IF YOU like your blues on the funky side, perhaps swamped with a soulful sauce and groove-stacked gravy, you’re probably familiar with the guitar guru that is Geoff Achison.

And if you’re not, you jolly well should be, and there’s a terrific chance to get acquainted with the Aussie fretboard-worrier when he brings his crack UK Souldiggers band to Dorchester’s Corn Exchange tonight, Friday, April 6.

Geoff has been hailed as one of the Top 100 Guitarists You Should Know by Guitar Magazine and his band are no slouches either.

There’s the evergreen funk legend Sam Kelly on drums, Paul Jobson on keys and Andy Hodge holding down the bottom end.

They’re currently touring the UK so do yourself a huge favour and check ‘em out.

Tickets for tonight are £15 from the box office on 01305 266926.

Moving on, and it’s always good to welcome a new band to Weymouth’s vibrant music scene and tomorrow night, Saturday, April 7, it’s the turn of The Black Lines to unleash their sonic boom to the unsuspecting punters of the Market House Tavern.

Chanteuse George Frost fronts up this lively four-piece and she’s joined by ex-Regulation 9 bassist Pat Brathwaite, Jeremy Cuff (formerly of The Heartburns and Riptide) on guitar and drummer Tim Haines out of Bi-Proxy.

As George tells me, through her megaphone, naturally: “Our set list includes songs from the likes of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Elastica, Transvision Vamp, The Primitives and Republica.

“We’re punky, edgy and VERY LOUD!” Eh?

And there’s another reunion of some Weymouth’s great bands of yesteryear coming up next month.

The two previous events at the town’s Centenary Club have both been rip-roaring sell-out successes and raising huge amounts of dosh for Weldmar Hospicecare.

This time, it’s Crystal Ship, Dishley Grange and The Katz, featuring members of The Crescendoes, who will dusting off their vintage Les Pauls and Strats and rocking out like they used to back in the day on Friday, May 11.

Tickets at £6 are available from Paul at the club on 01305 839310 but be quick, as they’re going out the door as fast as an OAP on pension day driving a stolen pimped-up Zimmer frame.

And, talking of raising money for good causes (hey, this stuff writes itself…) there’s a family fun day at the Aura café bar on Weymouth seafront tomorrow, Saturday, April 7, from 2-7pm.

It’s just £2.50 on the door for grown-ups (kids and drummers are free) and all money raised will go to the Cooper’s Troop family and friends who are taking on the Jurassic Coast Mighty Hike in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

There’s a an impressive line-up of local talent, including The Leggomen, The Stereoironics, Hustle and Till There Was Uke, all doing what they do to help.

And talking of local talent, (hey, this stuff writes itself etc…) the good folks at The Voice UK must have heard how much there is down this way from Lauren Bannon because they are holding two audition days next month for the chance to appear in the 2019 series.

So if you fancy showing off your chops, they’re at The Gloucester in Weymouth on Friday, May 4 from 9-11pm and then at Finns on Saturday, May 5, from 11am to 1pm. Contact the respective venues to book your slot.

Who knows.. you could follow Lauren who will be in The Voice UK Final tomorrow night, Saturday, April 7, live on ITV from 8.30pm.

You know what to do: VOTE LAUREN okay?

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (6)

Bach to Bacharach (Weymouth Pavilion)

Geoff Achison and the UK Souldiggers (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

End of Days (Finns, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Dave Griff’s Open Mic(Gloucester, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

V8 Hearts (Park, Weymouth)

John Ramon (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Knights in the Bottom, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Moonshine Hillbillies (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

Jamie Pinnow (Belvedere, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (7)

Lauren Bannon (The Voice UK Final, ITV, 8.30pm) Vote Lauren!

Leggomen, Stereoironics, Hustle, Till There was Uke (Aura, Weymouth) 2-7pm.

A Vision of Elvis (Weymouth Pavilion)

Foo Fakers (Finns, Weymouth)

The Black Lines (Market House, Weymouth)

Nathan-Jon (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Dakota (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Rob and Rick (Portland Social Club)

Mama Feelgood (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

The Big Heavy (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Johnny King (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dale Fender Band (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Tim Andrews (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Chill (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Surfing Birds (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (RBL Club, Marnhull)

The Crack (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Strings and Reeds (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

BJ McCabe (Bridge Inn, Preston Weymouth)

Revolution (Punchbowl, Portland)

The Rockin’ 60s (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Toxic Fish (Royal Exchange, Portland)

SUNDAY (8)

Million Dollar Bash (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3.30pm.

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

Sunday Blues Jam (Belvedere, Weymouth) 4-7pm.

Sheryl Lee (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-7pm.

Scots Dan’s Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 6pm.

Richard Copper (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) Strings and Reeds (Britannia, Portland) 4pm.

Danny Adams (Kings Arms, Weymouth) 6pm.

MONDAY (9)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (10)

Dougie Cooper’s Jazz Night (Star, Weymouth)

Quay Stage 2 Acoustic Session (Pilgrim House, Hope Sq, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

WEDNESDAY (11)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (12)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (13)

TBA (Finns, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Glass Spiders (Park, Weymouth)

Kelly Lorraine (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Green Shutters, Portland)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dirtbox (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Little Joe (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Steve Payne Trio (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)