SO, a classical trained violinist. From Wales. Who raps. And uses a looped cajon beat box. You’re having a giraffe?
Yep, like most musical combinations it makes no sense until you actually hear and see it and you have that opportunity tomorrow night, Saturday, November 3, when the extraordinary Mike Dennis pitches up at the hip and happening Belvedere in Weymouth.


As a nipper Mike loved the gangsta rap of Run DMC and the Beastie Boys and it just seemed to make sense to combine this type of music with his violin studies.
He’s named his unique string-heavy hip hop Violinica, building up dense harmonies and layers of beats, all embellished with his sharp, syncopated rhymes.
It’s pointless me trying to describe him: Just go and see him, okay?
Mike is currently touring his latest album Edge in Wordways with his trusty fiddle Jess (Yes, I know. They have to have a name, don’t they?) which has received rave reviews, not least from Radio 6 presenter Tom Robinson who gushed: “ It slapped me around the ears and left me reaching for the replay button - brilliantly written lyrics, an astonishing flow - and sharp, pinpoint production.”
Moving on , and by an amazing quirk of fate, just a few yards down the road tomorrow night is another very individual artist who is stopping off in Weymouth as part of a huge UK tour.
Singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing has collaborated with a long list of artists, including Nick Lowe, Sarah McLachlan, Richard Thompson and Bruce Cockburn.
So it’s quite a coup to get him at the Old Town Hall in Weymouth’s High West Street tomorrow night.


Stephen, a native Canadian but brought up in Ireland, will no doubt be playing material from his recent solo album Every Soul’s A Sailor plus his take on songs from his roots rock band Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.
Tickets for tomorrow night’s show are £15 from 01305 837299 or songsfromthehalls234@gmail.com
Next up, and if you’re planning on attending the Soulvember spectacular at the Spice Ship in Weymouth on Saturday, November 17, you better get a move and snap up your tickets.
They’re shifting fast and that’s no surprise when you look at the line-up of bands artists celebrating the sheer joy of soul and Motown.
There’s six-piece show band Detroit Magic, (who hail from Stoke which is a distant suburb of Detroit, clearly), Baby Love, who pay homage to the Supremes, soul chanteuse Alexis and Bournemouth-based funkateers Groovemeister. BOOM!
Certainly an event to put on your best dancing pants for and tickets at £15 are available from the pub on 01305 834651.
Till next time…
NICK HORTON

TODAY (2)
Boot Led Zeppelin (Weymouth Pavilion)
Cloudbusting: 40 Years of Kate Bush (Dorchester Arts Centre)
Fluke (Finns, Weymouth)
4 Go Mad (Golden Lion, Weymouth)
Paul Henshore (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)
Dave Griff’s Open Mic (Gloucester, Weymouth)
Streetlife (Gloucester, Weymouth)
Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)
The Silhouettes (Centenary Club, Weymouth) Weldmar fundraiser.
Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Vanilla Radio (Ropemakers, Bridport)
Wiggie (Weymouth Working Mens Club)
Tripod (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)
The Katz (Fat Badger, Weymouth)
Hot Bacon (Royal Exchange, Portland)
Rob Davis (Spice Ship, Weymouth)
Acoustic Session (Victoria Inn, Knights in the Bottom) 8pm
Strings and Reeds (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 8.30pm
TOMORROW (3)
Radical Dance Faction, Back to the Planet, Culture Shock (Old Ship, Dorchester)
Sweetchunks (Finns, Weymouth)
Toxic Fish (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)
Skinful (Golden Lion, Weymouth)
The Silhouettes (Admiral Hardy, Weymouth)
Johnny King (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Regulation 9 (Dorchester Rugby Club)
Devil’s Doorbells (Ropemakers, Bridport)
Andy Grant Trio (Crown, Bridport)
Blue Quays (Weymouth Working Mens Club)
The Katz (Centenary Club, Weymouth)
Mike Dennis (Belvedere, Weymouth)
Stephen Fearing (Old Town Hall, Weymouth)
Strings & Reed (Weymouth Conservative Club)
The Katz (Weymouth Centenary Club)
Georgie Broad (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 8.30pm
SUNDAY (4)
Greg Agar (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)
Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm and 8pm.
Avid Bowie (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.
Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, Weymouth) From 3pm.
Scotsdan open mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 6pm
MONDAY (5)
Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)
TUESDAY (6)
Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
WEDNESDAY (7)
Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.
Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)
THURSDAY (8)
Roger Mac’s Singalong (Gloucester, 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 (9)
TBA (Finns, Weymouth)
Mike Sidaway (Gloucester, Weymouth)
Mad Hatters (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)
Southern Sinners (Golden Lion, Weymouth)
TBC (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)
Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Shelby’s Elbows (Ropemakers, Bridport)
Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)
The Undecided (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)
Mike Walker (Weymouth Working Men’s Club)
Watkins and Swarbrick (Charminster Village Hall)