The band on stage at Lally’s Palais

If I were asked for one word to describe last night’s ‘Forte’ concert by the Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band it would be this – class. From start to finish the whole event was carried off with a panache and discipline worthy of a West End show. And the music wasn’t half bad either. I have never heard this band sound better. I understand new reeds may be in the mix somewhere, but whatever the magic is, it is working. The band had a real clarity and depth to their top hand, something that will be fully tested in all bands on Saturday at the Worlds if the hot, sunny weather holds up.
There were many highlights for me but I want to get two moans out of the way firstly. At over three hours long it was just too much a very good thing. The 1,600 audience needed more time in the bar at the end to drool over what they had heard. Second, the low G in the accompaniment to the talented guest singer’s Burns song rankled sorely – the only discord on an evening of perfectly pitched pipes. It might seem fussy picking up on this discrepancy, but that is the problem when you are as good as Boghall were last night. The minor glitches stand out like a carbuncle on the backside of the body beautiful.
The band’s sound blended superbly with the accompanists, Marissa Waite (bodhran), Stevie Lawrence (bouzouki and guitar) and Douglas Miller (keyboard). P/M Ross Walker, I know, spent many hours with them getting the tuning and the chording just right. As anyone who has incorporated pipes with other instruments will tell you, this is no easy task. Last night it was achieved with a level of musicianship worthy of the many maestros who have trod the stage at Lally’s Palais (the Glasgow name for the posh concert hall – Pat Lally being the city councillor who got the thing built when mired in contractual problems during construction back in the 80s).
We were seated beside Scottish Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop and, as you would expect, I made the point to her that politicians don’t always appreciate the social contribution band’s such as Boghall make to the country’s wellbeing. For the last 40 years they have been taking youngsters off the streets and equipping them with skills that will set them up for life. To the minister’s credit she is one of the few who does acknowledge the contribution of the pipe band movement to society, hence her welcome attendance at the concert – and sporting a gifted Boghall tartan shawl too.
Due homage was paid to Tom Brown the father of all that is good in the Boggies’ drum dynasty and it thrilled the crowd to see Tom brought on stage to join the massed drum corps featuring ex-pupils. Son Gordon said pipers often described the Drummer’s Call as the equivalent to a sneeze – you know it’s coming but can do nothing about it. Well this was one fanfare even the pipers appreciated and I’m told is considered something of a classic among the percussionists.
An attractive feature of the night was the overhead screen on which appeared a succession of worthies talking about the band over the years, its founding, and some of the outstanding tunes they played. Ian McLellan, Bob Shepherd, Nat Russell, Winston Pollock, Craig Walker all had nice words to say. And if a tune was mentioned up went the lights and there was the band launching into said piece. Former P/M Craig talked of the band’s early days and how they competed in school uniform – and seconds later appeared the present day’s youngsters similarly attired playing their first ever opening tune, P/M Willie Ross’s Farewell to the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.

The first Boggies band simulated

There were many other high points, not least of which was the brilliant reel playing of the quartet of young pipers (really outstanding this), the Worlds medley, Abercairney Highlanders, Mhairi Bhan Og, RS MacDonald’s Rubic Cube.
The whole show was strung together well by compere John Wilson who among  his genial chat offered sage advice on medley construction and other aspects of the pipe band business.
There are many events on over World’s Week and during the Piping Live! festival. None will have been so well received, so well enjoyed and so professionally delivered as  Boghall & Bathgate’s ‘Forte’ concert. It’s all been recorded for DVD so make sure you get your copy. Promoters Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band have lined up Stuart Liddell’s brilliant Inveraray band for the 2013 concert ‘Ascension’- another great show to look forward to and, despite the difficulties at Shotts, pointing to a resurgent Scottish pipe band scene.

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