THEY are more used to playing at school concerts and village fetes.
But a pipes dream is set to come true for the little-known West Linton and District Pipe Band – after they were chosen to open the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in front of 9000 spectators tomorrow.
The band – which is made up mostly of schoolchildren
– will perform for spectators arriving at the event then officially open the show.
They have landed the dream gig thanks to their honorary president Brigadier Charles Ritchie who is preparing to retire from the Tattoo organising committee.
Brigadier Ritchie, from Dolphinton near West Linton, stepped down last month after ten years on the board of directors.
He said: "After ten years, they asked if I had any particular wish and I said 'yes, for my wee band from West Linton to play at the Military Tattoo'. Needless to say they're excited out of their minds."
Brigadier Ritchie is also secretary of Edinburgh's New Club and will continue in that role.
The 30-strong West Linton band – which includes four primary school children, more than a dozen high school pupils and just a handful of adult members – will head to Edinburgh with around 200 supporters.
Band president and drummer James Dripps, 61, of West Linton, said: "We are not doing this because we are the greatest band in the world, but we've been given this great opportunity and want to take it.
"It is a fantastic opportunity. We usually play gala days in the Borders and competitions.
"We practise two times a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but this has already been stepped up to three times a week and longer sessions. We've been out on the village green – the midges are having a great time."
For many of the band's members this will be their first public outing.
Mr Dripps added: "The young players have been motivated to practise very hard for this.
"In terms of nerves, it will probably not kick in until we're on the bus on our way to Edinburgh."
The band will open the event with a ten-minute performance on its first night and form a guard of honour for Brigadier Ritchie before more than 1000 performers from around the globe perform for the sell-out crowd.
All the traditional ingredients will be present, including massed pipes and drums, massed bands, the lone piper and a host of impressive overseas offerings. Around 220,000 people will watch the Tattoo live at the Castle esplanade between August 1 and 23, with a further 100 million people worldwide tuning in to see the spectacle on television.
