Our Gay and Lesbian singers recently proved they have lots of friends – the most ever. On the 18th and 19th of November, the GALS and Friends concerts attracted more than 550 people, a record! An eclectic group of performers guest-starred, sparking a chemistry with the choir and the audience. Edwina Thorne brought her trumpet and fabulous legs to the stage with Marilyn Waring (“We didn't know she could sing!” said more than a few concertgoers) who sang What a Wonderful World and Come Rain, Come Shine. Buffy and Bimbo reprised their show-stopping Tarakihi, which always has the audience holding its breath as the girls fling the long pois hither and yon. Margaret Robertson and Tim Bray gender-bended Summer Nights from Grease. Tim couldn't have been more fetching in his canary yellow trousers and matching sweater while Margaret, butch as, swaggered on stage in her leather jacket and attitude. (Attitude which she unleashed on an unsuspecting but eager GALS alto who she pashed as she walked off the stage. It took the giddy gal well into the next song to recover full use of her lips.) Mahinarangi gave Over the Rainbow the full Tocker treatment, with an a capella rendition that turned the phrases into ribbons that fluttered gently above the stage. Maria Treadaway brought a voice like melted chocolate to Rossini's Duetto di due gatti that she sang with Margaret Robertson. In keeping with the concert's theme, their cat spat turned friendly by the end of the number. Terence Maskell accompanied GALS on the piano with his camped-up arrangement of the Great Pretender. Following Terence's lead, the choir belted out the number a la Ethel Merman: full-throated and enthusiastic. Elizabeth Lau, Acting Musical Director, directed the choir. Members of the audience commented on the spark between Elizabeth and the choir, noting how well the group responded to her. Proving there's no rest for the musically inclined, GALS are off to Melbourne in February. They will sing in the Out and Loud Choral Festival with the Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Chorus and other Australian gay and lesbian choirs. And speaking of Trans-Tasman ties, GALS dedicated the song Reach Out to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir as a token of solidarity following their recent nasty encounter with threats of gay bashing. Lisa Williams - 28th November 2006