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It was a case of Lights, Lasers, Music and Party when Hard Riddims and Cage & Stage Promotions presented a night of DJ's and MC's inside the walls of Guernsey's historic Castle Cornet.

The atmosphere came alive with the help of a fantastic Laser & Lighting show by Gareth 'G' Pennington's GLC Lighting & Laser's.

There is something mystical and magical when a modern event is held inside such an historic place as Castle Cornet. The thick, high stone walls might have thought they had seen everything before... including having its top blown off when the gunpowder store took a direct hit from a lightning strike!

But I fancy that the walls had never seen such an impressive Laser and Lighting show! The night was a great success with a great vibe running through the narrow passages and a good sized crowd enjoyed the unique setting.

I was able to pop along for a few minutes and I captured a few pics of the show...
VIEW PICS OF THE HARD RIDDIMS CASTLE CORNET NIGHT

We all love a Eureka moment... well make sure you catch a gig by Eureka Machines if you ever have the chance. They played a storming set at The Fermain Tavern in Guernsey and they are now on my 'must see again' list!

It seems a Bank Holiday Sunday evening is a risky time to put on a gig as the turn-out wasn't that good. Logic would tell you that gig-goers would take full advantage of seeing another visiting band with the luxury of having the Bank Holiday Monday to recover on if things got a bit heavy. But you can never second guess these things :-(

Those faithful few who turned out for the Eureka Machines gig at the Fermain Tavern were in for a real treat as this band kept the crowd entertained in memorable style. I will not miss Eureka Machines if they ever return to Guernsey... I recommend them to you.

Pics are now on-line:
CHECK OUT PICS OF EUREKA MACHINES

Let me ask you to think about this for a moment... that's all the time it should take :-)

What concatenation is there between almost all celebrations and ceremony? (I'll let you look up the word if you need to)!

Or maybe I can make things easier. I'm asking what element links special events by, almost always, playing a part in the occasion.

You shouldn't struggle to come up with the answer... which is Music.

This can take the form of live or recorded, but as you should know if you read this Blog that LIVE is my preference.

There was plenty of the 'live' stuff around town for Guernsey's Liberation Day's celebrations. The music was in many, many forms.

The marching bands were out... no military event could manage without them. Then the Home Front Marquee offered a day of 40's music and song. It was so popular that it was hard to find a spare seat.

But no seating was offered for the final event of Guernsey Liberation 2015 at LibRockLive. This 'mini-festival' showcased six live bands that were intended to keep every-one on their feet and it worked all the way until midnight.

So my day finished with me capturing a few pics of the bands on an impressive stage. I've now added a picture gallery featuring Static Alice, The Recks, Buffalo Huddleston, Asylum Seekas, Fade 2 Grey and King Rat and the Soul Cats.

Check-out the pics here that prove us 'Guerns' know how to party:
VIEW PICS OF LIBROCKLIVE 2015

That was a day to remember... Liberation Guernsey 2015, fantastic!

The day was promoted as a day to celebrate and remember 70 years of freedom and it is likely to be the last one in the current form... but what a way to go out!

With fewer and fewer guernsey residents having personal memories of the liberation of the Island after the occupation during WW2 our national holiday on May 9th will probably be 're-invented' in future years. So this, perhaps, is why the 'Guerns' were out in such huge numbers and with such party spirits all around St Peter Port on Saturday.

The atmosphere was infectious which is just as well because I had a VERY long day working all around the event. The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd kept me going :-)

I was commissioned by the States of Guernsey (together with Chris George) to capture the days colour and atmosphere. I also worked for the Guernsey Press.

This meant me putting in a 21 hour day and my iPhone App recorded a total mileage walked of 14.9 miles... not bad to say that was all done between Market Square and North Beach car-park!! My aching bones and blisters didn't need an App to remind me of the mileage covered!

Now is the time to take a seat to work on the edit of the long days work. I've made a start and the first gallery is now online. This features some of the day-time spectacle. I will be adding another gallery featuring the night-time bands shortly.

Follow the link to view the Liberation Guernsey pics:
VIEW PICS OF THE LIBERATION DAY 2015 CELEBRATIONS

I missed adding a Blog on the day it actually happened but tradition has it that I try and mark each time the viewing counter for this web-site breaks through another MILLION recorded views.

The NINE MILLION figure was smassshed a couple of days ago when I was stacked with the Bank Holiday work. Hence the late Blog.

So here we have the latest landmark and it seems to confirm that when the TEN MILLION mark is passed that will herald a new 'twelve month' best of THREE MILLION views in one year! Nice.

You may have noticed that I quite like the word 'MILLION' as I have used it (in Internet swearing CAPITALS) so many times already in this Blog!

Thanks a MILLION (just one more for luck!) for the continued interest in my work and I hope you find the time to visit again soon.

Here is a link to some of the previous MILLION marking Blogs:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PREVIOUS MILLION MARKING BLOGS

Our small Island always amazes me by the huge amount of activities it offers to those who make a small effort to attend or partake in them.

Last weekend was a great example with another packed diary to choose from.

In the end I found myself photographing Daz Carre as he finished his 24 hour run at Footes Lane in aid of the Rhys Daniels Trust. Daz's achievement was not far short of super-human and was best seen in the context of what people were doing in the London Marathon... that was just a stroll in the park compared to what Daz achieved!

I also photographed The Mouse Outfit on the Fermain Tavern stage at the latest Get Down. That was another brilliant night, thanks to Andre 'oneofakind' De Carteret :-)

Sunday offered plenty of entertainment too.

The Guernsey Powerboat Association organised an open day to showcase the start of their new race season. The line-up of boats was very impressive and there was an air of excited anticipation in the pits. With new headline sponsors Stanley Gibbons Investment on board 2015 will be their best yet.

Between all the chasing around I also photographed the first (I guess of many) Guernsey Velo Club Urban Downhill Mountain-bike races in Castle Cornet held as part of the Heritage Festival in association with Adventure Cycles & Visit Guernsey. 'Conquer the Castle' was raced through the historic passages and gateways of Guernsey's main castle and drew a large crowd of spectators.

Like I said, Guernsey is never short of things to do...
VIEW PICS OF THE CONQUER THE CASTLE MTB EVENT
VIEW PICS OF DAZ CARRE FINISHING HIS 24 HOUR CHARITY RUN
VIEW PICS OF THE GUERNSEY POWERBOAT ASSOCIATIONS OPEN DAY

If someone was to ask the question 'Why do we need the Fermain Tavern'? Last Friday would have to be the answer!

It was last Friday that the 'Tav' presented another famous band (another one of many). This time it was The Blockheads... yes you all know them from the days when they were Ian Dury's band.

The Blockheads won't mind if I suggest that they have been around a bit. They have certainly amassed a good collection of experiences along the way and perhaps more importantly they have a stockpile of talent that can be brought to any of their live performances. And there are some pretty good songs in their repertoire too ;-)

This is a guaranteed combination to lift a gig into something special... and it did just that on Friday.

So, to get back to my earlier question. The 'full-house' of punters who enjoyed the rare talents of the Blockheads were able to savour all this locally in our 'very own' Fermain Tavern!

That fact alone should tell you why we need the Fermain Tavern... and why we need it to stay as our premier live venue. At a Fermain gig you get the chance to stand just three feet from popular music's new and established icons. How privileged does that make us?

The point is that NO OTHER Guernsey venue will ever replace what we already have here at the 'Tav'. The only other venue that very occasionally puts on a worthy (that's questionable) original band might be Beau Sejour... but really, there is no comparison and nothing remotely regular in their promotions.

But more to the point is the question, 'Where is the atmosphere when you have to stand in a Sports Hall drinking out of plastic cups'?

Please remember what we have in the Fermain Tavern. It is a great venue and needs our support. Paul Staples has done a fantastic job to keep the momentum going for the last few years but now it is time for some-else to take over. We must offer our support so that the 'Tav' continues its fine history of Live Music.

I was able to get right up close to the Blockheads and captured a few pics. They are now online:
VIEW PICS OF THE LEGENDARY BLOCKHEADS

A chance meeting today in my town office (The Cock & Bull) reminded me that I still needed to update a couple of Galleries from waaaay back...

Richey Powers is making a return visit to Sark to get together with his band mates in The Recks and he happened to walk into the said town office! Richey is the charismatic frontman of The Recks.

He updated me with some of the festival/gig bookings that The Recks have lined up for 2015 and it is an impressive list. I'll not announce anything here at this time as I'm not sure if the details have been released yet... but it is safe to say that the band is really getting noticed.

So my Galleries have now been updated with a few pics (that had been forgotten) of The Recks playing at The Fermain Tavern. They were supported on this occasion by To the Woods so their Gallery has also had an update.

Check-out the pics here:
VIEW PICS OF THE RECKS
VIEW PICS OF TO THE WOODS

Can I just say a huge thank-you to everyone who has visited this web-site since the weekend. I'm staggered by the enormous interest in my work :-)

The automatic counter that runs at the bottom of the page has shown well over 50,000 new views which makes my efforts all worthwhile!

I hope you have found pictures that interest you and that you are encouraged to make a return visit every so often. I can guarantee that you will always find new updates.

.... oh, and don't forget that you can buy an occasional pic on-line which will encourage me to keep offering up-to-date coverage of all these events ;-)

Thanks again,
Andrew

It has already been mentioned on social media but I want to add my support and agreement.

I want to acknowledge and give credit to the Fermain Tavern in Guernsey for all they do to support a very wide genre of live music on their stage.

There is nothing new in this. There are decades of history to look back through that include many, many different acts, big and small, famous and unknown. This eclectic mix of live entertainment has managed to offer the latest contemporary music a platform to showcase their creativity whilst still finding room for old favourites.

Tom Girard, Guernsey's most prolific commentator on the local music scene both as the BBC Introducing presenter and as the Guernsey Press music critic has already praised the 'Tav' for what they offer. Tom is without doubt the most knowledgeable local man when you refer to our live music scene so if he is impressed you can be sure there is something to shout about!

After putting Tom at the top of the list I come somewhere below when a register is made up of gig-goers... I do see a lot of bands too.

But my interest is in taking pics (that's what I do) and I rarely feel qualified to pass judgement on a musical performance. If a band gets my feet tapping that'll do me ;-)

However even I enjoyed last weekends foray into 'high tech' music at the 'Tav'. Have I just invented a new genre?

The headline band was Semu Ca from Jersey who managed to make amazing sounds from a bunch of multi-cabled kit. Support was from iPad musician Citizen-X... and just to prove that the 'Tav' presents live music in all its forms Tantale offered up their own brand of 'traditional' guitar band originals. There was something for everyone in that line-up.

Keep up the fantastic work Fermain Tavern, you deserve our support.
VIEW PICS OF SEMU CA PLAYING LIVE AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN
VIEW PICS OF TANTALE PLAYING LIVE AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

I know I've said it before but RentOClean are a really good choice if you want a band to get a party going :-)

This is the task they performed admirably last week-end at the Fermain Tavern when they supported Rumpus for their return to the 'Tavern' stage in Guernsey.

It's always going to be a challenge to 'connect' with a crowd who are eager to see the headliners but RentOClean's set includes several songs that guarantee to get the punters singing along.

There is the added bonus that their return to the stage seems to herald the reappearance of summertime (well maybe I should say spring). Either one means that we can begin to look forward to better days ahead.

I sense a few beers, a few sun-rays, many gigs and a Festival or two will all feature in my future. Party on!
VIEW PICS OF THE PARTY BAND RENTOCLEAN

Rumpus... now that's a good name for a band!

If I put the name into words we come up with something like this...

Rumpus, Noun: disturbance, noise, uproar, confusion, commotion, disruption, furore, rout, row, tumult, fuss, fracas, brawl, brouhaha, ruction, bagarre, ruckus.

I couldn't of put it better myself. But in this case I have Chambers Thesaurus to thank ;-)

Last weekend saw the return of Rumpus to play at the Fermain Tavern after a gap of perhaps six years. Way back then Rumpus were favourite visitors on the local scene.

So last weekend the scene was set. Could this band generate the same enthusiasm after all that time? Were their 'old' fans going to still come out to support Rumpus?

I knew the answer as soon as I walked into the 'Tav'... and that was even before the band took to the stage. In fact it was RentOClean entertaining the punters. Good set BTW.

But back to the headliners. We all know the famous advertising line 'It does what it says on the tin'. Well in this case we have an example of a band doing what they say in their name... you will have to look back up this blog for the full description.

I hope you need no more comment from me. Was it a great night? Do you really have to ask?
VIEW RUMPUS AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

Well it seems on this occasion I was a little bit late getting to the party :-(

The party in question turned out to be the last ever gig by RorSchach held at the White Hart.

The band had a special claim to fame as the members included father and son Janson & Liam Bewey.

Now I don't think Janson is going to mind if I say that he has been around the music scene for quite a while now (rumour has it that it is about 50 years!) I'm sure that even he couldn't recite the complete list of bands he has played in.

But I'm going to guess that one of the most memorable must be RorSchach. There must be a special feeling when you can share the stage and a love of live music with your son.

Whilst Janson has played in many popular bands (at least locally) it is Liam who seems poised to make the break unto the national scene with his band 'Of Empires'. Liam has made the big move to live on the mainland... something that really has to be done if you have ambitions to break into the larger scene. This is why we may not be seeing Liam playing locally again for a while.

My best wishes go out to him and I hope that extra, final bit of luck comes the band's way. Unfortunately you still need an element of luck however hard the band works.

Anyway I made good use of RorSchach's last gig to take a few pics. At least there is now a record of Janson's latest band to add to the history of the Guernsey live music scene :-)

Follow this link to view a few pics:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF RORSCHACH'S LAST GIG

Guernsey has many 'un-sung' musical heroes. These are the guys & gals who just do what they do because they love it!

That is enough for them. They get to play the occasional gig and write their own material... but the fact is that has to be enough.

Now that comment isn't meant as a 'put-down' in any way. In fact the small gig is the very back-bone behind the whole music scene... right up to the most famous bands. They all started somewhere you know.

However because of personal circumstances most bands will never hit the big-time.

Last weekend we were able to experience the 'reality' of what it takes to try and make the break into the big spotlight.

Electric Shakes played at the Fermain Tavern. The band is fronted by a local hero, Steve Lynch. Steve has played in many, many bands. He has a great back-catalogue of original songs and is recognised as a special talent in Guernsey.

But that was never going to be enough if your ambition is to make a name for yourself.

So Steve moved to the Mainland, found a couple of guys on the same wavelength and has already started to get noticed with his new band, Electric Shakes. I say good luck to them.

Having said all the above, the grass-roots scene is always around to support and last weekend the head-liners were supported by two lively, original bands who did a great job of keeping the local music scene alive and relevant.

The support was To the Woods & Lifejacket. I took a few pics....as I do ;-)
VIEW PICS OF TO THE WOODS
VIEW PICS OF LIFEJACKET

Last weekend Steve Lynch returned to Guernsey with his new band The Electric Shakes to play a memorable gig at the Fermain Tavern.

Now we all know that the music business is a tough one to make a name in... but you have to say that The Electric Shakes could be lined up for much bigger things! There is only one thing missing.

The band has a 'mature and finished' feel about their performance. It is clear that the three band members have all 'paid their dues' playing in various bands along the way. Their authority and stage presence can only be amassed the hard way. There are no short-cuts. Actual time spent crafting songs and playing live cannot be cheated on.

So I was impressed with the band that I consider a complete package... ready to make it big?

Well that is the million dollar question. The Electric Shakes are showing all the promise and talent to exploit any opportunities offered to them. But for now all we can offer is our support and keep our fingers crossed that the only missing ingredient comes their way.... LUCK!

I hope you find it lads. You deserve it.

Support was from Lifejacket and To the Woods. Those pics will follow.
VIEW PICS OF THE ELECTRIC SHAKES PLAYING AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

I am reckoning that it is now safe to update one of my picture galleries.

This particular gallery always requires an update at about this time of year. That is because it features work that was sold over the Christmas period to be given as presents.

I always find myself having to be careful not to reveal any 'secrets' in the run-up to the big day. I design, print and deliver these special personalised gifts during the weeks leading up to Christmas and it would not be appreciated if I let the surprise out of the bag to the recipient!

The gallery I am referring to is the one that features my custom designed Montages. These always sell well for gifts as they are a great way to display a few favourite pics.

Unfortunately, it's a fact that when someone just buys a 'normal' print in one of the smaller sizes it often ends up in a draw, forgotten and rarely seeing the light of day :-(

So the best answer is to buy something that deserves a little bit of wall space. Montages tick that box. The final design is customised just for you and will encourage you to keep it on display. I even offer an option to have the Montage framed before delivery. Nice and easy, job done.

Of course the fact that no-one wants the surprise spoilt before the big day means I cannot add the gift Montages to this web-site until all the parties are over. I reckon it is safe now so the updates are now on-line.

Oh, can I just remind you that Christmas 2015 is on the way... don't forget to start your pressie list ;-)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE UPDATED MONTAGE GALLERY

It's taken a few days but I can now look forward to the New Year. Most of the back-log of recent work is complete, or at least under control.

So it's time to look forward to the New Year and I'm really optimistic as last year was my busiest ever. It was also the most varied I've had so far... and you know what they say variety is the spice of life :-)

My diary is already looking good and the important 'variety' factor is definitely there.

If you make even occasional visits to this blog you will know that I consider it a rare privilege to be able to earn my living doing exactly what I enjoy..... and I have no boss to answer to. (Hope the missus doesn't read this!)

This New Year has already started on a high with my pics being featured in a leading UK Magazine Powerboat & Rib. The bar has been set high with this three page spread featuring the 2014 3A/3B World Powerboat Championships. Can other National publications follow? The target is set!

However there is one certainty. Once again I will be working many more hours than when I had a 'proper job' - and I will enjoy (nearly) every minute.

This just leaves the mandatory New Years resolution: I really must get myself another photoshoot in a helicopter ;-)

Hello 2015, bring it on :-)

2014 was a great year.

Being a photographer is a great job!

The thing I like best is that I get to re-live the most enjoyable moments when I edit my pics.

I've just had a brilliant week catching up with the last of the major edits from 2014. That is the Jersey Live Gallery. As always there were lots of bands lined up on multiple stages so I spent my time dashing between them trying to tick my list of 'must see' acts. This effort wasn't helped by the bar being strategically placed between the stages.

Inevitably I don't recall every detail... but editing the pics has helped me remember ;-)

I think that I will now declare the Jersey Live 2014 picture gallery is complete. There are about twenty-four galleries including three which showcase the atmosphere and behind the scene.

Final updates include:

Catfish and the Bottlemen
Earth Wind & Fire Experience feat. Al McKay
Luke Friend
The Graveltones
Molotov Jukebox
Newton Faulkner
Frankie Davies
Simon Gasston
The Doors Live
The Little Big Band
Clashmar
Billy Rowan
Hannah Jacques
and Sergeant Pipon

....... it makes you wonder how I ever had time to get a hangover!!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE COMPLETE JERSEY LIVE 2014 GALLERY

A new year usually means a new start.

However I'm one of those people who finds it hard to move ahead whilst there is still unfinished business.

So if I'm to enjoy 2015 I really needed to make sure that 2014 is well and truly 'put to bed'.

That has meant a full week of catch-up :-(

I've been checking the unfinished business and one biggie is standing in the the way of 2015.... my Jersey Live 2014 edit! It appears that it has been put off more than once! The thing is, I spend about four days on-site and you can end up taking a lot of pics. I expect that I will end up with over twenty new 'Bands' galleries.

But, to move into the New Year I have bitten the bullet and the final edit has begun, yippee :-)

Jersey Live 2014 picture galleries now feature:

Ellie Goulding
Ben Howard
John Newman
Bombay Bycycle Club (they were great)
The Klaxons (so were they)
The Selecter (oh, and so were these)
Mark Knight
and Diversity

Check-out the pics here (many more to come):
TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROGRESS IN THE JERSEY LIVE 2014 GALLERY

Give me ten minutes and I'll come up with a list of my favourite live Bands of 2014.

But give me ten seconds and the one Band that immediately gets added to the list has to be Dead Sea Skulls :-)

I only discovered the Band by accident (so to speak). They were on the bill for the 2014 Vale Earth Festival way back in the summer. I guess I am always a sucker to be impressed at the VEF. It is one of the few gigs every year where I let myself forget about the photography (not strictly true) and hang out with a few beers... Real Ale of course (thanks Errol)!

So I confess that I had enjoyed many, many pints by the time I saw Dead Sea Skulls at the VEF. So maybe my judgement was influenced by the liquid gold? I was about to find out at the fund-raising gig for the VEF held at the Fermain Tavern last Sunday... yes Sunday!

It was with a little apprehension that I arrived at the gig. Could my new-found heroes live up to my beery, hazy memory of their first performance?

As I was only drinking Ginger Beer this time I would be a more critical critic!

Nothing to worry about though. If anything the band was even better. They are a true 'live band' who thrive off the feedback from a close, intimate crowd.

The set they played was truly memorable and I heartily recommend them to anyone.

Support was from Alderney's number one selling Blues man Robert J Hunter, a F'ing good To the Woods (you had to be there to get the joke) and the tight as ever Sugarslam.

2015 will have a lot to live up to :-)

Pics are now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF DEAD SEA SKULLS
VIEW PICS OF SUGARSLAM
VIEW PICS OF TO THE WOODS
VIEW PICS OF ROBERT J HUNTER