IN THE fast moving world of popular music, it’s amazing that bands and artists stick around for more than 20 minutes let alone more than 20 years.

Those that do have more of a lifespan than your average house fly, keep their careers going through sheer hard work, endless talent and endless reinventon.

And US hip hop trio Ugly Duckling have all that and a whole lot more besides.

Formed in Long Beach, California, back in 1993, Andy Cooper, Young Einstein and Dizzy Dustin have been hip hoppn’, body poppin, jivin’ and rhymin’ around the world ever since with countless tours and shifting shedloads of records.

A quick earhole of some of their material reveals a brilliant mix of 80s/90s hip hop with innovative samples and mixes, all backed up with genuinely clever and funny lyrics, which makes a change from the usual hate-filled grunts from lesser rap outfits.

In fact, so witty and brilliant are their raps, I almost thought they were English, as Amercians don’t do irony, do they?

They’re currently on another huge European tour which takes in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, France, Holland, and this is where it gets really good, the UK, with a date at The Factory in Weymouth next Saturday, April 25.

 

And it’s reversed baseball hats off to the chaps at Rabbit Hole Promotions who have been working their sweaty socks off trying to bring original and live music to the town.

Top work, fellas.

It promises to be a great night at The Factory, possibly even equal to last year’s amazing show with The Dub Pistols, with support from Weymouth’s very own Cuba Libre and sets from DJs Victor Vector, Willis and Reece.

Tickets are £8 from thefactoryweymouth.co.uk or £10 on the door.

Get there early, it’s going to be rammed.

Now then, if Ugly Duckling are some sort of institution, what does that make The Who?

Celebrating an amazing 50 years together this year with an incredible history, you can recreate the band’s glory years of the late 60s and early 70s with Who’s Next?, the premier tribute band to the ‘orrible’ ‘Oo, when they bring their maximum R&B to Finns in Weymouth tomorrow night, Saturday, April 18.

They’ve been going since 2003 with a faithful recreation of The Who’s live show from that period, with all the all the classic songs, all the gear, all the clothes and all the onstage bust-ups.

In fact, so authentic are they, they have been unable to book a hotel room for the past 12 years and have to keep touring to pay for all those wrecked instruments and Rolls Royces parked in swimming pools.

Admission at Finns tomorrow is £6 on the door.

And finally, I’ll be hosting another edition of Air 107.2 FM’s Hijacked show on Wednesday, April 22, from 8pm-10pm with my usual mix of disco, funk and Northern Soul belters.

Tune in, you lucky monkeys.

TONIGHT (17)

The Bottom Line, Donnie Brasco, Stanley, Thumm (Finns, Weymouth)

Paisley (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Phil Denton (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Lo Numbers (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Mighty Fine (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Finn McGurk (Little Ship, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth) Tripod (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Mark Stacey (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Bitter and Twisted (No 10, Bridport)

Fluke (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Neon (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Stress (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Seabass and the Fellas (Aura, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (18)

Who’s Next? (Finns, Weymouth) Who tribute. £6.

TBC (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Jeffers and Jon (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

In The Doghouse (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Finn (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

Average Wyke Band (The Star, Weymouth)

60s 70s 80s Angels (Trinity Club, Dorchester)

Silhouettes (RBL Club, Fortuneswell, Portland) A fundraiser for the Fortuneswell Unit at DCH.

The Unpredictables (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Amy Mayes (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Frank E Finn (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

David 9 Lunis (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Matt Lock (Cutter, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (19)

The Secrets (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Aaron Carter (Park Hotel, Weymouth) 3pm.

Danx (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) Mark Stacey and friends host this regular Sunday acoustic jam session. Music from 8pm.

Sunday Session (Sydney Arms, Dorchester)

Steve Leach and Pete (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Paisley (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

ACBBs (Three Compasses, Charminster)

James Baker (Avenue Stadium, Dorchester) 3pm.

MONDAY (20)

Dave P, Chase Me (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (21)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (22)

Jonathan Cotton (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

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

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

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (24)

Light Fire Down (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Bob Fox (Sunray Folk Club, village hall, Broadmayne)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ann and Norm (Ferrybridge, Weymouth)

Open Mic Surgery (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester)

Steve’s Singalong (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund Street, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland)

FRIDAY (24)

Roving Crows (Evershot village hall)

Speedway Snails (Finns, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Bianca (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Mitchell St, Weymouth)

Groovemeister (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Left Right and Centre (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Elvis 56 (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Quayside, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Karen (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Skinful (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Steve Page and The Hook (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

The Riffs (Little Ship, Portland)

KopyKatz (Lugger, Chickerell)

Keeley McRae (Beach and Barnicott, Bridport)