My usual Saturday afternoon perambulation around the streets and pubs of Weymouth is usually punctuated by the coarse shout of AVAST BEHIND! and this weekend looks set to be no different.

Except this weekend it won’t be some passing wag commenting on my prominent posterior, but one of the many expected participants for the Pirates and Smugglers Festival which takes place tonight and tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12.

Kicking off tonight, there will be quite a lot of yo-ho-ho-ing and quite a few bottles of rum quaffed at the Black Dog with three top acts entertaining the gathered swarthy cut-throats and wayward wenches.

You’ve got The Boarding Crew who will be keel-hauling themselves all the way from Bridport, Threadbare Ravens from Bournemouth and Weymouth’s own beardy sea shanty specialists Dorset Wrecks.

And tomorrow night, it’s the ever-popular Dolmen who will be ramming the Golden Lion with their Pirates Keep night.

 

During the day, there will also be re-enactments around the town’s pub with up to 60 pirates and red-coated soldiers drinking and brawling.

It’s all in a good cause however with collections being taken to raise money for the upkeep of Weymouth’s Old Town Hall.

And talking of good causes, (seamless link courtesy of The One Show) there’s a bit of a monster bash taking place tomorrow, Saturday, April 12, at Aura on Weymouth’s Esplanade.

A whole host of top local talent, including Hustle, Shooter, Lo Numbers. Stereoironics, BiProxy, Peacock Suit, the Leggomen, Blue Rock and quite a few more are giving their time and talent free of charge to help raise money for the Friends of PICU organisation.

PICU is the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Southampton General Hospital and anyone who has any dealings with these fantastic people will know what an amazing job they do.

The whole shebang starts at 2pm and will run into the night, it’s just £3 to get in with all money going to PICU and they’ve even made a PICU Rocker Punch should you get a little bit thirsty.

Good stuff all round, I say.

Moving on, tomorrow marks the end of the current season of DA Blues sessions at Dorchester Arts Centre.

And are they going out with a bang? Well, more of a twang, boing, parp and the scrape of a washboard as Rag Mama Rag will be bringing their authentic sound of 1920s Mississippi blues and ragtime.

The husband and wife duo of Ashley and Deborah Daw are regarded as one of Europe’s top foot-stompin’ yee-haw country blues acts and have been on the road and making music for some 23 years.

Tickets are £13 in advance from the box office on 01305 266926.

Now then, the less inebriated of you will have noticed that next weekend is Easter.

The more inebriated of you will probably need reminding that there are two major live music events coming up.

First up is the Tea on the Quay at Rendezvous in Weymouth on Easter Sunday, April 20.

The fun starts at midday and, once again, there’s a top line-up of talent on the bill with Speedway Snails, Victorian Barbers, Lauren Bannon, the Mighty Fine, The Mad Hatters, Jack Rats and the ubiquitous Leggomen all doing a turn.

And up on the seafront, it’s time for the Lazy Lizard’s annual Hippy Fest which kicks off at little later at 2pm with tunes from Amy Mayes, Stereoironics, Danny Adams, Peacock Suit, the delightfully named Boytits and many more.

I’ll be giving you a full list of runners and riders and timings, hopefully, in next week’s Live! page.

Right, that’s it for this week. I’m off to check my bottom for barnacles. Till next time...

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (11)

Threadbare Ravens, Boarding Crew, Dorset Wrecks, (Black Dog, St Mary St, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Streoironics (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Bit of Rough (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Jolly Boys Outing (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth) and later..

The Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

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

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth) Finn (Park Hotel, Grange Rd, Weymouth)

Karen (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Roy Charles (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Peacock Suit (Spice Ship, Preston Rd, Weymouth)

Tom Caulfield and Owen Lister (King’s Arms, Dorchester)

Chris Payne (King’s Arms, Trinity Rd, Weymouth)

Fat Marrow Blues Band (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SATURDAY (12)

John Power (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

Rag Mama Rag (Arts Centre, The Grove, Dorchester)

Shooter, Lo Numbers, Hustle, Stereoironics, Blue Rock, Bi Proxy, Peacock Suit, Leggomen (Aura, Esplanade, Weymouth) From 2pm.

Suckerpunch (Finns, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Gale Force 4 (Sailors Return, Nicholas St, Weymouth)

The Vultures (Dorothy, Esplanade, Weymouth)

The Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

The Dolmen (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth) A Pirates Keep night.

Ska night (Edinburgh, House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

Martin Maton (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

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

Highly Likely (Wyke Regis Social Club, Chamberlaine Rd, Weymouth)

Tom Caulfield (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

The Transistions (Victoria, Weymouth)

Tripod (Chalk and Cheese, Maiden Newton)

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

Skatmandu (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

The Relics (The Bull, Fordington, Dorchester)

Mama Feelgood (King’s Arms, Trinity Rd, Weymouth)

Blue Rock (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Elvis 56 (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral (No 10, Bridport) Jazz and blues, from 12.30pm to 2.30pm.

Jack Ratts (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SUNDAY (13)

Stress (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Danny Freed (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland) 4.30pm.

Martyn Freed (Edinburgh, House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth) 3pm-5pm.

Ansell and Gretal (King’s Arms. Portesham) From 2.30pm.

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Danny Adams (Oasis Bistro, Weymouth) 1pm.

Sheryl Lee (King’s Arms, Trinity Rd, Weymouth)

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 (14)

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

TUESDAY (15)

Alex Roberts (The Boot, Weymouth) Pop/folk troubadour.

WEDNESDAY (16)

Jazz Session (Three Compasses, Charminster) Danny Adams (Oasis Bistro, Weymouth) 7pm.

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 (17)

Johnny Cash Tribute, with Kevin Lovatt (Ocean Rooms, Weymouth Pavilion)

The Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

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) Strum on down from 8pm.

Skint Imperials (Rendezvous, Quayside, Weymouth)

The Dolmen (Edinburgh, House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (18)

Goliath (Finns, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

The Dinnerladies (King’s Arms, Portesham)

Ultimate Elton (The Rock, Abbotsbury Rd, Weymouth) Elton John tribute.

Mama Feelgood (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Finn (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Dorothy, Weymouth)

Loop (Park Hotel, Grange Rd, Weymouth)

Nigel Ray Beck (Springhead, Sutton Poyntz)

Darren H (Edinburgh, House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

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

Replay (Spice Ship, Preston Rd, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Cash Converted (Ropemakers, Bridport)