Don Williams in The Olympia Theatre on May 23^rd 2014

Things Don Williams believes in, part 1: Love, babies, Mom and Dad

The love of the game. That’s what brings Don Williams around these parts. The folks at this second night of two in The Olympia should count themselves lucky, because if Don is to be believed this is the last time he will ever play in Ireland. Accompanied by his six-piece band, Williams appears with guitar already strapped on, takes a seat on a high stool and for the duration of the gig keeps metronomic time with cowboy booted heel and toe on the box that rests beneath.

It’s evident that a few in the crowd were mere babies when Don was in his heyday, and the bulk of the set comprises his ‘70s and early ‘80s material. Certainly, mom and dad are responsible for passing the country bug to some attendees tonight; what those attendees may not want to admit is that they were probably conceived while the dulcet tones of Mr Williams laid the foundations of love on the wireless.

You’re My Best Friend sees the band go quiet while the crowd wrestle the song from the stage and sing it right back to the players. “Oh, we gotta do it again” says a clearly impressed Williams, and it’s not the first time a mass troupe of backing singers join him from the stalls and circles of the venue.

Things Don Williams believes in, part 2: Love, music, magic

There’s a certain kind of pleasure to be derived from watching a killer band. Williams has one. Three guitars line the stage with him, a multi-tasking keys and lapsteel player switch from their seated instruments to accordion, and dobro and mandolin respectively, and the night’s unsung hero drives it all from the kit behind Williams.

“You ready?” Williams growls to his guitarist, and the drummer switches to sticks for the first time of the night, instantly and almost imperceptibly kicking the night up a notch for Back In My Younger Days. Elise similarly takes things to the bar room rock ’n’ roll realm, and the crowd get in on the act with a rowdy bout of handclaps on It Must Be Love, an act of audience participation that typifies the night. Tonight’s set, and the previous, are being filmed for the DVD of this farewell tour – not that the crowd are playing it up for the cameras. The feeling is that this is just the kind of magic that exists between the man and his fans any time he comes to town. Any town.

Things Don Williams believes in, part 3: Love, old folks, children

Don doesn’t believe that Superman and Robin Hood are still alive in Hollywood despite evidence to the contrary, but he believes in Burt Reynolds alright. He also believes that if you have a good thing going, you keep it going. I Believe In Love ends to the wildest applause of the set. When it dies, Williams suddenly restarts acapella. The band join, and immediately after so do the audience – “Y’all are just about to overwhelm me”

Each band member gets an intro, and some certainly have a longer tenure with the man than others. His longest serving cohort on guitar “sings whenever he feels like it. Sings whatever he feels like.” And sure enough, there he is singing when he feels like it on Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good. Everybody feels like it on Gypsy Woman. And I’m Just A Country Boy. Williams believes in sending ‘em home with instructions, subtle ones. Louisiana Saturday Night rounds the set off, and what are the bets a few retire to the top shelf, and to “Dance in the kitchen ‘til the morning light”.

Things Don Williams believes in, part 4: You

He believes in you, Colin Chisholm – why else would he have invited you along on his tour to warm up the crowd with an odd mix of country and ‘80s pop covers? Joined by Bruce Spence on acoustic, Chisholm is the star of BBC1’s The Voice, and he loves what he does. The triumphant finger shooting in the air after Phil Everly’s So Sad is the first indication. The stamping-heel/ball-of-foot-planted-to-the-floor-clenched-fist dance move (you know the one) during I Drove All Night is the next.

“Dr Hook fans, where are you!?” The fuckers are everywhere, singing the coda to If Not You, and there’s no stopping them after that through Jim Reeves, Rita McNeil and finally (Ghost) Riders In The Sky: A Cowboy Legend, complete with faux-Western accent from the Edinburgh singer. His rapport is rock solid and it’s a bit GAA club karaoke, in fairness, but he sure can sing.

Chisholm set them up, Williams knocked them down.