Bagpipe and Drum Concert

I went to my first ever bag pipe and drum concert in Aberdeen this week! And am excited to say that I also saw my first “mass-appearance” of kilts! I was invited by a gentleman in the Rotary to go to a bagpipe and drum concert at the Aberdeen Music Hall and quickly took him up on the invitation. When all my fellow Scottish friends heard that I was going to hear bagpipes and drums, first they laughed at my excitement, and then, they all warned me of how loud it would be!

Regardless of my friends warning and their laughter, I was exceedingly excited to attend the concert and watch the bagpipers and drummers, adorn their traditional “tartans and pipes”. Tartan is another name for the traditional Scottish kilt outfit. The entire tartan outfit, plaid kilt and all, is comprised of a collared shirt and vest, a sporran which is tied around the waist and over the skirt, and knee high socks and shoes with laces that tie up the ankle, gladiator style! A sporran is kind of like a “fanny-pack” and would serve as a pocket, since traditional kilts don’t have pockets.

As much as I admired the tartans I also equally enjoyed the traditional bagpipe and drum music! The bagpipe and drum band we had been watching was a well known and respected band in the area of Aberdeen, competing in and winning world championships! My favorite part of the entire performance were the tenor drummers who would hit the drums, fling their hands in the air and spin their mallets around, and repetitively hit the drum again, keeping the beat perfectly.