Who We Are
Guernsey Gigs is a volunteer-run platform that champions original music from Guernsey and the wider Channel Islands. We believe in building platforms, not gatekeeping them.
What began in 2009 as a simple gig listings site has grown into a collective of musicians, creatives, and music lovers working together to strengthen the local scene. Today, Guernsey Gigs includes a YouTube channel, a podcast, live sessions, merchandise distribution for local bands, event organisation and support, and a newly launched online forum for musicians and fans to connect outside the noise of social media.
We support artists, promote events, and create space for collaboration. Everything we do is powered by passion and shared voluntarily.
Our Story
Guernsey Gigs was founded by Elliott Mariess, a local musician and creative, after returning to Guernsey and finding the music scene had was quieter than he remembered. He launched the original listings website to keep track of live events and help others discover them.
Around the same time he began filming and photographing musicians/bands along with his brother Christiaan (Squirrel) Mareiss helping with audio, the youtube channel was then born after the first Guernsey Gigs live session with Robert J Hunter
Soon after, He pitched the idea for a new kind of open mic night — one that encouraged original songwriting and collaboration. This became the Unplugged Club, brought to life with the help of Gregory Harrison, whose live event experience helped shape and host the series.
The collaboration continued as Elliott and Greg teamed up with Graham Duerden to launch the Guernsey Gigs Podcast, interviewing local musicians and organisers to share their stories and strengthen community ties.
As the project grew, so did the team. Over the years, a rotating group of contributors has helped shape Guernsey Gigs, including:
Gregory Harrison (The Recks) – Unplugged Club co-founder and host
Graham Duerden (Tantale) – Podcast co-host
Andy Sauvage (Lifejacket) – Facebook admin and scene supporter
Kiya Ashton – Singer-songwriter and Unplugged Club organiser
Christiaan Mariess ( Lord vapour, Band of Squirrels) - Sound engineer, event organiser
Tom Girard – BBC writer, musician (Phantom Cosmonaut), and blog contributor
Andrew Degnen – Unplugged Club event support
with additional support from Jade Kershaw, Scott Michel, Carrie & Martin Welch, Ollie Goddard, Joe Le Long, Katie Guilmoto, Tobi Batiste, Patrick Devaney, Callum Aitken, Robert Ogier and more…
Guernsey Gigs has collaborated with St James, Vale Earth Fair, SOPM, and Chaos Festival, Sark Folk Festival, La Beltane, helping with design, photography, sound, video, and promotion. We also operated a local music merch stall (now run by and situated at St James), offering a central place to discover and buy music from island bands.
The team is ever-changing — people step in and out as life allows. That flexibility keeps the project alive and relevant.
How We Work
Guernsey Gigs isn’t a company or committee — it’s a community movement. There are no board meetings or fixed schedules. People contribute in the ways they can — sometimes for a single project, sometimes for years.
If you’re a musician, promoter, writer, videographer, designer, or just a local music fan — there’s space for you to join in.
Looking Ahead
Guernsey Gigs has always grown in response to what the scene needs. While we don’t follow a fixed roadmap, one thing remains clear: our focus on original music.
We aim to inspire more artists to write, record, and perform their own material. We want to offer tools and content that support their development, and we’re committed to building both online and offline spaces that allow musicians and fans to connect in meaningful ways.
Original music tells our stories. It builds community, identity, and pride in our culture.
Get Involved
Visit the Guernsey Gigs Forum, come to a gig, or drop us a message
