HOW many lead guitarists does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one: They hold it in the socket and wait for the world to revolve round them.

Ropey old jokes like that are likely to be in short supply next weekend (May 20/21) when the Crown Inn at Bridport hosts a Les Paul guitar convention.

The My Les Paul online forum has some 20,000 members worldwide and convention organiser Phil Rosenberg is expecting axe-wielders from across the UK, Europe and even the US to come along and compare humbuckers and fretboards and swap anecdotes about the guitar which revolutionised pop music back in the 1950s.

This is the second time the Crown has hosted the event and, such was its popularity last time, the convention has now spread over the two days.

Phil, along with fellow member John Vasco, will be hosting the evenings’ jam sessions with help from Dan Wheeler on drums and someone called Chris Lonergan holding down the bottom end, as ever. Local musos Mutter Slater and Lauren Rosenberg will be making guest appearances with the jam sessions kicking off at 8.30pm.

It’s well documented how keen musicians in this area are to support a worthy cause and two upcoming events illustrate this perfectly.

Tomorrow night at the Wyke Smugglers in Weymouth, vintage rockers The Mulberrys will be hosting a fundraiser for Help the Heroes and, later this month, The George at Reforne on Portland will be helping the same vital charity at its annual music festival.

Bands confirmed for the event on Saturday, May 28, so far include Gut & Steel, C Sharp Blues Band, Roscoe & Friends, Skint Imperials, Mama Feelgood and Red Rooster Bluesband.

Meanwhile, those of you who find yourself in Bridport tonight are really spoilt for choice when it comes to live music.

Not only is the fantastic Eliza Carthy in town at the Arts Centre, but there’s top stuff from Cash Converted at The Ropemakers, Nick Tatham at No 10 and Jess Upton with Steve Wilson and Marco Rossi at the Beach and Barnicott, fresh from helping launching the Air radio station at Westfield College in Weymouth on Wednesday, where they were described by veteran Radio 2 DJ Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart as ‘brill’.

Now, if that’s not a thumbs up, I don’t know what is.