PipeFest 2005
for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Foundation
| These photographs and movies were taken at Edinburgh, Scotland, August 20 of 2005. The Atholl Highlanders (USA) sent a contingent to take part in the largest pipe band ever!
Our Esteemed Photographers: Angie Dachs, D.J. Bestil, Evan & Pamela Kohler-Camp, Karyl Kennedy, Shannon McEvoy, David Minor, Ben Summers, Geno Summers, Carol Thompson, Lisa Wight & Ken Wright Thanks to those at Saint Matthews Episcopal Church of Snellville who donated to Marie Curie and to my fellow band members who went. |
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I had come up with a far-fetched idea to have the band attend the 2000 Millenium Pipe Fest back in 1999 just after I became Pipe Major for the band. I tried to get as many people as possible interested and to attend. There was some interest and Sam Cytulski, Don Bogue and myself went and participated, three others had to drop out. For a piper or a drummer, it's a fantastic experience. There have been disagreements on the final count of the Millennium March varying from 8,800 to over 10,000 attendees.Officially, it was listed as 8,800.So, when news of an attempt to break the record in 2005 went out, we were ready but with more players.The official final tally for PipeFest 2005 was 9,800 pipers and drummers, an official record. Will they try to break it again? We don't know at this time, one of the organizers has said he cannot do it anymore, so, only time will tell.. Lead Up to the March Some band members visited Rosslyn Chapel, just a short bus ride out of the city. We discovered an excellent restaurant after we visited the famous chapel. The second image above has a column with what is supposed to be Robert the Bruce's death mask carved into it.One of the nicer occurences was DJ proposing to Shannon at the Northern Pub near the Botanical Garden. Pam and I were asked to witness the proposal and Shannon accepted, thankfully, otherwise we'd be dragging the Firth of Forth for DJ. I was honoured to pipe at their wedding . We also met at Breck's Pub on Rose Street the day prior to the parade. We met a French piper and his wife who'd come over for the march as well as a few other pipers and drummers. Back in 2000, we met some Murrays who had a sister just one street over from where my wife and I live! It's a small world. March and Grand Finale
The setting was elegant. Holyrood Park has Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat as a dramatic backdrop. The Location could really fool a viewer of the images. Looking East, it looks like it happened in the country. Looking West, it looks like it happened in the city. The pictures below of Pam and I give an indication of this . Our unit had City of Plymouth (England) Pipe Band, Craigmaroinn Pipe Band, The Pipes and Drums of Sweden Armed Forces Helicopter Services and assorted Pipers. The sky was clear with some cloud cover but none of our Atlanta haze .
The Swedish unit actually had ex-members from the Murray Pipe Band in Gothanberg, our sister band, in it. Their band is awaiting a new military sponsor instead of Helicopter Services, which has gone civilian. But the civilian group may keep the Pipe band, they don't know just yet. The City of Plymouth plays a lot for the Royal Navy and for various ship functions .
We had 4 Drummies, One from the Swede's (We want her on a drummie exchange program!!!), one Paul Baxter of Loch Rannoch, One fiercely-bearded Chuck Cabah and our own Don Bogue. Don Bogue asked to lead the unit. Block 14 Drummies We stepped of at 2:14PM. We PMs(Pipe Majors) had conferred earlier, I let them know I had some folks who may be playing drones on some sets but they were happy with that. We stepped off with "Scotland the Brave/ Rowan Tree/ Killiecrankie". Crowds lined the lane and the music echoed in the area. We marched on a bit to the drums and played "Green Hills/ Bal's O'er/ Lochanside." the Swedish band played a short 'e' attack so it was a bit off, I mentioned to Geno, he was on my left, that we needed to shorten the attack next time. He and a couple of other Atholl's had noted that but that set was not called off again by the lead drummie. Some thing similar occurred with the Swede's on "Cock of the North/ Farewell to the Creeks". It was a little off because the Swede's were attacking a full beat ahead. I showed their PM and pipers where to kick in and where to come in on the transition but that was the only time it was played as a march set. Don decided not to call it again and it was not played as a set till the Grand finale where it went far better. On the March we just played "Cock of the North." The Swede's and some others became restless and began calling out "6/8 SET!" or "Farewell to the Creeks" at various places in the march and hurling various epithets at the lead Drummie. One interesting one was "You non-piping drummie!", pretty accurate appraisal of a Drum Major actually.We had been stopping and re-starting at various places to keep from running into the unit ahead that was maintaining a slower playing tempo and thus a slower step. About two-thirds into the march, just after one of the stops, I heard "Drummer Down!" I spun around to see Jim being hustled off in a wheelchair. He was the victim of dehydration but was quickly and efficiently handled by services there. (Don't worry, he re-joined us for the finale.) Don had been heading back to check on him and saw him hustled off by volunteers.
We continued on the rest of the route playing "Scotland the Brave/Rowan Tree/Killiecrankie/Scotland the Brave" and "Cock of the North". We marched into the Meadow and joined the unit ahead of us. We then played into our reserved place to wait for the grand Finale at 4:27. Don counter-marched our group but it was too packed for the other drummies and us poor pipers and drummers to follow - so we just stopped. A bit later the Swedish DM and our fiercely-bearded DM Chuck Cabah asked me to flip our two ranks of Atholl's about.
We milled about looking for water and waiting for the Finale. Water was in short supply and Ken went off to find as much as he could in any form of liquid for us. Many thanks for that even though no beer was found. Jim re-appeared doing fine and ready to go for the Grand Finale. So just what does 9,800 plus pipers and drummer look like? Click on the thumbnail image below . The Grand finale was interesting. With so many units, clean attacks and cut-off's were not going to happen, except on "Scotland the Brave", "Black Bear" and "Atholl Highlanders". "Amazing Grace" had a round effect, a unit would start up just when you thought is was all finished, but a good time was had by all. Our crowd of 30,000 plus spectators enjoyed it. I heard a few of pipers, miffed over Don not calling out the tunes they wanted to play say, "Ha! on you! We finally go to play it anyway!"Pipers are peculiar, I'm a piper and I'll be the first to admit it. But then so are drummies, drummers and pipe bands in general.Most bands at the end just left, we marched off to "Murdo's" twice through. Pipers and drummers proceeded up the Royal Mile to try to find a bar not packed.
Canons' Gait on the Royal Mile Angie Dachs had noticed the Canon's Gait Pub and we headed up there to play and drink. It was Jim & Carol, Ron & Angie, Bobby & Karyl, Geno & Ben, Ken & Lisa, DJ & Shannon and finally, Pam and myself. Don and his family unit had headed of elsewhere. We played chunes and I had some whiskies purchased for me after some tune playing. You know you're doing good when the crowd joins in, clapping along with some auld Scottish tune. We just had a good auld time! Some History: Scottish King David I founded a monastery at Holyrood in 1128 and the road followed by the Canons ( a member of a religous order ) as they moved between the monastery and Edinburgh became known as Canons' Way or Canons' Gait. For centuries, Canongate was a separate burgh, outside Edinburgh's city walls. Not any more! This history is remembered in the name of the pub which is located on the site of Plainstanes Close, so called because it was paved like Canongate itself. Mary Queen of Scots' french tailor Jaques de Soulis lived here in the 1500s .Playing the Royal MileWe moved up the Royal Mile, playing pipes and drums in a gentle mist. It has never rained yet on any of the parades. It's always been bright and clear until after the performance. DJ, Shannon and I later played with City of Bristol Pipe Band members near Waverly station as we were heading back. We didn't quit playing till it was just too dark and misty. Really, a wonderful, fantastic time. Newspaper ClippingsHere are a few notes from the press:
Yours, Aye, Evan
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the Scotsman - 21 August 2005
Daily Express - August 2005 
Daily Record - 22 August 2005 
Herald - 22 August 2005
Metro - 22 August 2005 
Press & Journal (Aberdeen) - 22 August 2005
The Sun - 22 August 2005 
