NEVER judge a book by its cover, and never assume the contents of a package by its outward appearance.

A fact I wish I’d known before my recent purchase of a Dyson Ball Vacuum. Still, they had a good old chuckle up at A&E.

Take your musos, fr’instance: if they’re chunky, hairy, dressed in black and smell of chips and fags, it’s either death metal or a poor Taylor Swift tribute.

Or if they’re fey, elfin, willowy, ethereal and prone to wearing diaphanous tops, it’s likely to be Stevie Nicks, Kate Bush or such like.

But every rule has its exception, and in this case it’s the exceptional Chantel McGregor.

Who’dafunk one so diminutive could possess a howling blues rock voice like a thunderous banshee, or indeed could have such guitar nift to strangle seven shades of shizzle out of a Stratocaster.

Her latest album Lose Control, produced by Livingstone Brown, who can boast Bryan Ferry, Ed Sheeran and Robin Trower on his CV, is the follow-up to her acclaimed 2011 debut Like No Other.

And check out her new single Take the Power at the online version of this page.

 

As she tells me: “I like to immerse myself in the sinister, dark world of depravation, magic and voodoo, writing most of the songs from the perspective of the disturbed flawed characters.”

Which is just as well and quite handy, actually, as she’s playing in Bridport next Wednesday, October 28, at the Arts Centre.

Tickets are available from the box office on 01308 424204.

Now then, those of you who are not brain-dead zombies will know that Halloween is fast approaching, the season of all things scary, witches, ghosties and ghoulies.

And talking of ghoulies, there can be few things scarier than a man dressed in a gold lame jacket, a black top hat and swirling cape, with a knife in one hand, a black leather bag in the other and wearing a chicken’s head running at you in a dark alleyway.

And if that’s not frightening enough, just wait till he starts singing… Yes, it can only be Jumping Jimmy Thunder, who has escaped yet again and will be ripping the living daylights out of the poor innocent souls at the Centenary Club in Weymouth next Friday, October 30.

As always with Jimmy’s extraordinary shows, it’s all for charity and this time it’s The Friendship Club for people with learning difficulties and the MV Freedom who will be the beneficiaries.

Jimmy will be backed by crack 60s outfit The Silhouettes and tickets at £6 are available from the club or Jimmy’s management empire on 0779 633 4934.

And finally, it’s always good to see new bands starting out so it’s good luck and break a leg — but not in Dave Grohl way — to Bad Intention who make their bow at Finns in Weymouth tomorrow night, Saturday, October 24.

The vastly experienced line-up of Leanne ‘GaGa’ Jackson on vocals, Mark Davis on guitar, David Lovell on bass and Grant Holford on drums promise some Evanescence, some Pat Benatar and some rocked up Katy Perry, so stick that in your smoke and pipe it.

Till next time…

TONIGHT (23)

The Mighty Fine (Finns, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Darren H (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Matt Black (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Rob Ryan (Park, Weymouth)

The Riffs (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Haze (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Mutter and Chums (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Karen (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Mojo Stone Cold Players (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Shelby’s Elbows (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SATURDAY (24)

Bad Intention (Finns, Weymouth)

Peacock Suit (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Blazing Strings (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (George, Portland)

The Riffs (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Steve Francis (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

The Unpredictables (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Kimberlin Club, Portland)

The Katz (Little Ship, Portland)

Wiggie (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Diane (Park, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dr Robert (Market House, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Wyke Regis Social Club, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (George, Chideock)

Jack Ratts (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SUNDAY (25)

Kast Off Kinks (Weymouth Pavilion) 7.30pm.

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 2pm.

Andy Matthews (Park, Weymouth) 4pm.

Sheryl Lee’s Sunday Club (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 4pm.

Steve Page (Royal Portland Arms, Portland) 4.30pm.

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.

Open Mic Surgery (George, Dorchester)

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Dave Bowen Quintet (Trooper, Stourton Caundle) 1-3pm.

Plinky Plonk open mic (Dolphin, Weymouth) 4pm.

MONDAY (26)

Matt Black (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (27)

Open Mic(Park, Weymouth)

John Stone (The Boot, Weymouth)

Open mic with Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (28)

Chantel McGregor (Bridport Arts Centre)

Georgie Broad (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Hutchinson (Rendezvous, Weymouth) From 8pm.

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

Open Mic Night (Little Ship, Portland)

Kes and Tia’s Open Mic Night (Ropemakers, Bridport)

THURSDAY (29)

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 (30)

Upton, McIntosh and Wilson (Old Town Hall, Weymouth)

Silly Band (Finns, Weymouth)

The Katz (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Replay (Brownsword Hall, Poundbury, Dorchester)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Tony England (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Skatmandu (Park, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Jumping Jimmy Thunder (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

The Decatonics (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Stupidity (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Jumping Jimmy Thunder (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Red Dirt (Ropemakers, Bridport)