Every day when I wake up, I thank the lord I'm Welsh!

These words sum up the feeling that was generated at the finale of the Celtic Spirit Music Festival in the Market Hall last Sunday evening.

Cerys Matthews was on fine form and seemed to be really enjoying the genuine response from the sold out audience of 600 people.

She thanked the crowd for the welcome and said that she hoped that the greeting would not be similar to the massacre by William De Braose of Sitsyllt and other Welsh leaders at the castle at Christmas 1175!

The festival is the brain child of local business man, Ben Jones whose many activities include running the Celtic Spirit drinks company and operating the Kings Arms public house in Abergavenny.

Ben was clearly delighted with the festival which started on the previous friday with Chris Jaggers's Atcha at the Kings Arms.

The feeling was that this festival was something that had been missing from the Abergavenny calendar. Whilst the town already has the best food festival in Wales and the largest Fairtrade/ World event, this music festival should clearly become a regular annual event.

The market hall was heaving with local people, grateful for the opportunity to express their support for good quality music returning to Abergavenny. It seemed as though the whole town was present!

Cerys and her band, who derived from different parts of the world, rocked the hall. They played a good variety of past and present Cerys material. Songs from the Cardiff Eisteddfod award winning album - Awyren (Aeroplane) were mixed with other music from solo albums Never said goodbye and Cockahoop.Highlights included, All My Trials, Chardonnay and a very touching song about the problems and delights of being a mother. And of course she could not get away without playing some Catatonia classics such as Road Rage and   Mulder & Scully which were applauded loudly.

The venue was all seated, but by the end of the concert people could not resist the urge to get up and dance, invited to do so by Cerys.

In between numbers she gave a fascinating account of her rich life story. From the struggles of celebrity temptation in London to her exodus to Nashville, Tennessee  where she teamed up with local musicians. She also talked about the Christian angle that some of her material was gleaned from, and how important it was to her.

Cerys is keeping herself very busy these days with a regular spot on BBC's Radio 6 as a presenter as well as featuring on Radio 2.

As the happy crowd dissipated into the warm Abergavenny night I heard so many positive comments that convince me that this festival should be here to stay.