HONESTLY, where does the time go? We’re almost halfway through the year and it’s almost time for Glastonbury and Wimbledon fortnight, which happily coincides with the start of the UK’s tropical monsoon season.

But let’s hope this glorious weather holds for a bit longer so we can enjoy a little festival down this part of the world which has been growing and growing into a really popular family event.

Chesil Rocks returns next Saturday, June 24 at Tim and Hilary Warren’s delightful Higher Farmhouse at Langton Herring overlooking the Fleet and, once again, they have a top line-up of talent, both locally and from further afield.

And, once again, they’ll be raising money for The Samaritans and will be hoping to top the remarkable £8,000 from 2016.

And there’s some quality acts on offer, including local stars The Mad Hatters, Million Dollar Bash, Slipstream, C Sharp Blues and the WTF Band, featuring Robbie McIntosh, Lucy Hackett, Lee Worsley and Steve Wilson. (WTF does WTF stand for anyway?)

Also doing a turn are Somerset’s fiddle-fueled instant party folk-rockers The Leylines, country/folk duo Seren and more comedians, magicians and family entertainers than you can shake a sticky sausage roll at.

There are only a few tickets left for this marvellous event so check out chesilrocks.com for all the prices and shizzle and where to get them. Hurry up!

And if you’re thinking of picking up tickets for SkaFest 5 at the Spice Ship in Weymouth tomorrow, Saturday June 17, then you’re out of luck, pal. They’ve all gone! It’s sold out.

Not surprising with such a great line-up tomorrow, but those of you who had the foresight to get your tickets early will have the opportunity to get an early bird deal on the pub’s next major bash on Saturday, September 16.

That’s featuring soul and Motown sounds from such artists as Scott Bench Taylor, Let’s Drift, The Devotions, Alexis and Wonderband and tickets for Soultember (Gah, I’ve just seen what they did there!) are £17.50 but down to £15 if you’re at the Ska Fest tomorrow.

Now then, people have always asked me for a bit of high-brow music on this page to make a change from the cheap innuendos and what passes for low humour. So if you want a bit of culture, I’d like to give you a portion right now. It’s the Plush Music Festival over the next few weeks at the delightful village of Plush, so-called because it is. Very. There’s jazz, classical, opera, poetry and it’s all absolutely top-notch quality.

And tonight, Friday, June 16, there’s the chance to experience the fabulous jazz sounds of the Kit Downes Trio. Pianist Kit will be joined by Kiwi sax whizz Hayden Chisholm and Danish bass ace Pettr Eldh. They’ve played top venues all over the planet, including Ronnie Scott’s in London, plus Montreal and New York and are regulars on Radio 3, and that’s very posh. Check out plushfestival.com for ticket details and all the goings on over the next few weeks at Plush.

And finally, it’s high fives and fist bumps all round to the organisers, artists and punters at last Saturday’s Gimme Shelter bash at the Wyke Smugglers in Weymouth.

They’ve raised over £1,800 for the You Trust organisation’s Social Inclusion Service which helps those with housing difficulties in the county.

Fantastic effort and top job all round.

Right that’s it for this week. I’m off to join the UK’s Brexit negotiating team by shouting loudly in English and pointing at what I want.

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (16)

Rise Kagona and the Jit Jive Band (Evershot village hall) £10 on door.

Stereoironics (Finns, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Park, Weymouth)

Rich Baxter (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Steve Whale (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Winter Mountain (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

The Shakespearos (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Sir Robert of Ryan (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Side Door Project (Star, Portland)

Kit Downes Trio (Plush Music Festival)

Harpin’ On (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Georgie Broad (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Tripod (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (17)

Ten Bob Note, Lo Numbers, Hope & Glory, Total Jam, Skabretta (Ska Fest 5, Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth) SOLD OUT!

Splinter (Finns, Weymouth)

Restless (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

The Katz (Royal Oak, Charmouth)

Hot Bacon (Market House, Weymouth)

Matt Black (Park, Weymouth)

Neil Wale (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

MidLife Crisis (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Nite Lite (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Blackwater County (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Haze (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Saturday Jam (Belvedere, Weymouth) From 3pm, followed by…

James Weston (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Darron Garnett (Boot, Weymouth)

Replay (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Side Door Project (Lugger, Weymouth)

Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion (Victoria, Dorchester)

Amrick Channa (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

Davey Malone Duo (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Karen Kay (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Freak Circus (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee Experience (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Diane (Bridge Inn, Weymouth)

Outrage (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Bad Intention (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Tides Inn, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (18)

Steamer Ducklings (Old Ship, Upwey, Weymouth) 2pm.

Strings and Reeds (Park, Weymouth) 5pm.

The Shakespearos (Bull’s Head, Fordington, Dorchester) 4pm.

Singalong with Roger (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Phil Denton (Weymouth Working Mens Club) 2-5pm.

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm, followed by… Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm.

Finnian McGurk (Belvedere, Weymouth) 6pm.

Finn (Boot, Weymouth)

Market House Jazz Band (Market House, Bridport)

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

Replay (Red Lion, Hope Sq, Weymouth) From 2pm.

Doozer (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.

Leanne Jackson (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Swan Inn, Stalbridge)

Sara and Billy (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Elvis Pete (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Folk, Country and Blues Evening (Old Town Hall, Weymouth) 7pm.

JD Acoustic (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Rat Pack (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

MONDAY (19)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (20)

JD Acoustic (Boot, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Rock, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (21)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Jam Night (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic (Bull, Fordington, Dorchester)

Skint Imperials (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (22)

Jim and James Room Temperature Freak Out (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic (George, Dorchester)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (23)

Mad Hatters (Finns, Weymouth)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Jennifer Marie (Park, Weymouth)

Ashley Day (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Chris Woodchuck (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Farrago (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Sweet FA (Gloucester, Weymouth)