Well, here we are on the eve of another two weeks of racing for Festival of Motorcycling and the bands of the island are gearing up for a couple of weeks of gigs.

With that in mind, we head to the Trackside Bar at the Grandstand, which was a new addition from TT fortnight last year.

This Saturday sees their fortnight of gigs kick off with Voodoo Bandits opening the proceedings.

Over the next week you’ll be able to catch the Chris Winchester Band, Barefoot Revolution, Black Water Creek, the Ian Thompson Band, Layout and Sunset Jet all in action.

For further information, please visit Facebook.com/TheTracksideIOM

Next we head to Jaks tomorrow night (Friday), where 995 return to the stage.

With new bass player, Stewart Steptoe in tow, the band drops a setlist that features a variety of pieces ranging from modern offerings from the likes of One Republic, Walk The Moon and the Stereophonics to older classics from Jimi Hendrix, the Jam, Python Lee Jackson, the Cult and more.

The band will hit the stage from about 10pm onwards.

Staying with Jaks and on Saturday the Douglas-based venue hosts Han-FX and Jor-DMC, featuring The Innuendo Orchestra

This collective have been out and about, entertaining the hordes for a good while now.

Influence wise, think Electronic, Jungle, Hip-Hop, reggae and dancehall and you’re in the right ball park.

Han-FX and Jor-DMC have been fairly prolific in spearheading the movement on the island thanks to a wealth of live dates and social media activity. Indeed, to see what they’re all about, you can view the most recent video viaYoutube.com

The band hit the stage around 10pm.

Head across town on Friday night and to The Basement Bar where the Chris Winchester Band will hit the stage from about 8pm.

The band that features a line-up completed by Chris Winchester on guitar and vocals, Paul Tonks on keys and vocals and Mark Burrows on bass, play a set that features contemporary acoustic covers from the likes of Ed Sheeran and Coldplay amongst many others.

Borderline is also out and about and heading north this weekend.

Sighting influences from the likes of Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Robert Cray, Albert King, BB King, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, and Jerry Lee Lewis, the band that features Heinrich Koop, Keith Randall, Alan Presford and Nigel Johnson in their line-up the band appears at the Mitre in Ramsey on Saturday night.

That’s about it for this week, thanks for reading.

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