Ready and able

virtuoso verbal caricature of the modern day medley. I hope someone videoed it. Sometimes you need someone like Neil to hold up a mirror to you, to let you see, in this case how formulaic the structure has come.

The second also half gave us a drum salute that reinforced the global links we have in bands when the late Jimmy King’s brother, Harry, was presented with a memento of the piece named in Jim’s honour, “The King Pin.” The band shared the stage with a guest in the corps young Ryan King, who looked quite at home next to Leading-Drummer Reid Maxwell.

We were next treated to a piece by Australian composer Lincoln Hilton , “My Bagpipe and Me.” It was at this point we saw the first of Terry Lee, pipe-major emeritus. The warmth of welcome is tantamount to the respect this man has earned over his years of leadership that formed this band. The audience and the band lifted as Terry conducted and we were treated to a piece with greater harmonies and sympathetic kit drumming that was accompanied by the first lighting effects of the night.

Just as at the wedding in Canaan where the best wine was served last, so the band’s tone and playing just seemed to strengthen as the night progressed. The focus on competition medley was clearly evident when, after almost two hours, the band played the second . . .