WELL, as annuses go, this one has been pretty horribilis.

In fact it’s hard to think of any more horribiliser, certainly in terms of the number of fabulous stars we have lost.

If anyone knew at the beginning of 2016 so many great people would pass away, I’m sure we could have got together and stopped the world and, in the words of Cher, turn back time.

Music: Bowie, Prince, George Michael, Leonard Cohen, Rick Parfitt and many more...

TV and film: Victoria Wood, Alan Rickman, Carrie Fisher, Terry Wogan, Ronnie Corbett, Mrs Merton, Hilda Ogden and many more...

Sport: Ali, Cruyff, Walter Swinburn, all seemingly invincible titans, all now gone.

It’s as if the Grim Reaper set his scythe to Talented, Loved and Successful and let it loose.

At least I should be okay for a while yet anyway.

But it’s not just celebrities we mourn. We’ve all lost friends and relatives, fellow local musicians and great pub characters, and we remember them too.

As always as this time of year, we reflect on the past 12 months but look forward to the New Year with some frail hope that things might be a little better.

And there’s no better place to kiss this annus horribilis goodbye and welcome in 2017 than Weymouth, which as always, has a terrific line-up of live music.

Up on the Esplanade, it’s The Front with Hustle and the Mad Hatters seeing in the New Year in front of hundreds of fancy dress revellers. Tickets are available from Aura, Lazy Lizard, Boombox or The George.

And The Boot is upping the stakes in the sophistication market with a masked ball and a string quartet on New Year’s Eve.

Yes, you read that right. The Alani String Quartet are top-notch players who have worked with Girls Aloud, One Direction and Jamiroquai.

Individually, members have played with the Royal Philharmonic and the Bournemouth Symphony orchestras, so they clearly know their arias from their Elgars.

They certainly are a class act but how will they fare after a few jars of the Boot’s infamous Cheddar cider?

Meanwhile, out at the King’s Arms at Portesham, it’s a rare but welcome outing for The WTF Band. And if someone could let me know WTF WTF stands for, I’d be very grateful, FFS. LOL.

Either way, there’s some tip-top musos playing, including Robbie McIntosh on geetar, Lucy Hackett on keys and pub guv’nor Lee Worsley thumping his tubs.

Whatever you do and whatever you decide to go as, stay safe, have a great time and we’ll see you on the other side. Happy New Year.

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (30)

Allen Howard (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Lo Numbers (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Bog Dogs (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Identikit (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Black Dog, Weymouth)

NEW YEAR’S EVE (31)

The Front Live (Weymouth Esplanade) Hustle, Mad Hatters and many more.

Coyote (Finns, Weymouth)

Barry Hobson (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Retro (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Vanilla Radio (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Sheryl Lee (Park, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Replay (Rembrandt Hotel, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Alani String Quartet (Boot,Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Broadband (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Stereoironics (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Jack and Benny (Blue Vinney, Puddletown)

The WTF Band (King’s Arms, Portesham)

Hot Bacon (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Dakota (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Nina Garcia (Poachers, Piddletrenthide)

Seabass, Side Door Project (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Tides Inn, Weymouth)

Haze (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

The Katz (RBL Club, Portland)

Jenna (RAFA Club, Weymouth)

V8 Hearts (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

NEW YEAR’S DAY (1)

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

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Farrago (Globe, Weymouth) 4.30pm.

Powelly, Leggomen, Stereoironics (T-Bar, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Steamer Ducks (Star, Weymouth)

MONDAY (2)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Ratpack (Belvedere, Weymouth) 4-7pm

TUESDAY (3)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (4)

Dave Bowen and Jazz Friends (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic (Bull, Fordington, Dorchester)

THURSDAY (5)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic (George, Dorchester)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

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

FRIDAY (6)

Bad Intention (Finns, Weymouth)

Elijah Wolf and Friends (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Tom Toomey (Belvedere, Weymouth)