The Lindisfarne Story
City of Varieties, Leeds
4 Stars

IT’S entirely appropriate that Ray Laidlaw and Billy Mitchell should bring their Lindisfarne Story to the home of old-time music hall, the City Varieties.

For the song-writing alumni of that seminal folk rock band of the early 1970s, Lindisfarne — Mitchell himself, Rod Clements and, of course, the incomparable and irreplaceable Alan Hull — belong in the same strain of music hall-influenced popular song as Harry Champion, Flanagan and Allen, Lonnie Donegan, fellow Geordies Alan Price and Eric Burden, Bernie Taupin’s less maudlin lyrics for Elton John, Rod Stewart (occasionally), Richard Thompson and Steve Ashley. Not to mention Ken Dodd.

Musically, Laidlaw’s minimalist percussion is a lesson to any drummer tempted to hit everything in sight including the kitchen sink as if to prove a mastery of the flams and paradiddles.

The balance on Mitchell’s microphone meant it wasn’t always possible to hear the lyrics clearly — which didn’t much matter because everyone knew all the words anyway. His quieter finger-picking was better suited to the material than the plectrum thrashing which seemed totally unsuitable, for instance, for the opening number Lady Eleanor.

There were laughs aplenty but this wasn’t so much a concert as a comfy evening with two old codgers sharing their memories, photos, videos, audio clips and even videos with us not forgetting the spin-offs, notably Jack the Lad — who had their first gig in Leeds, they reminded us — the Pakamax and Maxie and Mitch.

To prove they’re not just a happy face, and demonstrating their songs’ continued relevance, they also sang Alan Hull’s: “Bring down the government, bring it to its heel/Sure it’s a hoot when they prosecute you for doing what you feel./Bring down the government, bring it to its knees,/If you want your rights you’re gonna have to fight,/So bring down the government please.”

On most of the songs we were encouraged to sing along, an experience sure to horrify any hardline feminist to hear mostly women’s voices singing the very male-oriented words which were banned by the BBC, bless its prurient heart: “We can swing together, we can have a wee wee/We can have a wet on the wall...”

Presumably the women sang more audibly because many men still feel inhibited about opening their mouths in public, surprising in this particular audience. No-one actually got up to dance when urged but we did wave our hands in the air.

And this dynamic duo sent us home happy, with old songs in our hearts.

Tours until November 15 and next year from February, details: lindisfarnestory.co.uk