Vale Earth Fair Sneakaway To The Library and Zine Launch – Guille-Allès Library – 14/03/20

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Beth Brown on stageAt last summer’s Vale Earth Fair a new stage debuted, The Sneakaway, focussing, for the first time that I can recall at the festival, not on music but on spoken word performances. Now the team behind it have staged a night at Guernsey’s Guille-Allès Library featuring...

BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands: January 2020 – Joe Corbin and Flexagon

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Joe Corbin in the studioClick here to listen to the show For my edition of BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands I took a look at two new releases from artists from the islands along with tracks from a range of acts. Joe Corbin joined me in session...

BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands: December 2019 – Live Session Special

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Click here to listen to the show For my December 2019 edition of BBC Music Introducing in the Channel Islands I presented a look back at some of the best of the live sessions we’ve featured across the year. Along with the sessions recorded in our studio from the...

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...

PigsX7, Teaspoonriverneck, Brunt and Track Not Found – St James Concert Hall – 30/11/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs PigsEvery now and again a gig comes around that seems to catch everyone’s imagination more than the usual and, a few months ago, when St James Concert Hall announced they’d booked the awkwardly but brilliantly named Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs...

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...

Playlist – October 2019

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Lots of new music this month from various places and a couple of old ‘classics’ too. Starting off with stuff closer to home there’s new music from Byzanthian Neckbeard’s Extinction EP and the new single from Track Not Found. Further afield I’ve got tracks from King Nun’s debut album...

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...

Track Not Found – Everyone Hates Track Not Found (single)

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard It’s been nearly a year and half since Track Not Found released any new recordings, the Science (Gone Wrong) single that marked Record Store Day 2018 following their debut EP The Only Way Is Lost, but now they are back with a new single, the maybe ironically titled Everyone...

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...

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...

King Nun, Track Not Found, The Recks, Savage Sons and Case On The Base – St James Concert Hall – 13/07/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard King NunWith the sun beating down outside it felt rather incongruous heading into St James on Saturday evening after a couple of the island’s big festival weekends, but with some upcoming visitors in King Nun, live favourites The Recks and Track Not Found, Chaos/Sound Guernsey Battle of the Bands...

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...

BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands – June 2019 – Arts Sunday and Sark Folk Festival

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Click here to listen to the show For my latest stint in the hot seat on BBC Music Introducing in the Channel Islands I had two features in amongst the music. First was a look back at three of the five artists who played the BBC Introducing on Arts...

BBC Music Introducing at Arts Sunday – St Peter Port, Guernsey – 09/06/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Burning At Both EndsFor the fifth year in a row BBC Music Introducing was represented with a stage at Guernsey Arts Commission‘s Arts Sunday event. Matching the growing scope of BBC Music Introducing in the Channel Islands the stage featured five acts including performers from Guernsey, Jersey and Sark...

Liberation Day Warm Up with The Recks, The Honest Crooks and Track Not Found – Imperial Hotel – 08/05/19

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Track Not FoundLiberation Day is always a busy one when it comes to live music and 2019 was no different, however in the past the night before has often been a rather quiet one. This year though that was different as The Imperial Hotel at Rocquaine chose Wednesday the...

BBC Music Introducing in the Channel Islands – April 2019 – The Recks and Atmoised

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard The Recks and AtomisedClick here to listen to the show This month BBC Introducing in Guernsey and Jersey have been combined so going forward its BBC Music Introducing In The Channel Islands, with me still in the hot seat for the final Saturday of each month. With that in...

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: January 2019 – Hollie Lucia and Mike’s Magic Trip

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Hollie Lucia and Mike MeinkeClick here to listen to the show BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey started off the new year with a whole load of brand new music. As well as new tracks from new from the likes of BLAKALASKA, Blacksmith, Lord Vapour and Robert J. Hunter I...

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...

BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey: November 2018 – Kiya Ashton in session and The Honest Crooks

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Kiya Ashton and The Honest CrooksClick here to listen to the show On the November 2018 edition of BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey I was joined in the studio by a band an artist preparing to release their debut EPs. Kiya Ashton has been gigging for a couple of...

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...

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...

2018 Summer of Music in Guernsey

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard The Honest CrooksI’m sure it’s a trend I’ve mentioned in the past but more than ever the ‘summer festival season’ in Guernsey is, like it’s larger counterparts in the U.K. and Europe, getting longer and more packed each year. Barely a weekend went by without some event happening and...

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: July 2018 – Joe Corbin and The Recks at Latitude

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Joe Corbin in the studioClick here to listen to the show On the July 2018 edition of BBC Music Introducing In Guernsey I had another show packed with exciting new and live music. First of all we were joined in the studio for a session and chat by Joe...

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...

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...

Dolmens and Track Not Found – The Golden Lion – 22/06/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard DolmensWith the exception of a one-off event featuring Brunt last autumn it’s been a long a time since the downstairs bar at The Golden Lion has welcomed any of Guernsey’s original hard rock acts. So, when they announced a weekend of the heavier stuff, there was some sense of...

BBC Music Introducing at Arts Sunday 2018 – 10/06/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard UkuladeezFor a fourth year BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey was part of Guernsey Arts Commission‘s Arts Sunday event on 10th June. The event, this year focussed on the theme of ‘Express Yourself’, took over the St Peter Port seafront from 10 until 4 and featured a showcase of pretty...

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: April 2018 – Kings in Session

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Eli and Casey of KingsClick here to listen to the show BBC Music Introducing in Guernsey for April 2018 had three main themes to it. First was our live guests, Eli and Casey from pop band Kings. They played an acoustic session for us featuring the first three singles...

Track Not Found – Science (Gone Wrong) – Record Store Day Single

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Track Not Found (l-r Grace, Emma and Maisie)Hot off the heels of their debut EP, The Only Way Is Lost, released a matter of day before Christmas, teenage trio Track Not Found return with a new single to help mark Record Store Day, Science (Gone Wrong). While releasing a...

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...

Sound Guernsey present The Young Ones, Vol. 2 – The Fermain Tavern – 02/03/18

This is an excerpt of an article written by Tom Girard Track Not FoundFor two and a bit years Sound Guernsey have been giving young music fans in the island the chance to experience live music from both established and new bands. From this, as well as the work of music schools like Thirst and School Of Popular Music (amongst...

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...