News / Blog - Gigs & Bands News

I have managed to tick off a couple more of the Bands that played at the Guernsey Greenman MCC Chaos Festival 2012.
A couple of visting Bands from Jersey - Stan Smith & The Morves. A UK based Band named Godsized and new local favourite Lifejacket (all one word ;-).

There are still a few more updates before I can call this a 'job done'. Keep an eye on the Gallery.
NEW CHAOS BANDS - THE MORVES, STAN SMITH, LIFEJACKET & GODSIZED

Pete 'Plumb' Bretel, the charismatic frontman of Sugarslam offers the invitation to Rock....
The occasion was the fundraising gig at The Fermain Tavern in aid of the planned Skatepark.
There was a great atmosphere with the 'boarding dudes proving they know how to party!
A good turn-out added a few hundred quid to the fund bringing the prospect of the park another stage nearer. Result.

As for the Band. Well they have proven that they were too long away from the music scene... and also that you must never right-off the oldies (they will forgive the comment, I hope!)
Sugarslam have more gigs booked in the next months. You are invited to join them to Rock :)
New pics have been added to a large Gallery featuring the Band:
TAKE A LOOK AT A LARGE GALLERY OF SUGARSLAM PICS

Guernsey Gigs organised the return of the 'Battle of the Bands' format to the Guernsey live music scene last weekend.
The latest shoot-out was held at the KGV and, from what I saw, it was a great success.
With eleven bands and solo artists taking to the stage there was a guarantee of having many supporters and family attending to support their favourites.
I was only able to spend about half the time at the gig but enjoyed the great mix of performers.

The winning title went to the popular RentOClean. I will reveal that this was the Band that got my vote. They are a 'good-time' band, lively, funky and funny. They get people on their feet and partying.... there is never anything wrong with that :)

Other Bands also deserved my vote but we only had one each!
Having seen the success and interest in BotB's we can hope that it will become an annual event again.
Well done to all those who helped to organise it.... and of course the Bands.

I have added a new Gallery of pictures of the Bands I saw. Dealer's Left, The Phantom Cosmonaut, The Dead Beats, RentOClean, Part in Paris and Lifejacket.
PICTURES OF THE 2012 BATTLE OF THE BANDS

The viewing counter has clicked past the 2.5 MILLION mark for this web site.
I was astonished when we passed 1 MILLION views almost exactly on the day of the first Anniversary :)
The new mark arrives with more than four months to go before the second Anniversary. My target has to be the 3 MILLION MARK after just 2 YEARS, fingers crossed!

Thanks to all the regulars who like to follow the Gallery updates. Thanks also if this is your first ever visit. Come again soon :)

Here are a couple of tips that might help your enjoyment when returning to the web site again. There are now more than 40,000 pics in the Galleries!!! This can make it difficult to find one that you liked on the last visit.

If you have a few favourite pictures this may help....

• You can use the Shopping Cart as a way to remember your favourites.
  Click the 'BUY NOW' button beneath any picture. It will be added to the Cart which then appears at the top of the page and will be remembered for your next visit.
  This doesn't commit you to buy the picture... it just helps you to find it again. You might even be tempted to buy it in the future :)
  
  
• You can also share a link to your favourite pictures by clicking the Facebook icon below each one. Other links are also available.
  
  
• There is also an option to E-mail a link to any picture. Click the E-mail icon and send this to a friend... or even yourself!
  
  
• You can also try using the SEARCH button on the left. Type in a word or two and see what you find!
  
  
• When viewing a Gallery use the ARROW KEYS to move to the next picture.
  
  
• Have you tried the SLIDESHOW option at the top of the 'Thumbnail View' to view all the pictures in a Gallery. You need Adobe Flash Player installed on your system for this to work.
  

I am constantly trying to improve the viewing experience on this web site and always welcome any comments.
Here is my E-mail:
E-MAIL ANDREW LE POIDEVIN

Busy, busy....
I've managed to edit a few more pics from a couple of recent shoots.
The Greenman MCC Chaos 8 Festival was spread over three days and too many bands to count! The rewarding part of the prolonged edit is that I can remind myself of some of the highlights.
One of the expected 'star turns' were Thee Jenerators. New pics are now on-line together with RentOClean & Choke:
NEW PICS OF CHAOS - THEE JENERATORS, RENTOCLEAN & CHOKE

I've also added the first pictures from the 'new boy on the block' when it comes to Mini Festivals.
The Fermain Tavern was the venue for Spoonfest which was curated by the Teaspoonriverneck boys who bought together a mix of bands, films, designers and photographers.
It was a great success and the talk is already hot about the next showing... watch this space.
I popped along and captured some of the performances. First up are one of my favourites, Falenizzahorsepower....
FALENIZZAHORSEPOWER.... FIRST PICS FROM SPOONFEST

Whenever I find a few minutes I am adding to the Greenman MCC Chaos-8 Festival Galleries.
The latest updates include pictures of Bulletproof, Heave & Tantale together with some more shots taken in the Peace Tent.
Check 'em out here:
CHECK-OUT THE LATEST CHAOS-8 GALLERIES

The Greenman MCC Chaos Festival is a bike Festival - with loads of music.
So it would be a suprise if there were no burnouts, wouldn't it?
If you visited the cliff-top site looking for the smell of burning rubber you were not disappointed :)
After the presentation of the prizes for the best bike catagories it was the turn of the tyre shredders.
The star, by quite a margin , was Neil 'Chopper' Looijenga. Lets just say that there was NO chance of him riding that bike home!
I have added new pictures to the Gallery showing the bike winners and burnouts. New Band pictures include Grant Sharkey & Pirate Party Brigade.
VIEW THE CHAOS 8 BURNOUTS

I have been working in Jersey this week completing some Commercial assignments and then covering the Jersey rounds of the Avon MSA British Hill Climb Championship.
This has delayed my selection and preparation of the pics I took at last weeks Greenman MCC Chaos 8 Festival on the cliffs at Pleinmont.
I have already commented in my previous Blog that once again Chaos presented all the ingredients for fun and chilling out.
The Festivals unique position on the cliffs might leave it prone to whatever weather rolls off the sea - but what a view from the mens loos! You won't get that anywhere else in the world. Sorry girls, it's a boys only thing :-)
The live peformances showcased many great acts on three complimentary stages.
Guernsey Gigs have made a fantastic video which really captures the atmosphere
TAKE A LOOK AT THE GUERNSEY GIGS VIDEO

I have now begun to catch up with the Gallery updates. They will still take quite a few days as there were so many Bands playing.
I am also completing a couple of important Commercial jobs which take priority - they pay the bills, unfortunately gig/motor sport photography doesn't!
I will also be adding pictures of the Jersey MSA Hill Climb (Guernsey this weekend) and a Power Boat Championship Race to their own new picture Galleries later next week.
Busy times then, love it!
The first Greenman MCC Chaos 8 Galleries are here (more updates will be added later).
First Bands include: Distant Shores, Deadwing, Big Machine, 2 Minutes 2 Late, Lydia Pugh, Robert J Hunter, Stone Em All, Skid Rue & Peppered Ant Legs.
VIEW THE FIRST GREENMAN MCC CHAOS 8 GALLERIES HERE

The Guernsey Greenman MCC have once again set themselves an even higher standard to reach.... next year will have to be awesome:)
The 2012 Greenman Chaos 8 topped them all in my view.
The gentle 'tweaks' to the established formula included a bigger beer tent. Never a bad idea!
There was an extended cover for the Discharge Stage with a superb lighting set-up, nice (for photogs).
The Peace tent 'did what was on the tin' and offered a refuge - particulaly from the wind! I think there was also a wider variety of music eminating from the small stage. I spent more time in this friendly space this year.

Perhaps it was a disappointment that all three days 'enjoyed' a persistant breeze - OK STRONG WIND - straight off the sea. But those guys 'n' gals who like their music, bikes and entertainment don't get put off easily.
The reward was a superb line-up of Bands and time spent meeting old friends.
For me, there were several highlights, but for now I will say that I was seriously blown away by the performance of Elmer Henley - truly memorable. Please guys.... don't make it the last.
I was obviously taking pics (loads). Today I have been committed to my Commercial photography so the first Galleries will arrive tomorrow.

In the meantime you really MUST take a look at this great short film put together by the guys at Guernsey Gigs. If you visited Chaos 8 you will have a 'memory trip' - it really captures the atmosphere.
If you didn't go then this video will convince you that you missed a good 'un.
VIEW A FANTASTIC VIDEO OF CHAOS 8 BY GUERNSEY GIGS

The Kaiser Chiefs were the eagerly awaited headliners for the 2012 Guernsey Festival.
Their reputation as an anthemic festival band had gone before them... but would they disappoint?
Well, there never was a risk of that really. Other than the rumour that went around the festival site that they would not go on stage until the England v Italy game was over!
Of course they turned up and did their thing.
The band has a book full of 'sing-a-long' numbers to keep any crowd happy - and they loved it. The performance filled the stage, indeed the whole 'big top'!

So a fitting end to the second Guernsey Festival which, once again, bought many quality acts to our little island. Already the speculation has started about another in 2013.
Will it happpen? I hope so. But the twin brothers, Jon & Paul Stephen, will need our encouragement as it is a massive commitment for them.
Make your voices heard!
I have now updated the Guernsey Festival picture galleries with pics of Kaiser Chiefs, The Selecter, San'Jyla, Utah Saints, Maverick Sabre, Little Barrie, The Spindle Sect, Wrongdom meets Deemas J, Mt. Wolf and Festival hosts Janice Long & Wes Butters.
GUERNSEY FESTIVAL PICTURE GALLERIES

Jon & Paul Stephen once again pulled together a remarkable festival at 'The Warren' in Guernsey.
This was only the 2nd Guernsey Festival but already it was obvious that lessons learned from No. 1 had been acted on and improvements were made in the layout of the festival site, the facilities and many other details.
Once again the line-up of Bands was varied with great headliners. There were also Bands that were unknown to many of the festival goers before seeing them on the two main stages. I left with a list of music that I wanted to check-out in the next few weeks. This surely is a key part of the experience, fun and musical education of the festival format?
I have been reading the Facebook blogs of those that attended and there is overwhelming support for another festival in 2013.

However, it is clear that such a massive venture takes a big financial outlay and gives an emotional and stressful 'roller-coaster' to the two brothers. We must hope that when they have had time to sit back and count the cost - to their well being and pocket! - that they find the energy and resource to make a 2013 Guernsey Festival a reality.
Fingers crossed. Make your support known to them.
I was official festival photographer and was able to capture many of the perfomances.... great fun but long days with more long hours in the studio processing the pics ;-)
The first of many picture galleries have been added. More will follow.
Click the link to view the first pictures of Macy Gray, Hadouken, King Charles, The Spindle Sect, In Tyler we Trust, Delilah, Kassidy, Albert Lee, Josh Kumra and Kitten & The Hip.....
VIEW THE FIRST PICS OF THE 2012 GUERNSEY FESTIVAL

Last weekend was a busy one!
Guernsey hosted two massive events, and I photographed both of them.
Each shoot needed pics submitted before print deadlines and saw me working until 3am on a couple of days ;-)
This is no complaint though. It was great fun and when you capture a few pics that you are happy with it makes all the long hours worth while.
The first spectacle was the ACU British Sand Ace Championship followed by two days at the Guernsey Festival.
The best result for me has been having my ACU British Sand Ace pics published in Speedway Star Magazine. I have also had double page spreads of both events published in the Guernsey Press. There are also a couple of other National publications looking to publish pics, fingers crossed.
However, unfortunately, there is no short cut when it comes to editing and preparing a large amount of pictures.... so the answer is to take as few as you can! Less is more!
Even with this aim I have had to sort through many hundreds of images, and the job still has a way to go yet :-(
A few more long days (and nights) will get the job done.
So far I have completed the picture galleries for the Sand Ace Championship. Guernsey Live will follow shortly...
VIEW THE ACU CONDOR FERRIES SAND ACE GALLERIES

Congratulations go to Danny Warwick after he won the ACU Condor Ferries British Sand Ace Championship on the beach at Vazon Bay, Guernsey.
There was a good sized and high quality field of Solo riders out on the track. The racing was action packed and competitive and a large crowd of spectators lined the walls to enjoy their motor sport.
Supporting the 500cc Sliders were two heats of 1000cc Sidecars. There was an excited buzz around the track each time these guys raced.... they were fast and spectacular!
I have just added a few pics as a 'taster' to my Galleries. Full coverage will follow.
I have had an incredibly busy weekend as I was also official photographer for the Guernsey Music Festival.
This was another massive success. Guernsey rocked this weekend!!
Pics of the Guernsey Festival will also follow shortly....
VIEW A FEW 'TASTER SHOTS' FROM THE SAND ACE RACING

Last year saw the first Guernsey Festival. It was a great success and set the standard for this years version.
If you were one of the loyal festival goers for No.1 you will know that there was a great atmosphere in the 'big top' for the headliners and the supporting acts. The line-up ticked lots of boxes with a mix of acts to suit most tastes and a few 'hidden gems' that you would never have found if they weren't presented to you at a Festival.
This year it is more of the same - only bigger and better!
I have spent some time over the last few days on the Festival site and the new lay-out is a big improvement with everything more compact. The atmosphere will be brilliant.
I am official photographer for the Festival and will be uploading loads of pics as the event unfolds.
The amount of effort that has gone into establishing this new Festival deserves your support.... it can only get bigger and better each year.... if you buy a ticket ;-)
Go on, do it. Tickets are available on the day.
Check-out last years Galleries for a feel of this great event:
VIEW LAST YEARS GUERNSEY FESTIVAL

That's 'Last of the Light Brigade' to those of you who don't get out much ;-)
This young band launched their new album a few nights ago at The Doghouse. I have followed them for a few years as they have transformed from a four-piece to a trio. Their songwriting has evolved and they now present a polished and original act. Tyler has a great voice with his own distinct character. A studio recording showcases his talents well.
I bought the CD and it has been playing in my studio and van ever since. I like it. Make sure you check it out too.
I have added a few pics of the launch night to the Last of the Light Brigade Gallery:
LAST OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE ALBUM LAUNCH NIGHT

Pete and his Babies reproduced an authentic night of classic punk sound and attitude to a crowd that can only be called enthusiastic last weekend at The Fermain Tavern.
The word had got around that this high energy outfit where due to grace this legendary stage as there were a good number of Jersey supporters over just to see them play. They partied like the best of 'em!
I admit that I was truly won over by this band that (to be honest) I had little knowledge of.... but I am fifty-seven now!
I bought the CD and would recommend it to anyone wishing to get a feel for a period of the British musical scene that re-wrote popular music history. Not for the first time either!
I managed to capture some of the atmosphere of the night in pictures. Take a look here:
PICTURES OF PETER AND THE TEST TUBE BABIES

Forgive the cliché....... but if I didn't use this picture of fireworks it would probably have been a 'cork and champagne bottle' shot ;-)

The celebration is to mark this web site flying past 2,000,000 viewings!

May I thank the thousands of people who have spent a few moments exploring the various Galleries and pages that form this TALLPICTURES & GUERNSEYMOTORSPORT web site.
I am fortunate to have many regular viewers who often offer feed-back on my latest pics. I'm always pleased to receive comments and ideas for the next 'shoot'.
It is also nice to see from Google Analytics that about 50% of visits come from new viewers.... the word must be getting out there ;-)

This latest milestone has been passed 7 months after the viewings broke the 1 Million mark. It took almost 12 months to reach that mark so the graph is showing continued upwards progress!
READ ABOUT THE FIRST MILLION VIEWS

So what is the next target? The obvious one is to try to reach 3,000,000 by the web site's second anniversary!
If that target is to be reached there's not going to be much time for me to do the gardening......
Don't tell the missus ;-)

Take a look at the picture Galleries here:
CLICK TO VIEW THE PICTURE GALLERIES

Well actually there was barely even standing room at the Thomas de la Rue for the Teaspoonriverneck Album launch!
Hot, sweaty and lively.... and that wasn't just the band. The 'Spoons' led the faithful masses in an energetic set that featured songs from 'Do it Again'. If closing time hadn't got in the way they still would be doing it!
I have often said that our little Island supports a live music scene that is way above what is 'the norm' for this size of community. When it comes together for a night of live entertainment like last weekend we are certainly spoilt.
Supporting Teaspoonriverneck was the prolific Crowman and 'new on the block' but becoming a favourite of mine, Lifejacket.
I took a few pics, but to be honest I was a bit distracted - we're all allowed a evening off now and then, aren't we?
Take a look at the 'Spoons' pics here:
TEASPOONRIVERNECK ALBUM LAUNCH

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