THERE’s no doubting music can be used as a force for good and that’s certainly the case tonight.

There’s been huge support over the past few months for the campaign to keep the SCBU and Kingfisher Children’s Ward at Dorset County Hospital, with thousands of people marching through the county town.

The final decision on the fate of the children’s services and others at DCH has yet to be made, but it costs money to keep the campaign going and keep the pressure on.

And that’s where you can help with a fantastic fundraising gig tonight, Friday, September 4, at the TA Hall in Dorchester with three great acts.

Top of the bill are Tolpudle Martyrs festival faves Robb Johnson and the Irregulars and there’s great support in the form of punk rock revisionists The Skones and Jamie McDonald.

Event organiser Kevin Davis tells me: “The campaign to save SCBU and Kingfisher Ward has captured the attention of the whole county and a huge amount of work has been put in by local people.

“We thought that a night of music would be a positive way to keep the campaign in the public eye, raise some money to help with its ongoing costs and bring people together for a fun night out.”

Tickets are a mere £5 and on sale now at Dorchester Tourist Information, Durnovaria and Munchkins.

They are also available online at www.fuelledbycider.com and on the door tonight.

Now then, if you enjoy having your innards sonically shaken and your ears imploded, and I know you do, Finns in Weymouth is the place to be tomorrow, Saturday, September 5, for another moshtastic night of metal mayhem.

Headlining are Welsh din deliverers Breathe In The Silence who are bringing their brand of Valleycore from Bridgend, Southampton five-some FMNON (which the doofus writing this thought was the street way of spelling Phenomenon but actually is an abbreviation of Fifty Miles North of Nowhere. Kidz innit, bruv?), Weymouth’s rising starlets Light Fire Down, Dorchester’s Indie rockers Solent and Morpheus, who presumably will send me details about their band when they get out of their cot later this afternoon.

 

All this for just £3 on the door?

You just can’t turn that down, in more ways than one.

And finally, I always wanted to be a hairdresser when I was growing up.

Ah, the hours spent in front of the bedroom mirror with a microphone as a hairbrush.

However, if you fancy having a go at the ol’ ennertainmunt game there’s two new open mic nights for you to show off your chops: On Sundays at the George in Dorchester at 7pm with Jamie Pinnow hosting and on Wednesday at the Little Ship on Portland, with Martin Freed MC-ing.

This has been a public service announcement. Till next time…

TONIGHT (4)

Robb Johnson and the Irregulars, The Skones, Jamie McDonald (TA Hall, Poundbury Road, Dorchester)

Speedway Snails (Finns, Weymouth)

The Riffs (Little Ship, Portland)

Paul Lamb and The King Snakes (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Jess Upton and the Guilty Pleasures (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Chill (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Mama Feelgood (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Compass (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Suzy Mac (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

Paul Anthony (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Travelling Moon (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Matt Black, Chris Payn (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (5)

Breath In The Silence, Fifty Miles North of Nowhere, Light Fire Down, Morpheus, Solent (Finns, Weymouth) £3 on door.

Mama Feelgood (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Left Right and Centre (The Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Katz (RBL Club, Marnhull)

Peacock Suit (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Matt Black (Victoria, Dorchester)

The Hurricanes (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Nightshade (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

The Unpredictables (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Fluke (The George, Portland)

Skatmandu (The Park, Weymouth)

Icarus (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Andy Grant and Robbie McIntosh (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Mark Stacey (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Regulation 9 (Market House, Weymouth)

Surfin’ Birds (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

BJ McCabe (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Jim Hammond Duo (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (The Star, Weymouth)

Maxine and Lacey (RBL Club, Portland)

SUNDAY (6)

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.

Jillie and the Love Cats (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Gut & Steel (Old Ship, Upwey, Weymouth) 2.30pm

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Replay (Red Lion, Weymouth) 2pm.

Karen (Royal Oak, Weymouth) 3pm.

The Secrets (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Open Mic Surgery (The George, Dorchester) 7pm.

Blazing Strings (Little Ship, Portland) 3-6pm.

MONDAY (7)

Powelly, Chase Me (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (8)

Jazz night (The Star, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) Open Mic night.

Open Mic Night (The Park, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (9)

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

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

Open Mic Night (Little Ship, Portland) Martin Freed hosts.

Rockin’ Rich (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

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

Billy Hutchinson (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (10)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (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) 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 (11)

Groovemeister (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Steve Nicholas (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Freak Circus (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Andy Grant Trio (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Retro (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Bug Tree Swamp (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Haze (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

DuKane (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Fuzzy and the Grooveriders (Little Ship, Portland)