LIVE: Phil Walker's Guitar Heroes at Weymouth Pavilion

Quiet, innit?

Now let’s skip all the history shizzle and set the controls for, say, 1956 when things suddenly got interesting with the advent of rock’n’roll, daddyo.

The history of pop music, and by association popular culture, is inextricably linked to the evolution of guitar playing with the strummin’ of Eddie Cochran, the ker-ping of Scotty Moore, the bespectacled ker-twang of Hank Marvin, and so on.

Next Friday, May 22, you can take part in a hugely enjoyable history lesson with the remarkable Phil Walker as he brings The Story of Guitar Heroes to the Weymouth Pavilion.

No matter if it’s acoustic, electric or battery-powered, the guitar is at the heart of a huge amount of music, whether it’s country, jazz, rock, pop, metal or blues.

As long as it’s not Kraftwerk, it’s there.

Anyways up, Phil and his red hot band will recreate the sound of legendary plank spankers, from Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix (don’t worry, the fire brigade are on stand-by), from Joe Satriani to Slash, from Mark Knopfler to Brian May, from Kurt Cobain to Jimmy Page.

It’s an amazing achievement for Phil – an axeman of some considerable nift – to pull this off and he’s joined on stage by some faces not unfamiliar round these parts: Toby James on guitar and vocals, Dan Betts on bass and vocals and Kristian Dlezweski, who is not only a top-notch drummer, but also an unbeatable hand in Scrabble.

Tickets are £18 from the box office on 01305 783225.

Now it must be something in their genes or their G-strings but I understand that some guitarists have been known to show off a bit.

You know, foot on the monitor, a fair bit of pouting, a touch of face-pulling, that sort of thing.

There’s showing off and there’s showing off.

But when it comes to Rodney Branigan, he’s off the flipping chain.

Playing two guitars at the same time? No problem. An amazing throaty blues rasp of a voice? Yep.

Juggling flaming armadillos while riding a unicorn?

Quite possibly, but you’ll have to find out tomorrow night, Saturday, May 16, when this impossibly talented Texas-born magician plays at the final DA Blues event to be staged at the Dorchester Arts Centre.

They’re off to the larger Corn Exchange in the county town and tickets for tomorrow night are £13 from the box office on 01305 266926. Till next time...

GIG GUIDE:

TONIGHT (15) Rocket Dolls, Light Fire Down, Oceans, If It Bleeds, King Leviathan (Finns, Weymouth)

Wilson, Trip (Old Town Hall, Weymouth)

Tripod (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Seabass (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Jack Ratts (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Broadband (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Howling at the Moon (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Finn (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Tony England (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Haze (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Vetruvians (Punchbowl, Portland)

Compass (Moby Dick’s, Weymouth)

Simon Gee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (16)

Rodney Branigan (Dorchester Arts Centre)

Freestylers, Cuba Libre (The Factory, Weymouth)

Tripod (Finns, Weymouth)

Shooter (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Deep Fried Bananas (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

C Sharp Blues, Alex Wood (Little Ship, Portland)

Speedway Snails (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

The Dinnerladies (Tom Brown’s, Dorchester)

The Hurricanes (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Charlie (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Neon (Black Dog, Weymouth)

SAS duo (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Bob Mallet (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dale Fender Band (RBL Club Portland)

Dusty Stray (Goldies, Dorchester)

The Skones (Victoria, Dorchester)

The Silhouettes (Marnhull RBL)

Catch 22 (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

One 2 One (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (17)

Amy Mayes (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Rob Ryan (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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)

Replay (Greenhill Gardens, Weymouth) 2pm.

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 session.

John Stone (Royal Exchange, Portland) 2pm.

Fluke (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Six String Steve (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

MONDAY (18)

Dave P, Chase Me (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (20)

Dave P, Damien Murdock (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Open Mic with Danx (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

Jonathan Cotton (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (21)

Chloe and Tom (The Stables, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, 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)

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

FRIDAY (22)

The Story of Guitar Heroes (Weymouth Pavilion)

Slither (Finns, Weymouth)

Skatmandu (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Bug Tree Swamp (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Mama Feelgood (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Aaron Carter (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Matt Wallis (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Portland Rocks, Alex Wood (Little Ship, Portland)

Jam Night (The Lounge, Colwell Centre, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (George, Dorchester)

No Country for Old Men (Beach and Barnicott, Bridport)