AH, CHRISTMAS: That most wonderful time of the year when friends and relations travel hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles, often risking life and limb in horrendous weather conditions, just to be with their nearest and dearest.

And for the sheer joy of giving and receiving packet of socks, a Lynx Africa gift set and a tub of Heroes, of course… One such long-distance traveller is rocket-fuelled blues/rock guitar whiz Jon Storey who is back in south Dorset over the festive period for a series of gigs.

Well, that’s if his fingers ever thaw out after arriving from Portugal earlier this week.

“It was 22 degrees out there and it’s now -3 in Weymouth,” he tells me.

Jon has been based out in Albufeira for the past few years and has been busy, busy busy up and down the Algarve.

“I’m playing about five nights a week, either with my solo show, in a duo, with my band or with The Mad Cats or the Frankie B Blues Band.

“I’ve also got a deal for my second album which I’ve only half-written and I was supposed to have recorded it in Spain in November but I’ve been too busy.

“So I’ll be doing that when I go back,” he adds.

You can catch Jon solo at the King’s Arms in Weymouth this Sunday, December 17, from 3pm.

And he’ll be playing with The Mighty Fine’s crack rhythm section of Chris Page on drums and Graham Haldwell on bass at Finns in Weymouth on Wednesday, December 27 and again at the Three Compasses in Charminster on Thursday, December 28.

No doubt he’ll be joined by a collection of special guests and ne’erdo-wells for those two dates, as he was last year in a series of shows that were an absolute hoot. Your attendance is essential.

And a festive get-together which is rapidly becoming a tradition is the Christmas show at the Old Town Hall in Weymouth hosted by Jess Upton, Steve Wilson and Robbie McIntosh and taking place on Friday, December 22 from 8pm.

Their hugely entertaining acoustic show features all your favourite carols and yuletide choones plus the added attraction of mulled wine, mince pies and special guests, including, this year, Robbie’s son Fraser.

Tickets are a mere £10 from wilsontheband.bandcamp.com Moving on, and the Sweetchunks Band return to Finns in Weymouth tomorrow night, Saturday, December 16 for another evening of hilarious mayhem.

The very hairy comedy steampunk pirate trio have an edgy sense of humour (well, they’ll need that as they’re from Southampton) and perform their own take on well-known hits, with lyrics that can’t be printed in a family newspaper such as this.

They’ll be doing their take on all the cheesy Christmas favourites that we all love (..ahem) with plenty of jolly bants and audience participation that has made them a must-see act on the festival circuit.

That’s it for this week.

If you want your Christmas and New Year gigs included in next week’s gig guide, send your details, all nicely wrapped with bows and shizzle of course, to me at gigs@dorsetecho.co.uk

Till next time…

GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT (15)

Package Deal, Brahms and Liszt (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Blackwater County (Finns, Weymouth)

Peacock Suit (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

SAS Duo (Gloucester, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Spice Ship, Preston, Weymouth)

Sammie (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Sheryl Lee (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

The Imprints (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Silhouettes (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Remedy (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Vanilla Radio (Ropemakers, Bridport)

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

Finnian (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Tripod (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Sharod Brothers (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

SATURDAY (16)

Electric Groove Deluxe (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Sweetchunks (Finns, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Market House, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Vanilla Radio (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

The Stereoironics (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Restless (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Replay (Wyke Workies, Weymouth)

Maiden The Park IV (The Middle Ages) (Park, Weymouth)

Kathy’s Cher Tribute (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Haze (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Ollie Coe and Sebass (Boot, Weymouth) 3pm.

The Leggomen (Café Jagos, Dorchester)

The Silhouettes (Spitfire Cub, Crossways)

Monkey Jump (Colins Community Club, Blandford)

Elvis Pete (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Diane (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Average Wyke Band (Clifton, Portland)

Karen Kay (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Dakota (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Slipstream(Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

SUNDAY (17)

Jon Storey (King’s Arms, Weymouth) 3pm.

Replay Christmas Party (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth) 2pm.

Lo Numbers (Park, Weymouth) 5pm.

Farrago (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

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

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Finnian McGurk (Boot, Weymouth) 5pm.

One Fat Santa (Vinny@6, Dorchester) 4pm.

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

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

Pronghorn (Ropemakers, Bridport) Sheryl Lee (Duke of Albany, Weymouth) 6pm.

Johnny Mac (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-7pm.

MONDAY (18)

Songwriters Open Mic (Tom Browns, Dorchester)

TBA (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY (19)

Folk Night (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

Andy Grant (Boot, Weymouth)

Open Mic (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Jazz Sessions (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic Session (Rock, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY (20)

Georgie Broad (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth)

Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

Open Mic Night (Royal Exchange, Portland)

THURSDAY (21)

Karen Kay (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Saint’s Sexii Show (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

Singalong with Roger (Gloucester, Weymouth)

FRIDAY (22)

Paisley (Finns, Weymouth)

Drive By Jamming (Market House, Weymouth)

Dave Griff and the Trouser Band (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

Tony H (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Sheryl Lee (Park, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Chris Woodchuck (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Peanut Butter Jelly, The Katz (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Jess Upton, Robbie McIntosh, Steve Wilson (Old Town Hall, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Katz (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Dakota (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)