Pipers article from Boston magazine

[OC Richard]

I was there and saw that performance. When they came to the line and hit that "early E" the whole crowd went "oooh". That being said they just didn't measure up to the other three bands.

Yes I've been in that situation, and a bad attack can give the people in the band a psychological letdown and in the worst cases leave people so rattled that the band doesn't play to its usual standard. The attitude the band should have is "OK we had a bad attack. But that's the LAST negative thing that will be on our sheets!" In other words it can serve as a rallying cry to get everyone to focus on being their best.

The top bands aren't rattled by this. I heard FMM have an early E. They played wonderfully and placed. One time Richard Parkes couldn't strike in his pipes and silently fingered the whole set on his chanter, the deflated bag sagging at his side. One judge didn't even notice it and gave them first in piping. The band soldiered on and played like the champions they are regardless.

Here. Parkes can't get his pipes struck in, then continues to "play" deflated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6ItWVymx1o

One thing I found odd though, that had nothing to do with their performance was their kit was kind of ragged and thread bare. You don't have to look good to sound good. It just seemed odd for a grade 1 band.

Yes that is very odd!

I've bought the DVDs of The Worlds and watched the live streaming since they began doing it and the first year all the close-ups of the bands revealed all sorts of little things like mismatching Glengarries, touries, bagcovers, sporrans, etc as well as some kit in need of pressing or repair. The second year it was miles better... obviously I wasn't the only one who noticed all that stuff!

Nowadays the Grade One bands, knowing that they'll be scrutinized in numerous close-up shots, take great care to get everything just so.

[PipeFuzz]

The whole article, while having some truths in it, paints a picture of a bunch of drunks with a pipe band problem!. I am personal friends with many of the players in the band, and have played with some of them in bands. These are hard working, dedicated musicians that put in countless hours of personal and group rehearsal. While they may have a few swallys after a competition, this article is a bit OTT in my opinion.

PipeFuzz

[Tarheel]

The whole article, while having some truths in it, paints a picture of a bunch of drunks with a pipe band problem!. PipeFuzz

Love this view. Somewhat like attending a fight and an ice hockey game breaks out. Media needs to spend the hours in the rehearsal halls and then interview the families of pipers to get the real story behind the dedication.

[OC Richard]

The whole article, while having some truths in it, paints a picture of a bunch of drunks with a pipe band problem!. I am personal friends with many of the players in the band, and have played with some of them in bands. These are hard working, dedicated musicians that put in countless hours of personal and group rehearsal. While they may have a few swallys after a competition, this article is a bit OTT in my opinion.

PipeFuzz

Yes the writer's obsession with drinking is strange, and makes me wonder why.

I've never read anything else this author has written. Have past articles about who knows, firefighters or museum directors or what have you, similarly had references to alcohol in every paragraph?