ED2017 4/5 Reviews ED2017 Music Reviews

Arbikie Pipers Game Of Drones (Arbikie Pipers)

By | Published on Monday 7 August 2017

An upmarket, cabaret-style taster menu of Scottish musical culture with no cheese! The historical Scottish ‘Game of Thrones’ theme linking the traditional pipe melodies was described by a narrator and included guest spots from other artists – I enjoyed the musicianship and jokes of accordionist Sandy Brechin. The sweetness of the Scottish small pipes was moving but the highlight was Pipe Major Cammie Ritchie’s Pibroch – a technically rigorous style seldom heard outside of piping competitions. Drummer Andrew Johnston entertained with his tricky snare solo ‘Drum Fanfare’; a Scot myself, I loved the complex, well-defined syncopation of the snare drum but wasn’t so sure about pipes with bongo accompaniment. This is a good show for visitors – authentic and interesting.

Merchant’s Hall, until 23 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Louise Rodgers]

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