Some magical stuff

instruments at odds with each other. The kit drum? Not for me. There is no doubt that the sound engineer, when mixing the track and actually the entire first-half for the CD, will have his work cut out.

However, the “Cabar Feidh” set ending with the now famous “Fiddlers’ Rally” jig brought us back to life and it was hair-standing-on-the-back-of-the-neck stuff. You will simply not hear better playing all around. Outstanding.

The band finished the first half with a lovely arrangement of “MacLeod’s Oran Mor.” They were joined by vocalist Catriona Watt from Stornoway and, disappointingly, this was the only time she was to be on stage. She has a lovely voice. From the opener everyone went into a terrific setting of “Shepherd’s Crook” and Watt came to the fore. The band then blasted into the familiar setting of “The Ness Pipers” and sent the audience of into the interval in buoyant mood. It was a good first half, but I was left wondering if others sitting elsewhere were getting the same musical mix as I?

After a light refreshment the band came back and played, for me, what was one of the highlights of the night, the MSR starting with “The Braes of Badenoch,” followed by “Blair Drummond” and “Pretty Marion.” Sublime. Fantastic tempo and swing to the march and a performance of the highest quality. If they can produce this sort of stuff at the weekend it will not be far away.

Pandering to the old school pipers in the audience, “Tam Bain’s Lum” was up next, starting with “Sine Bhan” before hitting the hornpipes, and finishing with “John MacKenzie’s Fancy.” Straight out the 1970s, but what playing. Very tight and musical.

Soloist Andrew Carlisle was next and he definitely has 12 fingers. I was trying to count them but they were moving too fast. He was followed by the High Drive Quartet. Now this had real promise when it kicked off as we had a double bass playing strains . . .