Iron and Wine, ABC, 12 May

The hushed tones of Sam Beam’s (aka Iron and Wine) voice are completely at odds with his personal appearance. His long and dishevelled beard meets his unkempt hair half way. If you judged this particular book by its cover, you’d have him down as an ageing rocker. Close your eyes with any one of his long players for company though, and you’ll be more inclined to picture a gentle giant, bringing his unique brand of alt-folk to a sleepy crowd around a campfire… or better still, curled up on a rug in your own front room, playing a soothingly intimate set, just for you. Unfortunately, the ABC in Glasgow doesn’t accommodate such selfish daydreams, but his Beam’s gig there on 12 May should still be an essential date in anyone’s diary. From his defining cover of the Postal Service’s Such Great Heights to his brilliant latest album The Shepherd’s Dog, his back catalogue makes for one hell of a setlist.