GAH! There's no room whatsoever for a preamble this week - unless you count this sentence - so we'd best be leaping straight in with the details of the fifth Endorse It In Dorset Festival (Oakley Farm, Sixpenny Handley, today-Sunday, tickets and details from www.lgofestivals.com).

It was a birthday party in a barn which originally inspired the band Pronghorn to stage their own festival, bringing local and international music to their home county of Dorset. From a one-day event with a capacity of 750, the festival has grown into a three-day extravaganza with a capacity of 5,000.

This year's line-up is extremely impressive by any criteria, including as it does a number of bona-fide legends. The festival kicks off today with much-loved ska/pop politicos The Beat, ably supported by Pronghorn, Imperial Leisure, The Talks, Sixnationstate, Little Fish, Tofu Love Frogs, Los Albertos, Tragic Roundabout, Steranko, Big Red Ass and Chicken Shed Zeppelin.

Tomorrow, the mighty Buzzcocks top the bill, preceded rather jaw-droppingly by Jamaican godheads The Skatalites and Symarip, and a full day's worth of sterling support from Cropdusters, The Displacements, The John E Vistic Experience, The Thirst, Subgiant, Arno Carstens, The Favours, Cash Converted, Port Erin, Splitters, King Porter's Stomp, Some Dogs, Fat Drunk & Stupid, Smoke Like A Fish and Henry's Phonograph.

Sunday's programme, meanwhile, sees Dreadzone headlining, Sopranos themesters Alabama 3 slotting in beforehand, and Somerset's wonderful Flipron providing a set, preceded by Ed Rome, Back To The Planet, Nephnu Huzzband, Goldblade, The Highliners, The Fabulous Penetrators, Luna Vegas, The Scratch, Optic Nerves, Spacewasters, The Curst Sons, Self Abuse and Pye Shoppe.

By the Lord Harry. Before I give you details of another multi-band spectacular, I must quickly draw your attention to the genuinely inimitable Koe Naiche (Somerset Hotel, Weymouth, Saturday).

Raised in the Bahamas into a family of mixed Maya Indian and German heritage, 6ft 8in guitarist Koe was influenced by Zakk Wylde, Frank Marino and Slash, and since settling in London has cemented a reputation as one of the UK's top players.

Koe comes to you courtesy of R.A.P.I.T (Rock and Pop Instrument Traders) and Diamond Amplification, for whom he is a demonstrator.

Local lovelies Dan, Fraser and Jaymz will be Koe's band for the evening, and you can whet your appetite in the meantime by accessing YouTube and searching for Koe at Cadno Music playing the Diamond Spec OP'.

The next exemplary event on the agenda is Poundbury Rocks (Pummery Square, Poundbury, Dorchester, Saturday, 3pm-8pm, details from www.poundburyrocks.co.uk). The event, organised by the Maiden Castle Group, is a commendable incentive by which means young bands will be afforded the opportunity to perform in a festival-type environment, compete for prizes and raise funds to support young local people and youth charities.

An exciting guerilla gig' start is promised courtesy of 10-piece ska/hip-hop stalwarts Imperial Leisure - hot-footing it over from the Endorse It Festival - after which you can take in sets from Fading Within Reason, Gus Ross Skinner, The Reps, Playing With Giants, Jessica Lewis, Memories Of The Future, Bright Light Culture, Sarah Warren, Nuns With Guns and ever-rising headliners The Daze.

The event is free but a collection will take place on the day, and be aware that uber-cool Poundbury Rocks T-shirts designed by 17-year-old Budmouth Technology College student Briony Warren will be on sale at the event and are available now from 01305 871669. Our best wishes go to everyone concerned: it's a great idea in an unimpeachable cause, and we'd like to think that this will be but the first of many Poundbury Rocks events to come. Watch this space, I would.

Finally, here's something rather heartwarming to finish with. There's an event taking place on Sunday called Broken Bass (Hope Square, Weymouth, Sunday, 2pm onwards, then the Excise House, Weymouth from 9pm - donations of £2 on the door gratefully received once inside) which is basically a tribute and a thank-you to my dear pal and colleague Chris Lonergan for all the effort he has put into Weymouth's music scene for more than 30 years.

As some of you may be aware, Chris broke his arm some weeks back, which has temporarily curtailed his bass-playing activities, and we have Emma Gale to thank for surmising that rallying a selection of musical chums in his honour would be a fine gesture of support.

Appearing on the day will be Billy Bragg, Ben Waters, Robbie McIntosh, Gothic Chicken (the three-legged version - Tom is elsewhere), Custer's Last Blues Band, Mutter Slater, C Sharp Blues and Brahms & Liszt, with acoustic sets between times from Tom Caulfield and Ian Sedwell among others.

However it may appear, sorting out the gig guide is an administrative nightmare, and Chris doesn't tend to hear from people very often unless we've got something wrong between us. This event is a great way to redress the balance somewhat, quite apart from being a respectful nod in the direction of a lovely bloke whose enthusiasm for music remains undimmed. See you there, matey.