THOSE of you who witnessed and enjoyed guitar genius Colin John’s gig at The Star in Weymouth earlier this year will probably have managed to close your gaping collective cakeholes by now, such was the jaw-dropping skill displayed by the fretboard worrier from Hawaii.

If you were there and want a repeat, or if you missed him and want to enjoy an evening of quality blues, filthy funk and soul featuring the sort of plank-spanking heroics that Hendrix would have made if he joined a surf band, then you have three chances this weekend.

Colin is doing a short tour of Dorset and he’s at The Crown in Bridport tonight, Friday, June 23, back at The Star in Weymouth tomorrow, Saturday, June 24 and rocking the rock at The Britannia on Portland on Sunday, June 25.

And, to further enhance your earhole pleasure, this time he’s joined by long-time collaborator Long Tall Deb, so called because that’s her name and she’s quite tall.

And Deb Landolt also has a soul, gospel and Americana voice that has earned comparisons to Robert Plant, Etta James and Bonnie Raitt, which is no mean feat, is it?

Colin and Deb will be joined by their crack band of Smudge Smith on guitar and tub-thumping titan Chris Page while Chris Lonergan will be displaying a firm grip on his bottom end, as ever.

Promises to be a great series of gigs, so do yourself a favour and catch at least one, okay?

Now then, our wonderful county has been inspirational over the years when it comes to naming bands.Who could forget the Wynford Eagles, the Melbury Osmonds, the Durdle Doors and the Milton Abbas, to name but a few of the bands who took their name from Dorset villages and later shortened them when Dame Fame and Fortune came calling.

Well, there’s a new band on the block taking their name from a Dorset landmark.

And Monkey Jump, for that is they, will be making their debut at the Wyke Smugglers in Weymouth tomorrow, Saturday, June 24.

Now it may well be a new band but the personnel will be familiar to any of you who may have inadvertently ventured into a public house when there’s been a band on anytime in the last 40-plus years or so.

Mark Duxbury and Andy Collett of Gut and Steel, Let Me Out and Tempo fame have joined forces with local music leg-ends Tony May and Steve Peach, whose form includes Left, Right and Centre, Hexagon and many more outfits, to form Monkey Jump.

As you can see from the picture here today, which was taken backstage at the recent auditions for Crimewatch, they are unlikely to be asked their age when they pop to the bar.

With their experience and considerable degree of musical nift, you can expect quality tunes and harmonies so close they’re almost holding hands.

And with a set list ranging from Primal Scream to Fleetwood Mac, and the Beach Boys to the Pretenders, they’ve also got jolly good taste too.

I’m away next week as I’m heavily involved with the Brexit negotiations so my glamorous colleague Joanna Davis will taking care of the gig guide, so send your events in to gigs@dorsetecho.co.uk.

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (23)

Long Tall Deb and Colin John Band (Crown, Bridport)

Mad Hatters (Finns, Weymouth)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Jennifer Marie (Park, Weymouth)

Ashley Day (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Chris Woodchuck (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Farrago (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Sweet FA (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Vinyl Monkeys (Ship, Dorchester)

Ricky Solo (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Revolution (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Operatic Sean (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Mama Feelgood (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Black Dog, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (24)

Mad Hatters, The Leylines, Million Dollar Bash,Slipstream, Magic Matt, WTF Band and many more (Chesil Rocks, Higher Farmhouse, Langton Herring)

Long Tall Deb and Colin John Band (The Star, Weymouth)

Black Sky (Finns, Weymouth)

Xander and the Keys (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Tequila Mockingbird (Market House, Weymouth)

Freak Circus (Park, Weymouth)

Steve Nicholas (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Jukes 5 (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Riverside Blues Band (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Skint Imperials (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Kerfuffle (Bull’s Head, Fordington, Dorchester)

Usual Suspects (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Hardcore Troubadours (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Nite Lite (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Monkey Jump (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Frank E Finn (Bridge Inn, Weymouth)

Tripod (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Black Dog, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (25)

Long Tall Deb and Colin John Band (Britannia, Portland) 3-6pm.

Mad Hatters (Park, Weymouth) 5pm.

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

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

Precinct of Sound (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Minor Fret (Boot, Weymouth)

Singalong with Roger (Gloucester, Weymouth)

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

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

JD Acoustic (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Crown Inn, Bridport) 4pm.

Stacey Lou as Amy Winehouse (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

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

MONDAY (26)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (27)

Jazz Session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Rock, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (28)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth)

Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic (Bull, Fordington, Dorchester)

THURSDAY (29)

Stompin’ Dave Allen (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

Soapbox (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic (George, Dorchester) With Elijah Wolf

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

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

FRIDAY (30)

Peacock Suit (Finns, Weymouth)

Drive By Jamming (Market House, Weymouth)

Kathy Boorman (Park, Weymouth)

Martin Maton (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Shooter (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Identikit (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Innocent Bystanders (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Dr Robert (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Matt Black (Kimberlin Club, Portland)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Andy Grant Trio (Brewhouse and Kitchen, Dorchester)

JD Acoustic (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)