Celtic Battle of the Bands Finally in Ionia, Michigan, USA

**Tattoo Bradley** · 24th July 06, 06:39 PM

thanks for sharing the pictures

Yes, the fellow in frame six confused me as well :confused:

**djweso** · 24th July 06, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Blu (Ontario)

The fellow in frame #6 looks as though he's wearing a pair of trousers under the very long kilt. :confused:

Originally Posted by Tattoobradley

Yes, the fellow in frame six confused me as well :confused:

Those are some sort of leg wrap, that sinches at the top and bottom. I believe it is to fake tartan hose. They are part of the pattern that you can buy at your local fabric store, its usually findable in the "costume" section. The story he told me went something like: He went to a Ren Faire, mention how much he liked the kilt and his daughter made him one. Nice guy.

Originally Posted by Blu (Ontario)

Does the event draw a good crowd?

The Ionia Free Fair is suppoed to be really big, it wasn't that busy when we were there. As for the Battle of the Celtic Bands, I here there were pretty good crowds at the first rounds, but I didn't get to go. By the evening when the winner was playing a second set at 8PM, I would estimate between 100-200 people, but that is a really rough estimate.

**Big Paul** · 24th July 06, 07:24 PM

Looks like a cool time! I hope to make it next year!!

**djweso** · 24th July 06, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by Big Paul

Looks like a cool time! I hope to make it next year!!

Yeah, sorry about that. I kept meaning to post about this, in case the other Michigan guys were interested, but just never got around to it.

**Planopiper** · 25th July 06, 06:48 AM

Was it the Celtic Battle of the Bands or the Battle of the Celtic bands? In a battle of Celtic bands, different celtic bands would compete against each other, but in a Celtic battle of bands, any kind of band could compete, but it would be to the death and they would take heads as trophies. I'd like to see that.

I used to drive by Ionia all the time going between Grand Rapids and Lansing. I was kind of hoping I might recognize someone in the photos but no luck. You cut the head off the piper in one of the pics. It looks like it wa a good day for music.

**djweso** · 25th July 06, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by Planopiper

Was it the Celtic Battle of the Bands or the Battle of the Celtic bands? In a battle of Celtic bands, different celtic bands would compete against each other, but in a Celtic battle of bands, any kind of band could compete, but it would be to the death and they would take heads as trophies. I'd like to see that.

Well it was billed as the second but in reality it was the first. But that's ok, cause I didn't want to get blood on my kilt that day anyway.

I used to drive by Ionia all the time going between Grand Rapids and Lansing. I was kind of hoping I might recognize someone in the photos but no luck. You cut the head off the piper in one of the pics. It looks like it wa a good day for music.

Actually his head isn't cut off in that pic, its just how Flickr makes it look. Here is the pic:

There is a picture of the pipe band that was there, here.

Oh and one of my daughter dancing and I dancing .

I didn't take the second two, so I can't post them directly.

**djweso** · 27th July 06, 12:40 PM

I recently found out that the gentleman in the Gordon (I think) kilt and IBDT (Irish Beer Drinking Team) Tshirt, purchased his kilt from The Giving Tree Ebay store. Incase anyone wanted to know. The buckles are a little different than I've seen before, 1 big one on either side, instead of 2 and 1. Food for thought. I liked the look alright, I don't know how well it works in practise.