SO what’s better than one top-drawer, top class singer on stage?

Well, surely TWO top-drawer, top class singers, right?

And that’s what’s coming to Dorchester Arts Centre next Friday, September 20 with a return visit of hugely-successful singer-songwriter Beverley Craven.

Her last visit to the county town was a total sell-out smasher of a gig and this time she’ll be joined by none other than fellow chanteuse Judie Tzuke.

They’ve just finished the Woman to Woman tour with Julia Fordham and next Friday’s show will a rather intimate affair with Bev, Judy and a string quartet, so it’ll be a table for six in the corner.

They’ll be featuring many of Beverley’s massive songs from her 30-year career, including Promise Me, (obvs…) Woman to Woman, Holding On and Love Scenes.

Judie has been writing, recording and performing for some 40 years now, but is still best known for her 1979 hit Stay With me Till Dawn.

Next Friday promises to be one of those ‘I Was There’ nights as Beverley reveals highlights, and lowlights, from her life, including the songwriting success of her early days and her recent health battles.

Tickets at £27 are available from the box office on 01305 266926.

Moving on, and it should be time for another reunion of some of the region’s most popular bands from decades past.

And sure enough, that’s what’s happening on Friday, September 27, at Weymouth Centenary Club.

There’s a great line-up bands from past who are getting the gear out the loft and blowing the dust off their Telecasters, with Package Deal, Abacus, Crystal Ship and 11th Hour all performing.

But that’s not all, there’s a quite amazing first prize in the fundraising raffle.

Phil Collins, yes THE Phil Collins, has donated his prized Yamaha SY99 Workstation keyboard which he’s used to write some of his biggest songs, which is quite a coup for the organisers who’d like to express their gratitude to Phil McDonnell for sorting this out.

Apparently, Mr Collins was asked to donate his beloved comb, but he just couldn’t part with it…

Anyway, proceeds from the raffle and the event itself will be shared between two great local charities: The Veterans Hub (which is selling raffle tickets at its 114b Portland Road HQ) and the MV Freedom.

Tickets for the actual gig can be reserved by calling the Centenary Club on 01305 839310 but they’re going quick so if you want yours, you MUST hurry, love… (Thanks, I’m here all week. Sadly…)

And finally, metal fans are in for a treat tonight, Friday September 13 at Finns in Weymouth with a four-band assault on your central nervous system.

Headlining will be Weymouth’s very own End of Daze, who will be dedicating their show to Paddy Green, a close pal of the band who sadly passed away recently.

Also playing will be two of Southampton’s finest noise merchants, Deference and Dissolutes, plus Hollow Horizons, who hail from round these parts.

It’s £5 on the door from 7pm tonight, okay moshers?

Till next time...

NICK HORTON

TONIGHT 13

Josie Duncan and Pabla Lafuente (Dorchester Arts Centre)

Oye Santana (Weymouth Pavilion)

End of Daze, Deference, Dissonants, Hollow Horizons (Finns, Weymouth)

The Shakespearos (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Sammie (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

4 Go Mad (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Rich Baxter (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Sweetchunks (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Sarah St John (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Revolution (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Nathan Snell (John Gregory, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Monkey Jump (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Tim Andrews (Waterloo, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Bambooza, Weymouth)

Paul Sharod (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Aaron & Karina (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

SATURDAY 14

Special Kinda Madness (Weymouth Pavilion)

Big Gunz (Finns, Weymouth)

Stereoironics, The Few, Leggomen (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

Studio 55 (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (Boat That Rocks, Portland Marina)

The Katz (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

The Shakespearos (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Prairie Dogs (Gloucester, Weymouth)

The Boarding Club (Ropemakers, Bridport)

The Silhouettes (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Matt Wallis (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

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

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Rock Apes (Kimberlin Club, Portland)

Skinful (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

Outrage (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (Ship Inn, Weymouth)

Skinful (Spice Ship, Weymouth)

John Stone (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Pam Johns (Duke of Albany, Weymouth)

SUNDAY 15

Best of That’ll Be the Day (Weymouth Pavilion)

Roger’s Singalong (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Danny Adams (Ropemakers, Bridport) 4pm.

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth) 3pm and 8pm.

Mark Davis (Crown, Bridport) 4-6pm.

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

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

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

MONDAY 16

Sunset Café Stompers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Acoustic session (Belvedere, Weymouth)

Dorset Flash Folk (The Red Lion, Weymouth)

TUESDAY 17

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

WEDNESDAY 18

Tim Andrews (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

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

THURSDAY 19

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 20

Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke (Dorchester Arts Centre)

TBC (Finns, Weymouth)

Lewis Craven Band (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Stevie P (Weymouth Working Mens Club)

Rock Apes (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

Stacey Lou (Gloucester, Weymouth)

Mother Ukers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

Vanilla Radio (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

The Skalatans (John Gregory, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Nathan Jon (Belvedere, Weymouth)