THERE was only ever one man and his guitar on stage but the spirit of another Wainwright was ever-present at Loudon III's gig.

Loudon Jr, his father, was a journalist writing columns for Life magazine, and in between the songs and the humour were perfectly delivered, sharply written monologues about an old family dog and buying a tailor-made London suit.

As he told us: "The dad could write, the son can recite."

Wainwright is, as he named his latest album, Older Than My Old Man Now, and his songs are funny, moving and wistful musings on old age, families, love, death and drinking too much.

And it's all delivered with humour, funny faces, a particularly mobile left leg and heartbreakingly gorgeous fingerpicking.

The New Yorker professed surprise at pitching up in Poole, of all places, and it gave him the perfect opportunity to introduce us to the music of Charlie Poole, the early 20th century American banjo player and country musician who inspired his High Wide and Handsome project.

Loudon's name might not be now as well-known as the next generation of musical Wainwrights, Rufus and Martha, but he has the air of a man perfectly happy about his past, present and future and gave us a great night of entertainment.