I received my EUSPBA member card and number yesterday, which makes me one step closer to officiating my return as a solo competitor. Over the last two or three seasons, I had only casually participated in a small handful of contests due to my dislike of the idea and act of competing. I was only ever serious about competing during my very first season back in 2005, and seven years later, in 2012, I intend to get back into it with the same sort of tenacity. I’m still wondering why I’ve decided to do it, but the point this year is to stick to it and not back out regardless of the reasons for starting up again.
I left off in Grade 3, and without making any assumptions about where I will stand in the rankings this season that is where I will be picking up once more with the intent to work my arse off to get a mid-season upgrade into Grade 2. Standing obstacles will definitely be pre-game physical and mental preparations, stamina to withstand a gruelling games day, which already includes band contests and piping for drummers, and finally piobaireachd.
We’ll see how it goes, I’ve got no expectations other than hard work.
All I have to say about this one is: COLD COLD F’N BLOODY COLD!!
The Meadow Highland Games (formerly known as the Richmond Highland Games) happened on October 29 and 30, 2011. This two day games was a bit of a wash on the Saturday (COOOOOLLLDDDDDD), but the Sunday was bright, sunny, and relatively manageable after winning the Quartet competition, and having two Irish Coffees.
The most memorable things from the weekend in list-form:
Destruction of the band encampment: Wind literally blew the thing away!
Me completely forgetting my drummer’s march in his MSR in practice, but remembering it and completely forgetting the strathspey and most of the reel during his actual competition.
A win for the grade IV band in their contest, with a respectable showing in the grade III challenge-up.
A win for the Quartet on Sunday in relatively decent weather.
Two Irish Coffees, and a dude with a lightsaber in a storm trooper outfit wearing a kilt.
So to recap… Saturday: cold, wet, windy, and miserable. Sunday: cold, but sunny, not windy, and hot alcoholic coffee. I give this games a split down the middle in terms of enjoyability. It’s not always that miserable, and in the past there has been some perfect games weather, but this was not the year! A late October games in mid-Atlantic USA can be a gamble when it comes to weather…
I was waiting to post this one until someone posted a video of our Medley, but I still have yet to find one so I’ll go ahead and write this up anyway. If anyone has video of MacMillan’s medley from 2011 Celtic Classic, I’d love to see it!
The Celtic Classic happens every September in Bethlehem, PA, and, as an invitational contest, it attracts some of the best bands around. It’s a two-day event starting with a parade on the Saturday, and includes three massed bands and four contests throughout the weekend. Calling it a marathon piping weekend is an understatement; it is a true test of your endurance and mental fortitude as a pipe band player. The prize money is very good, but it is well earned!
In past years, the contest was only for bands Grade 3 and above, with all bands competing on both days. This year was a bit different: invites were sent to Grade 4 and Grade 3 bands, with Grade 4 competing on Saturday, and Grade 3 on Sunday. Because of the split, the weekend was much less of a marathon than it had been in past years, and I’m torn as to whether I enjoyed it more or less. On the one hand, I had more time too hang out, schmooze, and see the games, on the other, I kinda missed having the endurance element.
Both of our bands were invited to compete this year, and I think the amped-up competitiveness of Celtic Classic gave both of us our best runs of the season. All bands played really well, and it was no surprise to anyone that NY Metro won the Grade 3 portion of the contest. Someone was kind enough to post the entire Grade 3 MSR contest from Sunday, so here it is for your enjoyment (my band, MacMillan, starts at around 24:40):
As always, I enjoyed my time at the Celtic Classic, and I’m looking forward to next year already!
I haven’t had time to do a proper write-up on Ligonier, and with another big contest behind us (The Celtic Classic!!), I think it’s best if I keep this one brief.
September 10, 2011 was an MSR day at the Ligonier Highland Games, held at Idlewild Park near Pittsburgh, PA. I had some bag malfunctions during the day, which were unfixable at that time, but not completely crippling. I was able to play for my drummers and the band contest without too much of a struggle, though it meant constant maintenance for moisture throughout the day. This was the first contest my grade 2 snare drummer had anyone to compete against, and everyone in the event played really well. The important thing is that nerves are getting to be less of a distraction for me, and he seems to be less nervous overall each time we go out. Progress!
The band contest went well also. We were the only grade 3 band there, which was disappointing, but good to get out there nonetheless. Some note mistakes throughout the MSR, but I thought we played pretty well aside from that. Here’s the video:
After the contest, some MacMillanites and I went out to party with the MacDonald Pipe Band. A couple of our pipers have played with MacDonald in the past, so there’s some good synergy between the two bands.
It was a fun weekend all around, and I look forward to going back next year.
I meant to write this up earlier, but I’ve literally been working straight through the week since the games let out. I think I’m going crazy because I’m about to do it all again this coming week!
September 3, 2011 was a good day despite the thunderstorms. On the upside, the first massed bands was cancelled as the games were shut down for over two hours by the safety warden (or whoever controls that sort of thing) due to thunder and lightning. One wacko, who shall remain nameless because we do love him even though he’s a bit touched in the head, decided to pipe a slow march around the games while the rest of us shut ourselves in our cars or huddled under shelter elsewhere as we were told to do.
From where I was under the games’ sponsors tent, it was a sight to see him coming up the misty hill with the angry clouds and pounding rain as a backdrop, but it was an even bigger sight to see just how quickly his pipe major ran out to tackle him to save his instrument for the band contest! Thankfully the safety police nabbed the piper before his pipe major, or I might’ve been witness to a murder! The band played well in the contest regardless, so no harm done!
Before the skies opened up, I had just enough time to get kilted up and pipe for one of my four drummers’ solos that day. It was a last minute deal to play for him, but I was more than happy to do it, and he played well! Hope to play for him again at the Richmond games in October, and through next year as well. He’s a good drummer now, but he’ll be a beast in the coming years!
My other drummers played very well also, and my Grade 2 drummer and I had our best run on his MSR to date! We got through the whole set, Donald Cameron, Maggie Cameron, and the Blackberry Bush, without either of us breaking down, and we even had a crowd listening! Loved hearing people cheer at the end–great fun. Now we just need to work on the minor details to really get sizzling on it.
My band also had a fantastic run at the games: it was the best we had sounded all year. Really proud of the hard work the gang has been putting into it lately–things can only go up from here! Have a listen:
Also, I’ve got to make a shout out to the Winchester Pipes and Drums for their first win ever in Grade 5!! Super proud of my former band! I wouldn’t be piping today if it weren’t for them–so glad to see how far they’ve come! Keep up the good work guys!
Even with the storms, the Virginia Games this year was by far the best games day ever for me! Good fun all around, and filled with happy!
Alasdair Gillies. No words can express how stunned and saddened I am at the news of his passing. Alasdair was a phenomenal piper and one of the most humble people I had ever had the pleasure to meet. The piping world is left now with a void no one will ever truly be able to fill.
During these tragic times, it’s important to remember that legends live on. Alasdair Gillies was a legend in life, and will continue to be so in death. Though he is now gone, he will not be forgotten.
Not everything about musical me is piping. One of my favorite pastimes is looking up new bands to listen to, and my collection has become really obscure and diverse, ranging from scream-o heavy metal to bluegrass and beyond. If one didn’t know me they’d probably think I was some kind of Hipster*, but I just really like music!
I don’t have any real criteria for discovering new bands, and I don’t seek them out simply for their obscurity: If I hear something I like, I like it, and that’s that. This is not a rule, but most music that gets added to the collection tends to have a gritty vibe to it, sometimes a little retro, clever lyrics if there are any lyrics at all, and generally a very high level of musicianship.
One of my recent discoveries is “Vetiver”. I know nothing about the band other than I’m really digging what I’ve heard of them so far. They’ve got kind of an early 70s feel to them, a bit folk-rocky, and are all-around just really easy to listen to:
