GIG GUIDE: Gary Puckett anniversary tour, Guns Or Roses

And such a celebration is heading our way as Gary Puckett and the Union Gap mark their 50th anniversary with a UK tour which arrives at the Weymouth Pavilion later this month.

Gary had an incredible six smash hits on the spin in the last few years of that amazing decade, with such belters as Lady Willpower, Woman Woman and, of course, his biggie, Young Girl.

And it came as quite a surprise to me, but then, most things do these days, that in 1968, Gary and his band sold more records than any other recording act, and that includes the Fab Four.

Gary is joined on his tour by ex-Drifter Ray Lewis and his band Still Drifting, singing all your fave classics from, er, don’t tell me now, I’ll remember in a minute.

So be sure to wear some flowers in your hair and dig out your best loon pants and kaftans, when they visit Weymouth on Tuesday, March 27.

Tickets are £27 from the box office on 01305 783225.

Moving on, and you can take me down to Paradise City where the girls are green and the grass is pretty as Guns Or Roses, the UK’s most authentic tribute to Axl, Slash and the boys point their tour bus in our general direction.

They’ve toured all over the country and across Europe with dates at festivals in Norway, Belgium and Bulgaria and have even headlined at Donnington, which is quite something.

But their gig at Weymouth Pavilion next Saturday, March 24 is not just another storming show.

It’s a fundraiser for the Meningitis Research Foundation, a cause close to the band’s heart.

Support next Saturday comes from two titans of rock: Mark Davis’s mighty Tripod, and the force of nature that is Danny Adams.

It promises to be a rock-tastic evening so act sharp and get your tickets priced at £16.50 from the box office on 01305 783225.

Right, that’s it for this week. If you’d like your gig featured on this hallowed page, ping me all your shizzle to gigs@dorsetecho.co.uk.

Till next time...

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (16)

Rule The World: Take That tribute (Weymouth Pavilion)

Surfin’ Birds (Finns, Weymouth)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Rock Apes (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Roy Charles (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

The Leggomen (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Kipper (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

TBC (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Ship, Wool)

Tweed and Bourbon (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Afro Ninja (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

Stevie P (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

The Sweetchunks (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Permanent Vacation (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Richie (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Strings and Reeds (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Darren H (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

The Undecided (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Danny Adams (Brewhouse & Kitchen, Dorchester)

SATURDAY (17)

Dub Pistols (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

Phil Beer (Bridport Town Hall)

Big Gunz (Finns, Weymouth)

Electric Shakes, Paisley (Belvedere, Weymouth)

The Stereoironics (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Market House, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Nite Lite (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Haze (Kimberlin Club, Portland)

Johnny King is Elvis (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Matt Black (Park, Weymouth)

Pronghorn (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Ronnie and Du Kane (Weymouth Conservative Club)

The Rock Apes (Kimberlin Club, Portland)

Average Wyke Band (Black Dog, Weymouth)

The Defibrillators (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Compass (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Big Al Whittle (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 2-5pm, followed by

Big Al Whittle (Botany Bay, Winterbourne Zelston)

Gemma (RAFA Club, Weymouth)

No Standards (Star, Weymouth)

The Riffs (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Mother Ukers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Diane (Bridge Inn, Weymouth)

Dale Fender Band (RBL Club, Marnhull)

Karen (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Peacock Suit (Famous Old Spa, Weymouth)

Mama Feelgood (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Retro (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Danny Adams (White Hart, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (18)

Someone Like You: The Adele Songbook (Weymouth Pavilion)

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

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

James Hollingsworth (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Compass (Three Compasses, Charminster)

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

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Inner City Smugglers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Duke and Da Broad (King’s Arms, Weymouth) 6pm.

Morgan Boytits Lily (Britannia, Portland) 4pm.

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

Gut and Steel (George, Portland) 4pm.

Paul Gibson (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4pm.

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

Ansell and Gretal (Bull's Head, Fordington, Dorchester) 4pm.

MONDAY (19)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

James Baker (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (20)

Du Kane (Boot, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

WEDNESDAY (21)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

Du Kane (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (22)

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

SoapBox Night (Belvedere, Weymouth) Poetry, comedy, magic, music, whatever.

FRIDAY (23)

Shooter (Finns, Weymouth)

Chill (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Helena Mace (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Elvis Pete (Park, Weymouth)

The Glass Spiders (Café Jagos, Dorchester) 11pm.

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

The Remedy (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Average Wyke Band (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)