NOT all heroes wear capes, in fact, some of them carry banjos, and they’re not afraid to use them.

That’s very much the case with Doc Clarke’s Remedy, a rum bunch of fine musicians who have been doing great deeds while entertaining scores of punters in the process.

They got together back in 2014 when Mike ‘Doc’ Clarke bumped into Lynn Targett at the Wessex Folk Festival in Weymouth. Well, he should have looked where he was going…

Anyways up, they were soon joined by fellow revellers Martin Bliss, Dave Bradford, Pam Dentith and Clive Nicholls and set about an eclectic repertoire of tunes, featuring folk music from around the world, with everyone singing and playing a variety of instruments, from guitar and mandolin, banjo to keys and even the odd washboard thrown in too.

The band tell me they’re always keen to perform at fund-raising events and they’ll be doing the very thing tomorrow night, Saturday, April 6 at the Old Town Hall in Weymouth, where they’ll be helping to boost the coffers of this fine historic building on the town’s old High Street.

You can expect a wide and varied range of music as Doc and his merry gang feature songs from around the world.

There’s limited seating at tomorrow night’s event so you’d better get your finger out your ear and reserve yours now by calling 077892 70934. There’s no admission charge but you can make a donation after the show to help with the upkeep of the Old Town Hall.

Moving on, and Weymouth’s very own metal messiahs As Flames Rise launch their new EP New Begnnings with a hometown gig at Finns next Friday, April 12.

The band are looking forward to busy few months, as singer Matty Bowdidge tells me: “We’re at Teddy Rocks in May, we’ll be touring to promote the new EP throughout June and we’ve got loads of festivals lined up throughout the summer.”

Matty, who shares vocal duties with Jack England, is joined in the band by twin riff monsters Jay Daley and Simon Dean on guitars, Laurie Thomas on bass and drum-thumper Rosscoe Broughton-South.

And they’ve called up some top bands to support them next Friday, just look at this lot….

Metalcore nutters Griever will be bringing their crushing riffs and face-melting breakdowns all the way from Bournemouth, while Epsilon, who will be making their debut at Finns, are a five-piece band from Caerphilly, South Wales. Also on the bill are Pompey’s finest, 7eventh Sea.

Tickets are £3 and doors open at 7pm next Friday.

And finally, I’ll be hosting another Hijacked programme for Air FM 107.2 next Wednesday, April 10, from 8-10pm and I’ll have the latest from the world Twanging a Ruler Against a Desk championships, currently being held in the Dordogne.

Till next time…

FRIDAY 5

Balance of Power (Finns, Weymouth)

Lucky Ol’ Sam (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

4 Go Mad (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Shauna and Nicky (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Sons in the Wild (Greyhound, Winterborne Kingston)

Muddy Summers and the DFWs (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Shelby’s Elbows (No 10, Bridport)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Skint Imperials (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Bitter and Twisted (George, Portland)

Showcase Open Mic (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Chill (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Moondog (Britannia, Portland)

The Undecided (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Minor Fret (1652, St Alban St, Weymouth)

Finn (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Matt Lock (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

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

SATURDAY 6

Doc Clarke’s Remedy (Old Town Hall, Weymouth)

Phase (Finns, Weymouth)

Glass Spiders (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Rock Apes (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Elijah Wolf (Little Ship, Portland)

Replay (Shillingstone village hall)

The Silhouettes (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Nite Lite (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Johnny King (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Retro (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Neil Wale (Weymouth Conservative Club)

Skint Imperials (King’s Head, Bradpole, Bridport)

Prairie Dogs (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Darren H (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

Richard Cooper (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 2-5pm.

Guitarmadillo (Star, Portland)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Georgie Broad (Black Dog, Weymouth)

Regulation 9 (Market House, Weymouth)

SUNDAY  7

Arni Graham (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)  5.30pm, followed by…

Richard (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm.

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

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

Kipper (Brewers Arms, Martinstown) 4-6pm.

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

John Rammon (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Amy and Tobias (George, Portland) 4pm.

MONDAY 8

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

TUESDAY 9

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Dougie Cooper’s Jazz Night (Star, Weymouth)

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

WEDNESDAY 10

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic with Du Kane (Park, Weymouth)

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

Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)

Rob Davis (Vivo Lounge, Dorchester)

THURSDAY 11

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.

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

FRIDAY 12

Hazel O’Connor (Dorchester Arts Centre) SOLD OUT

As Flames Rise, Griever, Epsilon, 7eventh Sea (Finns, Weymouth)

Pizza For Dogs (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Compass (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Jolly Boys Outing (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Georgie Broad (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Wiggie (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Leanne Jackson (Gloucester, Weymouth)