The Heron has Landed

Mike Heron live in London 20th April 1996

In support of the new album, Where the Mystics Swim, Mike Heron turned up with most of the Incredible Acoustic Band to play two shows in the 12 Bar Club (which only had one bar I must add) in April 1996. This is a review of the first show on Saturday 20 April.

Time Out Preview, 17 April 1996

Although he's never really been away, Mike Heron is back, providing an opportunity for spiritual folkies and unreconstructed hippies everywhere to rejoice and remember their long-lost locks and fervid past. In the innocent, mind-expanding '60s, Heron, with Robin Williamson, comprised the nucleus of the Incredible String Band, a pioneering outfit responsible for a radical, psychedelic folk music (and radical psychedelic folk music scene) that both mirrored and epitomised the heady, druggy eccentricity, surreal whimsey and alternative religiosity of the times. They even proved influential on the Beatles during their post-Sergeant Pepper immersion in the counter-culture, and, with times passing, seem to be gaining increasingly widespread recognition and approbation.

Subsequent to the ISB, Heron has pursued a somewhat erratic career, often veering more towards the rock end of things. A new album Where the Mystics Swim (Demon), however, sees him once more unashamedly drenched in the folk stylings of yore, albeit crucially updated and shorn of self-indulgence. Possibly lacking a certain resonance and intensity, it is still a richly expressive and enjoyable accomplished collection of gentle, folk-flavoured melody and muse. In recognition of this stylistic reversal forwards, his new band are named in acknowledgment to his halcyon past. Intriguingly, Robin Williamson (now a respected Celtic storytelling bard) has also been in town of late. Would it be too much to hope that he might pop along and allow himself to be cajoled on to the stage too?

Ross Fortune

A Triumphant Return

The 12 Bar Club is a small folk club situated in Denmark Street in London's West End. Denmark Street was formally known as Tin Pan Alley, the place where you bought and sold songs in the old days before you wrote your own. The street is still the centre of the music industry and is a guitarist's paradise. Tucked away at the end of an alley is the 12 Bar Club, a 7-day-a-week folk club that can best be described as "intimate". It was straining to bursting point on Saturday night with the door closed early, such is Mike's regained popularity.

The evening began with short set from Lesley Ann Wright and was followed by Sonny Condell, previously of Tir Na Nog and Scullion. Peter Byrne also played some Irish-tinged folk music including a storming version of Voodoo Chile which brought cheers from the tightly-packed throng.

Mike Heron divided his set into two halves to allow himself a cup of tea in the interval and the rest of us to fight our way to the bar to replenish our beers. The sound of banging things told us that Dave Haswell was performing well on percussion, but, packed away behind his ensemble in the corner of the stage, very few of us actually saw him. Mike and guitarist John Rutherford squeezed onto what was left of the stage and were able to demonstrate a fine awareness of gymnastics in reaching their places.

Mike started with Tom & Alexei, the first song from the new album When the Mystics Swim. Most of the audience were singing along from the very beginning. He continued with many of the songs from the album including 1968, a song also recorded during String Band days. Naturally any String Band song brought extra cheers and we were treated to Red Hair, Log Cabin Home in the Sky and Everything's Fine Right Now.

However, the new album formed the core of the show and, as I remember, all the songs were played at some point. Mike introduced them all, explaining where they came from. Mostly Jack Keroac-inspired. He paid tribute to another of his heroes with Song for Robert Johnson. Songs from the past came back again with Blackfoot Side and he finished with Feast of Stephen from Smiling Men. The encore, as ever, was Baby Goodnight.

It was a triumphant gig in a packed club with plenty of atmosphere, if somewhat warm at times. Mike, John and Dave looked as if the journey down South was worthwhile, clearly enjoying playing here. After these two gigs in London, let's hope it's not too long before he is able to undertake a more extensive tour.

Martin Payne