Quote Originally Posted by cessna152towser View Post

I am not so keen on this new trend of some pipe bands not wearing kilts. Here is the Mid Argyll Pipe Band. Everybody to their own tastes however.
I'm not too keen on that either!

It's an oddity of the rules of the various Pipe Band Associations that a band dressed like that would be DQ'd at any contest in the USA, because our PBA's require Highland Dress.

However the rules of the RSPBA (Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association) only require that a band appear in matching dress. That is why Breton Bagad pipe bands and Spanish Gaita pipe bands can compete in Scotland in trousers... they would need to get a special exemption to compete in the USA.

On the other hand, pipe bands wearing mismatched kilts are OK at USA contests but such bands would be DQ'd in Scotland... all kilts must match under the RSPBA rules. It's uncommon but not unheard of here in the USA for a new band to compete for the first year or so with all the members just wearing their personal kilts, until funds are raised to buy matching kilts. They couldn't compete in Scotland that way.

I hope that that plain black shirts and trousers thing doesn't become more widespread over there!

And as always THANKS for the wonderful photos, which enable this Yank to vicariously experience so many of your Games over there!

(PS the World Pipe Band Championships held at Glasgow Green attracts around 220 pipe bands each year... over 200 more that perform at the Edinburgh Tattoo! It amazes me how few people realise how much bigger "The Worlds" is than the Tattoo.)