A cosy place Gilead, small, homely and very familiar to Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir, regular visitors there, but also the spiritual home of the choir's soprano soloist, Joan Lewis. The audience, too, well known to choir members and each other, an audience of close neighbours and friends. Even the two visitors were familiar, Ted and Lynnette Abbot, choir VP's for many years, all the way from Essex to listen to this Good Friday concert. Yes, truly, they come all that way especially for it! Well, where to hear better? Margaret Brown, chapel elder, welcomed all present, before introducing Phil Lloyd, 'Presenter Extraordinary', her words, not your scribe's! This provoked much ribald comment from choristers (who accept its true of course, but don't want him to get above himself!). No need for Phil to cosy the audience along in his usual fashion on this occasion; they were all totally at ease and ready. They know him too well anyway! The choir offered three starting items, including the full version of 'Lest We Forget', first heard in the Garrison Concert and a tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives in world wars for us all to live in peace. Looking across this troubled world at present, some may find it difficult to accept that theirs was a worthwhile sacrifice. We honour them nevertheless. Owen Jones followed this with his solo of the wonderful 'Coedmor', one of the finest Welsh hymns one could wish to hear. Owen, a simple force of nature still. Alyson Griffiths, flute, offered three lovely items to reflect the sense of Good Friday, among them 'Saviour Thy Dying Love', all lovely tunes well played. The 'show stoppers' followed Alyson, as they have been on many previous occasions. Joan Lewis and Chris Lloyd that is, in duet, Jenny Griffiths accompanist; 'Burdens are Lifted at Cavalry'. What a pair these are; their harmony, timing, material and delivery perfect at every occasion and enough to enchant any audience wherever they sing. Jenny on top form as ever. Time for the choir to take it to the interval with three items, one, 'You Raise Me Up', dedicated to Fred Roblin, former committed P&DMVC chorister and Gilead man for years. Margaret Brown returned with a timely short lesson outlining the sacrifice at Cavalry before praising the choir's fund-raising efforts in the community and offering a number of humorous observations while so doing. A congregational hymn followed, and a notable contribution from the energetic backing harmonies of a small but very effective ladies choir, whose origins we hazard, might be traced to Pembroke Ferry? The choir continued the concert before Sam Thomas offered 'One Day at a Time' to much appreciation. A debut performance by baritone Ron Rees, accompanied by Alyson Griffiths, was the next item. Ron's item was 'What Colour is the Wind Daddy'. The song tells the story of a blind daughter who sees the world only through her father's eyes and descriptions. Alyson played a sensitive and sympathetic accompaniment and Ron sang it with a quiet intense sincerity. At the end there was a brief moment of stunned silence before the audience erupted with a spontaneous standing ovation. It was a magical moment and will be talked about for some considerable time one imagines. A star is born? Hard for the choir to follow that but 'Where shall I Be' and 'Morte Criste' to finish was a fine and fitting end. Margaret led the audience with The Grace to complete the concert. There was no entrance fee to the Gilead concert, there never is, merely the usual collection. We trust the audience were generous, for it was a quite special and remarkable night for all present. Chapel ladies, paying no regard whatever to waistlines, nor to entreaties by Governments concerning food input, laid on a sumptuous feast in the Old School Room across the way. Tony Ward, chairman, offered the choir's sincere appreciations. A.S.