ARRIVING on stage and announcing he had a special and unexpected guest for the evening, Paxton introduced the audience to Kieran Goss.

A short set by this renowned singer-songwriter, originally from Newry, who’s warm, affable and humorous, while many of his songs are about life’s problems, was well received.

Then Paxton opened his show with How Beautiful the Mountain from his most recent album, followed by Your Shoes, My Shoes, a song about Rosa Parks and the civil rights movement.

Back in the early sixties, Paxton was part of the Greenwich Village scene and protest song movement and politics and the environment have always been a key part of both his recorded and live performances.

Aware that he always includes at least one song relating to current news stories, I wondered before the concert what he would pick tonight.

He went for Rupert Murdoch and phone hacking, with a short song which he sang unaccompanied, while throughout the rest of the two-set concert Robin Bullock played backing guitar, cittern and mandolin, plus a couple of his own pieces to open the second set.

Old favourites from the Paxton back-catalogue sparkled throughout the concert, the audience sang along when gently invited.

Tom Paxton may be 74 but he hasn’t lost the enthusiasm and passion of his youth. As sharp and entertaining as ever.

Martin Ellis