Reviewed by Rosemary Payne

This is a 28-track pairing of two previously released albums. The recordings were made at 1998 and '99 Stoneleigh Bible weeks, each attended by more than 20,000 people. With worship being led by Stuart Townend, Kate Simmonds and the Stoneleigh band, the listener is able to experience or revisit the atmosphere generated during these lively worship sessions. One of the strengths on both albums is the vocal talent of Kate Simmonds, whose solo album 'One Day' was released in 2000 to much acclaim. Louise Fellingham's voice on “Awake, Awake O Zion” is heavenly. Globally renowned Stuart Townend unobtrusively does his bit. There is no ego-trip worship leadership being perpetrated here. A good sense of the setting is achieved across both albums with lead vocals fading out to give way to the sound of worshippers joining in en masse. Despite this you will hear some very professional sounding lead and backing vocals with much beautiful singing and harmonising on tracks like “Great Is He” on disc one. The musicians really enter into the spirit of things without losing sound quality. Stoneleigh have really set the standard for live worship albums.

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