Pity the poor Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey or Richmond bagpiper who must venture out into the November rain and cold for a wedding, funeral or other Vancouver area bagpiping event. A shock awaits your fingers and your reeds. Best have your Inverness rain cape and some “hot shots†handy. Remembrance Day 2010 has passed, and …
On Remembrance Day, 2010, I will play my pipes, and remember the most influential veteran of World War II that I have ever known – my late father. Like many men from the small Nova Scotia community where I was born, he joined the Canadian military in the early stages of the war and served …
Read more “Bagpiping at Vancouver area Remembrance Day ceremonies; remembering my father.”
It is Vancouver’s most historic and decorated infantry regiment, with battle honours that reach back to World War I and three Victoria Cross recipients, including one for Bagpiper James Cleland Richardson.  Now the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, who celebrates their 100th anniversary this month, is battling to recover one of their most historic artefacts. The …
Read more “STOLEN: Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Regimental Mace”
Recently I published a post about an evening I spent with fellow bagpiper and former Triumph Street Pipe Band member Donald MacMillan. We were involved with a pub crawl in downtown Vancouver celebrating the birthday of the great Nova Scotia brewmaster Alexander Keith. Donald was a member of the TSPB during its heyday as a …
Read more “Bagpipes and Dhol in Vancouver: Moving the music East”
Pub crawling in Vancouver an ordeal. But meeting a former Triumph Street bagpiper easily compensates.
A Cape Breton square set for all the Vancouver folks.
With fall days soon to be upon us, the joy of escaping out into our city parks to play bagpipes in Vancouver, Coquitlam, Burnaby, West Vancouver and Burnaby will soon be over. Ah well, it’s been a great summer. Despite SFU’s third place finish (I think they should have been first), our other Grade one …
For all you aficionado’s of the fine instrument that many of us play, there are a number of great online locations to listen to the latest albums, releases, solo projects, etc. One of the best is now back on the air. Lorne MacDougall is the host of PlanetPipe – which, in his words “covers all …