POINT a musician at a good cause deserving financial support and, nine times out of ten, they’ll be all over it like a seagull on a dropped chip.

And such an example is next Friday, October 6, at the Centenary Club in Weymouth when several of the region’s top musos are donating their time and undoubted instrumental and vocal niftyness to help raise money for the Lantern Trust.

The independent charity has been helping the vulnerable and disadvantaged in Weymouth and Portland since 1983, offering assistance with such essentials as homelessness and housing advice, counselling, benefit expertise and just general all-round helpfulness.

They also provide hot meals for those living on the streets, sadly an increasing occurrence these days, and provide support and advice on mental health issues.

As expected, there’s a hugely impressive line-up of bands and artists who are willing to help, including The Million Dollar Bash, Amy Hopwood, The Jimmy Hillbillies, Jack Scrumpy and the Moonshiners and John Stone.

There’s also an auction of memorabilia, including a Broadchurch photograph signed by stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman.

Tickets are just £5 and are available from the Lantern Trust in Ranelagh Road or from borough councillor Tia Roos at tiaroos@weymouth.gov.uk Moving on, and staying with the fundraising theme, The Boot in Weymouth is helping raise money for the Macmillan coffee morning with an all-dayer tomorrow, Saturday, September 30.

So not only will be there some top live music from guitar duo Gut and Steel from 3pm, followed later that evening by rising mod/rock foursome Tequila Mockingbird, and not only will be there beers, wines, ciders and spirits normally associated with one of town’s most popular booze emporiums, there will also be..... CAKE! Yummy, yummy cake, in all varieties and all for sale in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care.

And finally, it’s a warm welcome back to drummer supreme Sam Kelly who returns to these parts with his crack Station House band for a gig at Evershot village hall next Saturday, October 7.

Sam has been the immovable groove behind British funk, soul and reggae since the Seventies with such dancefloor pioneers as Cymande and his current band’s set list of gems from Johnny Guitar Watson, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley will have you bustin’ some shapes out on the floor.

Tickets for next saturday are £10 on the door from 7.30pm.

Till next time... EAT CAKE!

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (29)

Ben and Tom Waters (Corscombe village hall)

Mad Hatters (Finns, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Park, Weymouth)

Emma Lou (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

The Psychedelic Fridge (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

The JK Duo (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

King Tuts Revenge (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Regulation 9 (Dolphin, Weymouth)

Rob Ryan (Britannia, Portland)

Jolly Boys Outing (Kimberlin Club, Portland)

Karen (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Drive By Jamming (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral (YCs, Brewery Square, Dorchester)

Chill (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Tripod (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (30)

The Skones (Finns, Weymouth)

Regulation 9 (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Park, Weymouth)

Bad Edukation (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Highly Likely (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Vaughan Thomas (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

TBC (Market House, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Compass (Hardy’s Tavern, Dorchester)

Cuba Libre (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Replay (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Mad Hatters (Admiral Hardy, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (The Boot, Weymouth) 3pm, and later..

Tequila Mockingbird (The Boot, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (George, Chideock)

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Leggomen (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Stacey Lou (Black Dog, Weymouth)

The Rock Apes (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Skinful (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

BJ McCabe (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

The Sweetchunks Band (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Jolly Boys Outing (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Tripod (Crown Inn, Bridport)

SUNDAY (1)

Georgie Broad (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Flakey John (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Roger’s Open Mic (Gloucester, Weymouth)

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

Fluke (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Paul and Joe (Britannia, Portland) 4-7pm.

Tumbleweed (Revolution, Trinity Rd, Weymouth) 2-4pm.

Sunday Blues Jam (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Scots Dan’ Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 4pm.

Sheryl Lee (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Seabass (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Dakota (Hope and Anchor, Bridport) 4-7pm.

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

3pm Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm

MONDAY (2)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Cheese Wine and Jam (Boot, Weymouth)

Open Mic night Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (3)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Rock, Weymouth)

Acoustic Folk Session (Pilgrim House, Hope Sq, Weymouth)

Jazz Sessions (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Mark Davis (Boot, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (4)

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

Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic (Bull, Fordington, Dorchester)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (5)

Leggomen (George, 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.

Open Mic Night (Britannia, Portland)

Soapbox (Belvedere, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (6)

Million Dollar Bash, Amy Hopwood, John Stone, Jimmy Hillbillies, Jack Scrumpy and the Moonshiners (Centenary Club, Weymouth) In aid of The Lantern Centre. Tickets £5.

TBC (Finns, Weymouth)

The Mighty Trumpet (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Dave Griff’s Open Mic (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Lucy Harvey (Weymouth Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

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

Sarah and Billy (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Strings and Reeds (Park, Weymouth)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)