Guernsey Press

Sun sets on Castle Nights 2019

CASTLE NIGHTS has become a staple of Guernsey summertime attracting hundreds, if not thousands, to Castle Cornet and Friday’s finale of the KPMG-sponsored event was no different.

Published
The final KPMG Castle Nights of 2019 drew a crowd of thousands to Castle Cornet. (Pictures by Chris George Photography)

Gates opened at six o’clock and within five minutes there were more than 800 people inside taking up positions around the castle’s gardens and gantries to soak up a broad church of musical offerings.

From former La’s lead guitarist, John Byrne, to the Guernsey Welsh Male Voice Choir and even the Guernsey Press’s very own Ramblin’ Nick Mann were all performing among a bill totalling 10 acts.

One of the organisers, Jane Livermore, said: ‘We’ve been blessed 75% of the time with the weather and we have definitely been blessed tonight, it is beautiful.

'It brings out the best in everyone really I think. People love coming here to explore the castle and share the pleasure of live music.

'It really has become an event on the Guernsey calendar.’

Co-organiser Nick Creed added: ‘We put quite a bit of effort into promoting the nights to hotels and so that means we get a lot of visitors coming.

'In turn, you get a mixing of various different cultures all here enjoying themselves and making friendships.’

Mr Byrne thinks he may be the only musician to perform every year since it began.

‘Don’t know whether it’s a fact, but it is sort of a residency,’ he joked. ‘It is a perfect night for it tonight because it is all weather dependent and even if its nice weather and there’s a bit of a breeze that can just carry your music, so the wind is your biggest enemy.

‘I’ve got a mixed bag to play tonight from some blues and Latin pieces, like El Condor Pasa, made famous by Simon and Garfunkel. Then there’s a few Beatles numbers so we are keeping it global.’

The Welsh Male Vice Choir were performing for the first time at Castle Nights.

‘Absolutely delighted to be here [Castle Cornet]for our first time,’ said chairman, Frank Coppolo, ‘We’ve been going in excess of 13 years now and we love being able to bring a bit of our Welsh culture over to Guernsey our new home. It is really competitive back in Wales with many Eisteddfods and other competitions but we are hear tonight for the love of singing.’

Keen to be catching his first full Castle Nights of the year was John Gollop who had been unable to attend previously due to States commitments and the Rocquaine Regatta.

‘It’s the last one and it is a shame they only do four a year really,’ said Deputy Gollop,

‘Its got lots of variety from Bordeaux Blue, John Byrne, who had a famous hit with The La’s to even Nick Mann, who you usually wouldn’t think of as a musician, most of us deputies will know him as a rather astute political reporter, but after seeing his set at Chaos he has quite a grungy, American sound.’