News / Blog - Gigs & Bands News

The final update for Free Saturday at The Fermain Tavern is now online.

This was possibly just a one-off appearance for Emperor Kerosene and the guys played the music that they love and know. The heavy mob at the front seemed to like it too so maybe we will see another outing!

There was no need for a Jerry Can, you could fuel up on the dance floor. How many miles per gallon did you get?

That's enough of that I think :-) Pics can be seen here:
VIEW PICS OF EMPEROR KEROSENE

Bobby Battle fronted The Deadbeats at Free Saturday on stage at the Fermain Tavern.

He is a well known and loved character who has the charisma to hold an audiences attention.

The Deadbeats represent a lot of what I enjoy most about the live music scene. It should be fun. It should be a shared experience. And you should leave with a realisation that for a couple of hours you had forgotten any of your worldly worries... not that I have too many. But how do I sell enough pics to buy the latest kit? ha, ha ;-)

Pics are now online:
VIEW THE LATEST PICS OF THE DEADBEATS

Mark Guillou has started 2014 in much the same way as he finished 2013. Hard at it!

Mark is the busiest amongst our local promoters and sound technicians. He has a long record of supporting the new up-and-coming bands and he offers them a chance to perform with the full support of his Crew. These are usually young guys who want to learn the other skills of lighting and sound that are required to make a performance to remember.

Last Saturday saw Marks new project which was headlined as Free Saturday at the Fermain Tavern. True to form Mark had set up an impressive line-up of lighting kit and the standard was set high for all the bands who will find the corner stage of some pub venues very dark and ordinary in the future :-(

I arrived early enough to photograph three of the five bands who lined up and was very impressed by Francisco who I had not seen on their first outing. I think this band is one to look out for in 2014. They were well received by a good sized crowd.

I think that qualifies as a job well done, Mark.

Putting on my grumpy photographers hat I was much happier with the lighting at this gig.... for taking pics. Marks Crew always do a great job of presenting the best lighting show for the band and audience but I sometimes struggle when it comes to taking pics... not this time though. The lighting was great!

I can say with certainty that everyone went home after having a great night out. Big thanks to all involved :-)

I've added pics of the first band. Others will follow. Click the link to view pictures of Francisco:
VIEW PICS OF HOT NEW BAND FRANCISCO

With my time being taken up by the production of photos, canvases and montages for Christmas I have not been shooting as many events this month.

It's sometimes nice to have a little break as it is so easy to find yourself completely - and exclusively - absorbed in your photography. This can be at the expense of the rest of your life interests.

So, naturally, there haven't been as many regular posts for a couple of weeks. This is about to be rectified as all the 'Chrimbo' work is complete and I'm now going to tidy up 2013 ahead of another busy year to come.

I have been sorting through a few photoshoots that somehow missed the edit. These are being processed and will start appearing soon. Follow this Blog to be kept up-to-date.

The other massive job ahead is cataloguing a few thousand pics. How did I allow myself to get this far behind!!??

This slow process of sorting out pictures is the most boring (by far) part of being a photographer but I think it is also the most important part if you sell your work as it is vital that you can lay your hands on any picture - even from ten years ago - within three or four clicks of the mouse. I will keep reciting the above line to myself during the wee small hours whilst toiling away :-)

One of the first updates is from the Halloween gig at the Fermain Tavern wich featured Brutus Stonefist. Find them here:
HALLOWEEN PICS OF BRUTUS STONEFIST AT THE TAV

It's catch-up time again.

After a busy month fulfilling orders for Prints, Montages & Canvases it is time to catch-up with a few old photo-shoots.

Well, the first one isn't that old... that is if you don't take the band members into account ;-)

I've just updated the Spangles picture gallery featuring last weekends gig at The Fermain Tavern. There was no doubting that Christmas is just around the corner... there was more sparkle on the stage than I have on my Christmas tree!

The next update actually is from an old shoot that somehow missed the edit.

We have to go way back to June for this one. Unfortunately it wasn't 'flaming June' as the weather was dull and overcast. But that didn't stop me taking a few pics of the Guernsey Powerboat Association's Race-7.

Check all the new pics here:
PICS OF THE SPANGLES IN THEIR SPANDEX
PICS OF GUERNSEY POWERBOAT ASSOCIATION RACE-7

In my previous Blog I was commenting on the difficulties that photographers face when capturing stage-lit performances.

There is often a strange incongruity with the way an audience will see stage lighting to the way a photographer will see the same scene.

The contrast and colours combined with the timing of changes will add dynamics to an audience's experience. Last weeks lighting was great - from an audience's viewpoint.

However these very same factors can really challenge the work of a photographer.

As I previously Blogged, last week at the Fermain Tavern was one of those nights which favoured the audience... There were a lot of strong, single colour fills and rapid cycles. That's OK - after all it is the audience who pay to get in and they deserve to be entertained :-)

However 'The Get Down' at the 'Tav' on Saturday favoured the 'togs a bit more. My thanks go to Lloyd Hellyeah who was pushing the buttons, you make my job so much easier ;-)

Lloyd's style is to 'layer' the lighting more. He offers a wider range of colour contrasts which enhance the 3D depth of the scene. From a photographers point of view its FANTASTIC.

I make no secret of the fact that, offered the choice, I will always take the easy option particularly if I like the results better ;-)

If you fancy taking a look at my pics of The Get Down please click on the link and see if you can observe the difference I talk about...
VIEW PICS OF THE GET DOWN

You have to be a patient sole if you are a photographer.

On so many occasions whilst pursuing the variety of photography that each of us enjoy we have to wait for the light to be 'just right'.

This is inevitable. After all, we can only record an image using the light that is present, whether this is natural or artificial.

In some situations the photographer can be in total control. This is quite a luxury but a great deal of knowledge and experience has to be amassed to make best use of this control of the light.

The other times a photographer has to go with what is given... whether it is offered by nature or man.

This is when patience is a very useful gift for a photog.

Sometimes the available light makes you feel that you will never achieve anything that is worth keeping. This was how I felt at The Fermain Tavern when I tried to capture pics of UK Band, Evarane.

It wasn't that Mark Guillou's light show was bad. Indeed for the watching audience it was fantastic! But for a photog it was about as hard as it gets. The modern use of 'pure' spectrum LED lighting, particularly when it 'floods' a stage in a single colour, can almost make me give up and go home! This form of single colour immersive lighting means it is VERY hard to create a 3D feel on a 2D printed page or screen.

This time I decided not to turn around and go home but to be patient. Over the course of Evarane's set I did capture a couple of worthwhile pics (I think)... but that was too much like hard work for one lazy photog ;-)
VIEW THE PATIENTLY CAPTURED PICS OF EVARANE

How many times in your life have you been in the company of Legends?

Can I be a bit more specific. When was the last time you stood three foot away from a Legend whilst he performed his magic just for you. Or so it seemed :-)

Well for me (and a small group of like-minded people) it was last night. This happened just up the road from you... and you didn't make the effort to attend. SHAME ON YOU!

The Fermain Tavern promoted what was perhaps their greatest ever gigs over the weekend. You can imagine they must have been good for them to top the pile of great gigs at 'the Tav'.

In case you missed the news about who was on stage I'll help you out. It was the Norman Watt-Roy Band. Norman is that rare thing... a true Legend of a Bass player. If you haven't heard of him? SHAME ON YOU!

But that wasn't all. Norman was joined on stage by another true Legend and close friend. Wilko Johnson returned to the famous stage. He once again captivated the crowd. It was the work of a Legend... you haven't heard of him? SHAME ON YOU!

Maybe I should take delight in the fact that there's a relatively small group of musically educated and motivated people that follow the music scene. After all it makes us feel more privileged to have such legendary musicians perform in this intimate setting, just for us. How lucky are we!

On the Saturday evening the Fermain Tavern was also the chosen place for a good night out by another true Legend. Sir Bradley Wiggins had decided the Tav was the place to chill.
.... you haven't heard of him? ... you know what I'm thinking!

So I ask you again. When was the last time you were in the company of Legends?

For me it was last night!

I've added a few pictures of the Norman Watt-Roy band with their special guest Wilko Johnson to my galleries...
VIEW PICS OF THE NORMAN WATT-ROY BAND WITH WILKO JOHNSON

What am I to do? I'm deeply depressed.

More to the point. What is the Guernsey Music scene going to do in the future?

I refer to the effect that the imminent departure of Steve 'Lynchburg' Lynch from our Island shores is going to have on so many bands. I've already wished him well in the future... but it was through clenched teeth!!

How can I (or any local followers of the music scene) be happy to see Lynchy leave. There will be a hole in too many bands to mention.

Will the scene survive? Off course it will, but it won't be the same.

I have been looking at some of the MANY pics that I have taken of Lynchy over several years. He has been a familiar face in some of my all-time favourite bands. Perhaps my very favourite band was one of his newest projects that had barely come out of its gestation period... and it is already a-gonna :-(

I'm talking about HEAVE. What a great, tight, heavy and menacing duo that was. Just how I like it!

But life moves on and we still have the memories. You could never accuse Mr Lynch of hanging around and not evolving. This was manifested in his many bands. Interestingly I was reminded that he has also re-invented his hair style and facial hair on a very regular basis. I have the pics to prove it!

Talking about memories, it is a shame then that mine has let me down. I was at the Fermain Tavern a few weeks ago at the Teaspoonriverneck farewell gig. It was one of their greatest. I took pictures. I forgot to upload them!

Thanks Lynchy for the reminder. I wish you the very best in your future... and I really mean it, grrrr :-(
VIEW PICS OF TEASPOONRIVERNECK
.... and a link to a few pics of Heave

A FEW PICS OF AN ALL-TIME FAVOURITE - HEAVE

I'm sure I have a sixth sense....

I have always had it, I think. It is my love of live music that drives this extra 'sense' as I seem to instinctively find the venue that has a band or two playing, where-ever I am!

If you are a regular visitor to this web site you must agree that I do attend a LOT of gigs. There is something special about the energy I get from a live performance.

It was whilst spending a few days in Alderney photographing the Hill Climb and Sprints that I found a really talented duo playing at the Harbour Lights. The two multi-talented musicians/singers were getting a great response from the crowd and an Alderney style party was kicking off.

Needless to say I had a camera with me so I took the chance to capture a few pics.

Oh, and the name of the duo... Issimo Music. They are well worth keeping an eye out for. Believe me, I have a sixth sense :-)
VIEW PICS OF ISSIMO MUSIC

Last weekend I enjoyed a bit of a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

Well OK, there wasn't much that was familiar in the surroundings to trigger my memories... but I used my imagination :-)

I was at The Jamaica Inn. The memories went back to a time that I took my first alchoholic beverages - some forty-two years ago I reckon!

Those were different times. I was under-age and enjoying a pub crawl which in those days involved an Island tour around the pubs, happy days!

When I looked around the re-furbished room at The Jam there was little to recognise :-(

But I'm older and wiser now and I was at The Jam to photograph a couple of bands. Getting drunk was not on the schedule... how times change!

So now, in my 'mature years', I only partake in my other long-standing passion.... listening to live music and there were two great bands topping the bill.

Sugar Slam are one of my favourites who I have photographed many times . They supported Insurrection who make fewer appearances but that makes them all the more special.

There was a good turn-out of supporters including too many photograhers to count! Modern bands are never short of pics!

I've added my own pictures to the Gallery. They record The Jamaica in 2013... I wonder if it will still be serving customers in another forty + years?
VIEW PICS OF INSURRECTION
VIEW PICS OF SUGAR SLAM

Too busy to brag? OK, well just a bit then... 5,000,000 times :-)

I hope that what I'm about to do is all done in 'the best possible bad taste' :-)

I know that modesty should always be the order of the day. But if I don't 'blow my own trumpet' then nobody else is going to do if for me!

So with my modesty temporarily filed away in the cabinet I'm going to brag a little. I won't be offended if you press the delete button right now :-0

The thing is, I'm chuffed by a couple of things. Firstly this web site passed 5,000,000 views (yes FIVE MILLION) on the 3rd of October 2013.

Amazingly just five days later it will probably notch up the next 100,000! (EDIT: It actually took six days to clock up the next 100,000 views). That's a LOT of viewings! May I thank everyone for the huge interest in my pics.

My other moment of immodesty is to mention that this month I have had several more pics published in National Magazines and Media. Top of the pile has to be the front cover of Speedscene Magazine, the Specialist National Publication for Sprinting and Speed Hillclimbing.

The cover features my pic of Darren Warwick at the Guernsey round of the MSA British National Hillclimb Championship. There are also pics inside to support Eddie Walder's report.

That's it. Short and sweet. I'll retrieve my modesty from the filing cabinet. Normal service returns, ha,ha
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 4,000,000 VIEWS
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 3,000.000 VIEWS
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 2,000,000 VIEWS
READ ABOUT THE FIRST 1,000,000 VIEWS

What is it they say... for every action there is an equal re-action. Or something like that.

OK, I should probably of checked this Law of Physics on-line first because it probably isn't right - but my ignorance is out there now!

The point I'm making is that our cousins in Jersey have proved my statement... well sort of. This isn't going well is it?

The reaction I am talking about is the one that responded, or maybe you could say retaliated to the success of Jersey Live. The full-size Jersey Live Festival is now in its tenth year and has established a formula that works. However it is mainstream, young, friendly and family oriented. This is not a problem for me - but it leaves room for and alternative.

This is the spot that Jersey Dead aims to fill.

Dark and Heavy might go some way to describe Jersey Dead. Not something for the kids. However I loved it and feel that the contrast only goes to illustrate how the music scene really has something for all tastes.

To my mind that is GOOD.

I only managed to visit Jersey Dead for one night, but I did get some pics of Beef, Erebos, FlashMob, Harlequin Knights, Meansteed, Salem's Lot and Stone Em All.

And a hangover also came as part of the experience :-)
VIEW PICS OF JERSEY DEAD - THE ALTERNATIVE TO JERSEY LIVE

I blame Errol Groves. Well somebody has to take the blame and it was Errol who kept selling me the Real Ale. He obviously knows I am a bit partial to the real stuff.

It must have been the (many) pints that made me a bit trigger happy at the 2013 Vale Earth Fair.... way back in August!

Perhaps it was the knowledge that there were several hundred pics to sort through that delayed me in developing the picture galleries for this years Vale Earth Fair.

Whatever the excuses, it has been a long time coming but the updates are now live - and it was fantastic to recall all the special performances and the relaxed atmosphere of this unique Festival.

It seems that I managed to catch most of the Bands on the two main stages with a couple of very notable exceptions.... I am expecting to have to make my excuses next time I bump into these guys.

I have already worked out the excuse.... Sorry mate, it was Errol's fault!!

So the bands you will find pictures of are:

BRIGHT_LIGHTS, Buzzcocks, Of Empires, The Algorithm, The Correspondants, Brunt, Sons of the Desert, Myniemoe, The Recks, Vin Garbutt, Lifejacket, Jonny Lives!, Surfin' Birds, The John Wesley Stone, Edith's Head and Shambolix.... the end!

So you can see - I might have been slightly drunk, but I wasn't incapable officer ;-)

Hope you enjoy the pics:
VIEW PICS OF THE VALE EARTH FAIR 2013

I tossed a coin, and Jersey Live won!

My list of photo-shoots awaiting new gallery updates is long...
There are eight more Events (Motorsport & Gigs) awaiting my attention plus six Commercial assignments.

It might not be the best way to decide upon where to begin but at least it has got me past the start-line. Next job must be the Commercial shoots as it is these that pay my way.

But for now you can view 21 (yes twenty-one) picture galleries featuring the two days of Jersey Live's 10th Anniversary...
VIEW 21 PICTURE GALLERIES FROM JERSEY LIVE 2013

All the regulars who support Jersey Live every year have now returned to their day jobs, schools and the routine of normal life.

As much as we would like the 'good times' the Festival season brings to on for a bit longer, its a fact that our usual week is a rather mundane affair in comparison.

But for me 'the day job' allows me to re-live and remember the days that were spent working on the Festival sites (and there have been a few this year). That's one of the nice things about being a Music photog :-)

I've now spent two days editing the pics from Jersey Live's 10th Anniversary Festival and I am loving some of the moments I captured. The pictures taken on the Saturday are already on-line. The Sunday's pics have been edited and just await the tagging and the addition of new galleries on this web site... won't be long now.

You to can enjoy Jersey Live for a second time by viewing the pics, it'll help you get through the mundane return to routine :-)
VIEW PICTURES OF JERSEY LIVE 2013

Just back from a few days working in Jersey at the 10th Jersey Live Festival.

This was my sixth time working for the two Warren's who's brainwave it was to establish a 'top notch' Music Festival in Jersey. During the six years I have spent taking pics in Jersey I have notched up many, many days on the Festival site on the public days but also the build and strip-down days.

With this privileged access I have been left in no doubt about the unbelievable amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to present two full days of entertainment.

Now I'm back home looking though the pics remembering the highlights and recalling some fantastic moments. I was even told by Warren Le Sueur that I am now 'part of the furniture'.... does that mean that I'm put in a dark corner, forgotten about, never polished and sat on occasionally? We'll see :-)

It was great to re-acquaint myself with friends I have made over the years. Many of the Crews (UK based photographers, stage hands, builders and security teams) return each year and always speak highly of just how well run Jersey Live is. I party and breakfast with them, believe me when I say that there are some memorable characters!

The Festival site layout had, once again, been 'tweaked' and I think it was the best yet.

The 2013 Festival was made a bit more special for me as I was given the honour of having one of my pictures printed on the 10th Anniversay Jersey Live T-shirt!

But enough of my ramblings. Later I will have a bit more to say as I upload the many pics.

For now here are a couple of the Saturday night head-liner 'Fatboy Slim'.... mega!

Pictures of Jersey Live 2013 will follow as soon as possible..........

Whilst you wait why not check-out 2008-2012 VIEW PICS OF PREVIOUS JERSEY LIVE'S

I only ask the question 'Do you have the Jersey Live 2013 T-Shirt yet?' as it has one of my pictures is on it :-)

Once again I am just off to our sister island to shoot all the bands for the Festival. It is an incredibly tiring weekend... but what fun! Last weekends Vale Earth Fair was a really good warm-up and I'm lucky that I get to call this work! CHECK-OUT MY PREVIOUS JERSEY LIVE PICTURE GALLERIES HERE

What this means though is that the massive updates from the last weeks assignments are going to be delayed on arriving in the picture galleries. Sorry, but I just don't have available time until I'm back from Jersey Live 2013.

However I can promise lots to come. The pictures waiting to be processed include:

Guernsey Kart & Motor Club 2-Day Motocross
Guernsey Powerboat Association racing (Two races)
Vale Earth Fair 2013 (A huge Gallery will follow)
Guernsey Motorcycle & Car Club Hill Climb

This list amounts to several hundred shots that will take a while to develop... and then I will have the Jersey Live pics to follow.
I've a feeling that time for sleep will be hard to find. But then, who wants to sleep when you can party through the night with the security crew at Jersey Live. I love my job :-)

Keep a look-out on this News page for updates when the new Galleries are on-line.

Bye for now 'cause I've got some serious partying to do....

It's official, Guernsey now has another established Biker Festival.

This weekend has seen the return of Smaaashfest (the Third) and the Sarnians Motor Cycle Club did a great job with the organisation. The Smaaashfest is a much smaller and low-key festival when compared to the Greenman Chaos but the essential elements are all there.

Firstly the setting takes advantage of the beautiful views over Guernsey's west coast. That's the first box ticked!

Then we have the friendly atmosphere and the beer... two more ticks!

Of course there are the bikes, well it is a Bike Club festival!

And then we had a great line-up of bands all under the watchful eye of Mark Guillou and his crew. That makes a tick in every box!

I popped in on two of the nights and took pics of the bands. I have only uploaded the first Gallery so far featuring Stone Em All.

I uploaded the pics early this afternoon just before going out to my daughter-in-laws birthday barbecue. This was all done in a bit of a rush and I didn't post any form of link or Facebook comment. So I have been surprised and a bit amazed to note that the Gallery has already had over 1,600 views :-)

Other bands will follow but if you want to take a look at the first pics click here:
VIEW PICS OF STONE EM ALL AT SMAAASHFEST

Last of the Light Brigade are a Band that love to play live and hardly need encouragement.

However last weekend they were on stage at The Fermain Tavern with an important cause to support. Tracey Sinclair has been recommended to take a course of expensive cancer drugs and her Guernsey friends have been pulling together to help raise the funds.

So the night at the 'Tav' and the raffle that was held was a good reason to enjoy great live music and I know that a goodly sum was raised.

Support for LOTLB came from China Aster and Ollie Goddard - who hadn't graced the stage at the 'Tav' for (I think he said) twenty-two years!

I have uploaded pics from the night:
VIEW PICS OF LAST OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
VIEW PICS OF CHINA ASTER
VIEW PICS OF OLLIE GODDARD