The biggest concert of World’s Week is a sell out, the promoters Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band have reported. The concert, to be given by St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band from Dublin, will be their first in Glasgow since their widely acclaimed performance in 2010. The venue, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, seats 2,475 and all tickets have now been sold with some standing room placed allocated by the management.
Kurt Mackintosh of Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band said: ‘I think its one of the fastest selling shows in recent times if not ever. Normally a large number of tickets are sold in the two weeks leading up to the Worlds. However to be a sold out more than three weeks beforehand is really impressive and testament to the appeal of SLOT.
‘We had to release 80 standing and 56 limited view seats on Friday (July 27) in an attempt to meet the demand over 25% of these went over last weekend.
‘The concert will be split into four quarters leading the audience through the journey of the band and its music. As with last year, we have elected to keep the bar open after the concert to allow the audience to catch up with each other and to allow the band to have a well-earned beer.’
The concert is entitled ‘Turas Ceol – Resume’ and here is the poster:
To check for any remaining places at the concert click here. SLOT’s recent success on the competition field will not have done their ticket sales any harm. They are the current Scottish Champions, winning the title last Saturday at Dumbarton. They also took the UK Pipe Band Champions Grade 1 title at Stormont in June. The band is led by P/M Alen Tully who took over from his father Terry four years ago. The drum corps is highly respected and is led by L/D Stephen Creighton. Have a listen to St Laurence in full flow at the Worlds:
The tunes they will play are Cabar Feidh gu Bragh by P/M Donald MacLeod, the Desperate Battle of the Birds, Lament for the Children, Beloved Scotland, the Prince’s Salute, Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick, the MacLeod’s Controversy, and the Phantom Piper of the Corrieyairick by Captain John MacLellan. The concert begins at 7.30pm and is expected to end at 9.30pm with a small reception with refreshments at the conclusion.
Tickets are priced £10/ £8 and are available via the Fringe Box Office and at the door. The entrance fee includes a comprehensive concert programme detailing the history of the music and the tunes played. A similar concert was held in 1999 as part of the main Edinburgh Festival. This year’s concert was featured on last week’s episode of the BBC Radio Scotland’s piping programme ‘Pipeline’. Check it out here.
Piobaireachd Society President Jack Taylor said: ‘Most people never hear piobaireachd, and know nothing of it. Its few devotees must spend long days at competitions and endure obsessive tuning to quench their thirst. By having this concert on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe we will condense and finesse the experience, and allow the full beauty of our music to be heard by a wider audience.
‘The venue is perfect, and the continuous stream of the best tunes played by world experts without the distraction of tuning will surely mesmerise even the most sceptical. Ears and eyes will be opened to what must be Scotland’s best kept musical secret.’
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