I’VE a keen interest in the unusual, the exotic and the bizarre, as my overworked legal defence team will no doubt testify.

And when it comes to music it’s game on, no holds barred.

It’s always refreshing to welcome touring bands down this part of the world who bring something a bit different and next Friday, November 13, you’re in luck with the visit of Scottish folk rockers The Elephant Sessions to the mecca of rock’n’roll that is Evershot village hall..

They’ll be bringing their unique brand of diddly-dee mayhem, with gyrating guitars, demonic drums, furious fiddles and manic mandolins and also a lot of alliteration as well. Awesome...

 

The neo-Trad (well, that’s what they describe themselves as, so there) quintet will be playing tunes from the debut album The Elusive Highland Beauty, support comes from guitarist/stompbox ace John Maybey and tickets at £10 are available from the village shop or on the door on the night.

Moving on, and it’s another DA Blues session tomorrow night, Saturday, November 7 with US singer-songwriter and bottleneck whiz Steve James coming to the Corn Exchange in Dorchester.

The Seattle-based bluesman has worked with a host of top names, from Bo Diddley to Maria Muldaur, and has earned his reputation as one of the coolest guys on the circuit with constant touring, a compendium of anecdotes and a compelling stage presence. Tickets at £13 are available from the box office on 01305 266926.

And finally, here’s an early warning to get your bottoms in gear for the visit of Ben Waters and his band to one of their favourite haunts, the Royal Manor Theatre on Portland.

Ben and his red-hot band, now featuring his 15-year-old son Tom on saxamaphone, have just returned from a series of sell-out gigs in Germany and are heading off to Finland more shenanigans next week.

The boogie-woogie behemoth will be at the RMT on November 27 and 28 and tickets at £12 are available from royalmanortheatre.co.uk, but hurry because they’re going fast!

TONIGHT (6)

Bad Influence (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Punk On Your Hits (Finns, Weymouth)

Blazing Strings, Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Wilson (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Shooter (George, Dorchester)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Knights in the Bottom, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Duke and The Broad (Royal Standard, Upwey)

Ashley Day (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Skint Imperials (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Chris Woodchuck (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

The Velvet Doonicans (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Mark Davis Acoustic (Illchester Arms, Abbotsbury)

SATURDAY (7)

The Stylistics (Weymouth Pavilion) Souled Out!

Steve James (DA Blues, Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

The Shakespearos (Finns, Weymouth)

Gimmie Six (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

The Dolmen (Golden Lion Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

The Katz (Eight Kings, Portland)

Biff Bam Pow (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Skatmandu (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

The Skones (Goldies, Dorchester)

The Smak Band (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Victoria, Dorchester)

Paul Gibson (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Steve Nicholas (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

BJ McCabe (Bridge Inn, Weymouth)

Blazing Strings (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Replay (The Star, Weymouth)

The Riffs (Little Ship, Portland)

Bob Mallett (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Matt Black (The Snug, Weymouth)

Funke and the Two-Tone Babies (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SUNDAY (8)

The Secrets (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) From 3pm.

Jam Night (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Mark Stacey and friends. Music from 8pm.

Open Mic Surgery (George, Dorchester)

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

Finn (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Karen (Royal Oak, Weymouth) 3pm.

MONDAY (9)

Powelly, Mr Bucket (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (10)

Gut and Steel (Boot, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) With Martin Freed

WEDNESDAY (11)

Jam Night (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth) Hosted by Blazing Strings

Georgie Broad (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

Open Mic Night (Belvedere, Weymouth) Hosted by Martin Freed

Mark Stacey’s Open Mic (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (12)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, 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)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (13)

Elephant Sessions, John Maybey (Evershot village hall)

Fluke (Finns, Weymouth) DuKane (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Compass (Park, Weymouth)

Alexis (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Sheryl Lee (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Skimmity Hitchers (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Fat Marrow Blues Band (Ropemakers, Bridport)