Friday night was the opportunity to be in the hands of a gracious and intelligent performer. Those two words are perfect to describe the qualities of Robert Fisher, the man behind the collective that is Willard Grant Conspiracy. Rarely have I seen a performer who was not only supremely talented, but one that was so respectful of his audience. A man who not only had something to say, but imparted it with supreme wit and eloquence. Fisher, from California, was doing his Australian tour solo. Armed with only an acoustic guitar, he had left the members of Willard Grant Conspiracy behind. This collective of musicians was always one that I had wanted to investigate, but had never quite got round to. Until recently that is. I picked up their last two albums "Let It Roll" and "Pilgrim Road" in recent months, enjoyed both, so I was quite excited to see Fisher live in concert.

It was a great experience. At the Clarendon Guesthouse in Katoomba, he quietly walked on stage and performed for a little over an hour. A big man, although not tall, he sat on a lone chair and expertly plied his acoustic. His voice was a marvel. Deep and resonant, it carried to all corners of the small room. It possessed a certain grandeur, carrying with it a feeling of import and tender beauty. Now, I am not familiar with all his work, so I can not identiy all the songs he played. Suffice to say, they were all immensely enjoyable. Beautifully rendered songs of quiet passion, immense heart and true beauty. Songs of truth and ultimately, life. My favourite song would have been one that I was familiar with. The tender and touching "Painter Blue". I loved that one. Fisher was also a great raconteur. Regaling us between each song with a short history of the song or just a wry observation of life. I think he would make a superb dinner guest. I know for sure that he is a superb performer. As a bonus we got to meet him after the show. Speaking to him in the foyer, he was even more impressive in person. Just a lovely man, a pleasure to talk to.

Danny George Wilson was the support. This english folk singer was a superb choice. His songs were just lovely. Possessing a great voice, I really enjoyed his down to earth set. I would definitely recommend seeing him live.