Robin and Mike Together on Stage
Again, 27 September and 4 October 1997
We thought it would never happen.
The Incredible String Band last played together in 1974 and it was
widely believed that all was not well between Mike and Robin.
Robin has been touring extensively and releasing many albums. Mike
has been less busy but released the wonderful Where the Mystics
Swim in 1996, to my mind the best post-ISB album. However, with
the success of the Be Glad magazine, the CD re-releases etc things
started to change. We had the convention in Leeds where Mike,
Robin and Malcolm all played but separately. This was followed by
Back Again where Malcolm and Clive Palmer played in London. Then
in the Spring of 1997 the news came that Mike and Robin would be
playing together again, not as the Incredible String Band although
older songs were sure to be included in the repertoire. Two dates
were arranged for Glasgow on 27th September and London
Bloomsbury Theatre on 4th October 1997.
Saturday 27th September
and I board the Royal Scot from London Euston to Glasgow. I had my
passport with me and I had watched Rab C Nesbitt so I knew all
about Glasgow. The Henry Wood Hall was only a short taxi ride from
the hotel and it was full when I arrived. It was only a short walk
from where the Mike and Robin had been playing back in the 1960s
with Clive Palmer at the Incredible Folk Club. A BBC film crew was
there and the gig was recorded as well. Mike and Robin were joined
by John Rutherford and Dave Haswell from Mike's Incredible
Acoustic Band. There were no real surprises in the material
played. Anyone who has seen Mike or Robin recently will be
familiar with the songs and the delivery. The difference this time
is that the Incredible Acoustic Band played on Robin Williamson
material while Robin joined in on many of Mike's songs. The ISB
material included has also been played in the solo sets recently
but it was good to hear Robin and Mike playing it together,
especially for those of us who never saw the String Band live.
There was some suggestion that the paying was not totally
"together" but after 23 years and two rehearsals what
can one expect. There was however a strong feeling of
anticipation. It was felt that the Glasgow gig was to some extent
a warm up for London and the band needed one outing under its
belt. However, the overall feeling was one of excitement and
surprise at hearing Mike and Robin singing and playing together.
The animosity myth had certainly been dismissed.
One week later at the Bloomsbury
Theatre in the centre of London. The warm up was well-worth it and
the whole evening was far more comfortable and confident for the
band. The audience included Rose Simpson, Joe Boyd, Likky's
sister, Robert Plant and Roy Harper amongst others. The set of
songs was identical to that played in Glasgow with a short break
in the middle where we were entertained by T & R Theakston (a
brewer for those not in the know). The acoustics were excellent
and the sound quality could hardly be improved. Robin picked up
his mandolin for the opening Everything's Fine Right Now before
reverting to harp and guitar for the rest of the evening. Sadly
the gimbri failed to make an appearance. The real highlights were
naturally the older String Band material while Mike's Song for
Robert Johnson (with Robin on whistle) gets better each time I
hear it. There was more talk between the songs than in Glasgow,
Robin talking about a little upstate festival in 1969 while Mike
referred to being impressed by Robin's beatnik appearance when he
first met him. After Red Hair we were treated to a Robin medley of
October Song and Maya. Robin ended the first half by telling a
story called Fathers. String Band songs in the second half
included 1968 which although included in the live On Air CD, it
never had an "official" release until being included on
Mike's Where the Mystics Swim. Feast of Stephen from Smiling Men
closed the second set.
There were two encores. At the end
of the first one, Robin picked up the violin for a great version
of Log Cabin Home inn the Sky that had everyone singing along. The
second encore was just Mike and Robin singing the Carter Family's
You've Been a Friend to me which had appeared on Radio One Live in
Concert.
Hopefully this will not be the last
we hear of Mike and Robin playing together. It was clear that many
more people wanted to listen so we must keep our fingers crossed.
- Everything's Fine Right Now
- Lonely Exile
- Tom & Alexei
- Scotland Yet
- Red Hair
- October Song/Maya
- Favourite Sins
- Killing the Dragon
- Fathers
- Love Letter to my Wife Bina
- Mexican Girl
- Koeeoaddi There
- 1968
- Song for Robert Johnson
- Me and the Mad Girl
- Feast of Stephen
- Everytime I Hear Sweet Birds
- Baby Goodnight
- Log Cabin Home in the Sky
- You've Been a Friend to Me
Martin Payne
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