WE all love a good sing-song and we all love a good cause. Put the two together and what have you got?

Well, probably something very similar to the charity band night next Saturday, May 24, at the Rendezvous in Weymouth.

Some of the most popular and awesome bands on the circuit are giving their time and talent free to raise money for Breast Cancer Care, a remarkable charity which helps those affected by this dreadful condition and their families.

And when I say most popular bands, I’m talking about Shooter, Stereoironics, Hustle, Lo Numbers, Speedway Snails, A Bit o’Ruff and a debut performance from Southern Sinners, that’s flippin’ all.

Tickets are a mere £4 and are available over the bar at the Rendezvous and the Royal Oak, and, this is the good bit, they’re doing a band karaoke, so if you fancy getting up and having a go – after all, it’s only singing – it’s £5 a pop with all money going to the charity.

Now then, as Conchita Wurst proved last Saturday night in the Eurovision Song Contest, it helps if you have a beard if you want to get on in the music business.

Step forward then the rather fantastic Young Folk, the Irish foursome who have been sweeping all before them with barely enough bumfuzzle between them to cover their collective chins.

Flatteringly compared to such young folkies as The Fleet Foxes and Mumford and Sons (You know where this is going now, don’t you?), they’ve toured Scandinavia, America and Canada and have just released their first album The Little Battle.

 

 

You can catch this rising band tonight, Friday, May 16, at Dorchester Arts Centre and tickets are £10 from the box office on 01305 266926 or on the door tonight and support comes from Dorchester’s own Stealing Whiskey.

Moving on, it doesn’t seem a year since the Spice Ship’s inaugural Ska Festival.

Now a year is a long time to have a hangover but for those of you who can remember being there, it was a pretty stunning day

. And, because of its huge success last year, this year’s bash at the pub on Preston Road, Weymouth, will now be over two days, that’s Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22.

I know that seems a while away yet but when you look at the list of bands playing, you’ll need to get your tickets a bit sharpish.

They’ve got the Lo Numbers, Guns of Navarone and the simply amazing Decatonics on the Saturday, and there’s Ratrace, Sound of the Suburbs and Offbeat Offensive on the Sunday. Tickets are £6 a day or £10 for the weekend and are available from the pub.

Blimey, all this AND the World Cup. What a time to be alive, eh?

Right, I’m off to buy Conchita Wurst a Snickers as he’s turned into a right diva. Till next time...

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (16)

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

Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Jack Ratts (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Young Folk, Stealing Whiskey (Dorchester Arts Centre)

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

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

Speedway Snails (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Amy Mayes Trio (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Dakota (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Brothers Grim (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, 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)

Paul Gibson (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

The Lizzards (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Blue Rock (King’s Arms, Trinity Rd, Weymouth)

BB Tim Band (Beach and Barnicott, Bridport)

SATURDAY (17)

Big Gunz (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Sailors Return, Nicholas St, Weymouth)

The Crack (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Gale Force Four (The George, Reforne, Portland)

Peacock Suit, Lauren Bannon (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Paul Gibson (Edinburgh, House of Sounds, St Thomas St, Weymouth)

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

Tim Andrews (Conservative Club, Dorchester Rd, Weymouth)

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

Phoenix, The Unpredictables, C Sharp Blues (Weymouth Rugby Club) From 2.30pm.

Tom Caulfield (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Frank E Finn (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Ocean Drive (Centenary Club, Jubilee Sidings, Weymouth)

The Heartburns (Bull Inn, Fordington, Dorchester)

Tom Alford Band (Wellworthy’s, Dumbarton Rd, Weymouth)

Splinter (Green Shutters, Portland)

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

Paul St Clair (Wyke Regis Social Club, Chamberlaine Rd, Weymouth)

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

DuKane (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Neon (Belvedere, High West St, Weymouth)

Bamboo Vipers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Johnny Mac (Black Dog, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (18)

Julie Lewis and Pete Maxfield (King’s Arms, Portesham) 3pm.

Skint Imperials (Weymouth Rugby Club) From 1.30pm.

Shakespearos (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 6pm.

Dougie Cooper Quartet (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland) 4.30pm.

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

Jam Night (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Music from 8pm.

Six String Steve (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Amy Mayes Trio (Crown, Bridport) 4pm.

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

Nathan Jon (Belvedere, High West St, Weymouth) 2pm.

Karen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth) 3pm.

MONDAY (19)

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

Sunset Café Stompers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

TUESDAY (20)

Pete Christie (The Boot, Weymouth)

WEDnesDAY (21)

Jazz Session (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Double Shot (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.

THURSDAY (22)

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.

FRIDAY (23)

Shakespearos (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Allen Howard (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Howling at the Moon (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Skint Imperials (The Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Feverdogs (Dorothy, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Finn (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

The Crack (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth) Pronghorn (Ropemakers, Bridport)