Ah, Dorchester, the city that never sleeps. No, come back, I’m being serious. I mean, look at next Friday night in the county town: Two fantastic gigs with some great bands.

Now, obviously, unless you have some sort of super powers, you’re not going to be able to get to both, so I’ll leave the decision up to you.

So be prepared to lock up your badgers as the West Country Invasion tour hits Durnovaria on Friday, March 1, with The Skimmity Hitchers bringing their brand of scrumpy and western, rusty tractors and general agricultural mayhem to the Corn Exchange.

The Hitchers’ front man, Jack Scrumpy, is still basking in the glory of being voted Most Eligible Casual Farm Labourer by the prestigious Farmer’s Wife magazine.

Support – and knowing the Hitchers’ liking for the cider, they’ll need support by the end of the night – comes from fellow West Country nutjobs The Inbredz, Devil’s Rejects and Rock’n’Roll Town Crier DJ Chris Smith. Oh Yez!

Tickets are £6 in advance from the CornEx or £8 on the door.

HERE'S THE SKIMMITY HITCHERS IN ACTION

Meanwhile, just down the road at the Dorchester Arts Centre next Friday are up-and-coming Swanage hipsters Saturday Sun.

Taking their name from the Nick Drake song, their gentle and luscious melodies have been compared to John Martyn and the Sid Barrett-era Pink Floyd.

They’ve been tipped for greater things by both Music Week Magazine and BBC Radio 6’s Tom Robinson, so catch ‘em before they become ENORMOUS and get your tickets at £7 from the box office on 01305 266926.

 

HERE'S SATURDAY SUN IN ACTION

Also in Dorchester tomorrow night, Saturday, February 23, there’s a punk rock night in aid of Cancer Research UK at Tom Brown’s in High East Street.

So dig out your best Seditionaries bondage trews, stick a safety pin through your face and pogo ‘til you puke to the sounds of the Sex Pistols, The Damned The Clash et al, as provided by Fat, Drunk and Stupid (I’ve been all of those, sometimes simultaneously) and The Skones.

And finally, tonight and tomorrow at The Star pub in Weymouth is the place to be if you want to get your applause and a-wooping and a-hollering recorded for posterity.

Local supergroup The Steamer Ducks (That’s Robbie McIntosh on guitar, Steve Burholt on keys, Nick Gomer on harmonica, Steve Mutter on congas, Ady Milward on drums, Clive Ashley on sax and Chris Lonergan on bass) will be recorded by keyboard wizard Tom Hughes for a live CD to be released sometime soon.

Right, that’s your lot for this week. I’m off to lock up my badgers.

GIG GUIDE

Today (22)

Knotslip (Finns, Westham Road, Weymouth) Slipknot tribute. Tickets £5.

Shooter (John Gregory, Southill, Weymouth)

Steamer Ducks (The Star, Park St, Weymouth)

Freak Circus (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Jorden Linsay (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Dave V (Edinburgh House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

The Veterans (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Diva Lea (King’s Arms, Trinity Road, Weymouth)

Time Out (Britannia, Fortuneswell, Portland)

The Amusements (Duke of Cornwall. St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Jon Storey and Sheryl Lee (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Jack’s Jam Night (Café Jagos, High East St, Dorchester) Jack Daniels hosts.

Billy Solo (Wellington, Arms, Weymouth) Mr Tambourine Man plays a song for you.

Jam Session (The Lounge, School St, Weymouth) 9pm.

Saturday (23)

The Dinnerladies (Finns, Westham Road, Weymouth)

Skimmity Hitchers (John Gregory, Southill, Weymouth)

Steamer Ducks (The Star, Park St, Weymouth)

Left, Right and Centre (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth)

GaGa and the Fame Monsters (The Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (New Star Inn, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Operation Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Fat, Drunk and Stupid, The Skones (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester) Punk night, in aid of Cancer Research.

Surfing Birds (Park Hotel, Grange Road, Weymouth)

The Hurricanes (Wyke Regis Working Men’s Club, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Chris CJ (Conservative Club, Dorchester Rd, Weymouth)

Rich Wilson (Sun Inn, King St, Weymouth)

Frock (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Wasted Generation (Victoria Hotel, Dorchester)

North and South (Edinburgh House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

Restless (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Jonathan Cotton (Duke of Cornwall. St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Tempo (RBL Club, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Mixer (Moby Dick’s, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Emma Lou (King’s Arms, Trinity Road, Weymouth)

Gigolo (Bridge Inn, Preston Rd, Weymouth)

Catch 22 (Centenary Club, Jubilee Sidings, Weymouth)

Sunday (24)

Dave Bowen Quintet (The Trooper, Stourton Caundle) Jazz from 1pm-3pm.

Jack and Benny (Springhead, Sutton Poyntz, Weymouth) 3pm.

Phil Dewhurst (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Cornwall. St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Dave V (Edinburgh House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth) 4pm.

The Decades (King’s Arms, Trinity Road, Weymouth)

‘Yes’ Factor (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth) From 2pm.

Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) The Crack frontman, on his own, from 3pm, followed by

Ricky Solo (T-Bar, St Edmund St, Weymouth) From 8pm.

Jam Night (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth)

Mark Stacey and friends host this regular Sunday acoustic jam session. Music from 8pm.

Open Mic Night (Lakeside Superbowl, Weymouth ) Zack and John host.

Monday (25)

Open Mic Night (The Boot, Weymouth) From 8.45pm, come on down and have a go.

Mr Bucket (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth )

Tuesday (26) Julie Lewis and Simon Rushbrook (The Boot, Weymouth)

Acoustically Acclaimed (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth) The weekly unplugged jam session.

Wednesday (27)

Funky Jam Night (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth) Cosmic Slop are your house band.

Jam with Mark (Wellington Arms, St Alban Street, Weymouth) Mark Stacey hosts this regular acoustic jam session.

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

Thursday (28)

Paul Downes, Moose Rosser (Sunray Folk Club, Village Hall, Broadmayne) Tickets £5 on the door. 8pm.

Sing with Dave (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Powelly (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Eclectic Hippy (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth) Acoustic jam night, hosted by Dukane.

Open Mic Night (Aura, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (The Cornwall, Dorchester) Big Al Whittle hosts.

Open Mic Surgery (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester) All backline provided, come on down and have a play.

Steve’s Singalong (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund Street, Weymouth) Steve hosts this session, with guests joining in.

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland)

Friday (1)

Grand Magus, Primitai, Bullriff Stampede, Bloodshot Dawn (Weymouth Pavilion) An Hourglass Promotions night of metal. Tickets £12 from box office on 01305 783225.

Skimmity Hitchers, The Inbredz (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

Saturday Sun (Dorchester Arts Centre)

Hybrid (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Copykatz (The Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Woodchuck (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Portland Roads, Castletown, Portland)

Arron King (Britannia, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Jack’s Jam Night (Café Jagos, High East St, Dorchester) Jack Daniels hosts.

Billy Solo (Wellington, Arms, Weymouth) Mr Tambourine Man plays a song for you.

Jam Session (The Lounge, School St, Weymouth) Come and have a go. 9pm.