IS IT just me or is Hallowe’en bigger than Easter now, and will it be bigger than Christmas in a few years? Just asking. For a friend, like…

Even so, it’s the time of the year when we all like to get our ghoulies out in public, try to put the willies up each other and lament the passing of another innuendo-packed series of The Great British Bake Off.

It’s certainly a busy weekend on the live music front with some great bands playing, including The Blockheads at the Corn Exchange in Dorchester and Cuba Libre at the Boat That Rocks at Portland Marina tonight, Friday, October 28, and The South at Bridport’s Electric Palace tomorrow, Saturday, October 29.

But at this dark, supernatural time of the calendar, it’s only unnatural we turn to the dark, dirty and dangerous art that is metal.

But not just any metal, not even black metal, not even M&S metal, it’s blackened thrash metal, the sort of utter filth purveyed by Brighton’s King Leviathan who will be turning up with their gear and a truckload of rotting flesh for a night of metal mayhem at Finns in Weymouth next Friday, November 4.

The cheery, knockabout foursome describe themselves as devout worshippers of speed, violence and the occult, so they should have no problems getting a kebab in Westham Road after the gig.

They seemed destined for great things in the metal world and have already played at some major festivals and toured UK and Europe with such contemporary pop combos as Martyr Defiled, Venom Inc and Abhorrent Decimation since getting together in 2014.

It’s an impressive line-up put together by those hard-working boys and girls at Realm of Wrongness promotions, with Weymouth’s very own riff conjurors Fissure of Riddles appearing and showcasing tracks from their upcoming album.

Also on the bill are Southampton’s lords of sludge Hummune, who list their influences as Prong, Helmet, Crowbar, Clutch and Tool and presumably many other inanimate objects.

And bringing up the rear, matron, are celestial rockers Terran Spacer, a four-piece space jam/prog metal outfit from Bournemouth who clearly have had too much cheese before bedtime.

There we have it, four terrific bands and free admission. That, whichever way you look at it, is a bargain.

Right, that’s it for this week. I’m off to work out which end to blow in with my fabulous Bluetooth speaker, courtesy of Radio 2’s Popmaster quiz.

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (28)

Blockheads, Surfin’ Birds (Corn Exchange, Dorchester)

Stereoironics (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Finns, Weymouth)

The Rat Pack (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Mad Hatters (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Wiggie (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Finn (Park, Weymouth)

Outrage (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Cuba Libre (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Skones (Chalk and Cheese, Maiden Newton)

19 Crimes (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Weird and Gilly (Clifton, Portland)

Black Sky (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Streetlife (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Britannia, Portland)

Craic On (Punchbowl, Portland)

John D Revelator (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Bad Intention (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (29)

The South (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Tripod (Finns, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Under The Carousel (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Lewis and the Sound of the Suburbs (Bull, Fordington, Dorchester)

Shakespearos (Boot, Weymouth)

Somerset Rednecks (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Stevie M (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Bob Mallett (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Skinful (George, Dorchester)

Mr North (Park, Weymouth) Fundraiser for Walking with the Wounded charity.

Nite Lite (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Replay (Star, Weymouth)

State of Undress (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

Hot Bacon (Kimberlin Club, Portland)

Offbeat Offensive (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

NUMB (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Dr Robert (Wyke Regis Social Club, Weymouth)

Dakota (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Rod Thomas (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Skint Imperials (Coach and Horses, Winterbourne Abbas)

SUNDAY (30)

Gary The Slide (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Replay (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 2pm. Retirement gig for drummer Nigel Coles.

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

Sheryl Lee’s Sunday Club (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 7pm.

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

MONDAY (31)

Leggomen (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (1)

Skint Imperials (Boot, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (2)

Dave Bowen and Jazz Friends (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Open Mic (Bull, Fordington, Dorchester)

Jam Night (Belvedere, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (3)

The Mighty Fine (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic (George, Dorchester)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (4)

King Leviathan, Fissure of Riddles, Hummune, Terran Spacer (Finns, Weymouth)

Sam Kelly’s Station House (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Andy Quick Trio (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Tony England (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Sheryl Lee (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)