Saturday sees the RSPBA Glasgow & West of Scotland Branch’s first ever Solo Drumming and Pipe Band contest being held in Coatbridge High School, Lanarkshire, writes Robert Wallace.
The running order is below and a quick look shows a rather disappointing entry from the bands. Only Glasgow Police (pictured) of the branch Grade 1 bands have entered. I’m not sure why the others, Shotts & Dykehead, Inveraray and Scottish Power are giving the day a body swerve, but I would have thought it an ideal opportunity to try out their new stuff before the outdoor season proper gets under way next month (the first major is the British Championships at Bathgate on May 30). No doubt they will have good reason.
The early minor contests are rarely patronised by the big boys and I can see why - it's usually very cold and windswept at Gourock and Dunbar and hard to give of your best. Coatbridge would have been an ideal chance get through the new tunes in a controlled environment, no? Unfortunately there's a knock on effect. When word gets out that the top bands are playing there is usually a trickle down effect and it boosts attendance in the other grades too.
I hope Chairman Gordon Hamill and the other organisers at the Glasgow and West of Scotland Branch are not discouraged by the entry. This is only the first year (they have budgeted for three) and I believe this sort of endeavour will eventually put the branch contests back to where it was when I was a youngster. Who can forget the excitement and huge attendances at the Quartets and Mini-band contests at Bellahouston in Glasgow?
I am sure Coatbridge on Saturday will be a successful day nevertheless, and well-done to all the bands who are taking part and also to the solo drummers who are competing - very commendable entry here. The running order and appearance times:
| Adult Solo Drumming MSR 01 09:30 Neil Patterson - Greater Glasgow Police 02 09:38 Chris Lawrie - Lomond and Clyde 03 09:46 Callum Firth - Torphichen and Bathgate 04 09:54 Eric Ward - Greater Glasgow Police 05 10:02 Ryan McKinnon - Police Scotland Fife 06 10:10 Callum Edwards - Johnstone 07 10:18 Mark Hastings - Denny and Dunipace 08 10:26 Cameron Ward - Greater Glasgow Police 09 10:34 Daniel Hughes - Lomond and Clyde 10 10:42 Lorna Heggie - Torphichen and Bathgate 11 10:50 William Ligget - East Kilbride 12 10:58 Allan McDonald - Greater Glasgow Police 13 11:06 Craig Lawrie - Lomond and Clyde 14 11:14 Ross McNeil - Denny and Dunipace 15 11:22 Daniel Sinclair - Police Scotland Fife 16 11:30 Leslie Galbrath - Johnstone 17 11:38 Stephen Burns - Greater Glasgow Police 18 11:46 Alistair Joyce - Lomond and Clyde |
Adult Solo Drumming HornPipe and Jig
01 12:15 Neil Patterson - Greater Glasgow Police
02 12:20 Chris Lawrie - Lomond and Clyde
03 12:25 Callum Firth - Torphichen and Bathgate
04 12:30 Eric Ward - Greater Glasgow Police
05 12:35 Ryan McKinnon - Police Scotland Fife
06 12:40 Callum Edwards - Johnstone
07 12:45 Mark Hastings - Denny and Dunipace
08 12:50 Cameron Ward - Greater Glasgow Police
09 12:55 Daniel Hughes - Lomond and Clyde
10 13:00 Lorna Heggie - Torphichen and Bathgate
11 13:05 William Ligget - East Kilbride
12 13:10 Allan McDonald - Greater Glasgow Police
13 13:15 Craig Lawrie - Lomond and Clyde
14 13:20 Ross McNeil - Denny and Dunipace
15 13:25 Daniel Sinclair - Police Scotland Fife
16 13:30 Leslie Galbrath - Johnstone
17 13:35 Stephen Burns - Greater Glasgow Police
18 13:40 Alistair Joyce - Lomond and Clyde
Grade Novice
01 14:30 North Lanarkshire Schools
Grade 4
01 14:37 Johnstone
02 14:44 Kilsyth Thistle
03 14:51 Kilbarchan
04 14:58 Hawick Pipe band
05 15:05 Uddingston Strathclyde
Grade Juvenile
01 15:20 North Lanarkshire Schools
Grade 3
01 15:28 Ayr Pipe Band Society
02 15:36 East Kilbride
03 15:44 Bothwell Castle
04 15:52 Milngavie Pipe Band
05 16:00 Kilbarchan
Grade 2
01 16:10 Johnstone
02 16:19 East Kilbride
03 16:28 Bothwell Castle
04 16:37 Milngavie Pipe Band
05 16:46 Ayr Pipe Band Society
Grade 1
1 17:00 Johnstone (G2)
2 17:10 Greater Glasgow Police
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