IT’s a tough time being in a truly authentic tribute act these days.

The Bee Gees are now a solo act, The Beatles are a drum’n’bass duo with occasional yelping from a bonkers Japanese lady and now The Travelling Wilburys are just the hirsute twosome of Jeff Lynne and Bob Dylan, following the sad passing recently of Tom Petty.

Tom joined George Harrison and Roy Orbison for the great gig in the sky but the band’s timeless country rock songs will live on, handled with care (See what I did there?) by loving homage-istes such as The Unravelling Wilburys (See what they did there?)

The five-piece of Thumper, Fingers, Blind Melon, Sticky Willy and Javelin affectionately present their take on the songs they claim were stolen from them back in the day by Messrs Harrison, Petty, Orbison, Lynne and Dylan, including End of the Line, Handle with Care, Heading for the Light and many more smasheroonies.

And as some sort of musical revenge, they’ve stolen quite a few tunes from The Beatles, His Bobness, ELO, The Heartbreakers and The Big O himself.

Mind you, performing songs by the Fab Four is a piece of cake for the Flab Five, as they toured the globe for 21 years as Sgt Pepper’s Only Dart Board Band in a previous incarnation.

The Unravelling Wilburys will be unravelling themselves at Dorchester’s Corn Exchange on Saturday, November 11.

Tickets are £12 from the county town’s TIC.

And staying with a Beatles theme, Paul McCartney’s former sax player Howie Casey is still touring at the age of 80 and brings his Beatles with Wings show to the rather salubrious Digby Hall in Sherborne next Friday, November 3.

Despite his vintage, Howie has been keeping very busy, working with Tony Visconti on Sky Arts’ Unsigned Heroes programme and, last month, played at the Marc Bolan 40th Anniversary Memorial gig at the 02 in Shepherds Bush.

And next year, he’s lined up a gig with Chas and Dave at the Royal Albert Hall, which is not too shabby, is it?

Tickets for the Digby Hall date next Friday are £12.

Moving on, and no one can doubt the power of music and its ability to take you to another place.

For example, whenever I start singing, most people go somewhere else. Quickly.

But, seriously, music’s power to affect political change, to inspire revolution or to re-enforce the status quo (No, not them…) and keep people in their place is well-known by both rulers and those they rule.

Guitarist and political activist Dave Randall has toured the word, playing with some notable artists as Faithless, Sinead O’Connor and Dido. He’s also an esteemed writer and his new book Sound System: The Political Power of Music (Published by Left Book Club and priced at £12.99) deals with raves, riots and revolution and provides a unique insider’s view of the music business, the cult of celebrity and its commodification.

Dave will be launching his book, chatting about his life in the world of music and political protest, and no doubt having a cup of tea and a slice of their lovely cake, at Revolution vinyl emporium on Weymouth’s Trinity Road next Thursday, November 2.

Should be a fascinating evening.

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (27)

Devil’s Prefects (Finns, Weymouth)

Martin Maton (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Cuba Libre (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Amy Brown (Belvedere, Weymouth)

The Seaman Chase (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Maiden The Park (The early Years 80-88) (Park, Weymouth)

Elijah Wolf (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Chris Woodchuck (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Georgie Broad and friends (Pilgrim House, Hope Sq, Weymouth)

Distant Echoes (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Nathan Jon (Illchester Arms, Abbotsbury)

Scots Dan’s Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Karen Kay (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Drive By Jamming (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Zoe Schwarz (Y&Ys, Brewery Sq, Dorchester)

Bad Intention (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (28)

Willie and the Bandits (Electric Palace, Bridport)

The Dolmen (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Tripod (Finns, Weymouth)

Headhunters (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Steve Nicolas (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Sticky Jam Band (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

The Urinal and James Laming’s House of Horrors (Belvedere, Weymouth) Rock Apes (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Scareoironics (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Average Wyke Band (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Ansell and Gretal (Bull’s Head, Fordington, Dorchester)

60s Revisited (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Karen’s Variety Show (Wyke Regis Social Club, Weymouth)

TBC (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Freak Circus (Boot, Weymouth)

Andy Grant Trio (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Rocking Rich (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Matt Black (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

The Riffs (Royal Standard, Upwey, Weymouth)

Skint Imperials (Kings Arms, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Vaughan (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (New Star, Portland)

SUNDAY (29)

The Skones (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Precinct of Sound (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Park, Weymouth) 5pm

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

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

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Minor Fret (Boot, Weymouth) 5pm.

Dorset Wrecks (King’s Arms, Weymouth) 3pm. Dorset’s premier buoy band.

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

Scots Dan’s Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Leanne Jackson, Strings and Reeds (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-9pm.

Sprex Mafia Duo (Revolution, Trinity Rd, Weymouth)

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 2pm.

Nathan Jon (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

MONDAY (30)

John Cooper Clarke (Electric Palace, Bridport) SOLD OUT.

Acoustic Jam (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (31)

Drive By Jamming (Boot, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (1)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

THURSDAY (2)

Dave Randall (Revolutions, Trinity Rd, Weymouth)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Skint Imperials (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (3)

Howie Casey’s Beatles with Wings (Digby Hall, Sherborne)

Finnian (Park, Weymouth)

The Bog Dogs (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Just John and Son (Weymouth Workies)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh HoS, Weymouth)

JD Acoustic (Britannia, Portland)