IT ALWAYS makes a refreshing change to have a band playing their own stuff around these parts, an area populated by mostly covers bands.

But when it comes to a band like Ulysses, not only is it refreshing, it is pretty damn amazing.

Taking bits of T Rex, psych era Stones and Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd, stir in a slice of Hot Chocolate, Sailor and Alvin Stardust, marinate for a decade with a hefty chunk of Mick Ronson and Supergrass and serve piping hot with tongue firmly in cheek and a garnish of pure pop sensibility, and there you have it. Nom, nom, nom.

No wonder their 2013 album Kill You Again attracted rave reviews from Shindig!, Classic Rock and Powerplay magazines.

The Bath-based four-piece of Luke Smyth, Denny Peppers, Julyan Wells-Cathedral (yeh, right) and Shane Maxymus (yeh, right, again) are currently recording the follow-up but will be making a one-off appearance at the compact and bijou George pub on Portland, next Friday, September 19.

And as you can see from thir picture, not only are they a bunch of greebos you wouldn’t let near your pets, let alone your daughters, they do have rather a lot of hair, so I’m wondering if they’ll actually fit inside The George, which as any local would know, is a bit of a squeeze at the best of times.

 

Even so, as front man Luke says: “I think there is definitely a place for what we do.

“We are finding our audience worldwide, slowly but surely, people seem to need our strange mix of fun and darkness, pop songs and rockin’ – when we play live we always pick up new fans.

“They may find it amusing at first, but I also think it is the depth of what is hitting them too.

“No one is quite doing what we’re doing at any rate!”

As Luke tells me: “We’ve been writing and recording throughout the summer and are working on our third album – tentatively entitled Law and Order – with producer Tom Dalgetty, who was the knob-twiddler on the current UK number one album by Royal Blood.

“We love playing pubs and our gig at The George will be particularly romantic as it’s where our guitarist met his wife Nikki a few years back.

“Punters can expect two epic sets, loads of fun and inter-band banter and just a really good night,” Luke adds.

Sounds great. I’ll see you there.

Now then, when it comes to tribute bands, the clue is often in the name.

For example, By Jovi are one of the best Ken Dodd tribute acts around, The Talibangles’ version of Eternal Flame can melt the hardest of hearts and the Winterbourne Abbas’ take on Portaloo is arguably better than the original.

So it comes as no surprise to learn that Guns Vs Roses are possibly the world’s No1 homage to GnR.

They’ve been handpicked from various other GnR acts from around the world and I have to say, having seen some of their videos, they are very much the real deal.

Anyone can put on a black stovepipe hat and brandish a low-slung Les Paul but to play it like Slash takes some doing and to front up a band in the style of Axel Rose, have the vocal pyrotechnics AND the legs to get away with wearing a kilt is no mean feat.

So take a bow Guns Vs Roses, who have played to audiences of tens of thousands, from the GlastoBudget Festival in Leicestershire to stadium gigs in India, Italy, Slovenia and Bahrain.

You can sate your appetite for destruction (see what I did there?) and check them out for yourselves when their spectacular show rocks up to the Paradise City (where the girls are green and the grass is pretty) that is Finn’s in Weymouth tomorrow night, Saturday, September 13. And it’s £6 on the door tomorrow night. Ok?

And finally, here’s an update on two charity gigs which took place last weekend.

Steve Wilson’s bash at the Old Ship at Upwey raised almost £500 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and the multi-band extravaganza at Finn’s in Weymouth organised by Lily ‘Smash’ Jarvis netted around £600 for the Epilepsy Sucks UK fund.

Congratulations and well done to everyone involved in both these events.

Right, that’s it for this week.

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (12)

Fluke (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

TBC (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

David 9 Lunas (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

Shooter (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Yan Yates and the Two Dollar Hookers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Paul Gibson (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Tom Caulfield and George Hall (The Star, Weymouth)

Wendy Bassett (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Dakota (Moby Dick’s, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (13)

Guns Vs Roses (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Hustle (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas St, Weymouth)

The Chase (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Jukebox Junkies (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Double Shot (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

Shakespearos (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Barry Hobson (Conservative Club, Dorchester Rd, Weymouth)

Dave Powell (Rendezvous, Weymouth) 8.30pm.

Pronghorn (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Hot Bacon (Tides Inn, Weymouth)

Operation Mad Hatters (Moby Dick’s, Weymouth)

Tom Caulfield (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jonathan Cotton (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

John De Barra (Bull Inn, Fordington, Dorchester)

BJ McCabe (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Fiddleford Inn, Fiddleford, Sturminster Newton)

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

The Hurricanes (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Paul Gibson (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

The Crack (Belvedere, High West St, Weymouth)

Brothers Grimm (Victoria, Dorchester)

Jilly Ann (Eight Kings, Portland)

The Veterans (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (14)

Jillie and the Lovecats (Three Compasses, Charminster)

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.

Martin Freed (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm-5pm.

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Tripod (Belvedere, High West St, Weymouth)

MONDAY (15)

Boytits, Tom Caulfield (Rendezvous, Weymouth) 10pm.

Sunset Café Stompers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

TUESDAY (16)

Open Mic Night (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm.

WEDNESDAY (17)

Big Al Whittle (No 10, Bridport))

Open Mic Night (Old Town Hall, High West St, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Dave P’s Open Mic Night (Rendezvous, Weymouth) From 8pm.

Jam with Mark (Wellington Arms, St Alban Street, Weymouth) Mark Stacey hosts this regular acoustic jam session.

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

THURSDAY (18)

Seth Lakeman (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Martin Freed (Edinburgh House of Sounds, 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 (Sailor’s Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

FRIDAY (19)

Ulysses (The George, Reforne, Portland)

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

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (Lugger, Weymouth)

Tom Clements (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

From The Jam (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Grizzly and The Grasshoppers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

James Baker (Old Castle, Weymouth) Charlie (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Converse (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Weymouth)

Stompin’ Dave and Friends (Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis)