The queues formed early for the John Tams Band at the 36th Towersey Village Festival staged over the Bank Holiday weekend, writes Peter Cann.

The wait wasn't an ordeal. After all, fans of this hugely influential songwriter have been waiting several years to see him perform again.

After years acting and singing in the television series Sharpe, the man credited with helping shape folk in the seventies and eighties is back with a new album Unity, released on the Topic label and a new band.

He chose to sit throughout his set which seemed rather curious given it was a full electric backing and Graeme Taylor was in full flight on the lead guitar.

Drawing much of the material from his new album, Tams showed that his strong songwriting has not deserted him and, remarkably, managed to reproduce the sound of the album even in the unpromising surrounds of a marquee. He threw in a few oldies, such as One More Day, and ended with what is almost a Towersey anthem, Rolling Home, to send his fans away happy.

The concert tent was also packed for festival favourites Show of Hands Steve Knightley and Phil Beer and with one or two exceptions, the set was a familiar one, ending with the magnificent Santiago.

A slick set indeed. Julie Murphy, the singer with Fernhill, appeared with a trio and the four-day Towersey festival was an ideal opportunity for her stunning, soulful voice to impress and she didn't fail.

The surprise stars were Seize the Day, a six-piece vocal group, who give voice to the sentiments of eco-warriors everywhere.

Finally, Ashley Hutchings, of the Albion Band, and Roger Watson, staged the fruits of their work with teenagers from South Oxfordshire.

Traditional songs inspired the young people to write their own versions drawn from their experiences, and what an excellent job they did too. The tradition does indeed live on.