Library - The Bands

Pipe Bands - the 1970's

The Scottish World Festival (Toronto)) was was one of the most successful pipe band events ever hosted anywhere up to that time.  It was the "Woodstock" of piping events with bands brough in from all over the world.   The first was held in 1972 and was arguably the best.  I don't yet have the rankings of the bands however here are there performances.  There are a couple of "unknown" bands.  If anyone recognizes who they are, please let me know.

153rd Royal Regiment Transport Corp. 48th Highlanders of Canada Highland Fusiliers of Canada Clan MacFarlane City of Toronto Edinburgh City Police Glasgow City Police Red Hackle Invergordon Distillery Clan McRae Polkemet Shotts and Dykehead Kenmuir (New Jersey) 410 RCAF (Canada) Bucksburn and District Muirhead and Sons Distillery St. Patricks Pipe Band (N. Ireland) Woster (Massachusetts) Guelph Pipe Band (Canada) Renfrew Pipe Band Keltie and Blair Adam Pipe Band Innis Tartan Pipe Band (Auckland NZ) unknown1 unknown2

I was pretty much in awe of everything in 1972.  I was playing with RCL Br. 55 out of Kitchener Ontario and spent most of my time listening to the Grade 1 bands.  Here is a sampling of the bands throughout that year. The first band up is The Highland Fusiliers of Canada out of Galt, Ontario.  This was Alex Robertson's old Highland House band of Woodstock.  Apparently the neighbors in Woodstock responded to band practices in Alex's back yard by passing an by-law which resulted in the band relocating to less hostile surroundings.  There was a great line-up of young talent in the band that included big Jim Stewart on bass, Hugh Cameron, Dave Constance, and Allan McColl on side drums, and Alex Brewster in the pipe corps.  I mention Alex as he was the most naturally musical piper I have ever known.  I joined the band in September 1972 and it was Alex (and a few others) that pulled me through.   Here they are at the Brantford Highland Games in 1972.

No one who was there can ever forget the day The Clan beat the reigning World Champions at Fergus in 1972.  Here are the top three performances of the day! 1) Clan MacFarlane 2) Edinburgh City Police 3) City of Toronto

The 48th Highlanders always impressed.  Here they are at the Oshawa Highland Games in 1972.

Edinburgh City Police - CNE 1972 Muirhead - CNE 1977 Glasgow City Police - CNE Triumph Street - CNE 1977 Red Hackle Pipe Band - CNE 1975 Glasgow City Police Pipe Band - CNE 1975 City of Toronto - Toronto Indoor Games 1977 Dysart - CNE1978 Clan MacFarlane - Montreal 1979

Pipe Bands - the 1980's

Triumph Street - Santa Rosa 1980 Clan MacFarlane - Cambridge 1981 Guelph Pipe Band - 1981 Macnish Pipe Band - 1981 Niagara & District - 1981 Glasgow City Police - Cowal 1984 Dunvegan - Montreal 1986