Royal Military Tattoo: Anyone going? Any advice?

[Curtis Bias]

I'm glad that you enjoyed your trip. Edinburgh is a fantastic city. We love the people and atmosphere.
I am envious that you were able to attend the Military Tattoo.

People from cowboy country do tend to love large belt buckles. There is definitely a connection between country music, Celtic music, and cowboy culture. Oddly enough, I live in cowby country and only have a fascination with hand made, silver belt buckles with Scottish themes. I find interesting buckles on Ebay every now and then.

You two were looking sharp. I'm happy for you.

[Octobrachium]

For our holidays we go the other way, onto mainland Europe and had a great time in Wurzburg in late July and early August, apart from the weather being much hotter than we are used to here in Scotland.

Indeed! It has been a record-chasing heatwave here. We would honestly have liked to bring the Edinburgh weather back home with us, if only to end the drought and the sweltering nights.

For us, it's the other way around: We spend most of our holidays in Scotland. We had the chance to explore Edinburghs old town a bit more this time. To me, it is a fascinating, vibrant city that I love to visit.

If you can, don't miss out on the Tattoo. I had wanted to go for roughly 18 years and finally made it. It is a one-of-a-kind event, at the same time a mass event and a very cozy joyful gathering. It is unlike any other performance, dance or music event I have ever been to. Just the the physical space of the esplanade in front of the castle entrance can't be matched by anything in a stadium or hall. A performance like the lone piper on the castle walls feels special in that place.

[OC Richard]

Glad everything worked out well!

That Aberdeen Forever tartan is lovely.

About the Scottish summer weather, my wife and I have experienced cool rainy weather (similar to the coldest rainiest Southern California winters) and relatively warm sunny weather (like our Southern California Fall and Spring weather). Like anywhere else the Scottish weather varies.

My wife and I attended the Edinburgh Tattoo in 1986 and 2004. Locals must dread that time of year, but as a tourist Edinburgh during the Festivals and Tattoo is wonderfully bustling and zany. There are far more concerts and plays and film screenings that one could possibly see, and there are people performing plays and concerts in the streets.

We have also visited Edinburgh in the offseason and it's very different, with few tourists and not much going on. Each time has its own advantages and disadvantages.

About the Tattoo itself, I'm not sure if people whose acquaintance with it is recent realise how much it's changed over the years.

The main thing has been the draconian reductions in the Scottish military. In the post-WWII period when the Tattoo began (1950) there were around 20 Scottish battalions each with its own pipes & drums and military band; now AFAIK there's only the military band of The Royal Regiment Of Scotland, and only five of its seven battalions maintain pipes & drums.

To flesh out the number of pipe bands they now utilise Commonwealth military pipe bands as well as civilian pipe bands.

In 2014 the idea was conceived of putting together a large ad hoc pipe band of volunteers, and in 2015 the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association posted this invitation to pipers and drummers the world over:

http://www.rspba.org/html/newsdetail.php?id=467

Here's the list of performers from the Tattoo's Golden Anniversary in 2000

[LRRP]

I was a little disappointed to see other entertainers thrown in the mix of pipe bands that had nothing to do with pipe and drum for the 2015 show. I certainly would still return to see the show again.

[imrichmond]

I was a little disappointed to see other entertainers thrown in the mix of pipe bands that had nothing to do with pipe and drum for the 2015 show. I certainly would still return to see the show again.

My wife and I attended the Edinburgh tattoo five or six years ago. It was disappointing to see that it had become more of a variety show than a genuine tattoo. Indeed, it was more civilian than military and, that year at least, the pipes and drums seemed to have a rather minor role. Personally, I have no inclination to go again.

[Ivor]

You can usually see the Tattoo on BBC TV after the festival ends and it should be on IPlayer if like me you can’t make it to see it live.

[harl]

My wife and I attended the Tattoo on the 17th and found it more entertaining than at least one of us was expecting I do agree with other comments about the increasingly civilian slant to the show, it seems like only a third of the performances featured the pipes, which was a bit of a disappointment but not enough that I wouldn't go back again another year. My advice to other first timers: rent a cushion, the show is long enough that a few additional pounds is worth not having an achy backside. Wear warm clothes that offer rain and wind protection including gloves and a hat that covers your ears; even in mid august it feels like a late October/November evening. I chose not to wear my kilt to the event, but I saw a few other lads who did. If you do, I suggest wearing it with your hose flashed to keep your legs warm.

[Octobrachium]

Here's the list of performers from the Tattoo's Golden Anniversary in 2000

Interesting, thanks! For comparison, here is the run of show for 2018:




Seeing the show, it felt grounded in its military roots. But I see how the sheer reduction in military pipe bands and a more "touristy" appeal (which worked for me, honestly) makes for a different Tattoo than in past decades.

[OC Richard]

Thanks for posting that list of the 2018 performers!

13 pipe bands is pretty impressive.

Five are old-school army pipe bands that have been around a long time

Royal Dragoon Guards
The Scots Guards
1SCOTS
2SCOTS
4SCOTS

I knew there were various RAF pipe bands, but I had to look up the Queens Royal Hussars pipe band. Seems that they have gone through fits and starts beginning in the 1980s and into the 1990s, at times only being able to field two pipers. Evidently now they can field a full pipe band.

Then there's the Pipers' Trail pipe band, the civilian band formed of international volunteers specifically to perform at the Edinburgh Tattoo.

Next are three civilian pipe bands from Australia and one from Canada, and the Royal Victoria Regiment Association pipe band from Australia.

Considerations for including bands seem to be bands who can field a large unit in Full Dress, which most civilian pipe bands can't do.

In comparison that 2000 programme lists 16 pipe bands, eight from the British army and eight from Dominions regiments. There were no civilian pipe bands that year.

[Bruce Scott]

Thanks for posting that list of the 2018 performers!

13 pipe bands is pretty impressive.

Five are old-school army pipe bands that have been around a long time

Royal Dragoon Guards (formerly Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, formerly Royal Scots Greys)
The Scots Guards
1SCOTS
2SCOTS
4SCOTS
.

The Royal Dragoon Guards are a separate regiment to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards whose unit title remains unchanged. The Royal Dragoon guards were formed in 1992 on the amalgamation of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Their pipe band wears Irish kit as shown on their FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/RDGpipesand...type=3&theater

Unit Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Dragoon_Guards