Pleasanton Games 2011

[MacMillans son]

I was happy to attend the 146th annual games of the San Francisco Caledonia Club this weekend.

Nearly all of the photos I took were of the opening and closing activities so if others who attended have additional photos to post that would be great!

We were honored to have the U.S. Marine Corps band from San Diego perform this year.







The pipe band chosen for the closing ceremonies was the "LA Scots" the home band of our own "OCRichard", who I had the privilege of meeting briefly on Sunday. The Marine Corps band and the LA Scots played together for a few tunes which was really incredible. It was also cool to see them marching together with the Drum Majors of each leading their march.











More to come!

[Mickey]

OOHRAH!! I almost had to wipe away a tear looking at this, thinking about how freaking great that had to sound. A Canadien pipe band marched and played at my boot camp graduation, which I loved. I love martial music, but when done by a pipe band, it is really amazing. To hear these two bands combined... I can only imagine, which I am right now.

Thanks so much!

[MacMillans son]

The Massed Band event was said to have had approx. 600 pipers and drummers!

They were brought onto the playing field in two halves. Here is a photo of one half filing on.



and the other half..ish



and the march off the field



This a youtube link to an amazing rendition of Amazing Grace performed on Sunday. One of the senior pipers from one of the bands passed away this year. In his honor, his son and grandson lead the tune joined by the 600 massed band members and the U.S. Marine Corp Band. Dry eyes were few and far between! (if someone can make this a direct video here that would be great!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMCFFBwx1mU!


A few more to come!

[Mickey]

And now I did wipe a few.

[MacMillans son]

Here is are own "Longhunter74" with his SAMs group presenting the colors. He is presenting the Union Jack (my apologies if there is a more formal name for this flag)



Here he is on Sunday with the Stars and Stripes



It was very nice that the the National Anthems for Canada, Great Britain and the U.S.A were all played for each days opening activities!


Here are a few random photos that I snapped in no particular order.

Our friends Panache and Star at the presentation of the clans



Our friend Alan H. on the podium (far left) following his receipt of his fabulous 3rd place overall in the Masters Division!! Well done Alan!



There was a nice falconers exhibit



Whooooooooo, me (sorry I couldn't resist)



A few of the Nor Cal Rabble: Dale Seago, Longhunter74, MacMillan's son (me) in my new MacMillan Old Modern by the talented Ms. Bonnie Heather Greene, and....sorry I have forgotten the next gentleman's name, and Panache



And finally, Connie and I on Sunday right after she bought her new "Billie Kilt"



That's all from me, but if any one else has some photos of the Pleasanton Games please feel free to post them here!

Cheers,
Brooke

[OC Richard]

Brooke it was so good of you to come up and introduce yourself!

Playing in a pipe band, so much of my time was taken up running around and playing and tuning and so on, so I wasn't able to meet up with XMarkers.

To pipers and musicians of all sorts out there, it might be interesting to know that the LA Scots purchased and "set up" (reeded and fine-tuned) an entire set of special bagpipe chanters designed to play at the same pitch the Marine Corps brass band plays at. So, just like the British Army pipe bands, they were able to play in tune along with the brass.

Special chanters are needed because standard bagpipe pitch is nowdays a quartertone sharp of normal pitch.

Thanks so much for all the photos!

(I brought my camera, but never got around to taking it out once!)

Richard

[longhuntr74]

Richard...you and I were standing in the very same tunnel together during Saturday's closing ceremony. Sorry that we didn't get to meet. Your band was quite impressive with the USMC band!! And as we were talking about how we felt bad for the Marines in their dress blues, along came your drum major. He was officially dubbed the "hottest" guy at the games...and I'm not talking attractive hot...I'm saying that he must've lost 10 lbs this weekend in his full doublet, plaid, baldric, feather bonnet, etc....man he had to be warm in the 95 degree heat!!!!!

[kiltimabar]

Interesting you should mention that sweltering Pipe Major in full regalia in 95 degree heat--I just looked it up, and the record all-time high temperature for all Scotland is 91.6F, and the average highest temperatures in Braemar (in July) are in the 60's. Everyone now understand why you don't see many wool jackets at California games?