YOU can’t beat a bit of ska to get the party going so it’s time to polish up your moonstomping Doc Marten’s and put on your pork pie hats for a night of skanking tonight.

Nick Welsh is a bit of a minor legend in ska circles, having played with Bad Manners, The Selector and worked with such luminaries as Prince Buster, Judge Dread and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry in a music career spanning some four decades.

He’s bringing his one-man show The Life and Times of A Ska Man to Dorchester Arts Centre tonight, Friday, May 9 and he tells me: “I’ll be doing acoustic versions of songs I’ve written or covered going back to early days as a punk playing at the Roxy and the Vortex with my band The Dead in 1977, all the way through to the ska reggae stuff from Bad Manners and the Selector, right up to material from my latest release The Life and Times of a Ska Man.”

 

 

Londoner Nick is no stranger to this part of the world, having played at Forever Sun last August and was a regular at the old Verdis in Weymouth with Pauline Back and The Selector back in the day.

His one-man show has been hailed as “Prince Buster meets Benny Hill in a strip club” by no less than Garry Bushell, so there...

Support tonight comes from Peter James Milson and The Rev Jack Daniels as DJ. That’s The Rev Jack Daniels not the Howling at the Moon chap, OK?

Tickets are £10 on the door tonight at the arts centre or from the box office on 01305 266926.

Moving on, it doesn’t seem a year since Weymouth and Portland community radio station AIR became AIR FM 107.2 after getting their FM licence.

And to celebrate this momentous event, they’re having a bit of a bash with their Party in the Park on Sunday, May 11 at Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth.

They’ve got some great live music lined up with appearances from Robbie McIntosh, Jess Upton and Steve Wilson, The Leggomen, Lauren Bannon, Jukebox Junkies, 68:11 and Danny and the Goosemen.

There’s loads of stuff for all the family to enjoy and the fun kicks off at 11 am and admission is free.

And talking of the Goosemen, chief honker Danny Adams is flying west for a few months in America so this Sunday will be the last official show by the Goosemen.

And he’ll be hosting his farewell one-man party at Aura in Weymouth tonight from 11pm so you’re more than welcome to pop in and buy him a cocktail. Or two.

And it’s congratulations to jazz and blues chanteuse Zoe Schwarz who has been nominated for the best female vocalist award in this year’s British Blues Awards.

You can vote for Dorchester girl Zoe online at britishbluesawards. com And there are two chances to see her this weekend with guitarist Rob Koral.

They’re at St Swithun’s Church in Bridport tonight, Friday, May 9, in a concert for The Richard Ely Trust which helps young musicians. It’s £6 on the door tonight, from 7.30pm.

And the dynamic duo are at No 10 in Bridport tomorrow for their regular lunchtime gig from 12.30pm.

Now then, if you like beer, cider and live music not only are you a fabulous person and one of life’s good guys, you’ll more than likely be spending next weekend at Weymouth Rugby Club.

It’s their annual beer and cider festival and not only do they have top line-up of refreshments, there’s some terrific live music as well, with Martin Freed and Gale Force Four playing from 8pm next Friday, May 16.

On Saturday, Phoenix, The Unpredictables and C Sharp Blues are on the bill, starting from 2.30pm and the Skint Imperials bring the event to a close on Sunday afternoon from 1.30pm.

Right, that’s it for this week, I’m off to work on my new twerking routine.

You’ll love it...

TONIGHT (9)

Nick Welsh, Pete Millson (Dorchester Arts Centre)

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Hustle (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth) and later…

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Danny Adams (Aura, Weymouth) 11pm, followed by

Slipstream (Aura, Weymouth) From 1am.

The Dolmen (New Inn, Littlemoor, Weymouth)

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

Lo Numbers (Royal Exchange, Portland)

ACBBs (Moby Dick’s Esplanade, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Tony England (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

No Country For Old men (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Ashman Rake (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral (St Swithun’s Church, Bridport) £6.

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

Sheryl Lee (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (10)

Dani Wilde and Todd Sharpville (Dorchester Arts Centre)

BiProxy (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Mama Feelgood (Sailors Return, Nicholas St, Weymouth)

Kyotie (Dorothy, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Rat Salad (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth) Sabs tribute.

The Dinnerladies (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

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

Slipstream (Moby Dick’s, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Phoenix (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Portland Rd, Weymouth) The Poole version.

Steve Nicholas (Conservative Club, Dorchester Rd, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Four Go Mad in Dorset (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

Tom Caulfield (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Finn (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Smak Band (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Cuba Libre (The Factory, Weymouth)

Rich Wilson (New Star Inn, Portland)

The Mighty Fine (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Punchbowl, Portland)

Gut and Steel (Sydney Arms, Dorchester)

Diane (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

The Veterans (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

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

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral (No 10, Bridport) 12.30pm-2pm.

Guns of Navarone (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Peacock Suit (The Boot, Weymouth) followed by..

Peacock Suit (Tuatara Bar, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (11)

Party in the Park (Lodmoor Coutry Park, Weymouth) From 11am.

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

Amy Mayes Trio (King’s Arms, Portesham) 3pm.

Karen (Royal Oak, Weymouth) 3pm.

Sheryl Lee (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

Broadband (Royal Portland Arms, Portland 4.30pm.

Lewis the Bandless Rude Boy (Spitfire Club, Crossways) 3pm

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

Jam Night (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Mark Stacey and friends host Music from 8pm.

Will Varley (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Replay (Red Lion, Hope Sq, Weymouth) 2pm. (Weather permitting)

Jack and Benny (Chalk and Cheese, Maiden Newton) 5pm.

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

MONDAY (12)

Will Varley, Nick Marks, The Small Society (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

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

TUESDAY (13)

Jinder (The Boot, Weymouth)

Dougie Cooper Quartet (The Star, Park St, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (John Gregory, Southill, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (14)

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

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 (15)

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

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland) Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) From 8pm.

FRIDAY (16)

Skint Imperials (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Jack Ratts (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

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

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

Speedway Snails (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Brothers Grim (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Martin Freed, Gale Force Four (Weymouth Rugby Club) From 5pm.

Average Wyke Band (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Lady Winwood’s Maggot (Ropemakers, Bridport)