YOU know when you’re on to a good thing when you’re invited back to headline at a venue after playing a support slot there.

And that’s the case for Bristol-based blues/soul/country throaty chanteuse Elles Bailey who is returning to Dorchester’s Corn Exchange tonight, Friday, August 31 after blowing the collective socks off the punters when she opened at Jo Harman’s gig back in spring 2017.

But it’s not just those earholes, she’s impressing: Her debut album Wildfire, released a year ago, received rave reviews which is hardly surprising as Elles had some of Nashville’s finest players and producers on board.

And it’s been a busy year so far for Elles, who has been nominated for four UK Blues awards, as well as continuously touring the UK and Europe as well as popping back to Nashville to record new material.

She’s very much the real deal with a huge future ahead of her and has come a long way since a childhood illness affected her vocals chords which left her with such a distinctive ‘smokey’ tone.

Elles will be supported tonight by fellow Bristolian Lady Nade and tickets are £15 from the box office on 01305 266926.

Moving on, and we’re blessed by the presence of two guitar players of considerable nift over the next few days.

First up, and folk/blues fretboard worrier Sunjay makes a welcome return to these parts with a gig at The Convivial Rabbit micropub in Dorchester tomorrow, Saturday September 1.

As local folk legend Big Al Whittle, who will be supporting tomorrow night, tells me: “About forty years ago I taught Sunjay’s dad to play guitar, and over the years I’ve given Sunjay a few lessons, although I cannot claim to have much part in helping him to develop into the wonderful musician he is.

“Anyway he’s stopping with me for a short holiday and to stop him getting bored I’ve fixed up a couple of places for him to play. “ Sanjay will be playing his blues set, featuring material from Blind Lemon Jefferson, Muddy Waters and Big Bill Broonzy et al.

Well worth checking out, as is the appearance next Tuesday, September 4, of six-string superstar Adrian Legg at the Drax Arms Folk Club in the downtown seething metropolis that is Bere Regis.

Adrian has been hailed as impossible to categorise, and plays a custom-made selection of instruments which are a hybrid of electric and acoustic guitars with a style that has landed him the best acoustic finger-style player award four years on the spin by readers of prestige publication Guitar Player.

Tickets are £10 in advance from Richard Quayle on 07884 364516 or you can take a chance and pay £12 on the door and hope there’s some seats left.

And finally, don’t Run for the Hills just yet because Park Hotel guv’nor Carl Williams, who has been delighting the punters at his popular Weymouth pub with his series of solo tribute shows Maiden The Park, has stepped it up a notch and put a band together.

Carl is joined by Lionel Gache-Ford and Luke Rake on twin guitars, Darren Hentall on bass and Lee ‘The Hammer’ Harris on drums to form Ironed Maiden (see what they did there?...), Dorset’s only tribute to the mighty Maiden. They are making their public debut tonight, Friday August 31, at the Park, obviously, and Carl is fully confident he can hit Bruce Dickinson’s high notes without the aid of a surgical hoist.

It promises to be fantastic evening and certainly one of those ‘I Was There’ occasions.

Till next time

  • PS: Thanks to my colleague Joanna Davis for looking after the gig guide during my recent absence and thanks for all your kind messages. It’s been a great help.

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (31)

Elles Bailey (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

Wannabe: Spice Girls tribute (Weymouth Pavilion)

Johnny Cash tribute (Weymouth Pavilion Ocean Room)

Elijah Wolf’s Hattrick (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Ironed Maiden (Park, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

The Furious Pussies (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Jolly Boys Outing (Bull’s Head, Fordington, Dorchester)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Million Dollar Bash (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Stacey Lou (Black Dog, Weymouth)

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

Chill (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Johnny Mac (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Donna (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Tripod (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (1)

Magic: A kind of Queen (Weymouth Pavilion)

Foo Fakers (Finns, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Slipstream (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

The Katz (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

The Recks (Belvedere, Weymouth)

The Crack (Black Dog, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Sunjay, Big Al Whittle (Convivial Rabbit, Dorchester)

Stacey Lou (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Tori Reed Band (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Johnny King (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Rob Davis (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Blind Harvest (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Psychedelic Fridge Project (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Tripod (Crown, Bridport)

SUNDAY (2)

Illegal Eagles (Weymouth Pavilion)

Xander and the Keys (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

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

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

Sheryl Lee (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-7pm.

Never Mind the Bongos (Star, Weymouth) 3pm.

Grand Re-Union (Greenhill Gardens, Weymouth) 2-4pm.

Folk Night (Convivial Rabbit, Dorchester) From 7pm.

Leanne Jackson, The Rat Pack (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) From 3pm.

Jim Reynolds (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.

Matt Black (Park, Weymouth) 5pm.

Aaron Carter (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm, followed by..

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

Gut and Steel (Britannia, Portland) 4pm.

MONDAY (3)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (4)

Adrian Legg (Drax Arms Folk Club, Bere Regis)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

WEDNESDAY (5)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dave Bowen and Jazz Friends (Three Compasses, Charminster)

THURSDAY (6)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Tripod (New Vic ,Weymouth)

FRIDAY (7)

The Skones (Finns, Weymouth)

The Remedy (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Stompin’ Dave’s Blues (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dave Griff’s Open Mic (Gloucester, Weymouth)

The Remedy (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Fluke (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

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