WELL, what an epic bank holiday weekend that was.

Record sunshine, bumper crowds and good times all round, but for some people the party never stops

For example this week out in the wild west that is Bridport, they’ve been enjoying the hat festival which comes to a close this Sunday, September 3, with Hank Wangford and the Lost Cowboys at the Electric Palace.

Hank and his band are firm favourites of the hat festival, having either opened or closed it for the past eight years.

And if Daniel O’Donnell is the brightly scrubbed face of British country music, Hank is its grubby dirty conscience.

Hank will be joined on Sunday by long-time posse pals of Brad Breath and Sam Spoons to entertain with their songs of misery, loss, heartache, dead dogs, trains and cowboys, as all country songs have to have at least three of these, by law.

Tickets are £12 from the box office on 01308 428354.

Moving on, and Aussie pop/punk troubadour Benny Mayhem has been gigging all over the south recently with his band, with dates at the Ropemakers in Bridport and Hardy’s in Dorchester, plus slots at the Love Parade and the Camping be Cider Seaside bashes.

He’s heading off to invade Europe next week but you can catch him tonight, Friday, September 1, at The Belvedere in Weymouth.

And, staying in sunny Weymouth, there’s a 10-hour fundraiser tomorrow, Saturday, September 2 at Ayya. This One Time at Band Camp features Toby De Kretser, Blazin’ Strings, Powelly, Danny Adams, Under the Carousel and many more who will be giving their all and doing their collective things to raise money for the Anthony Nolan Trust, which helps save the lives of people with blood cancer.

Music starts at 4pm and goes on to the ridiculous hour of 2am, so do look in and feel free to donate, okay?

If you’d like your event featured in the Echo gig guide, just email your details to gigs@dorsetecho.co.uk.

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (1)

Lo Numbers (Finns, Weymouth)

Vaughan Thomas (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Richard Cooper (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Park, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Georgie Broad (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Gloucester, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Phil Denton (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Benny Mayhem (Belvedere, Weymouth)

The Garry Smith Trio (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Elvis Pete (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Dakota (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (2)

Powelly, Blazin’ Strings, Under The Carousel, Danny Adams, Toby De Kretser and many more (Ayya, Weymouth) In aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust, from 4pm to 2am.

Vinyl Monkeys (Finns, Weymouth)

Fluke (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

The Skones (Hardy’s, Dorchester)

Karen Kay (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

The Mad Hatters (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

The Shakespearos (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Wyke Regis Social Club, Weymouth)

Retro (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Dakota (Market House Tavern, Weymouth)

Million Dollar Bash (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Black Dog, Weymouth)

All Funked Up (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Old Dogz New Trix (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Blue Quays (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Frank E Finn (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Johnny King (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

The Katz (RBL Club, Portland)

Tori Reed and the Tall Travelling Troubadours (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Haze (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Nina Garcia (Fat Badger, Camp Rd, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (3)

Hank Wangford and the Lost Cowboys (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Minor Fret (Boot, Weymouth)

Replay (Red Lion, Weymouth) 2pm

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Million Dollar Bash (Bull’s Head, Fordington, Dorchester) 4pm

Mad Hatters (Park, Weymouth) 5pm.

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

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) From 3pm, followed by..

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Paul Gibson (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-7pm.

Dredge out of Toxic Fish (Revolution, Trinity Road, Weymouth) 2pm.

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

JD Acoustic (Britannia, Portland) 4pm.

Gut and Steel (Royal Standard, Upwey, Weymouth)

Open Mic with Scots Dan (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 4pm.

Nathan Jon (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

JD Acoustic (Three Compasses, Charminster)

MONDAY (4)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Cheese, Wine and Jam (Boot, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (5)

Johnny Phillips (Boot, Weymouth)

Folk/Acoustic Session (Pilgrim House, Hope Sq, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Rock, Weymouth)

Martin Freed’s Open Mic (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (6)

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)

Skint Imperials (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (7)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh HoS, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Aaron and Karina (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (8)

TBC (Finns, Weymouth)

Owen Lister (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Charlie Hodds (Park, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Lo Numbers (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Nick Sellars (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Bad Intention (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Britannia, Portland)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)