DUNOON ARGYLL IN MACHERN, GERMANY 2009
A few months ago, Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band was invited to attend the 1Xth International Highland Games in Machern, Leipzig, in the East of Germany, to be staged over the weekend of 18th to 20th September. We were delighted to accept this all expenses paid trip, and set about making arrangements to take a small band of players to this event. Little did we know what a huge privilege and responsibility this was, until we were advised on our arrival that we are the very first Scottish Pipe Band ever to be invited to attend what turned out to be a very prestigious event, being the biggest event of its kind in Germany.
We arrived at our accommodation, in a brand new sports centre, at around half past midnight, and were amazed to be presented with a cooked dinner! Whilst the pipers started to wind down and go to bed, the drummers were 'invited' by P/M Colin Prentice to work on their beatings. Next morning, there was work to do, to making sure the instruments had travelled okay, and most importantly, the players all knew what they were doing!
The 'cute' looking guy in jeans is Mario - our translator and link person for the trip. Mario was great, and became a good friend to everyone. Notice the lovely sunny weather? It was like that all weekend!!
Ever the perfectionist, Colin has the troups well prepared in time for their first gig - the Opening Ceremony on the Friday night at Machern Castle, in the presence of the town Mayor and other dignitaries. Oh yes, and the birds of prey, and the dog show!
With a good performance under their belts, it's party time!
The Band was then treated to free food and drink all evening, whilst we enjoyed an open air performance by The Aberlours, a German celtic rock band. Following their performance, the Games Organisers broadcast the soundtrack from Dunoon Argyll’s performance with Still Talkin’ from our own Thursday Night Live Show from the Cowal Gathering. Despite the fact that they used an amateur recording made for ourselves only, the organisers of the Festival were hugely impressed with the performance, and immediately stated their intention to invite the Band back next year, with Still Talkin’, to put on a full concert for them as they celebrate their 10th year of Machern Games! It is an understatement to say that the response the Pipe Band got from the Germans over this, and everything we did all weekend, was overwhelming, and for a while put us under intense pressure to fulfil these expectations and not let anyone down.
Saturday started with a parade of massed bands, which was very impressive, and brought all the bands into the main arena. The bands reach all the way to that stage, to give an idea of how big the parade was! Then it was time for the competition. Bring it on! (although it was very hot by mid afternoon)
Another good performance in the grade 4 competition, which the band won, although we didn't intially realise we got first place, due to not understanding the German language well enough! Celebration time again, I'm afraid!! Well...you have to don't you..!!
Now, how to celebrate a first place prize, including 500 euros.....How about a fantastic feast in a German castle!?!
Took me so long figuring out how to get a picture that was bright enough to see, they've finished the food and had the plates removed!! The food was great.... including the raw mince! Still, it means you can see the trophy we won. John 'keeper of the horn' McInnes takes a good picture doesn't he? (The beer horn was traded with a chap from Rapalje for a skean dhu for Jim, but somehow it fell into John's possession, so he had to ensure he got it through customs, and in on piece, hence the name!)
Saturday night saw a fireworks display over the lake, and another outstanding open air concert by a Dutch band called Rapalje. Some of our players spent a happy few hours in the company of this band into the small hours, with some trading of tunes, cultural experiences and even possessions going on during a night of mutual appreciation of each other’s skills and cultures.
I spy Colin off stage, being a "groupy!" Good job he didn't do what the wee lad at the front did, or half the audience wouldn't see the band!!
Now...."Sweetness and Light" and "Butter wouldn't melt......" seemed like good captions for this pair at the outset, but then, "Belle's of St Trinians" was clearly more apt........this chappie was happily organising Whisky Tasting sessions all day with no problems, then he got MUGGED (notice the pleated beard!)
The teeshirts and autographs on the girls are courtesty of the guys in Rapalje. One of them set his helmet on fire while he played bagpipes during Saturday night's performance! Not to be recommended for Glengarry wearers, before anyone in the band gets an idea for a new 'party piece!!' Debbie looks like she's plotting more mischief.....and she did!
The final day, Sunday, saw solo competitions in both piping and drumming, with Dunoon Argyll enjoying success when their leading drummer won the Advanced Drumming event and a piper came second in the Advanced piping competition.
Here are the brave competitors who amazed all of us by being able to get up early on Sunday morning and not only play, but compete! Thanks to you guys from everyone, for being good sports and gaining the Band a few more browny points!!
Here are the happy winners - congratulations Debbie and Joe!
The Band was then on Drum Major duty, playing for the pupils of a teaching session and demonstration, which got rapt attention from an audience of several hundred people. Here are some of the drum majors posing with the band, including our own Drum Major, Florian Faust, who is hiding at the back in the middle, and a very good friend of Dunoon Argyll PB, Jan Messow, who also won first place in his event. Congratulations Jan! (Chap to the right of Jim P - who do you think is the biggest??) Sadly Pipe Major Colin Prentice is missing from this picture, but it was fairly early on the Sunday, and as Mario said, he was like a 'dead stone' when he went to wake him, so he got left behind! Maybe playing with a broken hand is tiring.....
A call then went out for a piper for the first ever demonstration of Highland Dancing at Machern Games. The McArthur Dancers are the only highland dancing school in that area, so P/M Jim Prentice was happy to oblige and play for the dancers, who had expected to be dancing to a CD! There was some concern amongst the crowd that this wasn’t possible and wouldn’t work, as the piper had never seen the girls dance before, but they needn’t have been concerned, as the event was a huge success. I believe this is the first time I have ever seen a dancing demonstration recorded for radio! The Announcer could not get his tongue around Jim’s full name or Dunoon Argyll, so settled for excitedly calling out several times “Das ist Jim!”
Other events over the 3 days were Heavy events, sheep dog trials, and birds of prey demonstrations. It’s true to say that it wasn’t always clear to us what was going on, but the throngs of people who attended this event each day in the glorious sunshine enjoyed every minute of it, as did we. Some of our group would argue the highlight of the event is the intense interest in everything Scottish, particularly Whisky, for which there were several tasting sessions throughout the day on Sunday.
Not to be forgotten is our new friend and originator of a lot of the 'Scottishness' of the Machern Games, Chief Steward Alan Munro. His help was invaluable to the Band, and we remain indebted to him for guiding us and explaining a lot of very important things for us when we first arrived. Thanks Alan! Hope you like this summary of the Games, and this picture.
After all this excitement over the weekend, band members still had enough energy left to take advantage of a free day on the Monday to take a train to the nearby city of Leipzig, which is a fascinating city, reflecting the huge efforts that have been made in East Germany to renovate their cities and towns over the past 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down, and Germany was re-unified.
All in all, this was an amazing experience from start to finish for everyone who travelled with Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band, and one that we had absolutely no insight into until we arrived. Every one of us has been touched by the attitude of the people of Machern towards not only us, but everything Scottish, and we relish the thought that we may have the opportunity to repeat it all again in September 2010. This time however, we will have so much more to offer in return, and time to prepare to be even better at representing not only the piping scene in Dunoon, but the whole of
Finally, isn't it strange what people do when you tell them to relax and don't pose for a photograph! Bet Stewart and Ewan were singing 'Killicrankie' when this photograph was taken (were you wondering when the title would be explained?)! That song will never be the same again...in fact...singing will never be the same again after you guys...and of course the Belles!! 'Til the next time.... (anyone know any new songs PLEASE?)
OOps! Nearly missed this one! Those of you who have special eyesight will be able to see Joe passing in front of this group who were watching the sunset over Machern just before we left for the airport to come home. Some of you may not see him tho, because like the office manager in Chewin The Fat.....he's invisible!!
