Members of the band travelled on the Friday to Stirling and were very pleased with our student accommodation at Stirling University. We were in John Forty Apartments (7 to an apartment) and had our own bedroom, a shower toilet room at each end and a large communal room and kitchen. The standard was very high and we left it as we found it.
A great day when we joined several thousand other pipes & drums to march from the Castle, along Princes Street and around to Kings Stables at the foot of the Castle. At this point a beer or two was taken!
Congratulations to Thomas (Grotrian) and Magnus (Orr) for their organisation of yet another record breaker, in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Trust and to BT Scotland for again supporting the event in a big way.
Robert Pearson, our Pipe Major, is also Clan Association Piper to the MacPherson Clan. We were invited to play at their Sunday gathering and were pleased to so do. The hospitality was also well received by the band. Thank you.
Monday was "Chill out day" and everyone did their own thing. Virginia and myself met Jim Brodlie from the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra in the Golden Lion Hotel in Stirling. We discussed how The Scottish Tattoo at The Royal Albert Hall and The Fiddlers could mutually help each other. Well worth it to meet Jim, a very nice man indeed. After, I wandered up to the Castle and as I was leaving, the thought crossed my mind that it would be a great achievement for the band to play in the Castle. I bumped into Ross, a steward at the Castle and put the idea to him. A phone call to Willie the boss resulted in an invitation to play on the Tuesday lunchtime.
Fortunately, the band were as one and thanked me for setting up the gig!
We arrived at the castle at about 11.30 am and warmed up, tuned up and played for a few minutes on the esplanade lawn, in order to entertain Robert the Bruce, who was sitting on his horse nearby! A big cheer from the tourists and into the castle.
Willie had said "play at the top for best effect". We marched up and down playing and were then advised that there was a higher level. Up we marched through the archway followed by the visitors within. A 45 minute static and marching display ended with the march back down to the exit. A French tour guide made a point of passing on the views of her large group - "My people asked me to tell you that you have made their trip as the last thing they expected was a pipe band display when they visited the castle". Many photos later we proudly left the castle heads held high. Many, many thanks to Willie and Ross and all at the castle for making our day.
What a "piping day"! A trip to the Piping Centre and a recital by Gordon Duncan
a truly magnificent and ground-breaking piper. If a performance can be measured by sweat as well as content and execution then Gordon was sweat of the year! 2 small patches joined as the performance continued and by the end a very large patch covered the entire front of his T shirt! A wonderful effort on all counts. As Jim McLean said in his intro "Gordon will not be playing piobaireachd today!"
Our evening took in the concert organised by the Glasgow Skye Association. They had assembled Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia, Scotland (Millennium World Champions), Field Marshall Montgomery, Ireland (2nd this year),
78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada) (4th this year) and Vale of Atholl (Scotland) (Were they 6th?).
All performed their piping and drumming brilliantly as expected and work well as a massed band. Congrats to all for the pleasure you gave. To the 78th and Vale an additional well done for showing us what can be done to increase the visual pleasure.
The tenor and bass section combinations and flourishes were brilliant and eye catching. Well done to everyone.
Our last evening and the entire party attended the Tattoo. 200 pipes and drums made the night - well supported by every other performing band and group. Music all the way and this is, undoubtably, the world's premier Military Tattoo. Prince Edward opened the world youth commonwealth games and the joy of those taking part was evident. A real friendship games.
Friday was our home day and we all left for home at different times. The apartments were restored to their former glory before the last exit was made.
The week was a good team effort with a subsidy provided from band funds to enable the participants to take part in the Millennium March. The subsidy was based on attendance at band engagements and there was an upper ceiling. This proved to be a good method of achieving turn out at all the additional engagements undertaken to raise the funds.
The group chefs were Nick Haddow, Bob Pearson and George Woods. Special commendation and thanks to Steve Jones for sorting the cooked breakfasts and for lending his expertise in the culinary department. The rest of us washed and cleaned!
Ian McLennan
