Over 800 performers from all around the world were marching, singing and dancing on this chilly evening. Over 600 people were involved in creating the show and shepherding all of the spectators. The current extravaganza had its start in post war Edinburgh when money was tight and people were needing a morale boost. So the King's men put on a performance in 1949 for 2500 people. It has become quite the extravaganza in the following 70 plus years. Military Bands and Units have come from Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, the USA, and Switzerland. Nine different Pipes and Drums groups from Scotland, England and Australia all performed together as the massed Pipes and Drums. The show was even more impressive given the setting with the Edinburgh Castle in the background. It was a great experience and the two hour show seemed to fly by. Each group had the whole stage for their own performance. At the end of the show all the performers came out and it was packed with people. This entire group sang a Scottish song about the Hebrides Islands. Then each group marched out and only the pipes and drums were left for the finale. We were at a loss for words to describe how magnificent this show was. Put this on your list of life events folks!
The massed pipes marched in formation
Making a big circle all while playing the bagpipes
Another band entering from the right
With additional groups up on the castle walls to the right and the left
The close up of the group to the right
The group to the left
Each row of pipers has a different uniform
Marching and playing
Bagpipers before the drums
Making the turn
Love the giant hats
The band from the United Stated Air Force Band had a different take on the music
Here the flautist is playing along with a Lizzo song
A drum kit was needed to accompany songs from the "Great American Songbook"
Very dramatic lighting
A man and shadows
A dramatic scene
Trinidad and Tobago
Pulling out all the stops
Steel drums and stilt dancing
Winged dancers
In the rear a very elaborate costume
The projections on the castle wall and the lighting on the ground were spectacular
Emerging from the Castle doors
The Swiss are in the house
They brought the large Alpine horns with them
William Tell even made an appearance
Everything is red for the Swiss
The dancers were four groups
Each doing the same routine
Then they came together
Another performance by the massed pipes
A deep blue set up
Then the bagpipes!
A lone violin telling a sad story
Of the olden days when the unicorns were free
Like a hoard of Vikings of old, the Norwegians enter
Here come the Norwegians
Very impressive marching skills
Some rifle work
The spotlight are a great touch
No bagpipes for the Norwegians but still they had a band
A modern take on traditional Scottish Music
It is the "Electro Pipes"
Lots of Pyrotechnics
Neon and modern instruments mixes in with the the pipes and fiddles
Just a handful of musicians
But lots of day glow dancers
And they dance!
His Majesty's Royal Marine Band
Great marching
The drummers take center stage
Precision drumming
Marching to the beat
Criss crossing back and forth
Attention!
Singing a song about stories
Singing and dancing as the field fills up
As more and more performers arrive the Highland Dancers arrived
They played the National Anthem and displayed pictures of the Queen
The "Stories" logo in the back
The Highland dancers have torches and then dance again
After the feild was filled completely with all the performers all that was left were the massed pipes and drums.
It has been 1 year and 64 days since we began our Migration
