THERE are countless rock’n’roll anecdotes, some may well be true, some are downright made-up lies, and some so good it doesn’t matter either way.

Take, for example, the tale of a legendary band, infamous for their after-show parties with all manner of goings-on going on that would make the last days of the Holy Roman Empire look like a vicar’s tea party.

It’s the early 80s and said rockers have just finished a huge American tour and, if their after-show parties were extreme, their tour wrap-up bashes were even more notorious.

So they’re holed up in the penthouse of a very swanky city hotel with groupies, go-fors, circus midgets and freak show entertainers everywhere and enough highly expensive pharmaceuticals knocking about to rival ICI. Suddenly the debauchery is interrupted by a loud knock at the suite door.

“May we come in please? It’s the police.”

Cue mayhem as clothes are swiftly put back on, intoxicated and incapacitated persons are hidden in wardrobes or under beds and the expensive and highly illegal certain substances, powders, pills and what-have-yous are either flushed down the loo, bunged down the sink or launched out the window, following the earlier flightpath of the suite’s unfortunate television set.

Imagine the hilarity when the door opens and in walk Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland.

“Hi everyone! We’re The Police…”

Obviously, they’ll be no such nonsense going on next Friday, September 16, when some of south Dorset’s most accomplished and respected musicians get together for Synchronicity UK, a celebration of the music of The Police and their main man Sting at the Weymouth Pavilion.

Featuring classic material from Roxanne to An English Man in New York, So Lonely to Fields of Gold and many, many more, this project has been a year in the making and promises to be a hugely entertaining and memorable do do do do (da da da da), and its timing is impeccable with Sting releasing his new album very soon.

As lead singer and keyboardist Rob Paull tells me: “We had the initial idea last August and started rehearsals last October.

“It’s been challenging at times as you would expect with an eight-piece band who are all very busy individually, but we can promise a top quality, professional show.

“We’re also filming and recording Friday’s performance with a view to touring the production,” Rob adds.

There’s a huge variety of music involved, from the tight rocking reggae-pop of the three-piece Police - in their day arguably the biggest band in the world and the relatively recent reunion tour sold out stadiums around the world - to Sting’s more elaborate solo material, but the calibre of the musicians involved proves they are more than up to the challenge.

Rob will be joined by his Fluke bandmates Stevie Garden on guitar, Rod Teague on bass and Tim Wheeler on drums and vocals.

They’ll be aided and abetted (see what I did there?) by Paul Graham of Chill on guitar, keys, vocals and programming, Jess Upton and Julie Heffell on vocals and Wendy Allen on sax.

It certainly promises to be one of those ‘I was there’ nights and tickets at £17.50 (£15.50 concessions) are available from the Pavilion on 01305 783225.

And finally, I’ll be hosting the Hijacked show on Air FM 107.2 next Wednesday, September 14, from 8-10pm. Expect the usual fabulous Northern soul, funk, ska and reggae plus the usual rubbish jokes. Till next time...

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (9)

Frank Griffith Sextet revisit Kind of Blue (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

Junco Shakers (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Tripod (Finns, Weymouth)

Beat Safari (George, Dorchester)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Suzy Mac (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Tequila Mockingbird (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Charlie (Park, Weymouth)

Rockin’ Rich (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Replay (John Gregory, Weymouth)

Lo Numbers (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Southern Sinners (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

Tom Clement and The Clementines (The Boat That Rocked, Portland Marina)

Guns of Navarone (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SATURDAY (10)

Gypsy Jazz, Nina Garcia, Ansell and Gretal, Lauren Bannon, Will Sear, Amy and the Twins, Hustle (Brewery Square, Dorchester) From 11am.

Regulation 9 (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

The Dolmen (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Black Sky (Finns, Weymouth)

Hustle (George, Dorchester)

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (RBL Club, Marnhull)

Steve Nicholas (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Highly Likely (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Haze (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Surfing Birds (Wyke Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Paul Gibson (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Mama Feelgood (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Nathan Jon (Boot, Weymouth) 2-5pm.

Stacey and Hammond (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Freak Circus (New Star Inn, Portland)

Tripod (Three Compasses, Charminster)

The Mighty Trumpet Company (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Frank E Finn (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (11)

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

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

Bitter and Twisted (Globe, Weymouth) 4.30pm.

Georgie Broad (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Singalong a Roger (Gloucester, Weymouth)

MONDAY (12)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (13)

Open Mic (Park, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (The Boot, Weymouth)

Dougie Cooper’s Jazz Night (The Star, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (14)

Tripod (Finns, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic (Bull, Dorchester)

THURSDAY (15)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic (George, Dorchester) With Elijah Wolf

Open Mic (Drift Bar, Hope Sq, Weymouth) With Aaron Carter

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

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

SoapBox Night (Belvedere, Weymouth) Music, poetry, comedy, whatever Hosted by DuKane.

Open Mic (Drax Arms, Bere Regis)

FRIDAY (16)

Synchronicity UK: An Evening of Sting and The Police (Weymouth Pavilion)

Stereoironics (Finns, Weymouth)

Swamp Grass (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Road Hogs (George, Dorchester)

Andy Kennett (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)