News / Blog - Gigs & Bands News

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

There are two roads to choose between in life. You can choose the safe route for a life that offers no high points and few memories.

Or you can take the risk... and follow the road to the Fermain Tavern to celebrate 30 years of high energy performance by The Risk. High points and memories will come aplenty along the way.

So no decision to make then. The Risk it is.

The band marked their three decades anniversary with a gig that did a good job of reproducing the vigour and verve that distinguished their early years. Mark even found himself rolling around the stage on his back. Why change a habit of a lifetime!

However three things have changed over the years... but they can all be counted as positives.

All the benefits gained over time are technological and each plays a part in raising the standards of a live performance.

Firstly, today's stage sound production is fantastic and really enhances the live experience.

Then you have two more improvements that a photographer appreciates.... that'll be me!

The latest LED stage lighting is a huge enhancement. Combine this new illumination with the latest digital cameras and the photographer is able capture pics that were never possible only a decade ago.

So there we have it. The Risk played an impressive set that reminded their supporters what had made them great... and modern tech rewarded the fans for hanging around for three decades!

The support acts were a varied mix of duo Blue Mountains (very good) and Citizen-X who showcased how much things have changed in thirty years of music production.

Definitely a night that memories are made from.
VIEW PICS OF THE RISK HERE
VIEW PICS OF BLUE MOUNTAINS
VIEW PICS OF CITIZEN-X

I wonder what are you getting for Christmas?

....read on to find out what I received in my early Xmas sack!

But first, can I tell you that I am having to keep quite a few secrets at the moment as I know (shhhhh) what dozens of you are about to receive under your Christmas tree. (Hint) I hope you have a little space on the wall above the fireplace ;-)

This festive period has been my busiest yet for picture sales with Framed Montages and Canvases proving to be extremely popular.

Christmas is almost like a 'harvest-time' for me as the twelve months of cultivating interest in my photography pays off. It also illustrates very well just how hard-working and consistent you have to be to nurture a large and loyal following. For this festive season I have been selling pics from across the whole genre of my work... everything from Elevated Panoramic shots to Sports, Racing and Band pics.

I'm very, very lucky that I've established myself as a photographer who specialises in the subjects that I really love... namely Motorsport and Music performance and it is incredible how many people also share the same love. I know there are many other photographers who pursue these same interests and regularly visit my galleries to comment on and critique my work. Maybe even pick up a few tips? ;-)

But what really amazes me is how many people are simply interested in viewing my picture galleries. The total number of picture views is amazing and I thank all the regular visitors.

So now I had better reveal what I have just received as an early Christmas present. The pressie takes the form of my web-site total views smashing through another mile-stone number.

The total views of this web-site have just topped 8,000,000, EIGHT MILLION, WOW!

This new record comes after just four years from the very first upload. The 'year one' views were recorded at 1,000,000 and have consistently grown up to today's annual count of around 2,500,000!

As the new year approaches I remain encouraged by the interest in my work and my New Years resolution is to work even harder at what I love.... oh, and to drink much more Real Ale!

.....consistent, reliable and predictable, that's me :-)

Thanks for your continued support. Have a very Happy Christmas and a fun New Year!

You can read about some of the previous 'mile-stones' here:
CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT SOME OF THE PREVIOUS MILE-STONES

Andrew

The School of Popular Music got the festive celebrations off to a good start with their Hootenanny last weekend featuring Subversion, Thee Jenerators, The Secret Smiles & Last of the Light Brigade.

The venue was the Fermain Tavern and I had an uneasy feeling about the gig as I drove through town towards St Martins. St Peter Port resembled a ghost town! Where was everyone? Were they all saving themselves for the next weekend when Christmas would really be upon us?

I also knew that there was a lot happening around the live music venues on this Saturday night. As it was also a cold and wet evening the worry was, as always, that people wouldn't make the extra effort to find their way 'up the hill' to the 'Tav.

However the formula of a successful night of music never changes. If you promote the right line-up of talent the crowd will follow.

OK, 'a crowd' might be a slight exaggeration but the punters who did make the effort to get to the Hootenanny were the right ones... the true followers of the local music scene. These enlightened souls knew that the line-up was a guarantee of a good night... and that is what we enjoyed!

Unfortunately I missed Subversion but pics of Thee Jenerators, The Secret Smiles & Last of the Light Brigade are now in the Gallery:
VIEW PICS OF THEE JENERATORS
VIEW PICS OF THE SECRET SMILES
VIEW PICS OF LAST OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

If you need something done then I think you should always go straight to the experts.

So if it's a party you need organised... forget Ghostbusters... call Chaos Events :-)

Once again the Greenman turned the Fermain Tavern into 'party heaven' last Saturday when they organised the aptly named 'Light to Dark'.

The bands that made up the evenings line-up covered a wide spread of colourful shades... from lighter to heavy.

True to their ethos of always finding a great cause to support the Greenman had singled out the deserved Jonah Gillingham for a little pre-Christmas aid and my fiver donation was my best outlay of the week.

I couldn't resist taking a few pics of the Bands as the lighting by Lloyd and Lasers by Gareth were amazing!

If I had to make a choice, I think the Band that really stood out on the night were BLAKALASKA who were truely amazing... aided by great sound and lighting, thanks guys :-)

My Band shots are now online. Follow the links to see pics of BLAKALASKA, Demise of Sanity and Buffalo Huddleston:
VIEW PICS OF BLAKALASKA
VIEW PICS OF DEMISE OF SANITY
VIEW PICS OF BUFFALO HUDDLESTON

A few more updates today from the Vale Earth Fair.

I hadn't realised how busy I've been since the VEF (way back in August) but having found a couple of missed folders with VEF pics in I'm now sorting through the last of the Festival shots and there is just a glimmer at the end of the tunnel :-)

Today's picture updates feature Robert J Hunter and his band, Citizen X and one of my favourite live acts, Static Alice.

Check-out the updates here:
VIEW PICS OF STATIC ALICE & ROBERT J HUNTER PLAYING AT VALE EARTH FAIR

Following the theme of my last Blog... this is also short and sweet :-)

I've been working through a couple of old photoshoots that didn't make it on-line at the time they were shot.

Today's additions are all from the Vale Earth Fair. This is a fantastic annual festival held within and around the historic walls of Vale Castle in Guernsey.

The new galleries feature The Crowman, Subversion & Jawbone. More to follow...

Subversion...

Jawbone...
VIEW PICS OF THE CROWMAN, SUBVERSION & JAWBONE

VIEW PICS OF A RARE OUTING OF CHOKE
I think that the 'Halloween Metal Mayhem' on Saturday was the nineth.

I reckon that qualifies it as a local tradition. Don't you?

The Fermain Tavern was full of ghouls, ghosts and more than a little fake blood (at least I hope it was fake blood!)

There were some amazing fancy dress outfits too (at least I assume people don't wear that gear all year round). Surely these guys 'n gals don't only come out at Halloween?

Anyway, the photo-opportunities are just too good to miss so I lurked in the shadows and cobwebs to capture some of the atmosphere ;-)

I've added a couple of new Galleries featuring those pics...

VIEW PICS OF THE JERSEY BASED MASTICATED

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICTURES OF BUFFALO HUDDLESTON
Now I'd love to think that I had that sort of influence... but of course I don't :-(

Shame.

It is just a coincidence that, after having had a moan in this Blog just last week about Guernsey's 'gig-goers' not making enough effort to support the live music scene, we saw perhaps the liveliest gig of the year at the Fermain Tavern on Saturday.

Could I really have made people get off their behinds.... as easily as that?

No. What we experienced was the golden mix of 'The Tav' booking a band that is well known (locally) with a special guest band that rocked this years Sark Folk Festival (that is if a folk band does actually 'rock'?)

I'd hate to be a gig promoter as clearly gig-goers are a fickle bunch. Killamonjambo, who were so poorly supported last week, are a great band and well worth following but the word simply hadn't 'got out there' locally with the resulting poor turn-out.

However it was all change on Saturday!

The popular Buffalo Huddleston were launching their Album 'Sunrise' at a party and it seemed like everyone was on the guest list. The Fermain Tavern was packed solid with a mass of fans. The contrast could not be greater. This is what a live venue should be like... and we all LOVED it!

The inspired booking of the night was to invite CC Smugglers along as special guests. This UK band is on the way up towards greater things and, as previously stated, they impressed the Sark Folk Festival crowd in the summer. In fact their set on Saturday was one of those that most other bands on a bill wouldn't want to follow. This band is really good live!

But of course it was Buffallo Huddleston's night and they more than justified their headlining status. They revelled in the attention with a familiar set of songs from 'Sunrise'.

So all the ingredients were in place and the dish was served. We gorged ourselves and went back for seconds.

Live music lives, and I'm a happy man.

Maybe I'll also kid myself that I had something to do with it too ;-)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICTURES OF CC SMUGGLERS

Friday night at the Fermain Tavern was an embarrassment.

At least I felt embarrassed as a local follower of live music when I spoke to members of Killamonjambo and their tour manager.

These guys are near the end of an long and successful tour of the UK. They have played to many full-houses... but not on Friday!

The band deserved a good crowd for what they call 'England's leading barnyard funk ska reggae intergalactic dance band'.

That seems to cover a good selection of musical genres... so why didn't people turn up?

Paul Staples has to be credited with not giving up (yet) with his efforts to maintain the 'Tav's' legacy as a live music venue. But he finds himself having to finance too many nights when the punters simply don't bother to turn up.

OK, nobody is obliged to attend any of these gigs and I know there are often bands playing in other pubs. However it is only The Fermain Tavern who regularly promote established original artists. This decades long record may not last for much longer if you guys don't offer your support.

When it's gone it will be too late... Use it or Loose it!

By the way, Killamonjambo were brilliant. They were also total pro's as they raised their performance for the very select few. Even though it was 'the worst gig they had played for years' (tour managers quote).

I took a few pics:
VIEW PICS OF KILLAMONJAMBO

I thought I could never be a 'Paparazzi' photographer.

My problem is that I'm not interested (in the slightest) by celebrity. I don't follow any Football team.... in fact I don't really follow any sport! I don't even open the celebrity pages of Newspapers and Magazines. I don't watch films or much TV. I think celebrity is artificial and rarely deserved.

I'm sure that some people will consider that by not following modern media hype that I 'don't have a life'. What on earth do I do with my days if I don't spend them trawling through the gossip columns, sports pages, TV and the Internet?

What one person lives for another will see from the opposite side and I live a life full of fun and entertainment. Our differences are what makes being human so interesting.

Now I suppose this blog will eventually have a point... if I can get around to it sometime!

Well, I got thinking about what does get my attention after a recent gig at The Fermain Tavern. There had only been moderate hype before Heymoonshaker's appearance at the 'Tav'. As I'm a regular gig-goer I dutifully arrived to listen and take a few pics.

It was whilst talking to a mate and checking out the lack of activity setting up the stage for the headliners that I realised there was actually NO 'setting up' going on. No drum kit, no stack of amps.... I began to wonder if the band had decided to go home due to what was only an very average turn-out.

But then Heymoonshaker took to the stage. They were as stripped down as it's possible to be... two guys, a single guitar and two mikes!

What were we about to receive?

The band summed up their sound in a way that I can't improve upon 'We play Beatbox Blues, no other band in the world do what we do'.

Wow, these guys have stage presence. They own a stage and they command your attention with their engaging personalities and talent. Heymoonshaker converted me into a celebrity watcher, 'cause stars is what they are!

I don't ever recall seeing a queue form at a Fermain Tavern gig to buy a band's CD, but this time I even joined it myself.

If I'm honest, I'm not sure the CD really captures the essence of the Band. The dynamic performance and stage personality will never be captured on CD.

However star quality shines through and I was certainly 'star-stuck' by Heymoonshaker. They might be the reason I become a celebrity watcher. Maybe a new career awaits me as a 'Pap'?

Don't miss a chance to see this band live...
TAKE A LOOK AT A FEW PICS OF HEYMOONSHAKER

It was a Saturday of fun and emotion for me...

My short-list of photoshoots included:

1: Photograph Round 5 of the Motocross Championship.
2: Photograph the Charybdis wreath laying service at sea.
3: Photograph Round 9 of the Sand Racing Championship.

I love photographing Motorsport and you will see that my box was ticked by the weekends Moto-X & Sandracing.

But my most rewarding shoot of the weekend only took around an hour but the memories will last me a lifetime.

I had the privilege of spending a few moments in the company of the five surviving seamen from HMS Charybdis and HMS Limbourne when they attended a 'Service at Sea' with a wreath laying from the RNLB Daniel L Gibson. These ninety year old gentlemen experienced the horror of being torpedoed then finding themselves clinging to life-rafts and debris not knowing if they would ever be rescued. Many of their comrades didn't survive.

None of us can imagine what this was like but these men have carried that trauma with them all their lives. The emotion was evident as they shared their moments of remembrance.

The survivors families who were aboard the Travel Trident were equaly touched by the heartfelt tribute. I find it impossible to put into words how I felt watching these ageing sailors recalling the memories from so long ago.

However one single short sentence that I was told after the ceremony sums up what happened that night - simply and with great honesty...

'There wasn't a single atheist amongst us on that night'

May we never forget that our opportunities to have fun and enjoy our lives are owed to the many who gave their lives and suffered hardship for our freedom.
VIEW A SMALL GALLERY FEATURING PICTURES OF THE SERVICE AT SEA

I've now added a new picture gallery with the first edit of the Moto-X Championship here:

VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS GALLERY

I'm beginning to feel a bit like a Lumberjack.... but it's not OK!

I am currently trying to handle a serious log-jam of work!

This shouldn't be a problem really. I suppose it suggests that I have established a solid client base for my photography as the Elevated and Commercial work rolls in. Then there is the Motorsport & Gig photography as well.

However, I have always been some-one who likes to keep ahead of the game... or at least in touch!

So when I sat at my office desk this morning I wondered if things are going wrong?

A less than complete list of 'To-do's' reads something like this:

Edit eight Elevated Tallpictures shoots taken in Jersey & Guernsey during the last two weeks
Send out the Monthly Accounts
Update Galleries for:
The last two Hillclimbs
The North Beach Twisty Sprint
The Vale Earth Fair
Two Days of Jersey Live Music Festival
The West Show
Gig pics of Top Buzzer
Gig pics of Static Alice
The Tri-Ultimate Challenge

... and that list goes on!

Then add in this weeks big commitment to the World Championship Powerboat Racing Class 3A and 3B.

I think I will be unavailable for a while :-(

I have managed to tick off one from the list. Pics of the first ever North Beach Twisty Sprint are now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF THE FIRST NORTH BEACH TWISTY SPRINT

I've just returned from the eleventh Jersey Live Festival of Music. This was the seventh that I have photographed.

This must qualify me as a 'regular' I reckon!

With that being the case it also permits me to make a few comments and comparisons.

So how did 2014 stack up against the last six years?

Well I think it was the busiest yet. The crowd in front of the main stage for the head-liners was packed solid with numbers for Ellie Goulding and John Newman topping the lot.

I guess that means that Jersey Live continues to hit the mark. This is quite a feat when the music scene moves so quickly and must help to secure the festival for years to come.

For me I don't think it hit the high of some previous years. This is more a reflection of my age... I'm definitely 'old school' and favour a rock band over a contemporary chart singer almost any time.... Biffy Clyro, that'll do me nicely!

That isn't to say that there weren't highlights though. The Graveltones, Klaxons, The Selector & Bombay Bicycle Club managed to hit the right spot for me. There was also the new 'PAR 4' area that featured activities and entertainment for youngsters and then bands in the evening. I only heard praise for PAR 4 so it should be back next year.

So well done to Jersey Live 2014. You have kept things up-to-date and innovated to ensure the future. That has to be good for every follower of live music :-)

I've started uploading my pics. First on-line are Ellie Goulding, John Newman and the Earth Wind & Fire Experience:
VIEW PICS OF JERSEY LIVE 2014

The annual Vale Earth Fair music festival is one of my favourite events of the year. It holds the deserved honour of being the longest running festival in the Channel Islands.

That sort of record isn't achieved by luck. Many things have to come together to keep up the momentum. A HUGE amount of hard work has to be put in way before the Vale Castle gates open for the traditional Sunday in August.

I'm pleased to say that the Vale Earth Fair Collective are continuing to find the energy, incentive and enough new helpers to enable the show to go on :-)

As a committed and regular Earth Fair attendee I truly love the ethos behind this genuinely eco-friendly festival and its commitment to support several charities including Bridge 2 Haiti and the long term supported Burma Campaign UK and Free Tibet.

So you will see that I cannot give greater praise for the Vale Earth Fair Collective.

All this would be enough even if the music line-up was just average.

But no, you can always be assured that the hand-picked line-up is high class and often features a band or two that are real 'finds'.

This leads me to my real point of this blog. One of the pleasures of visiting a festival is when you discover a band that wasn't known to you before.

I found just such a band this year and they are called Dead Sea Skulls. I have had their music on replay for more than a day and I love their sound. I've also had the opportunity, thanks to the Vale Earth Fair, to see the band play live which gives a much better idea of the energy they project.

So there we have it. This is why music lovers love festivals... When you see a band live you start to really get what they are about. Check out the Dead Sea Skulls and see if they do it for you.

I'm now off to photograph Jersey Live. This is a regular visit for me and I know that I will return with a few new finds. Love it.

Keep music live, support your local festivals :-)

I've only managed to add a few galleries so far which feature Vale Earth Fair headliners Freestylers, The Mouse Outfit, Attila the Stockbrocker's Barnstormers and of course Dead Sea Skulls:
VIEW PICS OF THE 2014 VALE EARTH FAIR

How to sum up my weekend in just a few words...?

Busy, boozy, bikey and bandy.... yeh, I know that's bad English but hey, it's late and I'm tired!!

I been running around like the proverbial mad photographer for three days and nights solid. My fifty-nine and a half year old body is now feeling the strain.... but it was great fun whilst it lasted :-)

First up it was the first day of the Guernsey Kart & Motor Club 2-day Motocross event at Pleinmont. There was a really good turn-out for the racing and some fantastic action to capture. We also had every season of weather in one day... definitely could've done without the heavy rain!

Next it was a twelve hour stint at the 2014 Vale Earth Fair. This time the rain held off - although it did threaten to visit us on a couple of occasions. I spent my time between the several stages and the real ale bar (that's where the boozy bit comes). A night tucked up in my sleeping bag after so much beer was never promising a good nights sleep :-(

Then Bank Holiday Monday I was off to the GMC&CC Hill Climb.

The day began with heavy, heavy rain! I was rather pleased that I had to spend a few hours in the morning submitting pictures for the Guernsey Press.... I missed the worst rain!

All this photography has left a back-log of editing to do (no change there then).

I've made a start but the next couple of days are also going to be pretty busy as I attempt to add my pics to the Gallery before going off to photograph Jersey Live again! More busy, boozy and bandy then!

First additions to hit the web are the 2-day Motocross pics...
VIEW PICS OF THE 2-DAY MOTOCROSS MEETING

• A4 Standard Print
  
• Digital 7" x 5"
  
• A5 Standard Print
  
• Digital 1024 Pixel for Internet
  
• A4 Bevel Mounted Print
  
• A4 Bevel Mounted & Framed Print
  
• A3 Bevel Mounted & Framed Print
  
• A2 Framed Custom Designed Montage
  
• 16" x 24" Canvas Print
  
• A2 Standard Print
  

I've spent a little time analysing my picture sales and the list shows the top ten by number of sales.

This sort of in-depth look at where a business is succeeding or failing in its provision of services is an important part of running any company, big or small.... and I definitely qualify as the later!

I'm a one-man-band and proud of this with no ambition to change things. I've clearly lost my youthful drive and ambition :-(

In a 'previous life' I was a director of a fairly large (by Guernsey standards) retail business. I was responsible for the development of extra retail areas which offered the opportunity to extend product ranges. I also spent many, many hours a week analysing the sales performance and stock control.

I guess that when you develop a 'habit' over a period of 35 years it is a little difficult to break it. So this is how I found myself with a couple of hours to spare and a thirst for analysing my current source of income.

My business model is built around the desire to offer the very highest quality of service and output... from capture to the supply of the final print. You will note that I say 'print', not digital file! I'm a bit old fashioned about this and, whilst I do sell thousands of digital files, I firmly believe a quality print takes a lot of beating

It was this desire to supply the very best prints that led me to purchase the Epson 4800 printer. All my prints are produced 'in house' where I have total control of the processing and I love the quality that this pigment printer produces.

I also hand cut the board mounts that have proved to be incredibly popular. They really protect and display a print so much better than a basic un-mounted one.

Of course, having the mounted print framed as well really does the 'proper job'. I encourage you to consider just one framed and mounted print instead of perhaps buying three basic prints. The result is so much more special! Again the framing is done 'in house'.

So, as I said at the start, the intention of my analysis was to give me actual figures of my picture sales... and the results were almost exactly what I expected. So was it a waste of time then? No, not at all. As I mentioned it is always important to keep on top of new developments and then make changes in your business model.

And I have come to one conclusion after studying the figures and I will be responding to it during the next few months.

Basically it is the observation that most sales are for the cheaper options. Of course they are. I'm hardly surprised - neither are you, I guess!

But as a photographer it is a little disappointing. I really enjoy seeing my pictures displayed in the best way. An old creased and tattered print at the bottom of a draw isn't how I intended my work to end up.

So my aim for the future is to encourage, at every opportunity, the sales of the larger prints and particularly the mounted prints... or better yet the framed prints. I'm certain that my customers will have far greater satisfaction with their purchase... and the 'feel good' factor of their purchase will last for a lot longer. That has to make good business sense.

This doesn't herald a signal that I'm getting greedy or trying to make my fortune (some chance!).

No, I want to see that my customers are satisfied and enjoying my work in the most presentable way.

You have been warned.... The hard-sell starts here!
TAKE A LOOK AT THE VARIOUS PRINT OPTIONS AVAILABLE... BUY BIG, BUY FRAMED!

More Chaos@the Jam!.... that's how it was billed and it did what it said on the tin!

The Greenman MCC where suitably relaxed and chilled after their three day headline festival a few weeks ago and this lower key affair enjoyed a lazy afternoon in the sun outside The Jamaica Inn with a line-up of acoustic sets. Perfect for a summers day.

But the evening saw things ramp up a bit as the stage moved indoors and the amps were turned to MAX... so was the temperature!! It was STEAMING HOT!!

Entry was free but true to tradition the Greenman MCC asked for a small donation for charity and the collection buckets raised a total of £314.42!

This has been split between Les Bourgs Hospice and Headway Guernsey with a donation also to Laura who works at the Jam towards her Kilimanjaro trek in aid of the Laura Groves foundation.

So, having made my donation I went on to enjoy a steaming (literally) night of music with head-liners Static Alice playing a fantastic set... I'm becoming a fan of this young band. Make sure you catch one of their outings soon.

I've added a few pics to my Galleries:
VIEW THE STATIC ALICE GALLERIES
VIEW THE DOOMSDAY PROJECT GALLERIES

No-one can accuse the Greenman of skimping on the entertainment when it comes to their Chaos Festival.

I've only just added the last of the Bands to my Galleries and that makes this the end of a pretty long list.

Try this for a line-up... and I missed several Bands!

The pictures of Bands that I captured over the three days of Chaos were:

Therapy?, Nemesis, [spunge], Sugar Slam, Blakalaska, Demise of Sanity, FlashMob, Tantale, Crazy Babies, Coastal Fire Dept, Byzanthian Neckbeard, The Recks, Brunt, Bulletproof, Stone Em All, Static Alice, To the Woods, Rick Jones, Buffalo Huddleston, Fly Casual, Blue Mountains, The Cryptics, Whose Shoes, Skid Rue and Rat Salad.

So, like I said, no-one can complain about the lack of entertainment!

I think I can also say that no-one can accuse me of not putting in a full weekend of work... and all of this was achieved with a pint in my hand!

Nice work when you can get it :-)
VIEW THE COMPLETED GREENMAN CHAOS FESTIVAL PICS

A Master Class in Festival stage lighting and performance...

That about sums it up!

When all the necessary ingredients come together you have to have high hopes that the finished dish will be tasty!

The Greenman Chaos main stage dished up a culinary delight when Saturday's head-liners took to the main stage.

Now I am on record as saying that I'm not the greatest Metal fan (sorry guys). However, when I manage to keep my tongue out of my cheek for long enough to take a few pics, I have never been disappointed by my shots of the local self appointed heroes of Metal.... Nemesis.

These guys know how to command a stage. Some may consider them a 'Marmite Band'.... but you cannot challenge that they offer generous portions of entertainment.

Too many Bands don't understand that a performance is just that. Entertain me please.

I'm pretty sure your most memorable gigs included great stage presence... as well as the music.

So that was the main course served up. But every satisfying meal includes a bit more than that.

This is where the dishes come together.

I have been guilty of stating my disappointment (on occasions) with the lighting style and balance that some light techies use. In fact I know that I have niggled some egos. However there has never been criticism of the overall job these guys do. I know they are lighting the stage for the audience - not the nerdy Photog!

My comments, however, are bound to be from my own viewpoint. I know what lighting works for good pics - and what makes it almost impossible to get good results from.

So, to make my point, the stage lighting at Chaos was incredible (for me). Of course it built as the day darkened and all the bells & whistles where in operation for Saturday's head-liners, Nemesis.

For an hour or so I was in photographic culinary heaven. I'll give the performance five Michelin Stars!!

Satisfy your own appetite by checking my pics...
FEAST ON A FEW PICS OF NEMESIS AT CHAOS 10