April 2020 playlist

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Click here to go straight to the playlist on Spotify Another strange month in April as life under so-called ‘lockdown’ continues to one degree or another around a fair amount of the world. Thankfully there has been a lot of new music entering my world, along with a chance...

Tantale – One Moment (Live At St James Concert Hall)

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard The last decade has seen Tantale develop their ‘ambient grunge’ sound across three full albums (and an early EP) to become a band with a formidable reputation both on record and on stage – their debut album launch show at The Fermain Tavern in 2012 has long remained a...

Vale Earth Fair Unplugged 2020 – The Fermain Tavern – 08/02/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard UkuladeezThe Vale Earth Fair‘s annual unplugged night has become almost as much a part of the Guernsey music calendar as the summer festival itself, albeit with slightly less fanfare. Every year comes with its own surprised and highlights which in the past have ranged from The John Wesley Stone...

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...

BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands: October 2019 – Byzanthian Neckbeard and WaterColour Matchbox

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Byzanthian NeckbeardClick here to watch the show For my BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands show in October 2019 we celebrated a couple of the heavier bands to have released new music in the islands in recent weeks. First was Byzanthian Neckbeard who, after a five year break...

BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands – July 2019 – Vale Earth Fair and King Nun

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Vale Earth Fair Collective and King NunClick here to listen to the show For my BBC Introducing In The Channel Islands radio show there was a lot going on being deep in the midst of summer festival season. With that in mind, as well as a little look back...

BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey: March 2019 – Elliot Falla and Burning At Both Ends

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Burning At Both Ends and Elliot FallaClick here to listen to the show On the March edition of BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey I featured two live sessions as well as the usual range of tracks from artists from the islands. Elliot Falla joined me to talk about his...

BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey: February 2019 – Lord Vapour and Dan Ashplant

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Click here to listen to the show For February edition of BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey I featured a familiar band along side a brand new artist. Lord Vapour will be well known to anyone with an eye on the island’s music scene through their relentless gigging and well...

BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey: December 2018 – Review of the Year

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Click here to listen to the show For the final BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey radio show of 2018 I took a look back at the last year of music in the islands. As well as reflecting on some of the big events that took place across the year,...

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...

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...

BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey: October 2018 – Havoc Events and Out Of The Box

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Havoc Events and Graham DuerdenClick here to listen to the show On the October 2018 edition of BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey, after a packed summer of live music, I featured a couple of things a little different. First I spoke to Graham Duerden, more well-known as drummer from...

Out Of The Box – Various Artists

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Every few years it seems someone strikes on the idea of releasing a compilation album celebrating something of Guernsey’s music scene. From the Guernsey Rock Album in the early 1980s through Twist Records GBG series they have acted as a glimpse into what’s happening in the island’s ‘scene’ at...

BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey: September 2018 – Robert J Hunter live

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard The Robert J. Hunter Band at The Long Road Festival (BBC Music Introducing)Click here to listen to the show While it might be well and truly autumn I continue to revel in a packed summer of festivals on the September 2018 edition of BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey –...

Sark Roots Festival 2018 – 14-16/09/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Sark Roots FestivalFor a third year a field at the north-eastern most point of the tiny island of Sark was converted for the weekend into one of the most relaxed and convivial festivals sites I’ve ever encountered, for the Sark Roots Festival. Once again the event featured three days...

Vale Earth Fair 2018 – Vale Castle – 25-26/08/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Imperial Leisure at the Vale Earth FairFor the second year in a row the 2018 Vale Earth Fair, marking the Channel Island’s longest running music festival’s 42nd year, was split across two days with the first day again being run by Sound Guernsey and the second being the long-established...

BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey: August 2018 – Savage Sons

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Savage Sons in the studioClick here to listen to the show With summer festival season in full swing BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey for August 2018 featured a live session from Savage Sons, a band who’ve been steadily building their reputation at those festivals as well as recently releasing...

BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey: June 2018 – Arts Sunday Lookback

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Click here to listen to the show For the June 2018 edition BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey its a bit of a special looking back at our stage on Arts Sunday earlier in the month. With that in mind there are live sets from Kiya Ashton, Ukuladeez, Track Not...

Sound In The Market – Market Square, St Peter Port – 02/06/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard KingsIn the past there has been something of a tradition of energetic live music performances in the heart of St Peter Port. From the likes of My Generation being famously photographed in Church Square in the 1960s to the Market Rock events in the 90s there was often a...

BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey: May 2018 – The Recks and Arts Sunday preview

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard The RecksClick here to listen to the show On the May 2018 edition of BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey I welcomed The Recks into their studio as they launched their debut album, The Beast From The Sea, and took a look at the bands playing our stage on Arts...

BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey: March 2018 – Guernsey Gigs and Apocalypse Studios

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Click here to listen to the show On the March 2018 edition of BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey, broadcast on Saturday 31st, I presented something of a Guernsey Gigs special. On the show I spoke to the Guernsey Gigs team as they launch their new website, designed to be...

Tantale album launch with The Recks, Lord Vapour and Flexagon – The Fermain Tavern – 10/02/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard TantaleOn Saturday 10th February Tantale launched their third album, Tightrope (read my review here), with a special show at The Fermain Tavern. With the venue redecorated as a kind of post apocalyptic garden by Tyler Ayres of Ghosthaus, Tantale were joined by Lord Vapour, The Recks and Flexagon for...

Tantale – Tightrope

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Two years ago when Tantale released their second album, Just Add Vice, I said they were a band who felt somewhat overtaken by the scene around them, now though, as they release they third full length record, Tightrope, it seems they’ve found their place. Rather than this making them...

BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey: January 2018 – Tantale and Track Not Found

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Tantale and Track Not FoundClick here to listen to the show BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey started the new year with a look at two new releases by band’s from the island. First was Track Not Found who released their debut EP, The Only Way Is Lost, just before...