That was a weekend, that was. On Friday, 25th June the massed ranks of the Barrelhouse Blues Orchestra assembled at Southwell Business Park on Portland, Dorset for the inaugural Spydafest, a weekend festival featuring blues, roots and world music bands from the UK, the USA, Australia and Africa, balanced with exposure for local bands. It was a beautiful evening and a stunning location, with Lyme Bay and the English Channel as our backdrop. The Orchestra topped the bill on the Main Stage, preceded onstage by my mate Ken Watkins, bluesman Michael Messer and his band, and Gordon Haskell and Paul Yeung.

The weather turned foul on the Saturday, leaving the organisers no choice but to put all the acts from the Main Stage and Stage 2 into the site’s Marquee. Little Dixie were scheduled to appear at the festival on Saturday afternoon, but we chose to pull out, as we’d have had time to play about three numbers. At least it gave the other bands a bit more of a bite at the proverbial cherry.

I sincerely hope that the poor turnout doesn’t dissuade the organisers from staging the event again next year. Given a bigger emphasis on local publicity, this could be a huge annual event.

On Saturday night, the Ben Waters Band had at rip-roaring gig at Beaminster School in Dorset as part of the Beaminster Festival. I’ll have you know that ripping and roaring at the same time is a not unconsiderable feat. It’s the first time the festival has embraced a rock’n’roll/boogie type band, and I gather that a certain amount of shell shock was experienced by some of the more genteel members of the audience.

On Sunday afternoon, I joined Mike Biggs, Smudge and Padge for an afternoon of funky blues with C Sharp Blues. Our set included Mike’s ode to Portland ‘Pulpit Rock’, an anthem that surely should have been performed at the Spydafest.

Next weekend I’m looking forward to my first gig in years with erstwhile Steamer Ducks keyboardist Steve Burholt, when Brahms & Liszt regroup to play at his mate’s wedding at the Larmer Tree in Dorset, a private event.

On Sunday 4th July Little Dixie return to the Hope & Anchor, Bridport, Dorset, a wee pub with a great tradition of booking quality blues/roots bands.

As usual, the jam sessions continue at Finns, Westham Road, Weymouth, Dorset. If you want to play, contact me or just turn up before 9 p.m. and book yourself a slot.