Over the centuries there have been numerous attempts by mankind’s greatest minds to summarise the human condition.
From Rene Descartes’ ‘I think therefore I am’ to ‘One cannot step in the same river twice’ from Heraclitus, and Friedrich Nietzsche’s nihilistic ‘God is dead’ to Rousseau’s ‘Man is born free but everywhere is in chains’.
But if all the philosophers could be gathered together in a pub, for example, they might agree that The Wurzels’ Adge Cutler had it nailed on when he opined; “Drink up thy cider George, pass us round the mug.
“Drink up thy cider George, you garden’s ver’ nigh dug.
“Your cheeks been gettin’ redder, from Charterhouse to Cheddar,
‘And there’s still more cider in the jug.”
The human condition summarised in a pint glass, right there…
And it’ll been in the spirit of the late Adge that scores of apple and pear juice enthusiasts will be gathering tomorrow, Saturday, August 17, for the great Dorchester Cider Festival, held in the county town’s Borough Gardens.
As well as more than 80 different ciders to sample (careful now…) there’s a great line-up of live music including, on the bandstand stage, festival favourites The Imprints, the mighty Cuba Libre, The Jimmy Hillbillies and The Million Dollar Bash.
Over in the acoustic tent, there’s tip-top tunes from The Darwins, Owen Lister and Edd Bleach.
The fun starts at 3pm, the forecast is good for Saturday and proceeds will go to help a number of local good causes.
Moving on, and many of you have no doubt noticed Christmas cards and decorations going up in the shops which can only mean one thing: next weekend is the August bank holiday, the last hurrah of what has been a pretty good summer season all-round.
And, true to form, there are a number of terrific events to mark the occasion, starting with the two-day Quayside Music Festival by the Town Bridge in Weymouth and Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25.
Saturday’s runners and riders include Identikit, Moondog, the utterly sensationally gorgeous Glass Spiders, Vanilla Radio and Regulation 9 with Modern Disciples taking the party indoors at The Anchor from 10pm.
Sunday’s delights include The Sisterhood, Stereoironics, Chief Lazarus, the Leggomen and Blackwater County with a rare public appearance of the brilliant Mad Hatters in The Anchor from 10pm.
Meanwhile, oop north in Dorchester, there’s the Anonymous Festival in Maumbury Rings on Saturday, August 24 with appearances from rising bands included The Undecided, Mandy For Girls, Pop Club, Wave Chase and many more.
There’s also a full day a live entertainment on the Monday, August 26, in the rings with performances from Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion, The Simmertones, the Sessions and a whole shedload more.
There’ll be a full run-down of all the bank holiday weekend’s live music in next Friday Gig Guide, so if you’d like your event included, ping your gumph to echogigguide@outlook.com
Till next time…
FRI AUGUST 16
Biproxy (Finns, Weymouth)
The Remedy (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)
Long Dog (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)
Tequila Mockingbird (Golden Lion, Weymouth)
The Shakespearos (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)
Carley Varley (Gloucester, Weymouth)
Jamie Adams (Weymouth Working Mens Club)
Danny Adams (Waterloo, Weymouth)
The Shakespearos (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)
Lily and the Rockets (John Gregory, Weymouth)
Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Speedway Snails (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)
Vanilla Radio (Pymore Inn, Bridport)
Revolution (Punchbowl, Portland)
Pretty Lustful (No 10, Bridport)
Haze (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)
AUG 17
Imprints, Cuba Libre, Jimmy Hillbillies, Million Dollar Bash, Edd Bleach, The Darwins, Owen Lister (Cider Festival, Borough Gardens, Dorchester) From 3pm.
Odyssey (Weymouth Pavilion)
Balance of Power (Finns, Weymouth)
Chris Payn (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)
Revolution (Golden Lion, Weymouth)
The Decatonics (Gloucester, Weymouth)
Covenants Duo (Weymouth Working Mens Club)
The Newbeats (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)
Johnny King as Elvis (Weymouth Conservative Club)
Richard Cooper (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 2pm
Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Dakota (Sailors Return, Weymouth)
The Shakespearos (Club Bambooza, Weymouth)
The Undecided (George, Portland) 2-4pm.
The Undecided (Market House, Weymouth)
Vanilla Radio (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)
Gut and Steel (Ship Inn, Weymouth)
Martin Freed (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)
SUNDAY 18
Carpenters Gold (Weymouth Pavilion)
Kenny Thomas, Afro Tallawah, Dany Adams, Alexis, plus tributes to Pink, George Michael, Pink and many more (Gloucester, Weymouth) From 1pm.
Alexis (Weymouth Working Mens Club)
Replay (Red Lion, Hope Sq, Weymouth) 2pm
Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm
Richard Cooper (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 8pm.
Jack Daniels (Kings Arms, Portesham) 3-5pm.
Skint Imperials (Britannia, Portland) 5-8pm.
Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, Weymouth) From 3pm.
NUMB (Three Compasses, Charminster)
Tania’s Open Mic (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)
Mon 19
Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)
TUES 20
Mike Robbins (Weymouth Working Mens Club)
Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
WED 21
Rat Pack revue (Weymouth Pavilion)
Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.
Open Mic Night (Rock, Weymouth)
THURS 22
Magic of The Beatles (Weymouth Pavilion)
The Undecided (East Fleet Farm, Weymouth)
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.
AUG 23
Fastlove: George Michael tribute (Weymouth Pavilion)
Aaron Carter (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)
The Remedy (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)
The Katz (Fat Badger, Weymouth)
Dakota (Golden Lion, Weymouth)
Sweet FA (Gloucester, Weymouth)
Retro (Weymouth Working Mens Club)
The Undecided (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)
Pretty Lustful (Waterloo, Weymouth)
Farrago (John Gregory, Weymouth)
The Shakespearos (Club Bambooza, Weymouth)
Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)
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