WHAT with Peter Tork taking the Last Train to Clarkesville last week, we’re rapidly running out of our music icons from the past.

Pretty soon, it’ll only be YouTube clips and tribute bands to keep the memories alive.

And when it comes to tribute bands, The Unravelling Wilburys pay homage to fictional family band The Travelling Wilburys, invented by George Harrison and Jeff Lynne and featuring their mates Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Roy Orbision.

Sadly only Lynne and Dylan are still with us, but the Unravellers are keeping the dream going with faithful renditions of all the big hits, including Handle With Care, At The End of the Line Tweeter and the Monkey Man and many more.

They’ve also adopted ridiculous stage names so you can catch Thumper, Javelin, Blind Lemon, Sticky Willy and Walter next Saturday, March 9, at the Dorchester Arts Centre. Tickets are £15 from the box office on 01305 266926.

Moving on, and if you saw a lady walking down the street singing Do Wah Diddy Diddy Dum Diddy Doo, clicking her fingers and shuffling her feet, you’d probably repoint her Zimmer frame in the direction of the nearest care home.

Or you could have the basis for the first big smash hit for Manfred Mann back in 1964 and, amazingly, the band’s first two front men, original keyboard player and guitarist are back out on the road, some 55 years later.

Yep, Paul Jones and Mike D’Abo, Mike Hugg and Tom McGuinness are joined by Rob Townsend on drums, Marcus Cliffe on bass and Simon Currie on sax for their 2019 Hits Jazz and Blues tour which rolls into Weymouth Pavilion on Thursday, March 14.

Expect to hear all their big ‘uns, including 5-4-3-2-1, Might Quinn, Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James, plus many of their fave jazz and blues standards Tickets are £25.50 from the box office on 01305 783225.

Now, ask anyone about musicians Robbie McIntosh and Steve Wilson and you’ll get the same answer: Professionals.

And the erstwhile Bodie and Doyle have a busy weekend coming up when they accompany two of the region’s leading chanteuses.

Next Friday, March 8, Robbie and Steve will be joining Jess Upton for an evening of quality tunes and jolly japes at the Chapel in the Garden, East Street, Bridport.

And if you sniggered at the poster which advised you to ‘use the back entrance on Rax Lane’, come and join me and all the other puerile delinquents at the back of the class.

Tickets are £10 from 07977 273767.

A quick rub down and a change of safari suits and the dynamic duo will be performing with Amy Mayes at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis on Saturday, March 9, where they’ll be joined by drum maestro Ady Milward and Steve Smith on keys.

Tickets are £8 from the box office on 01297 442138.

Till next time…

FRIDAY MAR 1

Jumping Jimmy Thunder and The Silhouettes (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

TBA (Finns, Weymouth)

Lewis Craven Band (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Open Mic Showcase (Gloucester, Weymouth)

4 Go Mad (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

George Hall Trio (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Sammie (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

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

Paul Gibson (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Chill (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Johnny Mac (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Britannia, Portland)

SATURDAY  MAR 2

Tripod (Finns, Weymouth)

The Remedy (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Inner City Smugglers (Gloucester, Weymouth)

V8 Hearts (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Hot Bacon (Market House Tavern, Weymouth)

NUMB (Ropemakers, Bridport)

George Hall Trio (George, Portland)

Dale Fender Band (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Graham Morris (Weymouth Conservative Club)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Sticky Jam Band (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Mojo (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Park Hotel, Weymouth)

Paul Gibson (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Nite Lite (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

John Ramon (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Kathy (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Hamish Jeffcott (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Rock Apes (Royal Exchange, Portland)

4 Go Mad (Hardy’s Tavern, Dorchester)

SUNDAY MAR 3

The Velvet Doonicans (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Martin and Co (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)  4.30pm and 8.30pm.

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

Sunday Blues Jam (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) 4-7pm, followed by…

Dave Mein (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) 8pm.

Jack Daniels Solo (Vinny@6, Dorchester) 4-6pm.

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

Diane’s Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

The Dolmen Acoustic (Kings Arms, Weymouth) 3-5pm.

MONDAY Mar 4

Slow Americana Jam (Drax Arms, Bere Regis)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Soap Box Open Mic (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

TUESDAY MAR 5

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Quaystage Folk Night (Pilgrim House, Hope Sq, Weymouth) 8pm.

WEDNESDAY MAR 6

Dave Bowen and Jazz Friends (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Open Mic Night (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return,  Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

THURSDAY  MAR 7

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 Mar 8

Jess Upton, Steve Wilson and Robbie McIntosh (Chapel in the Garden, Rax Lane, Bridport)

The Shakespearos (Finns, Weymouth)

Ctrl Alt Del (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Devil’s Doorbells (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Mispelt Yoof (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Darren H (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Afro Ninja (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Remedy (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Sainty (Royal Oak, Weymouth)