INTERESTED in pop, rock and opera? Then, the popular musical duo called Zirenz have something which is just up your street.

Zirenz are Bex Hazard and Cat Llewelyn, two singers and musicians based in the heart of the Gwendraeth Valley.

They are already making an impression on the local scene with their unique blend of opera and trance music.

Now they are launching special workshops in Kidwelly.

The POP 2 OPERA vocal workshops are open to all levels, beginners to advanced, for teenagers 13–17 and Adults 18-plus.

The workshops consist of a three-hour group session.

All participants will work together as a group and, during the three-hour session, they will learn a collection of vocal warm-up exercises to develop a strong grounding in vocal technique followed with group song coaching of pop, rock and opera styles.

Lyrics and music will be provided for each student to pre-download as well as a sample of the POP 2 OPERA vocal workout for vocal exercising so that participants can develop vocal technique and begin to discover the potential in their voices.

The POP 2 OPERA vocal workshop is on Saturday, February 17, 6-9pm at St Mary’s Church, Kidwelly.

As Zirenz, Bex Hazard and Cat Llewelyn kicked off their career together by winning an Honourable Mention Award from the world-renowned John Lennon songwriting competition USA in 2003.

Their music has been influenced by a plethora of composers from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giacomo Puccini , Gustav Holst, Ennio Morricone , John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman, along with the dance influences of Armin Van Buuren and electronic pop Max Martin, Pet Shop Boys, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre and the legendary Vangelis.

In 2021, their track “Edge of Space” was part of Trance music history when included in A State Of Trance All Time TOP #1000 list by the five-time Ranked World No1 DJ Armin van Buuren.

As Radio DJ’s Zirenz for several years hosted the Afterworld Sessions Radio show focussing on the best of Trance music which broadcast weekly on Romanian Radio Cluj Public broadcasting station, covering several counties in Transylvania, on 909, 1404 and 1593 (AM). In Cluj-Napoca 95,6 FM, Sibiu 95,4 FM & Satu-Mare 87.9 FM. and syndicated to several award winning online digital radio stations broadcasting from UK, USA, France, Holland, Greece, Ireland and Mexico to thousands of listeners each week.

Cat Llewleyn of Zirenz was a member of the Youth choir of Wales and Youth Orchestra of Wales, performing on Welsh TV and Radio. Cat gained a Masters degree in Computer Science at Swansea University. As a vocalist she went on to study privately in London with Bex Hazard and the theatrical and pop vocal coach Mary Hammond.

Bex Hazard started her music journey at the age of 10, composing her first choral piece for her school choir for a BBC carol competition. Bex continued song writing playing guitar and piano and went on to winning an opportunity to record and perform at BBC Pebble Mill Studios Birmingham.

Her vocal training began when she joined the Award Winning Cantamus Girls Choir under the direction of Pamela Cook MBE, she then gained an entrance scholarship to study at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music London for several years graduating with Hons in Voice and OPERA Performance.

While at the RAM Bex studied with world class Opera singers Yvonne Minton CBE , ENO Voice Consultant Josephine Veasey CBE and the Italian Soprano and Opera producer Graziella Sciutti.

Zirenz are working extensively in the Studio and Stage on their “pOpera project” a project that brings together all of Zirenz music diversity and knowledge which they have acquired and developed over the last 25 years.

You can find the latest details about all Zirenz releases and performances on the official zirenz website –https://zirenz.com

You can also find out more about the planned workshops.

This week, the Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen welcomes back Carmarthen Youth Opera.

This year, the spotlight shines on the award-winning musical Our House, featuring iconic hits from the legendary band Madness.

Our House is a romantic comedy based on music by Madness and a compelling book by playwright Tim Firth.

Set against the backdrop of ‘80s ska beats, the musical delves into themes of love, family values, responsibility, and the journey of growing up, all through the lens of Madness’s timeless songs, including chart-toppers like Our House, Baggy Trousers, and House of Fun.

The narrative unfolds on a summer’s evening in London, following the adventures of Camden lad Joe Casey. As Joe navigates love, friendship, and pivotal life decisions, the audience is taken on a rollercoaster of emotions with a dual narrative guided by the ghost of Joe’s deceased criminal father.

Director Dan Williams ensures a high-octane performance, promising audiences an unforgettable experience.

The immensely talented ensemble is backed by a West End standard orchestra, delivering a musical feast that captures the energy and spirit of Madness’s greatest hits.

The choreography, staging, make-up, and lighting are meticulously crafted, rivalling any professional theatre production.

Performances are scheduled from Wednesday, February 14 to Saturday, February 17, with evening shows at 7.30 pm and a special matinee on Saturday at 2.30 pm.

Tickets are available at the Lyric Theatre box office or online at www.theatrausirgar.co.uk.

Meanwhile, a Llanelli-based company called Scarlet Musical Theatre Productions will be making a much-anticipated debut this month.

The classic coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening will be the first full-scale production for Scarlet Musical Theatre.

The show is being staged at Stiwdio Stepni at Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli on February 22 and 23.

With music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater, Spring Awakening is based on the controversial 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind.

Spring Awakening contains partial nudity and sexual content, as well as explicit language. It is recommended for an audience of 16 and over.

Tickets for the February performances in the intimate Stidwio Stepney space are £12.

There will be hotly-contested elections for the seats vacated by retiring councillor John Jenkins in the Elli Ward in Llanelli.

The elections will be for a single seat in the Town Council ward and a single seat in the ward for Carmarthenshire County Council.

The candidates for the town council seat are below –

The candidates for the county council seat are below –

THE King himself would have been shocked at the number of words and newsprint used to pay tribute to a wonderful life.
The reality is that every word, every photo and video clip is deserved praise for one of our greatest fly-halves.
As a schoolboy rugby fan, I only caught the tail-end of the playing career of Barry John, but I was fortunate enough to meet him on several occasions later in life (in the press room at the old Cardiff Arms Park and in favourite venues such as The City Arms and Old Arcade).
His knowledge of the game of rugby was almost scientific in the detail. He also possessed a wonderful humble air and was happy to take time out and chat over a pint.
There are, of course, some wonderful stories about Barry John.
Some of them may be urban legend, such as the one about the sign on the gates at the entrance to Stradey Park in Llanelli – ‘Admission, £2 . . . If Barry John plays — £10’.
Other tales, of course, we know to be true.
Take the “You throw it, I’ll catch it” line.
It was Barry’s advice to legendary scrum-half Gareth Edwards in their first ever training session together.
Only one amendment is needed to the story, in fact, as Messrs John and Edwards spoke to each other in the language of heaven, Welsh.
So, for the historical record, Barry’s advice to Gareth was, “Twla di fe, ddala i fe.”
Much has been made of comparisons between Barry John and the Manchester United star footballer George Best.
My pal Alun Lenny, a former BBC journalist, is happy to set the record straight –
“Barry’s been called rugby’s George Best . . .
“But, actually, George Best was football’s Barry John!”
The friendship between the two rugby stars dated back to a meeting in the Café Royal in London in 1970.
There were further meetings in London, Manchester and other venues across the land, but one of the strangest must have been a visit to the old Dynevor Arms pub in Heol y Foel, Foelgastell, not far from Barry’s home village of Cefneithin.
The pub was run by the colourful husband and wife duo of Mansel and Millicent Davies.
The details of what happened when Barry took George to the Dynevor are sketchy, but I’m sure we’d all have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that one.
The old Dynevor Arms, by the way, is now a private dwelling, but I think the owner may be missing a valuation-boosting trick by not putting up a blue plaque to mark the occasion when Barry John and George Best were enjoying a pint (or two!) together in a cosy corner of west Wales.
Meanwhile, my pal Ian Davies, who helps run the popular All Wales Sport website, also has some fine memories of Barry John.
Ian explained that rugby wasn’t the only sport that Barry John excelled in.
“He was a good footballer,” said Ian. “He played for Porthyrhyd (a village not far from Cefneithin) in the Carmarthenshire League, attracting scouts from Leeds United.
“He was also an above-average wicket-keeper and handy left-handed batsman in cricket.
“We used to have a street competition back in those days and Barry was there to represent Heol Tabernacle, as were his brothers Clive and Allan.”
Other tales about Barry include the day his student teacher colleagues at Trinity College in Carmarthen held him ransom before a game between the Scarlets and the All Whites of Swansea.
Amazing tales about an amazing man.
As one radio commentator once explained – “Barry John? He could side-step a tackler in a phone box.”
RIP, Barry John.

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IT’S always good to have feedback – even when some of it points out that you might be wrong.
Regular reader Bunty West is obviously an early morning newspaper fan as she dropped me an email at about 7am last Friday.
It contained a very cheery ‘thank-you’ for banging on about the latest reforms to the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament.
It closed with ‘keep up the good work’ – a handy motto I have since transferred to a Post-It note on the wall next to my computer.
Swansea Lib-Dem councillor Peter Black CBE was also quick off the mark, with messages before I’d had my Weetabix and my morning cocktail of tablets at 8am.
Cllr Black, a former member of the old ‘Welsh Assembly’, is a fount of knowledge on constitutional matters. When he chips in with a view, then I always pay attention.
Cllr Black took issue with my claim that the new Senedd reforms – which include increasing the size of the Parliament from 60 to 96 at the next election – will lock out people who want to stand as independent councillors.
“The new system is a closed list not a closed shop,” Cllr Black said.
“The proposed closed list system for the Senedd does not stop independents from standing.
“The current top-up lists are also closed – but at every Senedd election voters still had a choice that involved at least one independent.
“Other than that, you are entirely correct to say this closed list system is inappropriate. There are other forms of proportional representation that allow voters to choose candidates as well as parties.”
Cllr Black did feel the Senedd needed more members, but reckoned an increase to 96 was too much.
So, what now, dear readers?
It’s back to Senedd research for yours truly and I’ll revisit the issue of parliamentary reform in another couple of weeks.
Having read alarming stuff about ‘anonymising’ names on ballot papers at the 2026 Senedd elections, I am more confused than ever.
My fear is that the people of Wales are sleepwalking their way into changes which will make elections less democratic.
More on this . . . after I’ve done my homework!

UNCLE CLEDWYN – THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FAILURE I KNOW.

“The Book Of Heroic Failures” by Stephen Pile was published in 1979 and became a No1 Best Seller.

I only read the first few pages because the bloke thumbing through a copy in WH Smith’s got annoyed with me peering over his shoulder, asking him to turn the pages a bit slower.

I recently found a copy of the book, in good condition, on sale for 50 pence in a local charity shop.

After haggling over the price with the lady behind the counter, I handed her a shiny 20 pence piece and went home with my prize.

When I checked the index, I was astonished to find that the book that ‘Celebrates human inadequacies in all its forms’ doesn’t mention my Uncle Cledwyn, who was responsible for some of the 20^th Century’s most heroic failures.

Loyal readers will recall that my Uncle Cledwyn lives alone in a small cottage in a remote part of the Wye Valley and has a habit of walking around his abode completely naked – although, on the rare occasion someone should come to his front door, he does have the good manners to put on a trilby hat.

Cledwyn likes to say he lives an ‘Off grid’ lifestyle, but the truth is he actually lives off deliveries from the local village shop!

The delivery driver, rather than risk seeing old Cledwyn as naked as nature intended, drops off the supplies 100 yards from the cottage, gives three blasts on the horn and hurriedly drives off before Cledwyn has reached for his trilby and opened the front door.

So, I hear you ask . . . “What were Cledwyn’s heroic failures?”

There’s not enough room to list them all, but, as a very young man he invented the ‘

fridge magnet.

Unfortunately, he failed to make any money from it because it would be another 10 years before someone invented the fridge.

Perhaps his biggest failure was his attempt to invent a penetrating oil that could lubricate rusty metal.

After 38 failed attempts to get the formula right, he decided to give it just one more try.

But, sadly, WD39 didn’t take off . . .

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Love is in the air.

Remember the good old days when the local petrol station only had petrol, oil, and bags of coal?

It’s amazing how times have changed!

Nowadays, petrol stations are like mini-supermarkets, fully stocked with all kinds of goodies.

And this is especially great news for all the men out there, considering Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!

Gone are the days of last-minute panic when you realise you forgot to buy chocolates, cards, or flowers for your loved one.

Now, you can simply swing by the petrol station and find everything you need to save the day. It’s like a relationship-saving oasis right there at the pump!

But let me tell you, Welsh men have an extra stroke of luck.

We have St Dwynwen’s Day on January 25, which is like a three-week pre-warning for Valentine’s Day. It’s like the universe is giving us a gentle nudge not to forget. How thoughtful!

I remember last year, I decided to surprise that special person in my life with some beautiful flowers for St Valentine’s Day. And guess where I got them? At my local pub!

The landlord was so touched by the gesture that he displayed the flowers in a vase on the bar. Talk about spreading the love!

So, next time you find yourself in a last-minute Valentine’s Day frenzy, remember that petrol stations are not just for fuel anymore.

They are your one-stop-shop for saving relationships and making romantic gestures. Who would have thought?

And hey, if you’re feeling extra lucky, maybe you’ll stumble upon a petrol station that offers relationship advice, too. Now that would be something!

IT’S hats off to the Llanelli-based Curtain Up Theatre Company this week as they have celebrated their latest fund-raising achievement.

Members of Curtain Up gathered to hand over a cheque for £2,000 to Ms Christine Darkin, coordinator of the Breakthro charity, based in Llanelli.

Breakthro is dedicated to improving the lives of adults with learning disabilities and/or special educational needs in the local community.

The charity’s mission is to provide care, support, education, and facilities for recreation and leisure time occupation to improve the overall quality of life for members.

The money was raised through the Curtain Up Christmas show held in Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, in December last year.

Ms Darkin thanked the group for their generous donation.

The cash will help to take Breakthro members to Llandudno in north Wales for their summer holidays.

Meanwhile, Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli has been picked as a venue for a touring production of Verdi’s Macbeth.

One of Shakespeare’s greatest plays is also one of Verdi’s greatest operas.

Mid Wales Opera is staging its first-ever production of Macbeth as the culmination of its Shakespeare Season.

You will be able to experience a gripping tale of power, manipulation and tragic descent as Macbeth, a valiant general, succumbs to his wife’s persuasion, leading to a ruthless quest for the Scottish throne.

Verdi’s magnificent score, with its sweeping melodies and intricate harmonies, propels the psychologically thrilling narrative, while Act 4 introduces a modern twist with the haunting chorus of refugees.

The opera will be sung in English. The Mid Wales Opera company will be accompanied by Ensemble Cymru and a large cast will be supplemented by community choruses.

The opera will be staged at Ffwrnes on March 19. Tickets are £20 and £18.

Macbeth will feature Welsh Soprano Mari Wyn Williams and Canadian-born Jean-Kristof Bouton.

As the February half term school holidays approach, the Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen is ready to welcome back the immensely-talented Carmarthen Youth Opera.

This year, the spotlight shines on the award-winning musical Our House, featuring iconic hits from the legendary band Madness.

Our House is a romantic comedy based on music by Madness and a compelling book by playwright Tim Firth.

Set against the backdrop of ‘80s ska beats, the musical delves into themes of love, family values, responsibility, and the journey of growing up, all through the lens of Madness’s timeless songs, including chart-toppers like Our House, Baggy Trousers, and House of Fun.

The narrative unfolds on a summer’s evening in London, following the adventures of Camden lad Joe Casey. As Joe navigates love, friendship, and pivotal life decisions, the audience is taken on a rollercoaster of emotions with a dual narrative guided by the ghost of Joe’s deceased criminal father.

Director Dan Williams ensures a high-octane performance, promising audiences an unforgettable experience.

The immensely talented ensemble is backed by a West End standard orchestra, delivering a musical feast that captures the energy and spirit of Madness’s greatest hits.

The choreography, staging, make-up, and lighting are meticulously crafted, rivalling any professional theatre production.

Performances are scheduled from Wednesday, February 14 to Saturday, February 17, with evening shows at 7.30 pm and a special matinee on Saturday at 2.30 pm.

Tickets are available at the Lyric Theatre box office or online at www.theatrausirgar.co.uk.

In other news, a Llanelli-based company called Scarlet Musical Theatre Productions will be making a much-anticipated debut this month.

The classic coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening will be the first full-scale production for Scarlet Musical Theatre.

The show is being staged at Stiwdio Stepni at Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli on February 22 and 23.

With music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater, Spring Awakening is based on the controversial 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind.

Spring Awakening contains partial nudity and sexual content, as well as explicit language. It is recommended for an audience of 16 and over.

Tickets for the February performances in the intimate Stidwio Stepney space are £12.

In March, a brand new musical, produced by National Theatre Wales, is coming to Llanelli.

Feral Monster is described as a ‘banging new musical about an unremarkable teenager’.

It will be staged at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, on Wednesday, March 13 (7pm).

Feral Monster is written by Bethan Marlow and directed by Izzy Rabey, with music by Nicola T Chang.

The cast features Lily Beau, Carys Eleri, Geraint Rhys Edwards, Rebecca Hayes, Nathaniel Leacock and Leila Navabi.

Tickets are available from Carmarthenshire Theatres, Theatrau Sir Gar.

In other news, the popular Bronwen Lewis is bringing her ‘More from The Living Room’ tour to Ffwrnes Theatre in Llanelli on February 17.

Following her hugely successful 2022 tour, Bronwen will be back, recreating the magic of her virtual gigs live on stage.

Bronwen will be performing a new selection of her favourite songs intertwined with endearing storytelling.

The multi-instrumentalist and Tik-Tok sensation showcases a varied repertoire including a new selection of her original songs.

The Welsh singer-songwriter has a wonderfully warm style that sits between Country, Pop, Folk and Blues. She is proudly bilingual and received international acclaim during her time on BBC’s The Voice when she brought Tom Jones to tears. Bronwen also starred in and sang the theme song ‘Bread and Roses’ in the BAFTA Award Winning film ‘Pride’.

IT’S a sad confession, but my schoolteachers will remember that I was never any good at maths.

Arithmetic was always agony, geometry was grim, algebra always left me anxious – and trigonometry was simply terrible!

The sum total of my mathematical misery is something I have carried with me all my working life – but, with the application of a little common-sense, I do have a nose for when things don’t add up.

For example, there’s something not quite right about the plans for 36 more Senedd politicians – a reform of our Welsh Parliament which cleared its first hurdle with a vote in Cardiff Bay on Tuesday night.

Senedd members voted to back new legislation to expand the Parliament at the next election in 2026.

Is this a good idea, or one which will put further distance between the electorate (ie the man and woman on the street) and their elected members, sitting in the swish surroundings of Cardiff Bay?

The Welsh Parliament – or Senedd, as it is now known after starting life as an ‘Assembly’ – has been going 26 years. But I’m still not sure if I trust it to behave like a well-adjusted, fully-formed adult.

The Senedd still occasionally lapses into behaviour which wouldn’t be out of place in a primary school playground – and don’t get me started on the subject of the lobby groups which have carved out a fast-growing industry feeding off The Bay!

Many Senedd members (in my book, at any rate) fall into the category of superannuated county councillors, promoted a league above their pay grade.

There are some you wouldn’t trust to run that errand and go down town to pick up chips.

Just a small portion of the current 60 members show any evidence of being good at their jobs (NB: This is just my opinion, of course!).

Whether the Senedd numbers game has in any way been influenced by jealous looks over the fence at our neighbours is a matter for debate. The Scottish Parliament has 129 members and the Northern Ireland Assembly (when they finally get around to actually sitting and doing some work) numbers 90 representatives.

Whatever the driving force, there are bits of the new legislation that leave me baffled.

Apparently, seats in the new Senedd will be allocated to parties using the D’Hondt formula.

There we go . . . the word formula conjures up maths nightmares again and sends me into a cold sweat.

Kind souls have explained to me that D’Hondt is just another word for proportional representation. And they have explained further that the plan is that the 96 members will be elected using ‘closed proportional lists’. The seats will be allocated to parties using the D’Hondt formula.

Apparently, the 32 new UK Parliament constituencies in Wales will be paired to create 16 Senedd constituencies for the 2026 Senedd election. Each constituency will elect six members.

In other words, you won’t really decide who you want as your constituency Senedd member. Political party (closed shop) lists will rank the runners and you’ll be given Senedd members based on the number of votes cast for parties.

It means it will be impossible for anyone to get elected as an ‘independent’ Senedd member.

If memory serves me correctly, Trish Law was the last elected independent member back in 2011. (As an aside, the former political editor of this newspaper, the late Brian Walters, enjoyed a spell as Trish’s adviser).

There’s no room in the current reforms for individual (and very able) community candidates to emerge and take on the Big Four parties – Labour, Plaid Cymru, Conservatives and Lib-Dems.

So, we have a Senedd reform that takes away proper choice and gives us more ‘regional’ representatives, rather than people who understand the grass-roots issues of their patch?

No thanks. It doesn’t add up!

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IT’S an accepted fact of life that, as you get older, your tolerance levels go down.

It only takes something relatively minor to send you spiralling into a full Victor Meldrew (“I don’t believe it!”) meltdown.

On Saturday, in Swansea, I managed one more meltdown than the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz.

Two things happened – one was a nasty shock to the wallet; the other sparked off a minor environmental crusade.

Let’s deal with the Green issues first . . .

Lunch (in the company of some equally aged former Evening Post colleagues) was taken at a venue best left un-named, just in case we are banned from future attendance.

But, you know the sort of place, a venue where you queue for the privilege of ordering your food, rather than have a waiter take your order.

As you might expect, as the afternoon moved on, drink refills were required.

My order was simple – a bottle of San Miguel and a full fat Coke (other brews and soft drinks are available!).

After round one, I thought I’d make it easy and told the barman, “Just give me the bottles; I’ve got the glasses – and you can save on the washing-up.”

The barman looked at me as if I had two heads and explained it was policy for him to pour the drinks (with not a particularly great degree of accuracy) into fresh glasses.

This panto was repeated through the afternoon and after round three I admitted defeat on my Green bid to save on the glass washing and didn’t bother with the “just give me the bottle” routine.

After a leisurely lunch (designated Coke drinker was driving home) it was time to return to the car, which had been left in the NCP City Gates car park in York Street.

Four hours of parking? Guess how much?

Well, £13.95, actually. Ouch! The pain at the pay kiosk was audible.

That’ll teach us for taking the car instead of using our bus passes!