So, your music genres: Jazz-funk, jazz-rock, black metal, electro-soul, industrial grimecore, handbag house, indie lounge, ambient kitchen, dining room dubsteb ad infinitum…

And you can’t really say you’ve made it unless you’ve pioneered your own genre, such as hotrod’n’soul, which is precisely what Bristol greebos The Hawkmen seem to have done.

They’ve blended northern soul, rockabilly, country, vintage R&B and a whole truck load of whoop ass to come up with an original and unique sound.

And that sound is winning them a huge following and nods of approval from such luminaries as DJ Craig Charles who regular features the band on his Radio 2 and 6 Music shows.

He’s also invited the band to tour with him and the band’s song Love Is Blind features on his Soul Club Vol 5 CD.

It’s also on their debut album which is released early in April and they’ll be doing a three-date mini-tour to promote it which includes a date at the Old Ship in Dorchester on Saturday, April 13.

That’s the night after the album launch party at The Monarch boozer in Camden Town up in that London, so expect some very thick heads for the county town show.

Now, April 13 may seem light years away but the last time the band played in Dorchester back in November it was a total sell-out with some desperate punters willing to exchange vital organs for tickets.

So hold on to your kidneys and get your ticket now. They’re £8 from the venue or online from fuulledbycider.com and support on the night come from surf-psyche-garage (Hey, there’s another genre for you…) outfit Palooka 5.

Moving on and there’s a bumper weekend of live music coming up at Weymouth Pavilion, and covering a wide range of genres.

First up on Friday, March 29 are Soul Kind Wonderful, the country’s premier tribute to The Drifters.

And not only do you get all the biggies such as Saturday Night at the Movies and Under The Boardwalk, fr’instance, there a celebration of Motown and loads of 70s disco bangers too.

Tickets are £20 from the box office on 01305 783225.

And on Saturday, March 30, The Searchers will be saying farewell to their loyal fans after more than 50 years and more than 50 million record sales.

Such smashes as Needles and Pins When You Walk in the Room and Sweets For My Sweet were just enormous back in the Sixties and tickets for this jaunt down memory lane are £25.50.

And finally, next door in the Ocean Rooms,  Queens of Rock does exactly what it says on the tin: A show dedicated to the  powerhouse female vocalists of the past 40 years, so that includes Cher Bonnie Tyler, Heart, Pink, Tina Turner and many more.

It’s a pretty spectacular show with support from Guitar Godz and Collateral and tickets are £19.50 from the Pavi box office.

Till next time…

FRIDAY 22

Dead Man’s Clique (Finns, Weymouth)

Bring Me the Pistols (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Katz (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Mi3 (Ship, Wool)

BBs Whiskers  (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Mike Robbins (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Danny Adams (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Tequila Mockingbird (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Total Madness (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Rob McIlroy (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Toxic Fish (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SATURDAY 23

Rock for Heroes (Weymouth Pavilion)

Clare Teale Trio (Dorchester Arts Centre)

Red Method, The Heretic Order, Bullriff Stampede, This Is Endless (Finns, Weymouth)

Altered Images (The Exchange, Sturminster Newton)

Dakota (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Brass Monkeys (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Matt Wallis (Weymouth Conservative Club)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Restless (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

All Funked Up (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Nathan Jon (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Rob Davis (Market House, Weymouth)

Arron and Karina (Little Ship, Portland)

Johnny King (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Bring Me the Pistols (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Moondog (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Ansell and Gretal (Star, Portland)

Ollie Coe (Slug and Lettuce, Weymouth)

Two Man Ting (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SUNDAY 24

Owen Lister (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

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

Rocking’ Rich (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8.30pm.

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral (Y&Ys, Brewery Sq, Dorchester) Midday.

Zoe Schwarz and Rob Koral Quartet (Jazz Café, Chetnole) 7.30pm.

Mark Davis (Boot, Weymouth)

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

Mark Davis (Black Dog, Weymouth) 4-6pm.

Elijah Wolf (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) 8pm.

Andy Grant Trio (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Strings and Reeds (Park, Weymouth)

Karen Kay (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Elfentale (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.

MONDAY 25

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY 26

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Martin Freed’s Open Mic Night (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY 27

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic Night  (Ship, Wool)

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

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

THURSDAY 28

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 29

Rat Race (Electric Palace, Bridport)

Soul Kinda Wonderful (Weymouth Pavilion)

Ironed Maiden (Finns, Weymouth)

Revolution (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Jim Hammond (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Stevie P (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Innocent Bystander (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Rock Apes (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Milk & Two (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Junkyard Angels (Ropemakers, Bridport)