If you wear a kilt and play the bagpipes for thousands of visitors from around the English speaking world, you can expect to be on the receiving end of a lot of questions about Scotland’s drive for independence. As the bagpiper for the Rocky Mountaineer train, I certainly have. To be clear, I was born and raised in New …
Read more “This bagpiper from (New) Scotland would have voted “Yes””
For the past four years during the summer months, I have been fortunate to play pipes for the Rocky Mountaineer Rail Company. The tourist passenger train with the amazing views takes travellers through the spectacular Rocky Mountains to Banff and Jasper, Calgary and Whistler. And this year, the company has added an additional train, the …
Read more “Bagpipes & grand piano’s: Welcome to Vancouver’s Rocky Mountaineer.”
Bob Gillies classic bagpipes are safe and sound – and back in British Columbia. In the fall of 2013, retiree Bob and his wife took a leave of absence from the Delta Police Pipe Band. They packed their RV for a long journey and as usual, Bob tossed in his pipes for their yearlong adventure. The …
Read more “Thwarting US border guards on high alert for “ivory” bagpipes.”
After a very successful 150th anniversary celebration of the Antigonish Highland Games, the AHG Reunion Pipe Band returned to the streets of Antigonish, Nova Scotia for another stroll down Main Street. For pipers and drummers in the region, this is the grand daddy of street parades. Thousand of people turn out, many cheering and clapping …
Read more “Antigonish Highland Games Reunion Pipe Band hits the street again”
In the world of pipe bands, there are only a few occasions when both competitive and performance pipe bands play together. The June 14 “Bagpipes by the Beach” in West Vancouver is one of those occasions. In the Lower Mainland of BC, we are fortunate to be a hotbed of both competitive and performance pipe …
The RCMP E. Division Pipe Band and the Buffalo Celtic Music Society are proud to present: Tartan Day 2014 Concert “A Highland Celebration” Saturday, April 5, 2014 Riverside Palace Banquet Hall, 14431 Knox Way, Richmond, BC V6V 2Z1 Cocktails: 6pm. Dinner: 7pm Featuring: RCMP E. Division Pipe Band, under PM Hugh Peden The Tam O’Shanter …
Read more “Music, dancing and whisky tasting scheduled for Tartan Day 2014”
In an entertaining evening filled with highlights, the grand entrance of the haggis is the marquis moment of a traditional Robert Burns Supper. The great highland bagpipes strike in from the distance, and moments later a door flings open and in marches the piper playing ‘A Man’s A Man For A’ That‘, the legendary 18th …
Read more “Six Robert Burns Suppers in Vancouver, with Bagpipers”
The weather forecast is ominous. November 11th is usually the last day of the year that most pipers and pipe bands venture into the great outdoors to perform one last time before winter winds sweep down and snow, rain and ice envelope our small part of the globe. This year the forecast, as usual, is …
Read more “Remembering veterans in Vancouver and beyond with bagpipes”