There’s no getting away from it, this bank holiday weekend is an absolute monster as far as live music is concerned.

A monster so big and scary it makes Godzilla look like a lickle pink fluffy pussy cat. Meow.

First up, there’s the behemoth that is the Quayside Music Festival in Weymouth.

Now in its seventh year, what started off as a late replacement for the Trawler Race Day is now established as one of the major live music events around.

And there’s a huge line-up of artists, both local and from away, from rock to pop to reggae to blues and soul, playing by the Town Bridge outside the Rendezvous on Sunday and Monday starting at midday and carrying on till 10pm, when the party moves indoors.

Over the other side of the harbour, it’s the first Fayre in the Square again with another huge range of entertainment from ukulele bands to Bollywood dancers.

The fun starts at 10am in Hope Square on both Sunday and Monday and it’s all organised by Weymouth Rotary.

So don’t forget to drop some change off in one of the collection buckets because all money raised will be split between Pilgrim House, the Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance and other Local Rotary charities.

It’s also the Dorchester Festival this weekend and they’re finishing it in style with one of the most popular and enduring bands from the 1980s Two-Tone scene.

 

 

The Beat had huge hits with such songs as Mirror In The Bathroom and Too Nice to Talk To and are still treading the boards and filling the dancefloors with their blend of pop, ska and reggae.

Ranking Roger is still toasting, and nowadays he’s doing it with his son Ranking Junior.

They’re at the Corn Exchange in the county town on Monday, May 26, and tickets are £18 from wegottickets.com And for all you Beatles fans out there, The Rutles are at the Electric Palace in Bridport tomorrow night, Saturday, May 24, so Get Up and Go!

Tickets are £21 from 01308 424901.

Right, that’s all I’ve got room for this week.

Until next time..

TONIGHT (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) and later...

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

The Crack (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Amy Mayes (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Pronghorn (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Darren H (Moby Dick’s, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Sue Hawker Band (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Left Right and Centre (Black Dog, St Mary St, Weymouth)

Mark Stacey (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Royal Oak, Charmouth)

SATURDAY (24)

Shooter, Stereoironics, Hustle, Lo Numbers, Speedway Snails (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

The Vultures (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Sailors Return, Nicholas St, Weymouth)

Pronghorn (Dorothy, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (New Star Inn, Portland)

The Rutles (Electric Palace, Bridport) Pictured right.

Geoff Miller Band (Weymouth Bay Methodist Church, Melcombe Avenue, Weymouth)

The Dolmen (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Skinful (Golden Lion, St Edmund St, Weymouth)

Knight Life (Wyke Regis Working Men’s Club, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Conservative Club, Dorchester Rd, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Belvedere, High West St, Weymouth)

The Dinnerladies (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

Cuba Libre (The Factory, Weymouth)

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

Gale Force Four (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Replay (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

James Baker (Old Castle, Weymouth)

The Lizzards (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Blue Rock (Moby Dick’s, Weymouth)

Blue Room Baboons (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Billy Solo (The Star, Park St, Weymouth)

The Transitions (Wyke Regis Social Club, Chamberlaine Rd, Weymouth)

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

Finnian (Black Dog, St Mary St, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (RBL Club, Fortuneswell, Portland)

SUNDAY (25)

Victorian Barbers, Boytits, Lauren Bannon, Powelly, Amy Mayes, Hustle, Surfing Birds, Peacock Suit, Leggomen, Tom Caulfield and friends (Quayside Music Festival, Rendezvous, Weymouth) From midday.

Weymouth Ukuleleans, Brass Buttons, Julie Story’s Young Dancers, Under The Carousel, WOW, Replay, The Decadettes, Darron Garnett (Fayre in the Square, Hope Square, Weymouth) From 10am.

Lauren Bannon, Leggomen, Mad Hatters, Electric Bucket (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth) It’s Spring Break 2, from 9.30pm.

Tripod (King’s Arms, Portesham) 9.30pm

Dave Bowen Quintet (Trooper Inn, Stourton Caundle) 1pm to 3pm.

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

Vanilla Radio, Will Sear (Durnovaria, Dorchester) And later…

Vanilla Radio (Café Jagos, Dorchester) Mighty Fine (Finn’s, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Royal Standard, Upwey, Weymouth) 2pm.

Velvet Overtones (Park Hotel, Weymouth) From 6pm, and later…

Velvet Overtones (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth) From 9pm.

Leggomen, Gut and Steel, John Stone (The Boot, Weymouth) From 4pm.

Total Madness (Moby Dick’s, Esplanade, Weymouth) 8pm.

Jim Reynolds (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Jilly Ann (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester) 7pm.

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) Jack and Benny (The Crown, Uploders) 7pm.

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

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 (26)

The Beat (Corn Exchange, Dorchester) Till There Was Uke, Coppertongue, Maybe Neverland, Mighty Fine, Average Wyke Band, Mighty Leap, Cuba Libre, Riptide, Mad Hatters, Peacock Suit (Quayside Music Festival, Rendezvous, Weymouth) From midday.

Weymouth Ukuleleans, Gut and Steel, Dorset for Singing, Ed Hintze, Dorset Wrecks, The Silhouettes, Darron Garnett, Bollywood Dancers (Fayre in the Square, Hope Square, Weymouth) From 10am

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

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

TUESDAY (27)

Alex Roberts (The Boot, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (28)

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 (29)

Miriam Backhouse (Sunray Folk Club, Broadmayne village hall)

Open Mic Surgery (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester)

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) 8pm.

FRIDAY (30)

Rivalries, Light Fire Down, Weatherstate, If9were5, Fireside, Janowski (Finns, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Alan Roberts (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Chill (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Bug Tree Swamp (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Owen Lister (King’s Arms, Dorchester)