Robin Williamson at Studio Celtia, London, Ontario, Canada

First set: Black Bird / Blind Rattiri the Poet (story) / Jealous Hero (story) / Island of the Strong Door / Lonely Exile / The Burglar (story) / John Barleycorn / Grandfather (story) / The Fochen Side

Second set: The Wonderful Supper / Geordie Gordon / The First Girl / Maya /Nell Flaherty / Loan of a Glass of Beer / Adam & Eve (story) / Ambrose the Irishman (story) / I Will Love You When We Are Gone / Farewell My Gentle Harp (encore)

After more than 30 years of singing and telling stories in public, Robin Williamson once again demonstrated why his unique brand of talent continues to draw a crowd. His current tour brought him to London, Ontario - the second of only 2 Canadian dates. The audience of slightly less that 100 people greeted Williamson with the warmth of an old friend and the feeling from the stage seemed mutual. The intimate ambience of this venue, located above the store which sells arts and crafts of a Celtic nature, was very appropriate for this concert.

To start the evening, he sat behind his harp and began to play a song which was meant to sound like the song of a black bird... but, which he readily admitted did not. He introduced the proceedings as an evening of stories and songs and that is exactly what followed. In fact, there were probably more stories that songs in the long run (as the above set list will attest). That being said, Williamson set out to engage the audience to the point where they would sing back portions of the songs to him, stand up and spin in circles and altogether have a good time. For the typically staid audiences of London, this seemed almost like a miracle.

Those expecting a night of songs from the Incredible String Band days may have initially been disappointed but, the jovial atmosphere would soon put such thoughts to the back of anyone's mind. It was a night to simply get lost in the songs and stories which peppered the evening through the Glaswegian accented bard's word and music. It was not a night to simply be nostalgic but, to appreciate the present and reflect on a history of spoken and sung tradition.

His stories of a blind poet, Ambrose the Irishman and a burglar and a myna bird were interspersed among songs like John Barleycorn, Lonely Exile, The First Girl, Maya and The Fochen Side.

Anyone who has the opportunity to catch Robin Williamson along the tour should jump at the chance.

Chris Meloche