Willy Mason @ Queen Margaret Union

It looks like we're in for an evening of old-fashioned folk twiddlings when Willy Mason shuffles onstage, but any misgivings disappear the instant he opens his mouth and that voice pours out. Like a warmer Johnny Cash, his melodic growl lends gravity to songs which might prove unsubstantial in other hands: current single We Can Be Strong, for instance, isn't exactly pioneering, but tonight, it is positively alive, and the venue swings along. Mason's band, featuring violin, banjo, trombone and a guitarist oblivious to Scotland's smoking ban, seems to be having a ball, but the biggest cheers belong to Willy's solo rendition of Oxygen, his acid-sharp lyrics still getting laughs from even his diehard fans. Throughout a long set complete with six song encore, the crowd hangs on his every word, delighted to be watching a singer/songwriter who actually has something to say. This might sound like an old-fashioned concept, but it's actually why Mason's music has a sense of timelessness. Outstanding. [Heather Crumley]