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COMMENT(S): Packed in: SFU wows them at the GRCH
Published: August 29, 2009
Author: JanetteMontague | (report inappropriate content) |
| I agree that the singing brings in that extra special something, in any piping concerts I've attended. It's surprising in a way its not used more, but not surprising in another way. In music workshops the most common reason people give for not being keen to get fully involved is 'I'm tone deaf' and the next most common is 'I can't sing'. Inevitably there's a reason for it. Often its that somebody told them to 'just mime' in the school choir, or they were told to sing quietly, or limit their singing to the shower. I've never found their perceptions of their own musicality to be true - ie. never found they were actually tone deaf, nor that they couldn't sing. Singing's a great thing for a pipe band - whether its singing the tunes you're learning, or getting something together for a performance. I think it adds greatly and by all accounts, people absolutely love listening to the band members breaking into song. I hope we hear a lot more of it. |
Published: August 28, 2009
Author: Lugnuts | (report inappropriate content) |
| Brilliant. Anyone remember when the 78th's sang in Motherwell some time ages ago?? SLOT also did it a few years back at the Glasgow concert they did. |
Published: August 28, 2009
Author: JamieGreen | (report inappropriate content) |
| I have to agree JamieDE - even as a drummer, the highlight of the concert for me was the piobaireachd - I thought it was fantastic. |
Published: August 21, 2009
Author: JamieDE | (report inappropriate content) |
| Nice to know that many efforts were made by the band as well. The concert was still amazing, and no one sings a Piob. like SFU. would like to know if they bring in vocal help for that, or if they have more talent than is fair. |
Published: August 21, 2009
Author: duncanmillar | (report inappropriate content) |
| Thanks to everyone who came to the concert and supported us. We worked very hard on the material (over sixty tunes) and really tried to control the sound in the room on the day. We built a wall in front of the drummers, hung a large curtain, carpeted parts of the stage, used lighter sticks than usual - we did everything we could. We have played many large halls and tons of theaters and there is very little that can be done to harness the sound of the band in a big hall. Theaters are much better for pipe bands because the ceiling is lower over the band than the audience and there is often a complete wall around the stage opening. Of course, outside is still the best but we would not be able to record or offer the same variety. I can't help but wish that people would enumerate things they enjoyed rather than the few obvious challenges, but that's how it goes. We worked incredibly hard and were rewarded by our contemporaries reporting that they noticed the subtleties. Best of luck to SLOT next year for their centenary show - I am sure it will be great.
Duncan Millar |
Published: August 21, 2009
Author: BillPeters | (report inappropriate content) |
| About the volume concern at the concert: if it refers to the pipe corps, it is quite a voluminous sound that they create. I managed to attend the concert in Winter Springs, Florida in Jan 2007 and sat 6 rows from the front...the same distance as when I saw the band in Toronto at Massey Hall. That 6 rows from the front was so overpowering that my wife had to move and sit further back, with me joining her shortly after.
Their sound that they've created does what it's intended to do...to give them the results that they wanted to achieve over the last number of years. I don't think any band can be faulted for that, be it indoors or outdoors. |
Published: August 19, 2009
Author: JamieDE | (report inappropriate content) |
| Well said Jamie Green, as for the people complaining about the volume and mass of pipers, it should be Noted that because they were recording this event, that the pipers were being pushed through the monitors and house speakers, creating what I thought to be a very loud band. They could have been brought them down some, but all proper adjustments will be made back at the studio before it's release. Same with Wolf Stone. It was easy to tell when the pipe corps over powered the rock band. Other than those issues which were clearly out of the hands of SFU, it was an excellent concert, and although Neil talks quite a bit, the pipers still played for about 2 1/2 hours. One that was watching, notices that the pipe section stayed at 20 for almost the whole concert, with even Jack Lee taking a huge rest after the opening. Very good job getting all their players involved. hopefully Murray Blair (who was in charge of sound) will adjust to the concert hall for whatever he does next. PEACE! |
Published: August 14, 2009
Author: Bagpipermann | (report inappropriate content) |
| Jamie's explanation of the logistical issues on presenting a pipe band concert with the best sound possible are pretty well right on the button. In terms of maintaining sound, it is not anything like a piano recital. Well done! |
Published: August 14, 2009
Author: Bert | (report inappropriate content) |
| Jamie, you are gent whoever you are. It takes a big man to own up to what was perhaps a knee jerk reaction to the previous comments. All the power to you and might I add that it's contributor's like yourself that "adds" to this website. |
Published: August 14, 2009
Author: JamieGreen | (report inappropriate content) |
| Fair points summerdrummer. I guess I was just more surprised by the comments of both posts because it was widely publised that Wolfestone were going to be billing along with SFU. I think if they'd played less than their total of 8 minutes in each half (not counting of course when they played along with SFU), it wouldn't have been worth their while being there. I get what you're saying though - you don't like celtic rock, so I guess no matter how long they played, it'd be too long for your personal taste - that's a completely fair point to make. The comment about the dancers was a facetious one - I take that back. Re: the anonimous post below - I agree entirely - I don't begrudge anyone their opinion - what I was trying to do (badly perhaps?) was explain why the band weren't on the stage constantly. |
Published: August 14, 2009
Author: summerdrummer | (report inappropriate content) |
| Hi Jamie, each to their own I guess. I know that not all players were on stage at one time, I also know that SFU are not blowing your average tone and volume. All I'm saying for me it could have come down a little, maybe I'm getting older. Incidently on the same discussion today in Glasgow I spoke to several pipers who all felt that the drumming was overpowering, it's all about opinions. I just don't like that whole celtic rock thing, that doesn't make me a bad person, I would never go to see that in concert or pay for it. It was a part of the bigger SFU concert, I just didn't like it, again my opinion, as for the dancers you'll be surprised to know I actually liked them. Nice to see we both agreed on another thread about Top Secret though. And my Dad is epileptic through no fault of his own, so I didn't appreciate the "witty, warm and friendly compere". Again though, when SFU were doing their thing, which is what I paid my money for it was great. |
Published: August 14, 2009
Author: Bert | (report inappropriate content) |
| Jamie, everyone is entitled to their opinion and that's all it is. Like most performances, there are the positives as well as the negatives. After all, one man's meat is another man's poison and we should all respect and try to understand the reality of just that. |
Published: August 14, 2009
Author: JamieGreen | (report inappropriate content) |
| I'm astounded by the comments below. This was an excellently structured, varied concert. There were pauses between the band's sets as they were spending time tuning as finely as possible and needed a well earned break now and again. One or two guys in the band do the tuning - it takes a while to get round a band that size and get it sounding so good. The band had a fantastic sound and I suspect, had a little bit extra time not been taken in tuning, that sound wouldn't have been quite so good. The options are – play constantly and lose your sound through deterioration of the instrument and player exhaustion or have rests between sets and sound fantastic when you're on stage. SFU thankfully chose the latter. The options then become – have pretty much nothing happening when you're off-stage or fill in with a witty, warm and friendly compere and some fantastic musicians – again, thankfully, SFU chose the latter.
As for too many of them on the stage - did you expect them to tell some players they weren't allowed to play in the concert? As it was, for most sets, not all players were on stage. Most of the time there were 7 (out of 10) snares - hardly overpowering for a pipe corps of 20+. Maybe you were just sitting in a seat that the sound of the drums projected more to. The balance was certainly perfect where I was sitting and I wasn't by any means in a prime spot.
As for the complaints about Wolfestone – I'm gobsmacked - I seen the back-stage notes with timings – Wolfestone played themselves for only 8 minutes in each half. How anyone can find that too long to listen to one of the best and most-established celtic fok-rock bands out there is beyond me.
I suppose the dancers probably got in your way as well?! |
Published: August 14, 2009
Author: JanetteMontague | (report inappropriate content) |
| I agree. I was AMAZED to find I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected to. Too much time spent on the compere/ supporting act stuff. I wanted to hear more duets/trios or more ensembles/full band ie. more SFU. Found it really difficult to constantly move between for example, jokes about *** mormons and epileptics -to Field of Gold and canntaireachd. That spoiled it for me. On a plus side, I loved the Mark Saul and Andrew Douglas compositions and arrangements, and of course loved most of what the band played, just not enough of it. Or even, I'd have preferred a much shorter concert that was pure SFU. Still very glad to have been there though, and I think the recording will be great as there won't (I pray) be all the time wasting around the actual music. |
Published: August 13, 2009
Author: summerdrummer | (report inappropriate content) |
| Really enjoyed SFU playing although felt the number of players was perhaps just too many, certainly from my vantage point drums were really dominant. As for non SFU playing, for me way too much wolfstone, I got really bored with same sounding stuff, noticed that several people around us took to the bar when they continued to play. Neil Dickie also talked too much, but I do accept he is a great host, especialy versus some others from the pre worlds concert, but I would have prefer too seen all the time that was filled with his antics filled with more piping and drumming. SFU didn't need to use all those pipers on stage at once and could have filled with some solo / duet / trios or perhaps 2 pipers and a drummer etc. That said, when the band were playing I really enjoyed it, this was what I paid to see. Encore was tremendous. Great music by a great band, just too much non piping / drumming for me. | |
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