WHEN rock legends Iain Paice, Joe Bonamassa and Francis Rossi are singing your praises, you know you’re on to a good thing.

And even Radio 2’s Bob Harris has been whispering the name of Wille and the Bandits from the rooftops.

And the three-piece blues and roots rock warriors, who never seem to come off the road, are down this way soon with a show at the Dorchester Arts Centre on Friday December 6, at 8pm.

They make a tremendous racket for three rather hairy blokes, taking the power trio format pioneered by Cream of the Jimi Hendrix Experience back in the day and moving it on massively.

Tickets are £13 from the box office on 01305 266926.

Moving on, and it’s time to celebrate south Dorset’s great musical heritage again and meander down Memory Lane (or amble down Amnesia Avenue, depending on your point of view...) with another great get-together of bands from the recent past.

Weymouth’s Centenary Club is the venue again for a fundraising show next Friday, November 29, featuring three popular groups who will polishing up  their plectrums one more time.

Hexagon were at one time THE must-see band round these parts and were fixture on the pub, club and function circuit.

They’ll be joined by singing-songwriting troubadour Ken Watkins who will no doubt reprising some of the songs from his classic  Just John era.

Bringing up the rear, (Oooh, matron!) are The Originals, a new band formed by Abler White, Barrie Wilson, John Portsmouth, Mike Bell and Richard Kenney, some of the most experienced players around.

Tickets are a mere £10 from the club on 01305 839310 and they’re selling like hot cakes, so get yours quick.

This time the proceeds will be shared between A Stars, a charity which supports families affected by Asperger’s, and also the Weymouth and Dorchester Parkinsons Support Group

And finally, while we’re on the subject, bands reform for a variety of reasons.

Sometimes, as in the case of the recent series at the Centenary Club, it’s for the love of playing and pure nostalgia.

In some cases, it’s for financial reasons: Rehab bills, that tricky third divorce, record company pressure, whatever…

And sometimes, as in the case with one particular local band, it’s for the unadulterated love of savoury snacks.

Yes, the rumours are true: The mighty Freezer are getting their show back on the road with a gig this Thursday, November 28 at the Black Dog in Weymouth with the promise of more to come in the run-up to Christmas.

The break-up of the self-styled ‘Merchants of Ice’ a while back was as acrimonious as it was hilarious, with musical differences and the quality of backstage vol au vents cited as the principal reasons.

But Chris Whiteside, Paul Sundt, Dave Phillips and Pete Smith are now all pals again and as Chris tells me:  “We were all losing too much weight without the buffets to keep us going.

“But we’ve got a tank full of four-star in the van, half a pack of sausage rolls, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses. Hit it!

“And oh, have you tried them prawn rings? Mmmm…”

Right, I’m following the smart money and snapping up shares in Iceland and Greggs.

Till next time…

TONIGHT  22

Jolly Boys Outing (Finns, Weymouth)

Duke and the Broad Ratpack show (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Paul Williams (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Glass Spiders (Park, Weymouth)

Hamish (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Kelly (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Surfing Birds (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Rock Apes (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Club Bambooza, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Toxic Fish (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Stevie P (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Farrago (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Rockin’ Rich (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Leanne Jackson (John Gregory, Weymouth)

Stevie P (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Guitarmadillo (Reloved, Dorchester)

SATURDAY 23

Studio 55 (Finns, Weymouth)

Covenants Duo (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Danny Adams (Little Ship, Portland)

Cherry Pickers (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Drive By Jammin’ (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Handle With Care (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

BEMIS (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Surfing Birds (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Ollie Coe (Club Bambooza, Weymouth)

Richard Cooper  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 2pm

Chris Woodchuck  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 9pm.

Neil Wale (Weymouth Conservative Club)

Regulation 9 (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Andy Grant (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Lithium (Hardy’s, Dorchester)

Mi3 (Drax Arms, Bere Regis)

Lithium (Hardy’s, Dorchester)

Georgie Broad (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Dale Fender Band (RBL Club, Marnhull)

Nite Lite (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Skinful (Punchbowl, Portland)

Kathy (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Leanne Jackson (Three Compasses, Charminster) 6pm.

SUNDAY 24

Dave Manning (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Mutter and Clive (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.

Tim Andrews  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 2pm.

Richard Cooper  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm.

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 2pm.

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

Duke and the Broad Rat Pack Show (Park, Weymouth) 3pm.

Leanne Jackson (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-6pm.

Minor Fret (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Sunday Jam Session (Belvedere, Weymouth) 4-7pm

Di’s Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 7pm.

Lew.I.Is (Kings Arms, Weymouth) 4pm.

MONDAY 25

Tim Andrews  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY 26

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY 27

Nigel Evans Quartet (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Tim Andrews  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return,  Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

THURSDAY 28

Freezer (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland) 

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return,  Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

FRIDAY 29

Hexagon, Ken Watkins as Just John, The Originals (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Lee Memphis King as Elvis (Weymouth Pavilion)

TBA (Finns, Weymouth)

Hamish Maxwell’s Blues (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Skint Imperials (Waterloo, Weymouth)

Heidi (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Kelly Lorraine (Gloucester, Weymouth)

The Bomo Swing (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Rob Davis (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Dakota (Club Bambooza, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo  (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Revolution (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral (Y&Ys, Brewery Sq, Dorchester)

Identikit (John Gregory, Weymouth)