New Band Season Almost Upon Us/ More on Piobaireachd Contest Prizewinners

Well folks the long wait is nearly over….. this weekend sees the start of the 2018 band season with four UK pipe band contests and most Grade 1 bands having a run in preparation for the British Championships at Paisley (May 19). On Sunday (May 13), at Gourock, there is a very healthy entry in this grade. Here is the draw courtesy the RSPBA: Grade 1 (starting 3.50pm approx.) 1…

A Look Back at Pipe Bands in the Summer of ’08

The following is from the Pipe Band Magazine of October 2008 and was written by the then senior adjudicator Alistair Aitken in his ‘Judge’s Journal’ column for the magazine. The article was headlined: ‘Burst Bags and Drumskins – Adjudicator Experiences Over the Summer ‘: ‘Since the last edition of the magazine the competition season, including Major Championships, has been in full swing.  Inevitably the unexpected tends to happen when things…

FMM Take First of Season’s Majors – Updated with Pictures and Grade 2 Comments

Field Marshal Montgomery laid down a statement of intent by winning the first pipe band major championship of the summer, the British at Bathgate, writes Robert Wallace. All the talk over the winter was that this could be the year that they were toppled from their dominant position as the number one pipe band in the world. Well, after this performance, some of the pundits will have to re-think their…

PP Editor’s Blog: Highlands & Islands/ SPA Juniors/ Music Downloads/ New England Camp/ Band Championships

To the Highlands & Islands contest at Oban tonight for a spot of judging. I’ll publish the results as soon as I have them tomorrow evening so stay tuned for that. There is a good entry in all events and my fellow adjudicators, in no particular order, are Iain MacFadyen, Andrew Wright, Ronald MacShannon, Stuart Shedden, Neil Mulvie, Ian McLellan and Walter Cowan. The juniors will be in good hands…