Are you hanging up your stockings on the wall?

Do the fairies really keep Santa sober for the day and does your granny always tell you the old songs are the best?

Last Christmas, did you give someone your heart and the very next day they gave it away?

Do you really wish it could be Christmas every day?

No? Thought not. Me neither.

Even so, the flipping thing is here again and, as ever, there’s a heavenly host of fab and groovy live music to see you through the festive season as you can see from the epic amount of gigs on today’s page.

Tonight is the real Black Friday, not when shoppers beat each other up over a discounted satnav they don’t really need, but when a lot of punters finish work for a fortnight and head for the pub to celebrate the birth of our lord and saviour with a bucket of WKD, a row with the boss and an indiscreet fumble over a dropped kebab on the way home. Or is that just me?..

Anyway, wherever you end up, have a great and safe time, okay?

Looking ahead to New Year’s Eve, there are two major events in Weymouth.

First up, there’s The Front on the Esplanade with live music from The Leggomen, Hustle and The Mad Hatters, while round the corner at the Rendezvous, Lauren Bannon, Sea Bass and the Fellas, Silly Band and the Victorian Barbers will be entertaining the hordes of fancy-dressed revellers.

New Year’s Eve also marks the final appearance of hugely popular local legends Tempo.

Their gig at Wyke Workies will be the last public outing for Andy Collett, Mark Duxbury and Pete Evans-Jones, just as they were getting the hang of it after 24 years together.

“Our gear just seems to be getting heavier and heavier,” Andy tells me, clutching his aching back, “and, after 24 years, we thought it would be a good time to bow out while we’re at the top of our game.”

They’ll be sorely missed, as will the trio’s rockier and bluesier version Let Me Out who’ll be cranking it up all the way to 12 for one last time at the Old Ship in Upwey on Friday, January 9, in a fundraiser for Weldmar Hospicecare Trust.

“Mark and I will carry on with Gut and Steel,” Andy tells me. “After all, there’s a lot less stuff to lump around in an acoustic duo.”

I’m sure all live music fans will join me in saying thanks for some great nights and wish the guys all the best for the future.

And finally, as the Echo won’t be publishing next Friday because it’s Boxing Day, this is the last gig guide of 2014 and I’d like to thank all the bands and venues who have taken the time to send in their gigs throughout the year. It really is appreciated and I couldn’t do this without you.

Have a great Christmas and a fantastic New Year.

See you in 2015, I’m off to strain my sprouts.

TONIGHT (19)

Tom Waters Trio (County Museum, Dorchester)

Slither (Finn’s, Weymouth)

Johnny Campbell (Illchester Arms, Abbotsbury)

Shakespearos (Dorothy, Weymouth)

ACBBs (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Leggomen, Mad Hatters (Rendezvous, Weymouth) From 5pm.

Blazing Strings, Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Mama Feelgood (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Stereoironics (Spice Ship, Preston Weymouth)

The Dinnerladies (Poachers, Piddletrenthide)

Lucy Harvey (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

The Bowie Experience (The Rock, Weymouth)

Surfing Birds (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Weymouth)

Dakota (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

Ska Night (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Brothers Grimm (Red Lion, Winfrith)

Regulation 9 (Dolphin, Weymouth)

Skinful (Green Shutters, Portland)

Gut and Steel (George, Chideock)

Mark Stacey (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (New Star Inn, Fortuneswell, Portland)

SATURDAY (20)

Splinter (Finn’s, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Lauren Bannon (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Hustle (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Left Right and Centre (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Skimmity Hitchers (Dorothy, Weymouth)

Steve Francis (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Alec Wood (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

DuKane (White Hart, Weymouth)

The Crack (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

Danny Adams (Tides Inn, Weymouth)

The Sneakers (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Restless (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Howling at the Moon (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Tempo (RBL Club, Portland)

ACBBs (Victoria, Dorchester)

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (The Star, Weymouth)

Party Animalz (Wellworthy’s, Weymouth)

Gigolo (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

The Change (Belvedere, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (21)

Robbie McIntosh and Julie Lewis (King’s Arms, Portesham) 3 to 5pm.

The Duke and The Broad (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 2.30pm.

Lo Numbers (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 6pm.

Jack and Benny (The Crown, Bridport)

Paul Laming (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Edd Bleach (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm.

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

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

Sunday Session (Sydney Arms, Dorchester)

Billy Solo (The George, Portland ) 4pm.

MONDAY (22)

Matt Black, Dave Powell (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (23)

One Fat Santa (Boho, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Belvedere, Weymouth)

CHRISTMAS EVE (24)

Paisley (Finn’s, Weymouth)

DuKane (White Hart, Weymouth)

Blazing Strings, Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

60s Revisited (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Silhouettes(Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Two Fat Santas (The George, Chideock)

Karen (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Jamie Pinnow and Roye Membury (Victoria, Dorchester) 4 to 6pm.

Ronnie and Georgie (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 7pm.

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

CHRISTMAS DAY (25)

Happy Christmas!

BOXING DAY (26)

The Leggomen (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Leggomen (King’s Arms, Portesham) 2 to 4pm.

A Bit of Ruff (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters, Chloe and Tom, Blazing Strings (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Shooter (Spice Ship, Preston Weymouth) 4.30pm.

Shooter (The Spa, Weymouth) 8.30pm

Beni, Paul Pierce (Illchester Arms, Abbotsbury)

Skatmandu (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 2pm.

Party Starters (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Howling at the Moon (Red Lion, Beaminster) 5pm.

The Rat Pack (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Haze (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm.

Danny Adams (Ferrybridge, Weymouth) 5pm.

Jamie Pinnow (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester) 4pm.

SATURDAY (27)

Tripod (Finn’s, Weymouth)

The Dinnerladies (Junction, Dorchester)

The Crack (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (T-Bar, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Replay (Ocean Rooms, Weymouth Pavilion)

Steve Whale (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Bob Mallett (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (28)

Weatherstate, Light fire Down, Acres (Finn’s, Weymouth)

Lo Numbers, Stereoironics (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth) From 5pm.

TBC (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) Finn (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 6pm.

Dougie Cooper’s Jazzy Xmas (Royal Portland Arms, Portland) 4pm.

Howling at the Moon (Three Compasses, Charminster)

MONDAY (29)

Dougie Cooper’s Jazzy New Year (The Star, Weymouth) 8pm.

TUESDAY (30)

Seems like a quiet night in then...

NEW YEAR’S EVE (31)

Leggomen, Hustle, Mad Hatters (The Front, Weymouth)

Lauren Bannon, Silly Band, Sea Bass and the Fellas, Victorian Barbers (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

BiProxy (Finn’s, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Slipped Disc (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

The Dinnerladies (Ship Inn, Wool)

Barry Hobson (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Blazing Strings (Illchester Arms, Abbotsbury)

Replay (Rembrandt Hotel, Weymouth)

Tempo (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Veterans (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Dr Robert (Wyke Regis Social Club, Weymouth)

Broadband (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

The Mighty Fine (Spice Ship, Preston Weymouth

Mama Feelgood (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

Danny Adams (Oasis Bistro, Weymouth)