Two paintings framed the proscenium ? one of a fish, the other of a turtle.

Behind these and between them spread the fanned fronds of green palms. Behind these, the microphone booms and guitar benches gleamed in the stage lights.

The hour to begin came and went, and then that veteran folk man MC Chris Broadhurst welcomed the audience.

We were enough to fill half the auditorium, almost, is my guess.

But, like a Pentecostal gathering, where the twos and threes of the faithful suffice, we were enough.

His manner was suitable to a regular folk club meeting and yet seemed to me slightly periodic of himself. This was billed not as a folk club meeting, however ? it was Val Wallace and Friends.

Val had, when there were all together on stage, a talented sampling of Bermuda?s musicians: Taylor Rankin on violin, Max Maybury on flute, Michael Spencer-Ascot on guitar and percussion (he also produced the show) and Michael Kilpatrick, backing vocals who?d had her own turn as a soloist earlier.

Kevin Ingham and Joseph Bento opened the evening with a medley comprised of ?Beautiful, Beautiful Bermuda?, Yellow Bird, and a version of Jamaica farewell, that substituted Hamilton for Kingston Town.

Mr. Bento then added his harmonica to introduce ?Heart of Gold?, followed by ?Tequila Sunrise?.

They did an up-tempo ?Four Strong Winds?, and closed with Roger Miller?s ?King of he Road?. Nothing original there; simple and dated.

And, then ? surprise! Michael Kilpatrick turned out to be a female, recently arrived from Alabama.

She sang a short set of songs, presumably all her own, with edgy, feisty lyrics, accompanying herself on guitar.

Taylor Rankin made the first of his several cameo appearances on the second song, which was also accompanied by the new president of the folk club himself, Ben Nunn.

Michael has a fine voice and is a competent guitarist. For some reason she didn?t feel the need to talk too much to the audience, and could have connected more with us, I thought.

Perhaps she felt the songs? speaking for themselves was enough.

In any event, it was an enjoyable set. Taylor?s playing was tasteful, plucked or bowed, and added much to the set.

Chris Broadhurst brought on the evening?s special guest.

She looked the part, in jeans and a green shawl. She was using some one?s black guitar, on which she displayed her mastery. She sang her set in a voice that ranged from a contralto, to a clear soprano, extended by her clean falsetto.

?Need I say more? and ?A Thousand Kisses? were my favourites in the set which included ?It won?t be a Lie?, and Lifeline, a wry humorous song. She closed with her ?party song?, an a cappella thing, called ?The Girl with the Curl?.

It was the most satisfying set of the evening.

Val was dressed in a Barbara Jones creation, a deep green garment topped with a long coat with multi-coloured vertical stripes, and made up, by Janet Pyrah.

The singer?s hair was done by April Lindell.

When Chris introduced Val after the break, he mentioned that the passage of some 25 years had changed both he and Val from the youngest to among the oldest members of the club, stating that one of the songs on Val?s album first surfaced as a demo all those years ago.

On stage Val gradually added friend after friend.

Dennis Eldrige put in a solid performance on guitar, fine player that he is. Max Maybury looked right at home in this setting.

Val?s shtick is about not being able to find a ?keeper? among the suitors that meander through her existence.

One outstanding song in her set, for me, was ?You Were Easy? ? you see the ambiguity in the title ? which was at once tender and distanced.

It seemed to me to epitomise Val?s writing; a wry, distanced observer on the self and the tussle for equitable balance between the sexes.

She thanked her sister Wendy for her longtime support in her creative endeavours; Les, she also acknowledged.

She closed her short set with ?The Butterfly?.

It was all in all a modest affair.

The bar?s proceeds went to the St. John?s Ambulance Brigade.

Val Wallace and Friends performed on Wednesday March 23, at City Hall in Hamilton.