News / Blog - Gigs & Bands News

This was the second night of live music organized to celebrate the life and musical talents that Andy Coleman had enjoyed and shared with so many. After the previous weekends Jazz for Andy gig this one was to feature the guitar and popular music bands.

St James was sold out with a waiting list of hundreds so many people were disappointed to miss out!

The evening was both emotional and a fun party. For me the most touching memory was when Andy's daughter, Clara, joined Sons of the Desert for a couple of songs.... wow, wonderful!

All those who knew Andy know he would have loved everything about the evening as music and friendship are meant to be enjoyed in the company of those you love.

I hope these galleries help to illustrate and remember the atmosphere of the night.....
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE GIG FOR ANDY

Local musicians gathered at St James to celebrate the life, the music and the friendships they shared with Andy Coleman in a night titled 'Jazz for Andy'.

Many good memories were shared by the musicians as they took to the stage. Some chose to tell us what was so special in their friendship with Andy. They often repeated how he would always offer support and encouragement. Also his natural talent playing such varied genre's of music impressed many.

I think that what touched me on the night was the fact that Andy had almost always played a 'supporting' role in the bands he was in. He wasn't a 'frontman' or 'pushy' to take the spotlight but his wonderful personality shone through and he clearly made a lasting impression on all those around him... without even trying!

It's such a loss that he is gone - but what a way to celebrate such a lovely persons life. Rest at peace in our memories Andy. xx

I've added a gallery of pics featuring some of the performances:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE JAZZ FOR ANDY NIGHT AT ST JAMES

This was a new event organized by the School of Popular Music in 2022.

SoPM have already established a tradition of offering aspirational musicians and singers the chance to perform on the 'bigger stage' but the 'Music for Everyone' somehow re-invented what has gone before.

The venue was the theater stage at Beau Sejour which offers professional sound and lighting. New talent performed with the full support of SoPM tutors allowing them to enjoy the big stage. I have to say that I thought the concept was fantastic.

But there was more to the show. After each artist finished their act they were invited down in front of the stage for a short interview. This was both a way of allowing time for the change between acts but was much more than that as we were able to enjoy the personality behind the performance and what inspired it.

This was a really great format. Well done to all the SoPM tutors and the support they gave to their students.

This is a massive gallery of pics.... you can tell that I was impressed!!
CLICK TO VIEW THE SoPM MUSIC FOR EVERYONE SHOW

The Corporate Bands went into battle on the expansive stage at Beau Sejour on Saturday night. Competition was tough but the fight was fair and no blood was spilt!

This was the third School of Popular Music Corporate Battle of the Bands and like previous years the standard of performances was high and song choices varied.

The company bands taking to the stage were AFM, Guernsey Electricity, First Central, Guernsey Post and Butterfield. They were joined by Agilisys, last years winners, who opened the event and the SoPM Tutors Band who played a couple of songs to allow time for the judges to agree on the winners.

I recognized quite a few band members as 'regulars' in local bands. However their usual experience on pub stages is playing in cramped dark corners so it was special even for those active musicians to play on a big stage with great sound and lighting to match. They even had dressing rooms!

The band that picked up the trophy was Guernsey Post. They were undoubtedly the most popular amongst the audience and the judging panel of four agreed. They were my choice too as they had put together the 'complete performance package'. Well done guys.

The whole event was brilliantly organized and every performer that I talked to was buzzing with excitement and achievement. So there is only a year before we can all do it again....

Follow this link to view all my pics of the battle:
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2022 SoPM CORPORATE BATTLE OF THE BANDS

The 2022 School of Popular Music's Under 18's Battle of the Bands at Beau Sejour was very competitive with all five competing bands arriving on stage well rehearsed and ready to perform.

The audience got behind every act and as the judges commented after each performance it was clear that it would be a close run thing to find the winners.

After the judges totaled their scores covering every aspect of the bands live performance the winners were announced.

Cross Road picked up this years trophy. Well done guys!

I've added a Gallery featuring all the U18's bands.
CLICK TO VIEW THE 2022 U18's BATTLE OF THE BANDS

I guess it is one of those unspoken rules of photography that when a photographer attends a Mega-sized (interesting) event he will be left with a Mega-sized edit to work through when he returns to the studio!

At least that seems to be how it works for me!

I've already posted a Blog commenting on how fantastic the 2022 Vale Earth Fair was for the sell-out crowd who flocked to Vale Castle.

Well I managed to take around 600 pics of the festival during the twelve hours I was there! This is quite impressive I think as I also found time to drink MANY pints of ale too!

The easy part was actually taking all those pics as the atmosphere was amazing... and who wouldn't feel lucky to be able to call standing in front of a live band on stage whilst drinking and taking pics their actual 'day job'!! That's me. Yes I know I'm pretty lucky.

However the actual edit can be a drag, but once I get into a rhythm I seem to be able to fly through the pics. The tip is to only use the tools that Lightroom offers and not to get too 'fancy' with the edit.

Even then a 600 pic edit takes hours and I'm pleased to say all VEF pics are now online, yeay!

I hope you like them.... they can be purchased online - hint, hint!

This is a link to all VEF 2022 Galleries:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2022 VALE EARTH FAIR GALLERIES

The 2022 Vale Earth Fair was back at its best after the restrictions of recent years.

The Vale Earth Fair Collective had done an amazing job keeping this little treasure of a festival ticking along whilst facing the huge challenge of the Covid years. Guernsey residents had appreciated and supported their endeavors.

But free of restrictions the 2022 VEF showcased what this festival does best. Once again we had a great lineup of visiting bands together with the best from Guernsey. This attracted a sell-out crowd.

So it turned out to be another vintage year. I think the most notable thing was the mix of people in the crowd, which is always diverse, but this year included many more of what I can only describe as 'full-on festival goers'.

Maybe they have now discovered our little secret?

I've been working on my edit of the pics of VEF and there is a growing Gallery that can now be viewed here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THE 2022 VALE EARTH FAIR

Kiya Ashton & the Folkadelics are a new band on the Guernsey scene and they have quickly developed their own sound. They've already attracted a following during the summer of 2022 and are certainly 'one to watch'.

Their most recent gig was supporting The Pips at St James where they looked at home on the big stage.

You can view the pics of Kiya & the Folkadelics at St James by following this link:
CLICK TO VIEW KIYA ASHTON & THE FOLKADELICS PLAYING AT ST JAMES

The Pips packed the place!

The crowd at St James was treated to one last performance from The Pips before the band head off to the mainland to try their luck on the bigger scene.

I've enjoyed watching how their performance and style has quickly evolved and I imagine that we will see even greater things from them next time they play locally.

I was amongst a gaggle of photographers capturing this gig and my pics are now online here if you are interested:
CLICK TO VIEW THE PIPS AT ST JAMES

The 2022 edition of the SoPM Summer School Gig was as busy as always.

The stage was set at the Fermain Tavern and ten young bands were lined up to perform in front of family and friends. This is an ambitious challenge for the SoPM tutors but they are now 'old hands' at this!

Their reward comes from seeing the students happy faces and their sense of achievement after performing in a band... often for the first time. The seeds are sown and the future promises lots of live music. Good news!

Ten bands to photograph during the gig has its own challenge for a photographer. I'm very aware that the families and friends don't want me standing in front of their videos and cameras. So my viewpoints are restricted.

Also as there are so many changes of line-ups the stage often has 'unused' mike stands and instruments getting in the shots making it a challenge to get 'clean' images.

Topping off that problem was the bigger one of the lighting. As expected the stage was lit by LED units and (again as expected) they were set to cycle between full green - red - blue solid colour.

There was no additional white fill or back-lighting. Any of you who have worked in this environment will know how hard it is to capture the great results you would like. A lengthy edit correcting colours in Lightroom is inevitable.

But I have to say that all the difficulties are out-weighed by the pleasure of seeing the young performers enjoy their moment on stage. This is one of my favorite gigs.

My pics are now online if you want to take a look:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2022 SoPM SUMMER SCHOOL GIG

Today was a sad occasion. My good mate Andy Coleman was laid to rest after passing away much too young.

Andy was an incredibly talented musician - but far more than that.

He adored his family above all else but he had room in his heart for a huge group of friends too.

Andy affected and charmed all those who got to know him. He was generous and caring by nature and such great fun.

It can be said that some people never fulfill their potential in life. That certainly can't be said of Andy. He faced up to the challenges before him and always maintained his sense of humour.

Now his family have amazing (and happy) memories to help them through these hard times.

I will always remember how much fun Andy was be be with. He always had a story to tell but was also there for anyone who needed a friend.

Rest in peace Andy with Tracey. I hope you can handle arranging the music score for the harps!!

Supported by Guernsey Arts the long established and experienced Elysium played as Pink Floyd to two full houses at Beau Sejour, 27th and 28th May 2022.

The gig was notable for being 'the complete package'. All aspects of a large scale gig were covered with a high quality live performance by Elysium complemented by great sound, lighting and graphics designed by local students.

The result was certainly a memorable highlight of the Guernsey music scene.

This gallery features my pics of the second night....
CLICK TO VIEW ELYSIUM as PINK FLOYD

The Vault in St Peter Port has become the mainstay of live music in town largely due to the tireless support and organization by Mark Guillou.

Mark's involvement in the local scene goes back so far it would be rude to start quoting figures. But I'm going to guess you would need all the digits on one hand to count the decades he has been playing in bands!

Recent years has seen him settle in The Vault organizing Open Mic nights and busy weekends of live music.

I'm aware that I don't give the coverage this live venue deserves. After all, as I've already said, this is where you can be sure to get your gig fix and photographing bands is what I do!

Sadly the popularity of the Vault is what makes it a difficult place to take pics. The area around the stage is very tight to work in. Also the lighting is a real challenge. Of course both those aspects make little impact on the audience as the packed nights prove. It's just us precious photographers who complain!!!

I do however make occasional visits and I've uploaded pics from a few weeks ago when Coastal Fire Dept. and Clameur De Haro made an appearance.

Click on these links to view my pics:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF COASTAL FIRE DEPT
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF CLAMEUR DE HARO

Whilst sorting out a couple of old folders I've found a few pics that never made the edit. They are now safe and as the days get shorter I seem to have found a job to keep me occupied during the long evenings!

How about this new Gallery for starters. It features Third Time Lucky when they played The Fermain Tavern in 2019... Times where a lot different then!

Follow this link to view the pics:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF THIRD TIME LUCKY PLAYING AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

If any events are going to confirm that we are emerging from the Covid 19 restrictions and getting back to 'near normal' the two evenings I have spent in Beau Sejour theatre photographing the School of Popular Music Battle of the Bands are the ones to do it.

For 2021 there was a 'double header' with the addition of an Under 18's battle on the first night followed by the Corporate Bands battle on the next eve. THIS GALLERY FEATURES THE CORPORATE BANDS

As we now expect, the standard of talent in the young bands was very impressive. The tuition, the practicing and the notable live performance experience already amassed by these guys was clearly on show in some amazing performances.

The audience in Beausie was really supportive raising the confidence of the bands resulting in a difficult choice for the four judges. Ultimately is was Sonic Bomb who took the trophy home.

Take a look through the galleries featuring each band and some of the atmosphere...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2021 U18 BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Whilst I was enjoying the party atmosphere in the Vraiceaters Arms at the West Show this website smashed through another milestone of picture views recorded.

Once again I have to thank you for the continued interest in my pics. It is rewarding to see how many people visit the picture galleries every day. The running total of views is now more than THIRTY-FIVE MILLION!

I study the analytics and statistics of the viewings to understand what coverage is the most popular but it's fascinating to see that every genre of my work gets it's 'moment' of taking top spot.

It seems that the people who pop along here for a few minutes all have their own different interests.

I'm pleased to say that I continue to enjoy my profession... a LOT! It is a real privilege to photograph so many different events and people and my time spent behind the lens has expanded my knowledge and love for the community we share in Guernsey.

I hope I am able to continue taking pics for many years yet - if only to give me an excuse to buy new kit!

There is another new mirrorless Nikon camera (the Nikon Z9) on the way and I can't wait to see how the technology has continued to improve.

One thing is certain. There will be no shortage of news, events, sports, gigs and occasions for me to feature in my galleries. I hope to see you viewing them again sometime soon.
START EXPLORING THE GALLERIES BY CLICKING HERE

Last night at the West Show the huge Vraiceaters Arms was splitting at the seams as a huge'er (is that even a word!??) crowd overflowed it for the second time as live bands took to the stage.

It was certainly a challenge to capture any pics in a ram-packed crowd but I did get a few :-)

Worse still, it was an even bigger challenge to get to the front of the queue at the bar. Even though it must have been more than 60ft long!!

But looking how the 'party' went I think that many people DID get a drink (several)... their mid-week hangover this morning would have proved that!

I've just added a new Gallery featuring the ever popular Last of the Light Brigade.

The edit of headliners City Limits awaits. This set was even harder to photograph as I experienced maybe the tightest packed crowd ever in front of the stage as the young West Show crowd discovered what live music is all about.

Did they miss their usual distraction of the Fun Fair... judging by appearances, I don't think so!!!
CLICK TO VIEW THE WEST SHOW LIVE MUSIC

They know how to party out in the West at the annual West Show.

The formula they use is tried and tested. Erect a big tent, build a big bar, organize a few bands.... and invite all your friends!

What do you have? A MASSIVE PARTY!!

I've just added pics of the Wednesday night headliners on the Vraiceater's Tavern stage - Stuck to the Ceiling.

I'll be there for the Thursday night when Last of the Light Brigade and City Limits keep the party swinging. Those pics will follow.

See you at the party?
CLICK TO VIEW THE WEST SHOW GALLERY

The School of Popular Music Summer Party is the traditional end to their week long Summer School. Students spend their time learning new music and forming bands and friendships.

The highlight of the week is this Summer Party where parents and friends are invited along to enjoy the practiced performances of the students.

There is only one thing left to do at the end of this busy night... get to bed to be fresh and eager for the next morning when everyone heads off to Herm for more fun and music!

How I envy the energy and enthusiasm of youth!!

I've added a new Gallery of pics here:
CLICK TO VIEW PICS OF THE SoPM 2021 SUMMER PARTY

The School of Popular Music Summer Concert offers a chance to the younger students to showcase their new skills in front of family and friends. The 2021 event was held in a packed Vale Church Hall.

The nerves and apprehension soon faded as the buzz of performing on stage took over and the evening was full of smiles and anticipation of the next time they can take a place in the spotlight.... these are the future stars of 'showbiz'!

Special credit must always go to the hard working tutors who organize the SoPM events. They never take the easy option but pack as much as they can into each evening. They are so keen to do the best for the young artists.

I love the fact that the SoPM's legacy has yet to 'ripen' at some time in the future as these young students go on to include music in their lives.

The whole world would be a sadder place without MUSIC... I'm sure you agree!

I've added a new Gallery showcasing the SoPM 2021 Summer Concert here:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SoPM SUMMER CONCERT GALLERY