WHEN I first started learning the guitar - back when girls were known as flappers, and men sang On Moonlight Bay - my enthusiastically appalling efforts were the very epitome of the term 'ham-fisted'. Very little has changed since then, admittedly, but I now aspire to be 'HAMM-fisted' - ie, anywhere near as good as the genuinely legendary Steve Vai/Joe Satriani/Michael Schenker bassist Stu Hamm (Mariners, Weymouth, tonight, 8pm, free entry). Is this a remarkable coup for Weymouth or what? This evening's gig-cum-bass clinic, which is destined to be spoken of in reverential tones for years to come, is being brought to you by the good burghers of Rock And Pop Guitars in Great George Street, who are also arranging an extraordinarily generous raffle at the gig with guitars as prizes, no less. I first heard Stu Hamm some years ago on a jaw-dropping flexidisc given away with a guitar magazine, and he made my ears catch fire and fall off. Next to him, my best efforts were like holding up a crayon rendering of a cat alongside Michelangelo's frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Hamm will be accompanied tonight by Paul Stevens, demoing the new Peavey JSX head. Get there early and mentally prepare yourself to be completely and utterly poleaxed by an unforgettable evening of Hamm rock - and indeed Hamm roll, ahem. Oh, and check out www.rockandpopguitars. com while you're at it. Another extremely distinguished visitor to our oily shores this weekend is due to kick off the new season of Dorchester bluesnights, namely Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist/harmonica player Michael Pickett (Dorchester Arts Centre, Saturday, 8pm, £9/£4.50 under-18s/NUS cardholders, tickets from 01305 266926). To put Michael's immaculate blues credentials into some perspective, it's worth noting that he is the holder of, wait for it, a staggering 23 awards - blues album of the year, best harmonica player, top acoustic blues performer, that kind of thing - and has been making a living from his art for the best part of 30 years. Michael's moment of epiphany was seeing Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee supporting Harry Belafonte in 1963. In the intervening years, Michael has not only racked away the aforementioned shedload of awards but has also shared the stage with the likes of Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal, Bo Diddley and Hubert Sumlin. We're privileged to have him - see www.michaelpickett.com for more about this remarkable man. Now, the last few years have famously seen a steep rise not only in the number of Elvis impersonators karate-chopping their way around the planet, but also in the number of Pink Floyd tribute bands. I don't have a problem with either, of course - some of my best friends are Elvis impersonators and Pink Floyd tribute band members, seriously - but I've really been grinning like a dotard ever since I heard about Ummagumma (Mr Kyps, Ashley Cross, Parkstone, Sunday, £6 advance, tickets from 01202 748945). What sets Ummagumma apart from nearly all of their Floyd tribute peers is the fact that their set is entirely drawn from the band's early years - from the crucible of unearthly delights that was 1967's Piper At The Gates Of Dawn and its attendant singles, Arnold Layne and See Emily Play, through to 1972's Live At Pompeii, which saw the band poised on the threshold of Dark Side Of The Moon and its consequent unimaginable success. Ummagumma's members are all musicians with a formidable pedigree - try stints with the likes of Soft Machine, Pete Townshend, Lou Reed, John Cale, Camel and Steve Hackett on for size - and their shows boast an authentic period 'liquid light show' to add to the authentic vibe. This is the stuff for me. Syd is God. While we're on the subject of tribute bands, look out for a very promising new Dorset-based Clash tribute band called Radio Clash - check out www.radioclash.org.uk for reams more details. Finally, there are still some places left on the coach travelling up to the all-day event in honour of Marsha McDonnell in Twickenham on Saturday featuring Zoot Money, Nine Below Zero and Ben Waters among a host of others. Travel and admittance costs a mere £20 inclusive - ring Chris Lonergan on 01305 772944 as soon as possible.