On Friday 16th July I played at the Black Dog in Weymouth, Dorset with a scratch band put together by guitarist Tom Caufield, recently returned from studies at the Guitar Institute. Named Ginger Tom’s Blues & Soul Experience (nice!), It featured Tom and Tim Broad on guitars, Jack Duxbury on keyboards and Rob Davis on guitar, with guest appearances by Heavy Soul frontman Liam and the inimitable Trevor Lawrence. It was a great, great night.

On Saturday, 17th July, the Ben Waters Band performed in the unique setting of The Pit, a natural amphitheatre in Crondall, near Farnham, Hampshire. It was a wonderful gig on a beautiful summer’s night, with my old mucker Tim Broad guesting on guitar. I can say with hand on heart that it was the best gig I’ve ever done in an old clay pit.

On Sunday 18th, Ben and band played a 60th birthday party at Yeovil FC’s ground. The birthday boy is a huge Chuck Berry fan, so a lot of the night was dedicated to the works of the great man. We were joined on this occasion by erstwhile Werewolves of London guitarist Tony Farinha, who made a huge contribution to the night. I can say with hand on heart that it was the best gig I’ve ever done at Yeovil’s ground.

Next Saturday, 24th July Little Dixie have a double bill, playing at 3pm at the Three Horseshoes, Burton Bradstock, Dorset, a Cancer Care charity event, followed by a return to the Ropemakers in Bridport, Dorset that evening.

On Sunday, the Ben Waters Band tops the bill on the last day of the Trowbridge Festival in Wiltshire. We will have been preceded onstage by such luminaries as Richard Thompson, The Strawbs, the Oyster Band and Eliza Carthy. Apparently the Balham Alligators used to get the same slot at the end of the festival, so I guess it’s the organisers’ notion to round things off with a full-on party band.