More Information on 100 Pipers Whisky Band Pictured Over 30 Years Ago When Grade 2 World Champions

Reader Gordon Smith sent us the above picture of the 100 Pipers Whisky last month and we appealed for information regarding the personnel featured. The picture was taken outside a Chivas whisky factory building in Paisley. Pipe Major was the late Donnie Thomson, ex-Shotts, far left of pic; leading drummer Alan Craig far right, with well known bass drummer Ian MacMillan in the back row. Gordon himself then came back…

Lawrie and Thow Pipes for Sale/ Pitlochry Games/ NZ PB Champs./ Capt. John Contest

Two sets of ivory pipes plus other instruments and chanters are on offer from reader Tom Smith. Get more information here. Pictured above is a detail of the Lawrie set. Pitlochry Games The final Highland Games of the summer will be held at Pitlochry on Saturday (Sept.10). The new piobaireachd event sponsored by the Piobaireachd Society has a full complement of entrants, capped at 15. The organisers have opened a…

A Look Back at the World Pipe Band Championship 2023

As already reported on Piping Press, the World Pipe Band Championships took place at Glasgow Green on 18/19th August, a week later than normal due to Glasgow hosting the World Cycling Championships.  Unlike the extremely hot weather of last year the conditions were variable, cold and warm, and slightly windy at times.  Thankfully there were no lengthy periods of heavy rain as we have experienced in the past. This year,…

A Review of the Worlds Day 2

My plan for the Saturday was to listen to the whole of the Grade 1 MSR and then to try to take in some of the performances in the other grades. Grade 1: I thought Inveraray were the outstanding band in the morning, again fluent and finger perfect. Boghall were good but a shade careful, though the technique in the strathspey was outstanding. FMM had a poor run with one…

A Review of the Worlds Day 1

I penned these notes a few hours after the close of play last Friday….. There is not a band that let themselves down today. The top outfits are all in the mix going into tomorrow’s last two legs, the standard among them unbelievably high. Equally in the mid table bands. The weather was kind, no rain, and the day ran to schedule as per the RSPBA’s usual efficient system, kicking…