DAVID Bowie’s success at this week’s Brit awards speaks volumes, not only about his longevity and all-round brilliance and popularity, but also about the feeble X-Factory parade of has-beens, never weres and clodhopping numpties who pass for pop stars these days.

One album, The Next Day, after an 18-year silence and the return of Thin White Duke (throwing darts in lovers’ eyes) is very much complete.

But at the ripe old age of 67 (and I wish I look as good if and when I ever get there), Dave is unlikely to take his awesome back catalogue and inspired current material out on the road.

We’ll just have to settle for Bowie nights on BBC4 and endless YouTube clips, won’t we?

That is, of course, unless you venture out to The Rock on Weymouth’s salubrious Abbotsbury Road, next Saturday, March 1, where Laurence, arguably the UK’s leading and most authentic Bowie homage-iste, will be performing his epic Bowie Experience.

 

 

 

It’s a two-hour show, complete with costume changes, encompassing many of Bowie’s greatest songs and with the look and the sound as realistic as possible, it’s a definite crash course for the ravers, by all accounts.

Such is his authenticity, Laurence was the only tribute act invited to last year’s David Bowie Is exhibition at the V&A in London.

He also performed on the steps outside the museum as part of the Occupy Bowie event and caused quite a stir, with one fan saying: “He’s more like Dave from eight feet away than the real thing from the top tier at Wembley!”

As we all know, it’s been a bit quiet out there in gigland of late, what with a combination of the horrific weather and the fact that no one seems to have two ha’pennies to scratch their collective bottoms with.

Even so, there are a few dates this weekend worth pointing your feet and lugholes at.

First up, tonight, Friday, February 21, blues/soul singer-songwriter Chris Taylor will be at the rather pleasant 115 Club in East Street, Bridport.

He’ll be playing his well-crafted songs, inspired by artists as varied as Fleetwood Mac, Bill Withers and Peter Frampton, from his debut album Heaven’s Smile, which is released next month on the Octopia Records label.

Chris will be accompanied tonight by Michael Keane on cajon and the more wide-awake of you will recognise Chris and Mike from The Decades and also their touring function band The Sparks.

And tomorrow night, Saturday, February 22, poodle rockers Big Gunz bring their Kick Out The Jam Doughnuts tour to Finn’s in Weymouth.

This follows their hugely successful Christmas show, Sprout at the Devil, and their autumnal spectacular, Master of Buffets.

With tongues firmly in their cheeks and rolled-up socks firmly stuffed down the front of their Lycra leggings, the boys will be tearing a new hole in songs from such big-hair bands as Van Halen, Kiss, Bon Jovi and the like.

Expect marvellous musicianship and a tsunami of launched panties and Y-fronts from their adoring fans.

And it’s warm welcome to The WTF Band who make their debut at the Sailors Return in Weymouth tomorrow night.

Well, it’s hardly a debut per se as the power trio of Lee Worsley (drums), Mick Taylor (guitar, vocals) and Andy Frost (bass, vocals) have been around the music business for a long, long time.

Mick is a former editor-in-chief of Guitar magazine, Andy’s a regular contributor to Bassist magazine and Lee has been the marketing force behind some iconic instrument brands.

Between them, they’ve worked with Iron Maiden, Queen, Elton John and Radiohead, so I think it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing!

Right, that’s it for this week, I’m off to work on my curling technique.

‘Till next time…

  •  It’s congratulations and a “Ow, my flippin’ ears” to the musicians and drummers who took part in the Drummers Unite bash at Air FM earlier this week to raise awareness and funds for the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research charity.

Six top local drummers – Barney Stevens, Tim Wheeler, Mick Martin, Rob Davis, Tommy Baker and Ray Snell, plus myself, and guitar-twiddlers Mark Davis, Darren Davis and Paul Sundt and event organiser Danny Adams all helped to raise more than £600 for the charity and show their support for Tripod drummer Grant Holford, who is fighting this terrible illness.

Thanks for all your donations and you can add some more if you want at this address: justgiving.com/ Drummersunite

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (21)

Saturday Sun, White Bicycles (Dorchester Arts Centre)

Splinter (Finns, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

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

Danny Adams (The Dorothy, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Dakota (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Lo Numbers (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Chris Taylor and Michael Keane (115 Club, Bridport)

Bobby Mallett and Eight-Ball (Edinburgh House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (The Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (22)

Big Gunz (Finns, Westham Rd, Weymouth) Part of the Kick Out the Jam Doughnuts tour.

The WTF Band (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Dorothy, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Amy Mayes Trio (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (King’s Arms, Trinity Rd, Weymouth)

Crosswired (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Steve Francis (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Lady Winwood’s Maggot (Bulls Head, Fordington, Dorchester)

Left, Right and Centre (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Nobody’s Heroes (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (RBL Club, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Simon Gee (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Highly Likely (Centenary Club, Jubilee Sidings, Weymouth)

Johnny Mac (Black Dog, St Mary St, Weymouth)

Dave Vincent (Park Hotel, Grange Rd, Weymouth) T

om Caulfield (Royal Oak, Quayside Weymouth)

SUNDAY (23)

Amy Mayes Trio (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester 6.30pm-8.30pm.

Skint Imperials (Belvedere, High West St, Weymouth) From 7.30pm.

Finnian (King’s Arms, Trinity Rd, Weymouth) 5pm.

Dave Bowen Quintet (Trooper Inn, Stourton Caundle) Lunchtime jazz, from 1-3pm.

Victorian Barbers (King’s Arms, Portesham) From 3pm.

The Skones (Three Compasses, Charminster)

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

Danny Adams (Oasis Bistro, Weymouth) 1pm.

Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) From 3pm.

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

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

MONDAY (24)

Lucy’s Ukulele Night (King’s Arms, Portesham) 8pm.

TUESDAY (25)

Gut and Steel (The Boot, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (26)

Stage Door (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth) Open mic night for singers, musicians, comedians, poets etc. You got it? Flaunt it.

Danny Adams (Oasis Bistro, Weymouth) 7pm.

Jam with Mark (Wellington Arms, St Alban Street, Weymouth) .

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

THURSDAY (27)

Skint Imperials (Durnovaria, South St, Dorchester)

Stompin’ Dave, Prof Oz, Steve Dan Mills (Sunray Folk Club, village hall, Broadmayne) £7 on door, 7.30pm.

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) Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) from 8pm.

FRIDAY (28)

Lo Numbers (Finns, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Replay (Poundbury Community Hall)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

BB Tim and Friends (Beach and Barnicott, Bridport)

Finnian (Park Hotel, Weymouth) Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)