Folk legend returns to Wales for intimate concert

Nation.Cymru staff

A musician whose career has spanned more than six decades is returning to a part of Wales where he lived during the late 1960s for a special concert.

Robin Williamson, a founding member of the influential Incredible String Band, will perform at Canolfan Bethlehem in Newport, Pembrokeshire, on Saturday, September 26.

The 82-year-old Scottish musician, singer, songwriter, poet and storyteller will present a solo show combining songs, instrumental music, poetry and traditional tales.

The concert also marks a return to an area with which Williamson has a longstanding personal connection.

During the late 1960s, he lived near Brynberian, within sight of the Pentre Ifan burial chamber and beneath the Preseli Hills.

Williamson was born in Edinburgh in 1943 and became a professional musician after leaving school at 15.

After performing in jazz bands, he moved towards traditional music and played on the folk circuit alongside Bert Jansch.

In 1965, Williamson formed a duo with Clive Palmer before they were joined by Mike Heron. The musicians became the Incredible String Band, which went on to become one of the most distinctive groups to emerge from the British folk scene of the 1960s.

Between 1966 and 1974, the band released a string of albums combining folk music with influences ranging from Celtic traditions to psychedelia and music from further afield.

Their 1968 album The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter received a Grammy nomination and the band also appeared at the Woodstock festival in 1969.

Williamson began releasing solo material while still a member of the group and continued his career following its break-up in 1974.

He later formed the Merry Band and has subsequently toured extensively as a solo performer, with storytelling becoming an increasingly prominent part of his work.

His connection with Welsh culture can also be found in his recorded output. In 1983, he released Music for the Mabinogi, while he has written and performed material drawing on Celtic mythology and the bardic tradition.

Williamson has also set or incorporated the work of poets including Dylan Thomas, William Blake and Walt Whitman into his music.

In 1995, his album Wheel of Fortune, recorded with guitarist John Renbourn, was nominated for a Grammy.

Return

Organisers say his Pembrokeshire performance will see Williamson accompany himself on guitar while moving between original and traditional songs, instrumental passages, poetry and stories.

Rather than following a rigid set list, his solo performances are shaped partly by the audience and atmosphere of the evening.

Canolfan Bethlehem is a volunteer-run community venue housed in a former chapel in the centre of Newport.

The concert begins at 7pm on Saturday, September 26.

Tickets cost £15 and advance booking is recommended.

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