This is getting to be an annual event but no-one's complaining. The "new" Incredible String Band is getting better and better. From a poor start in Edinburgh that should not have been billed as the ISB, the band is now a tight five piece with each member having equal weighting. The best example of this is Bina Williamson who is coming more and more to the fore and gaining in confidence with each gig it seems. Opinion is divided about her. Is she Robin's Linda McCartney? However, she has reached the stage where she sings lead vocals on a number of songs, some better than others. In the second half Robin noted that Bina comes from Dar E Salaam (spelling?) and that her first language is Punjabi. She then sang a song from the 1930s in her native language which was her high point of the evening. Pity Mike's lost his sitar!

Chinese White as moved to the start of the second set rather than the first with Ducks on a Pond kicking off the evening. This seemed longer than last year with Mike playing a blistering harmonica at the end. Mike is also coming more to the fore and shone on the reintroduced Painting Box. It's good to see Mike playing guitar again. Apart from Painting Box  and the exclusion of This Moment, the ISB songs were the same as last year. Clive took lead vocals on Mike's Air, a song that seems well-suited to his voice. 

Mike had a solo spot in each half, duetting with Lawson Dando on Singing the Dolphin and Residential Boy, both of which are on Mike Heron's Reputation. On Saturday night Mike played Don't Kill It Carol, a song of his recorded by Manfred Mann. the only other set change for Saturday was in the Heron spot, a new song called The Falling in Love. 

The Incredible String Band is taking the opportunity to play some new material. Big City Blues and Strings of the Earth and Air are already crowd favourites. Robin introduced About Doorways and Weather as being a song recorded for his release next year although it didn't make the album, in his words, "a song not on an album not released." Love Will Remain is another new song that Robin dedicated to Bina as it was their anniversary, twelve years (and two days). 

Clive's pyjamas featured as part of his home-made Northumbrian pipes (along with brick and dog bones according to Robin) when he duetted with Robin's fiddle. Lawson Dando also switched to guitar in a duet with Robin called Facing West from California's Shore. 

The "new" Incredible String Band has two major strengths. Firstly, each of the five members is equal with Clive, Bina and Lawson not there as backing for Mike and Robin. Secondly, they are not replying on performing an ISB greatest hits. There is a mix of classic ISB alongside less well-known material and new songs. 

Tracks played included:

1. Ducks on a Pond

2. Painting Box

3. About Doorways and Weather

4. Singing the Dolphin

5. Air

6. The Storm is on the Ocean

7. Big City Blues

8. Maker of Islands

9. Land of No Return

10. Chinese White

11. Eyes of Fate

12. Pipe and Whistle Tune

13. Residential Boy

14. Love Will Remain

15. Your Were Meant For Me?

16. Strings in the Earth and Air

17. Facing West from California's Shore

18. Whether Near or Far

19. You Know What You Could Be

20. Waltz of the New Moon

21. Now is the Hour?

Martin Payne with help from the ISB mailing list