GIG GUIDE: It's a folkie reggae party at Dorchester Arts Centre

But there’s an awful lot more to the genre as roots reggae pioneers Talisman clearly prove.

Some 35 years after forming in Bristol and a mere three decades after their debut album Takin’ The Strain, founder members Dehvan Othieno and Dennison ‘DJ’ Joseph are still out on the road and bring the band’s Dole Age UK tour to Dorchester Arts Centre tomorrow.

Part of the UK reggae boom of the late 70s and early 80s which brought us such bands as Black Slate, Steel Pulse and Black Uhuru, Talisman supported such acts as diverse as Burning Spear, The Clash and the Rolling Stones back in the day and have recently supported The Selecter on their UK tour.

It’ll also be a quick return to the county town for the band after going down a storm at this summer’s Dorchester Festival.

Tickets at £10 are available from the box office on 01305 266926.

And it’s quite a weekend for the good people at the arts centre with the visit on Sunday of acclaimed folk singer Martha Tilston.

The Cornwall-based artist has grown up immersed in music and sees songwriting as the coat she wears on the journey, not the destination she is travelling to.

Well, that must make me a crusty anorak or a damp kagool at least.

Anyways, she’ll be performing songs from her latest album The Sea, which was recorded at her home near Prussia Cove in Cornwall.

Tickets for Sunday’s gig are also £10 and available from the box office.

Now then, talking of singer-songwriting, if you’re doing your own stuff and fancy giving it an airing to some discerning lugholes then you’ll be interested in the new Sunday Sessions open mic night starting at the Sydney Arms in Dorchester on Sundays from 7pm.

It’s the opening night this Sunday, and there’s the added attraction of free nibbles for performers, so if you are a struggling singer-songwriter, a couple of Hula Hoops and a cheeky vol au vent could be all the incentive you need.

Right, that’s it for this week.

I’ll be out of the country next week but please carry on sending your gig details to gigs@dorsetecho.co.uk and they’ll be dealt with by my team of performing seals.

Till next time...

TONIGHT (31)

Bullriff Stampede, The More I See (Finn’s, Westham Rd, Weymouth)

Shooter (Royal Exchange, Portland)

All About Gaga (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Matt Black (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Jojo (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell Street, Weymouth)

Bob Mallett (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Steve Wilson Band (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Marnie (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Roger Armstrong (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Spooky Shaun (Black Dog, Weymouth)

James Baker (Old Castle, Weymouth)

Skimmity Hitchers (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

The Unpredictables (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

Charlie (Springhead, Sutton Poyntz, Weymouth

DuKane (Illchester Arms, Abbotsbury)

ACBBs (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Left Right and Centre (Eight Kings, Portland)

BJ McCabe (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Brothers Grimm (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Riffs (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Karen (The Rock, Weymouth)

Fargo (Moby Dicks, Weymouth)

Tripod (Tides Inn, Weymouth)

The Danny Adams Family (Ferrybridge, Weymouth)

Flakey Jake (Beach and Barnicott, Bridport)

SATURDAY (1)

Talisman (Dorchester Arts Centre)

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

The Skones (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Market House, Weymouth) and later…

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Stevie M (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell Street, Weymouth)

B’Ize (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Blue Moon Hillbillies (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Stevie M (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Tom Caulfield (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Elvis 56 (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

The Crack (Royal Oak, Milborne St Andrew)

Dave Powell, Surfing Birds (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

DuKane (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

ACBBs (Moby Dicks, Weymouth)

Icarus (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Brewery Sq, Dorchester) Midday.

Mad Dog McRea (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Brothers Grimm (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Blue Rock (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Nitelite (Wyke Regis Social Club, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (2)

Martha Tilston (Dorchester Arts Centre)

Foo Foo (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

Robbie McIntosh and Steve Wilson (King’s Arms, Portesham) 3-5pm.

Ricky Solo (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) From 3pm.

Sunday Sessions (Sydney Arms, Dorchester) From 7pm

Jam Night (Sailors 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 to 5pm.

Replay (King’s Arms, Weymouth) 5pm.

Gut and Steel (Old Ship, Upwey, Weymouth) 2.30pm.

Six String Steve (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Finn (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 6.30pm.

MONDAY (3)

Boytits, Leggomen (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (4)

Gut and Steel (The Boot, Weymouth) Open Mic Night (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm.

WEDNESDAY (5)

Dave Powell, Boytits (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Dave Bowen’s 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

THURSDAY (6)

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)

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

FRIDAY (7)

Andy Grant Trio (Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland)

One II One (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Barry Paull as Elvis (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Shakespearos (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Knights in the Bottom, Chickerell, Weymouth)