Friday, April 08, 2005
In the Band
Last night, Pipe Major John Sprague announced that I was the newest member of the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums.
He reminded the band that I had kept with tradition, ditching my first band gig (the Apple Blossom Parade) for a competition (Southern Maryland Celtic Festival).
People make fun of the pipes a lot, and there are certainly people who can't stand the sound of them, and that's fair. But it's also easy to underestimate how much of an impact they have on some people.
The City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums does a monthly gig at Pat Troy's Ireland's Own pub in Old Town Alexandria. On the first Thursday of the month, at 10:00 PM, the usual folk-singer stops, and we march on stage, play a 20 minute set, and march off. Though last night was my first night as a full member of the band, I've been playing with them for this gig for almost a year now. In the past, there's been really light turn-out, but recently there have been more and more people at the bar, so we've had more of an audience, and they've been especially enthusiastic.
Last night was one of the best nights so far, at least when I've been there. We played very tightly, did our usual tunes. It was a big crowd, and they were rapt by our playing. Most people, if they ever see a live pipe band at all, see a fleeting glimpse of them at a parade before they march on. Doing this all the time, I forget how rare it is that people get to see and hear a band literally standing in their midst, and while we were just in our regular clothes, the full band can still leave an impression. Their applause was enthusiastic, but what especially struck me was that one woman, a pretty blonde in her early 30s, was so moved by the band that when we finished, she walked over to our tables in back and made sure to shake everyone in the band's hand, and thank us for playing. Just as she was finishing up thanking us, the Pipe Major tells the pipers they're to go back on to play Amazing Grace. It had been requested by a young Marine who had lost his best friend last February, killed in action in Iraq. The crowd stood in silence while we played, and the Marine was clearly very much moved by our gesture.
Last weekend was the Royal Mile Scottish session. Very light turnout, just me and Doug Scott for the first two hours. This gave me plenty of opportunities to solo. I twice played my E-flat Strathspey/Reel set, both times to appreciable applause. That was fun. Towards the end of the session, a charming Irish gentleman by the name of Neil Foley joined us, playing Si Beag, Si Mhor on whistle, then borrowing a fiddle of mine for some tunes. He was especially fond of slow airs, which he had learned from his grandfather, Paddy Foley; and which his father Tom had insisted be included in the competitions in the '50s, because all anyone was playing those days were jigs and reels. Very charming fellow, I hope he joins us again. I'd love to learn some of his tunes.
He reminded the band that I had kept with tradition, ditching my first band gig (the Apple Blossom Parade) for a competition (Southern Maryland Celtic Festival).
People make fun of the pipes a lot, and there are certainly people who can't stand the sound of them, and that's fair. But it's also easy to underestimate how much of an impact they have on some people.
The City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums does a monthly gig at Pat Troy's Ireland's Own pub in Old Town Alexandria. On the first Thursday of the month, at 10:00 PM, the usual folk-singer stops, and we march on stage, play a 20 minute set, and march off. Though last night was my first night as a full member of the band, I've been playing with them for this gig for almost a year now. In the past, there's been really light turn-out, but recently there have been more and more people at the bar, so we've had more of an audience, and they've been especially enthusiastic.
Last night was one of the best nights so far, at least when I've been there. We played very tightly, did our usual tunes. It was a big crowd, and they were rapt by our playing. Most people, if they ever see a live pipe band at all, see a fleeting glimpse of them at a parade before they march on. Doing this all the time, I forget how rare it is that people get to see and hear a band literally standing in their midst, and while we were just in our regular clothes, the full band can still leave an impression. Their applause was enthusiastic, but what especially struck me was that one woman, a pretty blonde in her early 30s, was so moved by the band that when we finished, she walked over to our tables in back and made sure to shake everyone in the band's hand, and thank us for playing. Just as she was finishing up thanking us, the Pipe Major tells the pipers they're to go back on to play Amazing Grace. It had been requested by a young Marine who had lost his best friend last February, killed in action in Iraq. The crowd stood in silence while we played, and the Marine was clearly very much moved by our gesture.
Last weekend was the Royal Mile Scottish session. Very light turnout, just me and Doug Scott for the first two hours. This gave me plenty of opportunities to solo. I twice played my E-flat Strathspey/Reel set, both times to appreciable applause. That was fun. Towards the end of the session, a charming Irish gentleman by the name of Neil Foley joined us, playing Si Beag, Si Mhor on whistle, then borrowing a fiddle of mine for some tunes. He was especially fond of slow airs, which he had learned from his grandfather, Paddy Foley; and which his father Tom had insisted be included in the competitions in the '50s, because all anyone was playing those days were jigs and reels. Very charming fellow, I hope he joins us again. I'd love to learn some of his tunes.
# posted by Peter @ 9:54 AM 
