old news

2nd February 2006

Weysia 2006 took place On Sunday 22nd at Weymouth Pavilion Ocean Room, Weymouth. This concert marked the anniversary of the first Weysia event on 23rd January 2005, when £20,000 was raised for the victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami. Profits from Weysia 2006 will go to the aid of victims of the Pakistan earthquake of October 8th, in which some 73,000 men, women and children were killed and more than 3 million left homeless. Thousands more lives are still in danger as winter sets in.

Once again Dorset’s music community rallied round to give its services free of charge in order to raise funds. Local businesses and individuals were also keen to help with cash donations and raffle prizes, and staff at the Pavilion worked for free in order that as much as possible of the funds raised could go straight to the charity organisation.

The concert started at midday with a fine set from The Crack, who were followed onstage by a succession of excellent local bands. The afternoon session was finished off with an appearance from Billy Bragg, who played a couple of his songs before being joined by the Rosetta Life Band, whose set included a live rendition of the hit single ‘We Laughed’. That line-up then morphed into Robbie McIntosh’s Steamer Ducks, finishing a fantastic afternoon with some high-energy blues and r&b.

Gothic Chicken began the evening session in their unique and wonderful way. The fun continued through the evening and was concluded perfectly by the newly-reformed Dolmen, who rounded the whole event off in rousing Celtic style. This précis does no justice to the succession of excellent bands that played that day. Check out the full line-up and more at www.weysia.co.uk

We’re still counting the pennies raised on the day, but it looks like we’ll be able to send something in the region of £3,500 to the Disasters Emergency Committee. Thanks to all the bands, organisers, everyone who helped and to everybody that turned up on the day. What a fantastic way to raise money for the most deserving of causes. What a tribute to our thriving music scene in this corner of Dorset – Eleven hours of live music, all provided for free by local bands, all of the highest quality.

On Saturday 28th January the Ben Waters Band returned to the world-renowned 100 Club in Oxford Street, London. The regular band, i.e. Ben, Clive Ashley, Ady Milward and myself, was joined by Clive’s trombone-playing brother Ray and baritone man Pete Bettle, with guitar legend Elliott Randall completing the line-up. The place was rammed, the punters were right up for it, and we had a fantastic night. We were also being checked out by Ray Davies of Kinks fame, and he declared himself impressed with the band. We did sound pretty hot, if I say so myself!

On Monday 30th Julie Lewis organised a wonderful gig at the Centenary Club in Weymouth to raise money so that some friends of ours that have been through some tough times could have a holiday. Julie began proceedings, and was followed onstage by fiddle virtuoso Simon Swarbrick and percussionist Simon Hulker. Julie and Simon then joined r&b veterans Brahms & Liszt for a set that whisked us straight back to the band’s early days at the White Hart twenty-something years ago. Gothic Chicken were top of the bill, the only place that wonderful band could be.

On February 3rd the John Spencer Memorial Concert takes place at Freshwater Holiday Park, Burton Bradstock, Dorset. The Sidekicks, Steamer Ducks, Mariana Trench, Gothic Chicken and Custer’s Last Blues Band will be raising money for the John Spencer Appeal Fund, which provides financial assistance for musical project, schools, colleges and individuals in Dorset. The concert starts at 8.30pm and tickets (£10) are available from the Bridport Record Centre in Bridport, Dorset (01308 425707). There will be a half-hourly shuttle bus service running from Bridport Town Hall, cost £2.

As usual, the Thursday night jam sessions continue at Finns, Westham Road, Weymouth. New and established bands and solo artists are encouraged to take to the stage, and there’s at least half a dozen bands out gigging now that started off playing a few numbers at these sessions. If you want to book yourself a slot, get down there before 9pm and have a word with me. PA and backline is provided.

Chris Lonergan





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