BACK in the day, when it was all fields round here and everything was in black and white, you could get quite a lot for a tenner.

Two tickets to the flea pit, a few light ales and a Babycham for the lady, a bag of chips in a doorway, a quick snog and the last bus home. Happy days indeed.

Now, ten quid is not enough for two pints, let alone the cinema.

So if I told you that next Saturday night, October 4, you could see SIX top bands, enjoy a selection of quality DJs and have that warm glow inside that comes from knowing you’re helping a really worthwhile charity, you’d probably say: OK, where do I sign?

And if I told you the headline band were the utterly fab Dub Pistols, you’d be as amazed as me.

 

Yep, the non-stop touring party that is Barry Ashworth’s Dub Pistols are at The Factory in Weymouth next Saturday night, bringing their infectious hip-hop, ska punk reggae sounds for an event organised by Air 107.2 FM and Fight Back Mental Health to raise money for Tonic Music, an organisation which helps people with mental health problems through music workshops.

Also on the bill are Weymouth’s pop-reggae specialists Cuba Libre, King Solomon, DN Dubstation, Sneak Eazies, Ruckus Collective, Nuffin But Real Talk and a swarthy bunch of DJs rolling more phat ones than you shake a turntable at.

All this for a mere £10 and tickets are available from cubalibremusic.co.uk but hurry, they’re going fast!

And tomorrow there’s another great afternoon of music ahead at the Royal Standard in the seething metropolis that is Upwey where The Secrets, Arron and Cassie and the massed ranks of the Weymouth Ukuleleans will be doing their collective things to raise money for the Costa Foundation which helps the families of coffee plantation workers across the world.

Another great cause and I’ll have milk and two sugars with mine, thanks.

Right, that’s it for this week; I’m off to get some comforting after Jason’s departure from Take That. Till next time..

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (26)

K and the Gang, Fissure of Riddles, Silly Band, The Urinals (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Clifton, Portland) It’s the pub’s annual beer festival.

Left Right and Centre (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

The Transitions (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Unpredictables (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Bit of Rough (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Darren H and the Kopykatz (Wyke Regis Working Men’s Club, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

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

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Neon (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Amy Mayes and Andy Grant (Greyhound, Sydling St Nicholas)

Stealing Whiskey (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

DuKane (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Fargo (Aura, Esplanade, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (27)

Big Gunz (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth) It’s The XXL factor, Live!

Loop, Dinnerladies, The Skones, C Sharp Blues (Clifton, Portland) From 1pm, the beer festival continues.

Speedway Snails (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas St, Weymouth)

Blazing Strings (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

The Secrets, Arron and Cassie, Weymouth Ukuleleans (Royal Standard, Upwey, Weymouth) 2-4pm.

The Unpredictables (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Hustle, Wilma Fingerdoo (Café Jagos, Dorchester) Celebrating Jagos DJ Mavis Boyle’s significant birthday.

Nobody’s Heroes (Wyke Regis Social Club, Chamberlaine Rd, Weymouth)

The Dinnerladies (Drax Arms, Bere Regis)

Mad Hatters (Rendezvous, Weymouth) 8.30pm.

The Useless Eaters UK (Wyke Smugglers, Portland Rd, Weymouth)

Kathy (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Amy Mayes Trio (Royal Oak, Milborne St Andrew)

Steve Francis (Conservative Club, Dorchester Rd, Weymouth)

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

Katie Riley (Weymouth Working Men’s Club, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Nobody’s Heroes (Wyke Regis Social Club, Chamberlaine Rd, Weymouth)

Tom Caulfield (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

The Persuaders (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Slipstream (Green Shutters, Castletown, Portland)

Stress (Crown, Bridport)

Brothers Grimm (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Cash Converted (Victoria, Dorchester)

Elijah Wolf (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Gigolo (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Simon Gee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Diaspro (The Star, Weymouth)

SUNDAY 28

Bitter and Twisted, Skinful, Wob. The Redcrow (Clifton, Portland) From 1pm, the beer festival continues.

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 2-5pm.

Simply Ned (Springhead, Sutton Poyntz) 3pm.

Amy Mayes and Andy Grant (King’s Arms, Portesham) 3pm.

Jack Daniels and Benny Wain (The Crown, Bridport) 4pm.

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

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

Jam Night (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Mark Stacey and friends host this regular Sunday acoustic jam session. Music from 8pm.

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

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

ACBBs (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Skint Imperials (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

The Lanterns (Brewhouse, Dorchester) 4-7pm.

MONDAY 29

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

TUESDAY SEPT 30

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

WEDNESDAY (1)

Kathy (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Dave Bowen and Jazz Friends (Three Compasses, Charminster) 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 (Sailors Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

THURSDAY (2)

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 (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

FRIDAY (3)

The Mighty Fine (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Wall of Floyd (Pavilion, Weymouth)

Dave Griff and the Trouser Band (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Esplanade, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)