FROM Dublin's National Festival Theatre to Dursley's Lister Hall - that was the itinerary for the guest performer at Dursley Male Voice Choir's annual spring concert.

The fabulous Colm "Stride" O'Brien flew to England immediately after his Dublin concert and took the Dursley audiences by storm with his spectacular piano playing and Irish charm.

A classically-trained pianist, Colm O'Brien specialises in Ragtime and "Stride" jazz and his programme is an eclectic mix of jazz standards and hilarious anecdotes.

Playing everything from Scott Joplin and Fats Waller to those foot-tapping Irish songs we all remember from long ago, Colm O'Brien was an outstanding success. He has promised to return - and when he does, the choir will have to organise extra concert dates, for his fame is sure to spread throughout Gloucestershire.

Forced into a supporting role, Dursley Male Voice Choir was its usual brilliant self presenting pieces from favourite musicals including the moving and uplifting medlay from "Les Miserables, a selection of songs from the 19th century, the ever-popular "How Great Thou Art" and finishing with "Hallelujah", Handel's spine-tingling "Hallelujah Chorus" arranged by musical director Barrie Cooper.

This was a truly memorial concert by our talented male voice choir and sell-out audiences stamped their approval.

It is to be hoped that Dursley truly appreciates how fortunate it is to have this great ambassador for the town.