ALTHOUGH one half of folk’s foremost duo was clearly struggling with a throat infection, it didn’t detract from a fine evening’s entertainment.

Jon Boden was nursing a large Lemsip in the interval and wiping the sweat from his fevered brow which may have explained the increased number of instrumentals in the set.

But true pros to the end, he and long-term collaborator John Spiers ensured a virtually sold out Library Theatre had a fine old time of it.

Quite how two men armed with nothing more than a fiddle and melodeon with one of them standing on what looks like half a pallet can make such a splended, warm sound is a mystery.

It helps when those two men are magnificent musicians, Spiers fingers were flying to create complex melodies while Boden’s leisurely bow work masked the complexity of what the audience hears.

Much of the set came from the duo’s new album The Works, a celebration of their 10 years together, including sing-along versions of Prickle-Eye Bush and a rousing encore of the Rochdake Coconut Dance.

This may have been Spiers and Boden at less than full capacity but it was still miles better than most acts could ever hope to achieve.