featuring Jonny Lives! with The Inevitable Pinhole Burns at The Fermain Tavern.
Of course this was in my diary to photograph.
But with the cancellation I decided to put the gift of a few spare hours into a bit of Photoshop play-time.
My style of photography and development of pictures is quite restrained. I rarely follow the current trend - led by the many iPhone apps - of using filters and associated grungy treatments. Call me old fashioned if you like ;-)
The truth is that I don't often have the time to indulge.
However it is fun to occasionally add a bit more interest to an image.
The results of todays efforts have been added to the Galleries. Take a look here:
TAKE A LOOK AT A FEW MORE PHOTOSHOP POSTERS

Maintaining it's position as the venue which promotes the best original live music in the Channel Islands the Fermain Tavern promoted a double header last weekend.
I popped along on both nights - once again I had packed a couple of cameras ;-)
On Friday I actually managed to see Lifejacket play. Each previous attempt had failed as I tuned up too late. I enjoyed their set. They are now on the list for future gigs! They were followed by Dead Wing and The Crave.
Saturday I saw She Haunts the Roads and Jersey based Stan Smith.
The turnout wasn't great on either night which is a great shame when this venue is working so hard to 'keep music live'.
This weekend sees another great lineup with JONNY LIVES! from New York and THE INEVITABLE PINHOLE BURNS from London. With support from Guernseys best rock bands LAST OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE and TANTALE live at the Fermain Tav.
You get all this for £10 on the door... see you there?
The recent updates can be viewed here:
VIEW LIFEJACKET GALLERY
VIEW DEAD WING GALLERY
VIEW THE CRAVE GALLERY
VIEW SHE HAUNTS THE ROADS GALLERY
VIEW STAN SMITH GALLERY

Photo Montages continue to be popular - both as a gift or as your own unique and individual record of a seasons racing or perhaps a live performance of your band.
I received a number of requests for Montages over the Christmas period. Off course they couldn't be added to the Gallery at the time as this would have spoilt the suprises!
So I have now uploaded a few more to the Montage Gallery for you to take a look... it might even tempt you into asking for your very own version!
The way this works is that you can select your favourite pictures - either from this web site or I can meet up with you and you can select the pics from my laptop database. The second option is the recommended one as I will probably have many more pics of you than the web site can display.
Once your choice is made I go ahead and make a design. This is then e-mailed to you for comment and approval before the final print is made using Professional quality pigment inks.
Sounds easy doesn't it... why not give it a try?
VIEW THE PHOTO MONTAGE GALLERY

Rock of Ages-15 introduced a new format with a Friday night devoted to 'unplugged' performances.
It was a 'step into the unknown' for Mark Guillou but the line-up worked really well. The whole thing was relaxed and laid back with plenty of friendly banter.
I'm sure Andy Duchemin could make a career as a stand-up comic if he tire's of the music! He certainly handled the hecklers better than Bill Connolly did ;-)
Once again Mark showcased a number of Guernsey's young musical talent - something this small Island seems to have in 'speakers full'!
Appearing on stage for the first (of many, I guess) unplugged Rock of Ages were Silas the Assassin aka. Andy Duchemin, Peter Mitchell, The Phantom Cosmonaut aka. Tom Girard, Key of G aka. Mark Smith-Jones, Elliott Crossan, Jack Heywood and From Bedrooms to Backseats.
Check-out a few pics here:
VIEW ROCK OF AGES-15 UNPLUGGED

Last weekend saw two farewell gigs by Chris Dean as he has decided to retire from the Guernsey music scene. Chris played with three of his old bands.
Since the early 70's Chris has been involved with more bands than I have room to list here! The one single 'theme' of all these bands was that they all commanded a large fan base of loyal followers.
Chris is a natural, versatile and charismatic front man and will be missed from the local scene... if he manages to stay away?
Whilst I'm sure he fully intends to hang up the guitars, I can't help but feel that he will miss the performing and we will see him on stage again sometime in the not too distant future.
Maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part? Time will tell.
So it is a big 'thank you' to Chris for the many great nights of music we have enjoyed.
I have added a couple of new picture Galleries featuring the farewell gigs...
VIEW THE TEMPUS GALLERY HERE
VIEW THE PULSE GALLERY HERE
VIEW THE DEVOTEES GALLERY HERE

For those guys 'n gals who attended Rock of Ages-14 it was simple.
Turn up, pay a couple of quid (a real bargain by the way), enjoy two great nights of music with a pint or two if you're old enough. Indeed, a fantastic way to spend a weekend!
So where do I go wrong? Well of course I always take my camera and 'shoot away'. Whilst I take very few pictures of each Band - once you multiply this by eight I end up with nearly a week of processing!
But, if you stick with it the job does get done and I'm really pleased to say that the Rock of Ages-14 Gallery is complete.
The final Bands added are Breaking the Silence, Inertia, Distant Shores and 2 Minutes 2 Late.
VIEW THE ROCK OF AGES-14 GALLERIES

The Rock of Ages series continues as number 14 is 'done and dusted'. Once again nobody can complain about lack of choice as Mark Guillou presented no less than eight Bands over two evenings.
Following the successful formula it was new and young Bands that were showcased and supported by a number of more established names.
As you can imagine, shooting eight Bands produces a lot of development work for a photog and I have only just completed the first edit.
These first pics have been added to a new Rock of Ages-14 Gallery and feature So Cold the River, Destria, Dealer's Left & The Deadbeats.
Check-out the Galleries here:
VIEW THE LATEST ROCK OF AGES-14 GALLERY

It is fair to say that the last month has been a bit different from normal. If you have visited this web site or read my news items on Facebook you will know that my missus has been a bit poorly... if that is what you call having open heart surgery!
But things are now looking much more positive for Carol as she takes 'time out' whilst recuperating - and enjoys being waited upon just a bit too much for my liking. Oh well, I suppose I can spoil her for a few weeks (only).
All this means that my work is now returning to normal and I am supplying orders on time again.
I am also planning the coverage that I will give to the many varied events that are planned for 2012. The new year should be one of my busiest.
May I once again thank everyone who has been kind enough to wish Carol and myself 'all the best' during her illness. The support has been wonderful.
See ya round soon I hope.
Andrew & Carol

I'm sorry but it is unlikely that I will be able to fulfill any more orders for prints, canvases, montages or digital files before Christmas.
My wife has been diagnosed with heart failure and was transported to Southampton by Air Ambulance today. I will be with her for the duration of her stay.
If you should place an order without seeing this information I will, of course, give a full refund to you.
Thanks for your understanding.
It is a shame that all this has happened in these circumstances as the trip over was quite an experience.
The Air Ambulance comes with its own Doctor and Nurse, a private plane with two pilots who really were only there to provide a personal service. No duty free's or a loo though!
The Ambulance trip was at commuter time so the Doctor decided that we would use the 'lights'.
This would definitely be the way to travel in different circumstances. I had a front seat in the ambulance as we 'blues & twos' through Southampton - at one point with a police bike escort and police cars on the main junctions holding up the traffic! Like the Queen!
As it turned out there had been what we think was a bad traffic accident on our route so we were waved though right up to the incident which had totally blocked the road. They clearly thought that we were attending that incident!
A quick U-turn later and we were making a detour.
Having seen how 'the waves part' when you have a siren and blue flashing lights I told the driver that I now know what I want for Christmas!
May I thank all of you who have already sent your 'best wishes' to Carol and me. We remain very positive that now the problem has been identified that a successful treament will be made.
Thanks again
Andrew