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The moment he takes the stage you know he's not from around here.

Pearly-white complexion obscured by a greying beard; tennis shoes giving root to knee socks that don't quite measure up to official Bermudian height.

And those canvas hiking shorts - a dead give away.

If you guessed that Valdy (a.k.a. Valdemar Horsdal) has just stepped off some wild Canadian coast you'd be right on the money.

"I've just come from Haida Gwaii in the Queen Charlotte Islands...,'' he announces to an assortment of folkies and friends gathered Friday night under threatening clouds at the Spanish Point Boat Club.

"For those of you who don't know that's British Columbia and I've just come from one of the least developed islands to one of the most developed islands.'' Haida Gwaii, Valdy, and a stunning Bermudian sunset. All the elements converge this night for a memorable kick-off to the Bermuda Folk Club's silver season.

And while there's something universal about a singer and an acoustic guitar Paul Maccoy, Vice-president of the club, can't help but state the obvious: "I've never heard of this guy Valdy before; but then I'm not from Canada,'' he said by way of introduction.

It's clear however, that a much of the 150-odd fans gathered around the small outdoor stage had the red maple leaf planted firmly in their hearts.

You can't be Canadian and not know Valdy, but from the opening chords of "Yes I Can,'' this well-worn folkie weaves a musical fabric that reaches beyond borders. It didn't take long for Bermudians to warm to his easy style and classics such as "Peter and Lou,'' "Simple Man,'' and "Landscapes.'' The loudest applause was reserved for the hit "Play me a Rock and Roll Song,'' the Canadian contingent leading the way.

Versatility and Valdy go hand in hand and those expecting pure folk were not disappointed when he wound down his two-hour set with a medeley of classics by Peter Yarrow, Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton and Gordon Lightfoot. But it was Roger Miller's "King of the Road'' that seemed to put the audience in the mood for more.

By the time he closed his second encore with "Farewell Thee Well to Nova Scotia,'' the crowd had found its voice. In between Valdy worked the crowd with the lighthearted "Get a Haircut Dad,'' written by Texan Bruce Neuman, and "Earth Rap,'' "a bit of the talking blues'' written for Earth Day celebrations. A native of Salt Spring Island - a reformed hippie colony - on Canada's west coast, Valdy's music is guided by an environmental ethic, humour, and simplicity. It's a formula that has kept him in the hearts of Canadians for over 30 years.

His Bermudian appearance coincided with two memorable events. The first being his tenth wedding anniversary to mate Kathleen, and the second, the release of his 12th album, Heart at Work.

The Bermuda Folk Club's own Chris Broadhurst opened the show, charming the audience with venerable Ralph McTell classics such as "The Streets of London,'' and a few off-beat odes, including a tribute to the Island's abundance of Italian eateries and to rarely-seen resident Ross Perot.

"I just want to let everybody know that I wrote `Tuckers Town' long before Hootie and the Blowfish,'' he said with a wry smile.

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