In News

May 2020 Playlist

Click here to listen to my full 2020 playlist on Spotify Another strange month comes to an end but, at least where I’m living, on a more positive note as things start to reopen (though we await any kind of announcement about full scale gigs happening again). With that in mind I have another motley selection of tracks that I’ve...
May 30, 2020 by Tom Girard
In News

Coastal Fire Dept – You Are Stuck

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Relatively hot on the heels of their debut ‘mini-album’ Control, Coastal Fire Dept. are back with a new single (a lead in to their upcoming new album), You Are Stuck. Since we last heard from the band on record they seem to have further solidified their line up with...
May 2, 2020 by Tom Girard
In News

L’Islet Records Acoustic Night: Coastal Fire Dept, John Le Sauvage and Rachel Dawson – The Vault – 31/01/20

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Coastal Fire Dept go acoustic(ish)After rounding off their 2019 with a very noisy night at The Fermain Tavern, L’Islet Records started the new year in slightly more low key fashion with an acoustic night at The Vault (though they still managed to fit in a good dose of their...
February 4, 2020 by Tom Girard
In News

L’Islet Records presents From Darkness, Coastal Fire Dept and Terrible Stuntman – The Fermain Tavern – 28/12/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Coastal Fire DeptThe period of time between Christmas and New Year, euphemistically but aptly referred to by some as ‘Chrimbo-limbo,’ can be a strange one for live music. In the past it’s seen rowdy and raucous highlight of the year events such as Dead Sea Skulls return visit to...
January 1, 2020 by Tom Girard
In News

December 2019 and Best of 2019 Playlists

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard As with last year’s December playlist blog I’ve got two in one this month with my usual monthly update and a more focussed ‘best of the year’ including some of my favourite new tracks from 2019 (you can also find one focussing on music from the Channel Islands on...
December 30, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

Music in Guernsey in 2019

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard After a couple of years where music in Guernsey had upped its game, across the board, to a level that continues to surprise many visitors to the island, or those who hear Guernsey based bands when they venture away, 2019 has had to me a slightly different feel. While...
December 28, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

Coastal Fire Dept – Control

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Over the last five years, since their rather inauspicious debut supporting Last Of The Light Brigade, the world’s finest (and possibly only) purveyors of self-styled ‘Grunge From The Vale’, Coastal Fire Dept, have been through something of a rotating cast of line ups centred on frontman and chief songwriter...
December 20, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands: November 2019 – Track Not Found and Brunt

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Track Not Found in the studioClick here to listen to the show On my BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands show for November 2019 we had a live session, a preview a new album and a listen to some of the acts I caught at BBC Music Introducing...
December 1, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

Mods vs Rockers: The Risk and Coastal Fire Dept – The Vault – 15/11/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Colin Leach and Mark Le Gallez of The RiskAfter a run of bigger gigs both in Guernsey and further afield there was something refreshing about heading back into a smaller venue on a cold November night to catch what was billed the next chapter in the supposed ongoing conflict...
November 20, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands – September 2019 – Nick Coleman and Coastal Fire Dept

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Nick Coleman on BBC IntroducingClick here to listen to the show For my edition of BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands for September 2019 I featured two up and coming acts from Guernsey with rather different styles. In session was Nick Coleman who’s made a name for himself...
September 29, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

Vale Earth Fair Weekend 2019 – 24-25/08/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard The Neville Staple BandFor the third year in a row the Vale Earth Fair expanded to a two day event with the main festival, this year celebrating 43 years, in its usual place at the Vale Castle on the Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend but with Sound...
August 29, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

Chaos 15 – Pleinmont, Guernsey – 28-30/06/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard After seemingly settling back into a winning formula last year, Chaos returned for a 15th time to the Pleinmont headland in Guernsey over the weekend of 28th to 30th June 2019. With two stages running for the three days it was possibly the most varied Chaos event yet with...
July 4, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

L’Islet Records Presents To The Woods, Coastal Fire Dept and Isle Stone – The Fermain Tavern – 20/04/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard To The WoodsWhen a show is announced featuring a rare appearance from To The Woods, a grunge and indie inflected hard rocking trio who built a formidable reputation a couple of years ago, there is always something of a sense of anticipation. When you add to that a newly...
April 24, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

Havoc Presents… Kings, Coastal Fire Dept, Vice and Kiya Ashton – The Fermain Tavern – 02/03/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard KingsBack in November Havoc Events revived themselves after a few years away from organising shows with a metal night at The Fermain Tavern harking back to their former glory days. At the time though they were already saying they had plans to put on shows with a broader appeal...
March 6, 2019 by Tom Girard
In News

Music In Guernsey In 2018

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard A year ago, when I was writing my review of music in Guernsey in 2017, I commented that it felt like a year when the bands and musicians in and from the island had all, collectively, taken a great step forward I terms of the quality of what was...
December 27, 2018 by Tom Girard
In News

Sound At St James – St James Concert Hall, Guernsey – 27-28/10/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Of Empires on the main stageFor as long as I can remember St James, the impressive looking former church on the main road into St Peter Port, has been the home of classical music in Guernsey with rarely anything even bordering on pop gracing its impressive main hall, or...
November 2, 2018 by Tom Girard
In News

Guitar Music Is Dead – The Fermain Tavern – 22/09/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard The RiskPresented by the possibly fictional record label L’islet Records, Guitar Music Is Dead! was something of an ironic name for this event at The Fermain Tavern, as it featured four bands spanning a wide range of unarguably guitar based sounds. The first of these was a rare outing...
September 25, 2018 by Tom Girard
In News

Lord Vapour and Coastal Fire Dept. – The Vault – 14/07/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Lord VapourThere’s something about the combination of a hot and sweaty summer night, a small bar and loud music that makes for a great combination and that was certainly in evidence on Saturday 14th July 2018 as Lord Vapour and Coastal Fire Dept took to the stage at The...
July 16, 2018 by Tom Girard
In News

Chaos 14 – Pleinmont, Guernsey – 29/06-01/07/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Now in its 14th year I think it’s safe to say that, after the Vale Earth Fair, Chaos (aka Chaos Weekend or Chaos Festival) is one of the most established events in the Channel Islands music calendar regularly attracting visitors from Jersey, the U.K. and mainland Europe. Over that...
July 4, 2018 by Tom Girard
In News

Sound Guernsey – The Fermain Tavern – 27/04/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard BruntOver the past year and a half Sound Guernsey has not only given the island’s youngsters a chance to experience live music but also provided a platform for them to play as new bands emerge. Their April 2018 show at The Fermain Tavern then was a bit of an...
May 1, 2018 by Tom Girard