Wednesday, January 23, 2008

HOE, Shotts and Dykehead Serenade Orlando

Been away for a few days down to sunny...er...misty Orlando... a great setting for the Central Florida Highland Games and the Saturday evening concert by the House of Edgar, Shotts and Dykehead Pipe Band, under the direction of PM Robert Mathieson. As compere for the concert, I was feted to some fabulous music all the while having the best seat in the house. Most impressive was their rendition of the Coldplay tune "Till Kingdom Come".... but they also chose this venue to prepare for their Glasgow Piping Live week concert in August... you will not want to miss select numbers like Phil Cunningham's "Ack Stirling's March" or a first for pipe bands, the upswing of "Tommy MacDonald of Barguillean"... all in all, a great weekend with good music and good people.

The House of Edgar, Shotts and Dykehead Pipe Band at Orlando, January 19, 2008

Griogair, a fabulous Gaelic singer rehearsing prior to the concert.

Griogair's grandfather was a cousin of the great composer William Lawrie, 1882 - 1916

HOE in the afternoon concert rehearsal

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The Lull after the Storm!

Well the tornado blew through Kansas City last weekend, stopping long enough for some great music, the best of craic, an outstanding concert capped with an evening Winter Steam Ceilidh. There was everything from mugs and mugs of Newcastle to new bands and old bands playing...  including the Winter Steam all-female Pipe Band which has swelled in numbers from its inaugural season....sorry that the RedHaired Piper and Sass weren't there, but then again, there is next year!  Hearty congratulations are due the industrious MHAF committee headed by Jeff Kruske. A host of volunteers have turned this three day event into a well oiled machine.... feedback has been over the top. Plans for next year are already underway so set aside this weekend in January, 2009. The pics tell much of the story.

Alasdair Gillies and Fred Morrison welcoming us at our Thursday nite haunt - the Savoy Grill

Doug Stronach, Colin MacLellan and John Fisher about to venture out on Thursday night

The judges' table for the Silver Medal Piobaireachd - Colin MacLellan, Mike Cusack and Chris Armstrong

The Gold Medal piobaireachd adjudicators - John Cairns, Alasdair Gillies and Fred Morrison

Some of the evening crowd on Friday awaiting the results of the days contests

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

A Storm is Brewing in the US Midwest !

My arthritic knees are poundin'... the barametric reading on my watch is dropping...its coming ...I know for sure ! 17 Gold medals and numerous majors between them... all on one stage....

Angus MacColl, Chris Armstrong, Fred Morrison, Alasdair Gillies, Colin MacLellan, Jack Lee

Stuart Liddell, Mike Cusack, John Cairns

Saturday, January 5, 2008

The Grade 1 Scene in BC !

You gotta love the report and especially all the comments in the latest PD Online posting. The Triumph Street Pipe Band's most recent evolution and promotion is again under a barrage of pros and cons.... some from the greats of the game...but mostly from those wanting to hear themselves in print and really have little to add to any debate that might exist... so, I find it a fabulous way of entertaining myself... it definitely got me away from Spider Solitaire in Windows VISTA ! As Bruce Gandy so eloquently put it, the main participants don't have to share in the scuttlebut...and Pipe Major Terry Lee was very definitive and brief in wishing the TSPB the best while making all aware that the TSPB was in effect helped along the way by the SFU organization.

Who would have thought that from this

The SFU Organization in 2003

came this

Triumph Street Pipe Band winning the North American Grade 2 Championship - 2007

We could say that "My Father's Son" and "My Mother's Daughter" has been expanded to include the pipe band scene.....

  
My Father's Son - Bruce Gandy                                    Ann Gray                 

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Sydney, Oz at the Stroke of Midnite!

... and a Happy New Year to all the members of The Band Club, Sydney

(photo courtesy of Ken Maltman, bass drummer, The Band Club)