Attending Military Tattoos : Share your Stories

[Tartan Shortbread Jock]

Every year in Scotland, we hold the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
How many different Tattoos are held in America, I would like to hear all your
stories and how would you compare it to the one held in Edinburgh.
Thanks Tartan Shortbread.

[KiltedBrewer]

I was thinking your question was asking something quite different from the subject. Yikes!

David

[Monkey@Arms]

I'm not sure there any other Tattoos comparable to Edinburgh. I had never heard of a military tattoo (in that sense of the word) until I lived in Scotland. Never came across one in the U.S. although a recent thread had photos of one from the US Military Academy at West Point. But the pics don't suggest anything on the scale of what one experiences at the Edinburgh Tattoo:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/w...ght=west+point

Best regards,

Jake

[Panache]

TSJ,

I have changed your title to more accurately reflect the discussion you wished to start.
Cheers

Jamie :ootd:

[The Wizard of BC]

I'm not telling where my Tattoo is.

[JolyStNicholas]

Come on now Steve, you now have us all curious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tartan Shortbread Jock]

I'm not sure there any other Tattoos comparable to Edinburgh. I had never heard of a military tattoo (in that sense of the word) until I lived in Scotland. Never came across one in the U.S. although a recent thread had photos of one from the US Military Academy at West Point. But the pics don't suggest anything on the scale of what one experiences at the Edinburgh Tattoo:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/w...ght=west+point

Best regards,

Jake

Thanks for that Jake, I look up that link.

[Fougasse]

I'll be attending the Virginia International Tattoo in Norfolk this weekend ,for the first time; I'll post my thoughts afterwards.

One of the best events that I have attended, not quite a full-blown tattoo, was a combined concert given by the Royal Marine Band and Drums, A & SH Pipes and the Sixth Fleet Band, USN. This took place at dusk, in the Roman amphitheatre in Pozzuoli, Naples. The finale was an arrangement of the theme from Last of the Mohicans (written by Dougie McLean) and was quite stunning.

The pipes of the A & SH were actually a bit reduced in numbers as one or two of them had been sent home after a night on the town after the Rome concert! Suas am pìobaire!

[Wompet]

I've yet to attend a military tattoo. I went to the Hamilton International Tattoo three years ago in Hamilton, Ontario, but I left at the intermission. The Tattoo is held in Copps Coliseum, which may be perfectly adequate for other live performances, but the acoustics were ear-splittingly terrible for live bands, especially pipes.
I wish I had remembered the date for West Point's. Oh well - hopefully next year.

[EagleJCS]

Every year round October in Scotland, we hold the Edinburgh Military Tattoo
How many different Tattoos are held in America, I would like to hear all your
stories and how would you compare it to the one held in Edinburgh.
Thanks Tartan Shortbread.

TSJ - check your calendar. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is held in August (7th to the 29th in 2009).

There haven't been many Military Tattoos in the US, even though there are numerous pipe band competitions and Highland Games (Scottish cultural events featuring the heavy athletic events). I've been told the US Highland Games are roughly equivalent to the Borders Gatherings, Common Ridings, etc., as far as clan gatherings and socialization.

I've only heard of a couple of Tattoos being held recently, but I've not been involved in the pipe band scene for long (only 8 years or so). Besides the USMA (West Point) Tattoo Jake mentioned, the only one I'd heard of was one done a few years back at the Stone Mountain Highland Games (Stone Mountain, GA, just outside Atlanta).

The Military Tattoo just isn't as much a tradition in the US military as it was/is with the British.