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VIEW PICS OF FRANKIE DAVIES & HER BAND
The second of the #triplestoked events had a tall mountain to climb if it was to top the first night when the line-up consisted of Buffalo Huddleston, The Recks and Yes Sir Boss.

So I was not surprised when that peak wasn't quite conquered second time around.

That isn't to say that the night failed to generate an atmosphere in The Fermain Tavern. In fact there was another good turn-out and those that attended certainly had their moneys worth.

Nothing in life maintains the ultimate high and perhaps that is a good thing as when they come along we appreciate them even more. It also keeps us 'hunting' for the next big one :-)

I photographed a couple of the line-up at #triplestoked-2. You can view pics of the beautiful Frankie Davies and her band and Brother & Bones here:

VIEW PICS OF BROTHER & BONES

A new music tuition service is now on offer in Guernsey.

Tyler Edmonds has selected a small team of experienced music tutors to offer a new music tuition service to Guernsey residents. A wide selection of instruments can be learnt with a bias towards modern music with an aim of bringing musicians together with encouragement to form bands sometime in the future.

With this form of support now available the local music scene looks like it will just get stronger and more diverse. Good news as far as I'm concerned :-)
VIEW PICS OF THE SCHOOL OF POPULAR MUSIC LAUNCH DAY

What is hard edged, shiny, strong and magnetic?

Maybe a bit of Metal?

Well the Metal to the Masses competition produced performances that were a credit to the genre of music on stage at The Fermain Tavern.

This was at the Guernsey round of a tournament which will eventually see the best Bands that Guernsey and Jersey can offer go head to head (again on the Tavern stage) sparring for a place to play at this years Bloodstock Festival.

The chance of winning such a great prize generated the energy within the Bands to produce some of their best ever performances.

I was there to take a few pictures of Byzanthian Neckbeard, Stone Em All & Brunt. Check 'em out here:
VIEW PICS OF THE GUERNSEY ROUND OF METAL TO THE MASSES

Last Sunday (yes that is unusual) I was at The Fermain Tavern for the first of three #Triplestoked nights. The hype around these three 'specials' had been running high. Could they live up to it?

The first #triplestoked certainly hit the stage at the max! Indeed it was one of the most memorable gigs I have ever experienced at 'The Tav'... and I have seen a few!

It prompted me to ask 'how can you top that?'

Well we are about to find out as this Friday sees #triplestoked No.2

The first line-up comprised three GREAT Bands. Buffalo Huddleston, The Recks and head-liners Yes Sir Boss.

I can now share with you some of the atmosphere and I recommend you get along to the next two nights.

Pics are now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF #TRIPLESTOKED-1

What is it with Bands?

We have all seen this before. You discover a particular Band that you like. You follow this Band through its 'gestation period' and support it as it develops, grows and matures into the completed 'product'... then they break up and split!

Of course there are usually good reasons behind these dis-banding's. We have to accept that day-to-day living always has to take precedence over the dream of making it in a Band. But it is still a disappointment when you see this happen to a Band that you feel is a bit above the average.

This ramble was triggered when I recently discovering that two Bands that I definitely consider above average are splitting up. They both have the justified excuse that members are taking a break or actually leaving the Island. So I should accept this.

But it is always disappointing. You cannot avoid wondering what great things were to come?

The two Bands that are in my mind today are Buffalo Huddleston and Last of the Light Brigade.

In the first case the Band line-up is losing Becky Hamilton and with LOTLB it is bass player Ben Queripel.

So there we are. We don't have the option of changing these decisions so things will move on. I have a strong instinct that in both cases the Bands will continue to develop... there is just too much passion for their music within the Bands. Maybe these occasions also offer a chance to refresh what they do? Time will tell.

One thing is certain. My own love of music... particularly when played live is still alive and kicking. Long may it continue.

Last weekend I photographed the launch gig for the new Last of the Light Brigade Album 'Last Laugh' at The Fermain Tavern. Pics are now on-line.

I also photographed Buffalo Huddleston at #triplestoked.

The two nights included six Bands in total! First up are pics of the Album launch night of Last of the Light Brigade including pics of the support acts Robert J Hunter and Coastal Fire Department. Check the next blog for the other updates.
VIEW PICS OF LAST OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
VIEW PICS OF ROBERT J HUNTER
VIEW PICS OF COASTAL FIRE DEPARTMENT

A Bank Holiday weekend is looked forward to by most people as a time to relax, chill-out a bit and basically enjoy time away from work.

Well it couldn't be more different for me!

But don't feel too guilty about this. I love my job. It actually consists of what I would choose to do on my day off anyway! That makes me very lucky :-)

The only down-side is that I have to pack a huge amount into a very short time. There isn't much time to sleep when there are so many deadlines to meet.

To give you some idea how I've chased around for the last few days, here goes...

Good Friday:
Web site updates were first on the list. Then there were Guernsey Press photo jobs including the GIAAC 10km Road Run at Grande Rocque and a big Guernsey Basketball League game at Beau Sejour. All pics had to be edited, captioned and submitted to a short deadline.

Saturday:
First it was another update to this web site then off to the first GMC&CC Sand Race meeting of 2014 on Vazon beach. This was followed by another edit GP submissions and a web site update. Then it was time to head off to the The Fermain Tavern for the launch of Last of the Light Brigade's new album. There were three bands on the bill so that was more picture taking. The line-up was fantastic and consisted of Coastal Fire Department, Robert J Hunter and his Band and the boys from Last of the Light Brigade.
Home-time meant another quick edit and a 2am finish!

Sunday:
OK, I'll admit that I did take a little time out for Easter celebrations with my family... noisy bunch too. That comes from now having two grandchildren and a 'grand dog' (although I think my own three adult children were the loudest of the lot!) Next was an unusual Sunday photoshoot of a gig. Again it was at The Tav. This was the first of three #triplestoked weekends. If the remaining two can match the atmosphere and quality of last Sunday's line-up we are in for more treats!
The quality of performance, sound and lighting was 'top-notch' and a real pleasure to photograph. The line-up consisted of Buffalo Huddlestone, The Recks and visiting UK head liners YesSirBoss. Another late return home still allowed time for a quick edit and another 2am finish!

Easter Monday:
What felt like a very early start (9am... very rock 'n roll, eh!) for the first Hill Climb of 2014. Thankfully it stayed dry and it was great to be back 'track-side' capturing the action. There was no lunch break this year so I was tired and hungry by the time I got home ready to relax. But, hey, no chance! It was back to the editing as I had more Guernsey Press pics to submit and I then made a start on the edit for this web site. Needless to say it was another late finish :-(

So there you have it. I hope you enjoyed your casual weekend?

The pay-off for me is that the picture orders are already flowing in. And the best part? When you are back at your desk in the week I'll be out walking with the missus, maybe having a lunch or two at the Fleur du Jardin.

Then I'm sure I'll find time for a few beers at my 'town office', The Cock & Bull :-)

Like I always say, I love my job!

So far I Have added new Galleries for the GIAAC 10km Road Run, the Panthers v Le Mont Saint Basketball, GMC&CC Sandracing and the GMC&CC Hill Climb.

Pics of all six Bands will follow shortly.
VIEW PICS OF THE GMC&CC HILL CLIMB
VIEW PICS OF THE GMC&CC SAND RACING
VIEW PICS OF THE GIAAC 10km ROAD RACE
VIEW PICS OF PANTHERS v LE MONT SAINT BASKETBALL

Last Sunday was another special milestone for this web site.

It has become a tradition that I post a short Blog to celebrate these milestones as they pass... so I will continue this practice:-)

The occasion worth marking is the passing of another 1,000,000 viewings. This takes the total views past the 6,000,000... yes SIX MILLION!

The latest million views took about six months. This seems to be the established average now the web site has settled down into a pattern. The next six months will probably show an increase of one and a half million if past behaviour is repeated. The summertime is busier for me.

The continued interest in my pics is really appreciated. I'm sure that few people will understand how much work goes on behind the scenes - that is the work after the short process of actually taking photographs - to make the regular Gallery updates that keep people coming back to look at my work.

The reward for me is way more than the small income from selling pics. I have enjoyed the appreciation given from the people I photograph. I also know that I am privileged to be able to commit so much time to what started out as just a hobby.

Each time I sit down and consider what to write to mark the extra Million I think back over the last few months. This made me recall a small order for a few digital pics, just last week. There was nothing particularly significant with this order. It certainly only paid for a couple of beers! But, the interesting thing was that the order was for a few pics that I took way back in 2009. That's five years ago!

I've always wondered how someone can wait for so long to order a picture. How do they even remember (or find) the pic after such a long time?

I tell myself that maybe the pictures captured a special moment in the subjects life. The purchaser might have seen the image when it was first added to the Galleries and it made enough impression to be remembered.

Maybe buying a copy of the picture, after all this time, will help them recall and share that moment with others for many years to come?

If I'm right that a picture can mean so much to a person, maybe I really do have the best job in the world?

Check the links below to read previous Milestone Blogs:
CLICK HERE TO READ PREVIOUS MILESTONE BLOGS

Fermain Fest 2014 was held on Saturday at The Fermain Tavern - where else?

Basically the format is music, music and more music spread over an eight hour working day :-) To expand on that a little, the music genre is pretty eclectic - in other words something for almost everyone's tastes.

This varied line-up attracts a great mix of punters who arrive to support their favourites and then hang around to enjoy other artists. I think that is what justifies the 'Fest' in Fermain Fest!

I was on site for most of the eight hours but missed a couple of acts as I had to pop out for other photog work.

I think my favourite act were The Glazzies. They had been heralded with this quote: "Influenced by 90's groups such as Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr. and Queens of the Stone Age, The Glazzies have brought back tense verses and explosive choruses." - AlternativeNation.net

I think that was encouragement enough for me to make sure I didn't miss them. I was not disappointed!

I've now added a full Gallery of pics featuring Jonny Lives!, Sugar Slam, Robert J Hunter, The Glazzies, To the Woods, Brunt, Lydia Pugh and The Doomsday Project. That's quite a full line-up, you'll agree!
VIEW PICS OF FERMAIN FEST 2014

Spring-time was out in all its glory over the weekend.

I was lucky to be able to spend a little time on the beach... and I get to call it work :-)

The weather for Round-4 of the Guernsey Autocross Championship was wonderful. Chouet beach was a great place to be and the early start didn't seem to slow down how quick lunch-time came around and the need for me to move on to the next event.

Thankfully it was more of the same as I arrived at the Trials sections (on the beach) at Fort Grey.

Again the sun was out and the beach was a very pleasant place to be. But I knew I had to work at things to capture the best action shots so after a short time I headed in-land unto Andy Benstead's land where other sections were laid out.

This was the best move for me as I was able to capture pics that were both action shots and of value to me using my 'photographic eye'. What do I mean? Well a photographer can only capture the light and action before him and the light within the small wooded area of the Trials sections was low, warm and painted by shadows. No photographer could resist it!

If you were one of the competitors riding the sections, I hope you had fun and understand how a photog looks at the scene in front of them with a different eye...

I've added the Autocross & Trials pics to my Galleries. Take a look:

VIEW PICS OF THE AUTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

VIEW PICS OF BIKE TRIALS

VIEW ROUND-4 OF THE WINTER KART CHAMPIONSHIP
There we go. Everything seems to be back to normal service :-)

So that means a few more Gallery updates.

The Guernsey Kart & Motor Club completed their Winter Kart Championship last Sunday. Pics are now on-line.

Also last weekend Elysium made one of their rare appearances at the Doghouse. There are rumours that this was one of their last gigs! If the Band breaks up that would be a real loss to our music scene as they have established themselves as masters of all things Pink Floyd. It also means that it is even more important for you to catch their next (last?) gig. You have been warned.

Click the links to look at the new Galleries:


VIEW PICS OF THE ELYSIUM GIG AT THE DOGHOUSE

Contrary to what some may be thinking, I haven't been on holiday. In fact I can't remember the last time I went on one! Perhaps the need for a holiday is reduced when every day (of work) seems a bit like fun. Lucky me!

You might have thought I was on a break if you have tried to view this web-site in the last few days... it had disappeared :-(

I won't begin to try and understand, let alone try to explain, what happened but it seems that some web 'DNS stuff' went haywire. By the way, the 'DNS stuff' was the technical term used by my professional web-site designing son. He knew he had to keep it simple if I was to understand anything.

One thing that an untimely breakdown like this does is remind me of how many viewings the Galleries have each day. The daily figure varies between 5,000 and the best ever of over 40,000!!

It also makes me feel 'wanted' (ah, sweet) because I received quite a number of e-mails from people complaining that they couldn't see their pics.

Now everything seems to be getting back to normal (hopefully) I have added a new Gallery with pics of the weekends Sprint racing at Vazon, enjoy:
VIEW THE NEW SPRINT RACING GALLERIES

We know that nothing can or will ever replace the experience that fans of Nirvana had if they were lucky enough to see the Band play live.

BUT, what we are able to do is keep the Band's music alive... and the best way is... LIVE!

Nirvazon were formed to do just that as a mark of respect and as a celebration of the great songs that Nirvana and Kurt Cobain recorded before his untimely death 20 years ago.

When such an amazing talent such as Kurt's is lost you may feel that his importance and influence passes too. How wrong that is. Saturday night at The Fermain Tavern was a perfect example of the continued influence a musician can have on a whole generation and beyond. There were many people in the audience (like me) who bought the Nirvana records when they were first issued... but there were as many young people who were only just born in 1994.

Each of us gloried in the songs knowing that many, many of our favourite artists of today carry the 'DNA' of Nirvana into today's and tomorrow's classics. What a legacy to leave behind.

These pics document a fantastic night of LIVE music which was received and appreciated by an enthusiastic crowd at the legendary 'Tav'.

Big thanks to the band, Pete 'Plumb' Bretel, James Le Huray, Tom Bradshaw and Matt Smart. You nailed it!

Special thanks also go to Lloyd Hellyeah for the superb stage lighting. A photographer is nothing without light:-)
VIEW PICS OF NIRVAZON AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

Once again the Guernsey music scene provided too many choices of Bands and Venues this weekend.

It was a difficult choice, but somebody had to make it! Sorry to the guys & gals that I missed. Maybe next time?

So I decided to share the performances of three Bands... and the nominations were...

First up it was Thee Jenerators (with their new line-up) at The White Hart on Friday. The latest incarnation seems to have lost very little of their unique energy!

Then on Saturday I managed to catch two Bands at the Chaos Peace Tent Christmas Party at The Fermain Tavern. (I know, it's MARCH!).

It was great to see the talented Buffalo Huddleston followed by The Space Pirates of Rocquaine.

That list amounted to a varied weekend of lively entertainment. Just how I like it :-)

Pics are now on-line:
VIEW PICS OF THEE JENERATORS

VIEW PICS OF BUFFALO HUDDLESTON

VIEW PICS OF THE SPACE PIRATES OF ROCQUAINE

Possibly making a new record for brevity (when judged by the few words), this blog announces the addition of a Gallery featuring the ICG Grant Thorton Indoor Cricket Championship...
PICS OF THE GRANT THORTON INDOOR CRICKET CHAMPIONSHIP

There's no stopping the Motocross Championship now that it's on a roll!

The lost meetings due to the weather are now distant memories and the racers have enjoyed another cracking race with the track performing really well.

Today passed with the early showers rolling away leaving strong winds and each threatening cloud skirting either side of the track. Our luck has changed :-)

Combine this with no delays for 'hospital runs', like the last couple of meetings, and just about every box had a positive tick.

I've made a quick edit of my pics and they are now on-line.
VIEW THE LATEST MOTOCROSS PICS

Now nobody can ever accuse me on not getting enough variety in my life. I'm not talking about ladies by the way (my missus will be pleased to know!) :-)

No, what I am referring to is variety of music. The live kind.

If you look at my previous Blog and check-out the pics you should get the impression that the Stan Smith gig was just a bit heavy... and it was!

And then you look at this latest Blog and it is all about Motown and the sixties and a gig by the Blondettes which perhaps can only be described as 'girlie' (in comparison, that is).

I found that the Blondettes set of close harmony classics from the 60's and beyond was really enjoyable (and I'm a man!) so I can recommend them if you have a function that needs a fun and party atmosphere.

Take a look at the pics here:
VIEW PICS OF THE BLONDETTES AT THE FERMAIN TAVERN

Music lovers at The Fermain Tavern don't hold any prejudice when it comes to bands and the music they follow. Even if this arrives from Jersey!

Any inter-island rivalries are left out on the patio when the band takes to the stage. The only thing on peoples minds is to absorb the beat (heavy in this case).

So when Stan Smith took their turn on the Fermain Tavern stage the only thing that mattered was the mosh pit. And Stan Smith are masters of orchestrating that!

As a photographer you have to balance the risk of having thousands of pounds of delicate cameras and lenses knocked to the floor and being close enough to capture the best action.

I risked all and I'm relieved to say that once again the gear lives to see another gig :-)

I've added pics of Stan Smith to the Galleries:
VIEW PICS OF STAN SMITH

The viewing figures for this website topped 14,000 yesterday!

That's quite a good number, I hope you agree :-)

What makes it even better is that I had only uploaded two galleries of the weekends work. There were actually six photoshoots in total that I completed over the two days.

So that means I'm still catching up with the other jobs... so there are still more new pics to come :-)

I've just ticked another shoot off the list as the Autocross Banger racing picture gallery in now on-line.

Follow this link to check them out:
VIEW THE WEEKENDS AUTOCROSS RACING

I admit that I'm quite amazed at the interest in this web site and my work... amazed but encouraged and pleased (time for a smiley I think).

:-)

I had a late night last night. Or should I say 'early morning' as it was past midnight when I began uploading the first pics from the busy weekend. I had a couple of Press submission deadlines to complete first but once I 'put my back into it' the time flew by and I found that the GMC&CC 2-Day Trials pics were soon ready for my web galleries.

Having uploaded them I did a bit of tidying up of the days work - again time flew by and it was soon 1.45am. During this period I had Google Analytics running in the background and to my surprise the new Gallery was taking loads of hits!

It begs the question 'when do you guys actually sleep?' I know, I was also one of those insomniacs... but I was working. What was your excuse?

This is no complaint from me :-) I thank all of you for the interest. It's probably just another example of what an 'immediate world' we live in.

The Motocross racers can also now collect their 'picture fix' as I have added pics of their racing...
PICS OF THE WEEKENDS MOTOCROSS

Those were two busy days. But great fun.

Once again I now retreat to my small office having had a brilliant weekend of shooting (the photographic kind, of course). I probably won't be seen again for a few days as I work through the shots of two Gigs, Motocross racing, Autocross racing and the 'biggie' of the weekend, the Guernsey Motor Cycle & Car Club 2-Day Trials.

It was the Trials meeting that has worn me out - and I was only following around trying to capture the best action! To do this I have been up and down cliff slopes, rock piles and and all manner of obstacles. I've lost count of how many sections I covered.

However I'm sure my bones won't be aching like the riders :-)

The quality of the Expert riders was high with some of the sections needing huge commitment. This entertained hundreds of spectators around the course.

I'll be adding picture galleries during the next few days so check-out this Blog for updates...
VIEW PICS OF THE 2-DAY TRIALS