SO HOW do you keep your music fresh, exciting and alive after almost half a century?

Well, Hawkwind’s main man Dave Brock certainly has some sort of idea as the veteran sonic explorers release their 31st studio album in September.

The Road to Utopia is the result of the space rock pioneers’ collaboration with songwriter and arranger (and, yes, the former Womble-in-chief…) Mike Batt, who met Dave by pure chance at the US Embassy in London while sorting out a visa.

Mike was invited to take part in the writing for the new album and started re-arranging and orchestrating some of Hawkwind’s more celebrated songs.

As Mike says: “Dave was delightfully free-spirited and generous to me, using a small ensemble of additional musicians and giving me a pretty free hand with the arrangements.”

The track listing will be familiar to the many fans of the band but they guarantee you won’t have heard them like this before.

Tracks such as Quark, Strangeness and Charm, Psychic Power and The Watcher (which includes a cameo from none other than Eric Clapton. (On spoons, presumably..) have been re-worked and embellished with Batt’s string arrangements.

As Dave says: “Reinventing these familiar songs has been an interesting experience. We hope you like them.”

The band’s two dates at the London Palladium in November have both sold out but you can get a sneak preview of their autumn tour of the UK and Europe when Hawkwind return to the Weymouth Pavilion tomorrow night, Saturday, July 21, with Mike Batt as a special guest.

Last year’s gig at the Pavilion was something very special by all accounts and they’ve decided to come back, such was the clamour by those there for another date.

Support tomorrow comes from The Fierce and The Dead and tickets at £29 are available from the box office on 01305 783225.

Moving on, and all the oceans of spilt beers and spilt tears during England’s valiant World Cup adventure have been mopped up so it’s time to sneak in a cheeky little Tea on the Quay at the Rendezvous in Weymouth this Sunday, July 22.

TOTQ is the Quayside Festival’s little cousin, less full-on, and not so shouty in your face, but still a great day with top entertainment and proving what a versatile venue Weymouth’s harbourside is.

Music starts at midday by the Town Bridge and the latest line-up includes Tom Somerfield, followed by Powelly, Jamie Pinnow, The Stereoironics, What the Phunk?, Portsmouth’s Four Folds Law, The Creek Pickers and The Leggomen, with The Chase taking the party indoors from about 10.30pm.

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (20)

Courtney Pine, Omar (Dorchester Arts Centre)

Kiki Dee, Replay (Greenford School, Maiden Newton)

Zoe Schwarz and Blue Commotion (Finns, Weymouth)

Rob Davis (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Sweet FA (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Bad Intention (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Steve Wilson Band (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Park, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Georgie Broad (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (New Star Inn, Portland)

Stevie P (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Behind Closed Doors (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Andy Twyman (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (21)

Kipper, Farrago, Sammi, Gerry and Pete, Radioplay, Weymouth Concert Brass, Portland Community Choir, Identikit, Speedway Snails, Moonshine Hillbillies, Mark Davis, Avid Bowie, Andy Grant, Half Dead Darlings, Captain Monkey Fingers and many, many more (The Big Busk, St Mary St and St Thomas St, Weymouth) From 10am-4pm, in aid of Weldmar Hospicecare Trust.

Hawkwind (Weymouth Pavilion)

Tripod (Finns, Weymouth)

Tequila Mockingbird (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Woodchuck (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

The Stereoironics (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Blind Harvest (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

The Katz (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Replay/CSiders (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Party Animalz (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Radioplay (Park, Weymouth)

Dale Fender Band (RBL Club, Marnhull)

Grand Reunion (Colliton Club, Dorchester)

Speedway Snails (Market House, Weymouth)

Hot Bacon (Wyke Regis Social Club, Weymouth)

Scoot (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

The Riffs (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Stour Valley Stompers (Drax Arms, Bere Regis)

Lady Winwood’s Maggot (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Finnian (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

The Urinal, Meat Sweats (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Johnny Mac (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (22)

Tim Somerfield, Powelly, Jamie Pinnow, Stereoironics, What the Phunk?, Four Folds Law, Creek Pickers, Leggoman, The Chase (Tea on the Quay, Town Bridge, Weymouth) From midday.

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

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

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm.

Lo Numbers (Bull’s Head, Fordington, Dorchester) 5pm.

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

Johnny Mac (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-7pm.

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

Speedway Snails’ Bandeoke (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Martin Freed, Sheryl Lee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) From 3pm.

Andy Twyman (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.

Acoustic Paisley (Belvedere, Weymouth)

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

MONDAY (23)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Danny Adams (New Vic, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (24)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Nina Garcia (New Vic, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (25)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (New Vic, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (26)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Tripod (New Vic, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (27)

Absolute Bowie (Weymouth Pavilion)

Lucy Watkins (Portland Museum) £4 on the door from 6pm. Fundraiser for the museum.

Devil’s Prefects (Finns, Weymouth)

Glass Spiders (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Roy Charles (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Suited and Booted (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Tripod (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Elijah Wolf Band (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Nigel Turner (Park, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Dana Immanuel and the Stolen Band (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Milk and Two (Royal Oak, Weymouth)