The Albert Halls, Bolton A CAPACITY crowd cheered the performers in this lively evening of entertainment - and rightly so.

Bolton Barbershop Harmony Club hosted the show which presented not only some of the best in barbershop singing but musician Alan Firth.

Firth has polished his act since I last saw him perform while keeping the essential ingredients of some clever magic mixed with comedy. His pet puppet Tyson is a scene stealer.

Bolton Barbershop Harmony Club's own Cottontown Chorus, with Chorus Director Michael Dargan, were in excellent form, particularly in the rousing Battle Hymn of the Republic.

The quartet Easy Street set a high standard with their opening number - Easy Street, of course - and maintained it.

The octet Hosp-8-ality put the accent on humour while demonstrating their skill in close harmony singing. Their version of I Never See Maggie Alone was a riot.

The glamorous Cheshire Chord Company, under the direction of Madeline Jory, demonstrated why they have twice been British Ladies Barbershop Champions with some superb routines.

In the "top of the bill" spot was the quartet Chordial Exchange, who last year won the Gold Medal in the British National Championships at Harrogate. Their version of Memories was magnificent.

Part of the proceeds from this Saturday evening concert will help the quartet to make a trip to California later this year to represent Britain in the International Barbershop Convention.

Cheques were also presented to representative of the Lupus charity and Bolton Hospice. Doreen Crowther

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.