Tunes of Glory 2003

Tunes of Glory 2003 - New York

This year I was actually a member of the St Andrew’s Society of New York State after jumping the barriers and joining them “on the fly” as it were – last year. The day started with a substantial brunch at the Society Headquarters where President Ed Collins had managed to magically arrange for Black Pudding to be on the menu – something I have not seen in years since I moved to the US. Much heritage chat and fun with members of the Mount Kisco Scottish Pipes and Drums as we sampled a number of liquids to fortify us for the day.

As parade time neared we marched off towards our form up point on 44th street and I found myself comparing notes with one Margaret Kennedy a Board Member of the American Scottish Foundation and – as it turned out – a fellow Glaswegian. Small world.

Please remember this was all really for the official charities! Support them by "buying" pictures from the gallery or simply making a donation. Thanks!

The weather was cold damp and foggy – just like Scotland on a dreich day but nobody’s spirits were dampened. I had also decided to dress for the day as a Highlander of around 1745 so was wearing a Great Kilt or Feileadh Mhor. As the mist thickened to sleety rain at one point I was able to bring the “pockets” over my shoulders and stay quite warm. Works as designed. I also discovered that the targe (shield) really was quite effective at blocking the blows of a claymore as a drum major and I demonstrated to a tourist how we thought the weapons were used – while pretending we really knew! Glad the targe worked!

As one spectator commented – “with all the security in New York – who would have thought you would be allowed to carry those things?” I mean the National Guard were guarding bridges and tunnels with M-16’s. Meanwhile on 6th Avenue there were probably enough Claymores, Broadswords, Dirks and Sgian Dhu’s around that day to create quite respectable mayhem – but of course it is all strictly ceremonial. Though I had to laugh. While checking my car into the hotel the night before – I had drawn a sword, targe and dirk from the trunk along with my case – but the hotel security guard was really only interested in making sure I had no explosives in the car before it was put in the underground garage!

2.00pm and the barriers drew back - the Mount Kisco Scottish Pipes and Drums struck up and off we swung up 6th Avenue with Ed Collins exhorting us to stay in neat lines of four. We did and were even in step most of the time. The crowds cheered, we waved and smiled and had a rare old time. It even stopped raining!

At the top of 6th Avenue we swung off into a side street and bands jammed with each other, drummers drummed and the public stood around and cheered some more. As to the Irishman on the 5th floor of an adjacent building. I am sorry we woke you with the noise but you didn’t need to be quite so rude about it. We tolerate your racket on St Patrick’s Day!


	Jammin' in the Streets!

Post side street - all hands (well those that didn't jump on their coaches and head for home) headed for the New Yorker Hotel for the much promised "After Parade Party". Remember after 2002 there had been a huge amount of criticism of the organizers for not providing such a venue? Well done them for a) listening and b) picking up the extra tab when the expected hotel reservations didn't quite cover the ballroom cost (I have heard on good authority).

I had dropped by the hotel on the way to leave behind my Broadsword and Targe as I thought they might hinder me at the party. Glad I did! We hauled into the ballroom - a big space, plenty of bars in the corners and substantial appetizers to help fill the stomachs! Oh yes - and there was a stage set up for what looked like a rock band............ Well in due course the Canadian Band “Enter The Haggis” were introduced and mounted the stage. The setting was hardly conducive. Well lit ballroom, band in modern fashion kilts (courtesy of their sponsor Hector Russell of Canada) and a large audience of pipers and drummers in traditional kilts, friends and hangers on watching in slight disbelief. Oh it might be an uphill battle........

Till Sat night I had never seen or even heard of Enter The Haggis. Now I'm prepared to listen to anyone to give them a chance but there was no doubt the lads had something to prove and the audience need some persuading. This wasn't exactly going to be easy.......

But the lads went at it well and after a couple of numbers there were a lot of tapping feet. Then a lass got up and did her Highland Game competition dance set solo and a few more joined in. Then the blend of traditional fiddle, pipes, rhythm guitar and bass and a full set of drums getting hammered like a bodhran started to get infectious. Those that ever heard Andy Stewart's 1962 version of "Donald Where's Yer Troosers?" - were smiling at ETH's rendition and the night developed with people clapping, jigging and dancing.

As the first set drew to a close I saw some PM's and DM's in a corner plotting. End of ETH’s first set and as they left the stage the command "Massed Bands - Quick March" roared out and on came a real mixed bag of pipers and drummers who certainly didn't play like it. Or as one of them put it - "We hardly got a chance to tune up with the noise that other band were making - I was amazed we were so close!!" The crowd loved it - 200 pipers and drummers in a ballroom can make a fair racket! More sets were played with the crowd calling out their suggestions in the breaks and nervous PM’s hoping they could play the requests! In due course the massed band countermarched out – or at the DM next to me said as he turned to the lined crowd packed against the pipers – “Watch out you lot – this will be mayhem” – only it wasn’t. It was excellently executed. Some other pipers tried their hands and as for those cute Canadian Lassies doing that drill team piece…... They really flick those kilts on the turn!


Impromptu Massing and Entertaining

Then came the all important moment - the return of ETH. Would the crowd respond or would they want more of the traditional stuff?

Please remember this was all really for the official charities! Support them by "buying" pictures from the gallery or simply making a donation. Thanks!

Well to put it simply - the dance floor exploded - someone said there were drunks out there - no way! But there WERE a whole heck of a lot of people having a REALLY good time. There was even some traditional Scottish Country dancing - Certainly some Gay Gordons (and attempts thereof!), Military Two steps and at one point there was even a set performing a Dashing White Sergeant!. No one was drunk (well there might have been one) but the band certainly got the crowd going and there was much wild jigging, swinging and polka'ing. Or as my friend said – “Now I know why you bounce so much at Ballroom Dancing!”

End of set, a few more traditional sets by the other pipers and drummers and the night finished with a lone piper teaming up with Craig Downie of ETH to duo “Flower of Scotland” on the pipes which the Scots loved and the rest learned something about the Scot’s new found semi-independence. Only the Scots really knew the words but they made up for the rest and many a piper should remember to add that one to their set when in front of a truly Scot’s audience.

So how would you describe ETH? They say they are Celtic Rock. Well OK. As previously noted – they have managed to blend the traditional with the modern. Well enough to prove it in front of some hard bitten traditional pipers. They are sort of how the Battlefield Band would be now if they were starting out – only rawer and a lot more danceable to.

The evening broke up early from the New Yorker ballroom but moved onto the bars. We had fun at the St Andrews on 44th (help ma boab! - they ran out of Belhaven…….) and I pity the poor soloist in the restaurant who was drowned out by the quick march trio with drummer who marched up the bar playing “Happy Birthday” to someone in the restaurant! And those cute Canadian Drill Team Lassies showed up again – only a few were a little the worse for wear but their buddies were looking after them.

So how do we sum up 2003? Well for sure not as many pipers and far fewer dignitaries – many senior Scots are electioneering for the second round of the Scottish Parliament. But for those who read my feelings about 2002…..

The organizers listened. Or put simply….