Andy Williams will be 78 in December and consequently it's easy to imagine beforehand that his show would be a sad reflection of his earlier, Andy Williams Show, days that most of us fondly remember.

Not a bit of it. His laid-back delivery and expansive voice has been charming audiences for decades, from his first appearance with a brother quartet (the brothers appeared in Bing Crosby's 1944 film Swinging on a Star, into his seventh decade of performing.

And laid-back was the word - he makes Perry Como look like a fidget.

And the voice? Still crisp, instantly recognisable and all the high notes reached with ease.

He launched into his back catalogue reminding us of all the old classics we used to listen to on Saturday evenings. Can't get Use to Losing You, Moon River, Days of Wine and Roses etc etc, all executed in his inimitable, easy style and supported by an astonishingly good band - I never tire of praising the acoustics of Symphony Hall.

Then came a humorous interlude involving a replaying on screen of the old Fiat Punto advert which used Andy's Music to watch Girls By. In Andy's version of the ad the girl in the Punto kisses Andy himself (part of the deal with Fiat for using his music, I suppose).

Then on we went with the nostalgia. Solitaire, It's So Easy and my personal favourite Home Lovin' Man.

By the encore many fans, some quite elderly, made their way to the stage to sing along with their hero.

A thoroughly enjoyable evening to see one of world's most enduring stage performers and this old cynic has to admit a bit of a lump in his throat when he embarked on May Each Day of the Week be a Good One. . .

Don't tell anyone, will you?

Steve Bird