![]() ![]() ![]() If I had a nickel for every time someone asked if I had to wear a kilt to play-and combined that with the money from the STB requests-I would be rich!!Ī kilt doesnt make a piper. They lend a feeling of reverence and honour to the occasion. Bagpipers have also become a tradition at military and state funerals. They wear either Scottish plaid kilts or Irish single-colour kilts and a tunic. Today many of the bands number more than 60 players. I think we are the only musicians in the world who everyone pictures to be dressed a certain way. Large cities developed pipe bands representing the fire and police departments. But, I think it would be insincere (and I am in NO WAY stating this to ANYONE-just throwing it out there!!) if you didnt disclose that prior to being hired. If you disclose this before being hired, and they have no issue with it, then thats fine. its not somebody strangling one of our friends: Its just a bagpipe player. That picture, like it or not, is usually kilted. What I like about Jock is that he can play the bagpipes, but doesnt. But, and, I am sure that anyone who has ever been hired can attest: those that hire pipers have a certain picture in mind. That being said, I am all for pipers dressing however they feel comfortable. And, as piping and the military are closely tied together, and, at least then, the military was fairly male centric, it only stands to reason that the kilt as a traditional uniform was male. Granted, my research on that topic is EXTREMELY limited, but, old regimental pictures that I have seen, are all men. I dont recall seeing women in the trad kilt getup until they began piping. We have seen that demonstrated over and over and over again. Wearing the kilt is, indeed, a male thing. The kilt outfit will be reserved for Remembrance Day, gigs with the band (obviously) and outdoor events where the weather requires something more robust than a dress.Īre there any other ladies who have ditched the kilt in favour of dressing like a woman? Barr moved to D.C., in 1973, to work for the C.I.A. Since I'm not a huge sash fan either (I find the look a bit too grey-haired-lady-Scottish-Country-Dance-Society for my tastes), in order to still respect Scottish tradition and also dress somewhat formally, I intend to get a tartan dress in a comfortable fabric, perhaps like one of the ones below. I’ve seen pictures of him, ten years old, wearing a Balmoral bonnet, a kilt, a doublet, big bagpipes on his shoulder. I've decided that from here on in if someone hires me as a piper I will happily provide music, but I'm not going to dress up as though I'm a man who belongs to a Scottish regiment. It was also sooooo comfortable to play my pipes without having to deal with all the extra fabric and dead animal bits one normally wears. I still had great conversations about piping and Scotland and Canada. Even though I was wearing black I was still wayyyyy cooler than I would have been if I'd been wearing a kilt/hose/collared shirt/tie/bonnet. I made a last minute decision to switch up for a tasteful black dress with a tartan sash and a pair of comfortable red heels. I hate wearing a kilt outfit with a capital HATE even on the best of days, and on Saturday I decided I just wouldn't be able to hack it. There will be a Q&A with The Unipiper himself beginning at 6:00pm.I played at a wedding on Saturday, and since I live on the continent and it's August it meant it was about a gazillion degrees in the sun. The UnipIPA Beer release will take place on Tuesday, May 5th, 2015 5:00 to 8:00pm at the Green Dragon. The UnipIPA is brewed using bagpipe-roasted Habanero Peppers, this fiery IPA is the brain child of the Darth Vader mask toting, kilt wearing, unicycling, flame throwing, bagpipe playing Unipiper we all know and love. The result is a very special, one-off beer aptly named The UnipIPA. Now this true Portland icon, Brian Kidd, but better known as The Unipiper has teamed up with Danny Connors of Buckman Botanical Brewery located inside Rogue’s Green Dragon to brew a beer that incorporates The Unipiper’s flame throwing bagpipes. Yes, The Unipiper makes unannounced appearances at various events in town arriving on his unicycle and playing his flame throwing bagpipes all while wearing a Dark Vader mask. ![]() Portland sure has its icons and one of the more notable ones, The Unipiper, will be releasing his first beer. ![]()
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