IT’S a tough life being in a tribute band

The endless motorway miles from gig to gig, budget hotels or just kipping in the van, and all the time pretending to be someone else.

And depending on how authentic your act is, if one of the band should leave that’s the end of it for that member, so expect to see quite a few Zayn Maliks heading in the general One Direction of the JobCentre over the next few days.

Still on the bright side, it does mean there’s an extra seat in the van and your share of the loot has gone up by 20 per cent and look at all those Beatles tribute acts now all well established on the drum’n’bass circuit.

Even so, it helps if you genuinely love the band or artist you are tributing and that’s clearly the case with Darryl Benson and Richie Pond of Megadeth UK, who brazenly claim to be ‘Europe’s, if not the world’s’ number one tribute to…well, Megadeth, funnily enough, Dave Mustain’s 90s US thrashers formed when he was heave-hoed out of Metallica back in the early 16th century.

Now then, Darryl and Richie, plus compadres Russ Foulkes and new guitarist Stuart Pendergast have been thrashing their way around the country from metal bar to tattoo convention, often with fellow metal tributes Stone Deaf Forever (Motorhead, since you ask) Mentallica (Metallica, dur) and Slipnowt (not sure about this one, probably Dire Straits) in tow.

Anyways, if you like your thrash metal thrashy and, er, metallic, Finns in Weymouth tomorrow night, Saturday, March 28, is the place to go.

The band threaten a wide range from Megadeth material, from Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good, via Youthanasia and United Abominations up to 2014’s Super Collider.

Be careful in that there mosh pit now, okay?

Moving on, some of you may have noticed that Easter is just around the corner and that means a bank holiday weekend for those of you lucky enough to have a proper job.

So here’s a quick heads up on two popular events coming up on Easter Sunday, April 5, in sunny (well, let’s hope so anyway) Weymouth.

It’s the Tea On The Quay at the Rendezvous which kicks off at midday with such popular acts as Boytits, Matt Black, Victorian Barbers and the reformed Peacock Suit on the bill.

And round the corner at the Lazy Lizard on the seafront, it’s there traditional Easter Hippy Fest, again with a great line-up, including, The Chase, Leggomen and Stereoironics in a great all-dayer-and-well-into-the-night-er.

There’ll be a full list of all the runners and riders, and all the other live music events over the Easter break in next week’s gig guide, ok?

And the boys from Tripod have asked me to thank all the punters who turned out last Saturday for drummer Grant Holford’s comeback gig.

You generously put your hands deep in your pockets and between you raised almost £200 which will all go to cancer charities and you can catch the big man, and a great band, in action this weekend at the Wyke Smugglers tonight and Moby Dick’s tomorrow.

And finally, tune in to Air FM 107.2 FM next Wednesday, April 1, from 8-10pm where you can hear this old doffus playing loads of even older 60s, 70s and 80s disco soul and funk on the Hijacked show.

Right, that’s it for this week, I’m off to audition for my One Direction tribute band Lack Of Direction. Till next time...

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (27)

TBA (Finns, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Martin Maton (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Fluke (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Kathy (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Tripod (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (28)

Megadeth UK (Finns, Weymouth)

The Chase (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Xander and the Keys (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Lauren Bannon (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Andy Kennett (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Steve Francis (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Johnny King (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Replay (Wyke Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

The Katz (RBL Club, Portland)

The Dinnerladies (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Maddison Tarheels (Goldies, Dorchester)

The Katz (RBL Club, Portland)

The Shakespearos (Illchester Arms, Abbotsbury)

Left Right and Centre (Eight Kings, Portland)

Blue Rock (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Cash Converted (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Neon (Punchbowl, Portland)

Pond Life’s George (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Skatmandu (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

Amy Mayes (Brewhouse, Dorchester)

Tripod (Moby Dick’s, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (29)

Karen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth) 3pm

Ronnie (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 3pm.

Steve Leach (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3.30pm.

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 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.

Sunday Session (Sydney Arms, Dorchester)

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

MONDAY (30) Dave P, Matt Black (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (31)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (1)

Danx’s Open Mic (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Fuzzy’s Open Mic (Harbour Lights, Osprey Quay, Portland)

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

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

Rockin Rich (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (2)

Paisley (Finns, Weymouth)

Leggomen (George, 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)

Open Mic (Park Hotel, Weymouth) Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

FRIDAY (3)

Hustle (Finns, Weymouth)

Chloe and Tom (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Du Kane (White Hart, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (Conservative Club, Easton, Portland)

Ce Jay (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Soul Party Band (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Johnny Mac (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Chris Woodchuck (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)