It’s nearly time to pipe up for this year’s festival

Glasgow’s International Piping Festival is now just a few weeks away, and the preparations are hotting up.

Piping Live! Glasgow is the biggest bagpipe festival of in the world, and the week-long celebrations will see over 150 events take place in various venues across the city from 13–19 August.

Its diverse programme is famed for bringing the best pipers and pipe bands in the world to Glasgow and 2018 is set to be just as outstanding, with acts including Breabach, and Ross Ainslie, Finlay MacDonald topping the bill and many more.

The programme will also see performances by the very best international acts from countries such as New Zealand, Canada, and Oman, as well as numerous events including the fiercely contested Master Solo, International Quartet and Pipe Idol competitions.

Here, we present some of the highlights of the festival.

The Masters Solo Piping Competition

The Masters Solo Piping Competition will kick off 2018 Piping Live! in this fiercely contested competition. The very best competing pipers of this generation will return to the stage at The National Piping Centre as they take part in the Masters Solo Piping Competition. Competitors include Gold Medallists, Glenfiddich Champions and International prize winners. 8.30am Piobaireachd Event, 5pm approx March, Strathspey & Reel Event (on conclusion of Piobaireachd).

Date: Monday 13 August.

Venue: The National Piping Centre.

Tickets: £8.50 adults / £7.50 concessions.

Piping Live! 2018 is launched in Glasgow (Photo: Chris Watt)

Ceol Nam Piobairean

A new event for 2018! Join Piping Live! at Drygate as they celebrate the music of the highlands and the language of Piping, Gaelic – Ceòl nam Pìobairean ‘Music of the Pipers’.

Join The Third Half, a new project from Allan MacDonald, Mike Katz and Iain MacLeod as well as Gaelic song from Kathleen MacInnes and piping from Angus Nicolson and Douglas Black on the harmonic for a celebration of Gaelic Song, music and piping.

Date: Tuesday 14 August.

Venue: Drygate.

Tickets: £12.50 adults/£10 (over 18s only).

A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick

A contemporary story of murder, treachery and revenge based on a tale from the annals of Highland clan history. In a new Big Music Society collaboration, musicians Calum MacCrimmon, John Mulhearn (Breabach, Tryst, Big Music Society) and storyteller David Francis lay out the story of Skelly Pat, Big Donnie, Devil MacKay and Mad Dog Mackenzie, in words and music drawn from the famous and dramatic pibroch, ‘A Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick’.

Date: Tuesday 14 August at 4pm.

Venue: The National Piping Centre, Otago Street.

Tickets: £6.

Gin Tasting with Alston Bar and Beef

Learn the history behind the world’s most illicit and yet most eclectic spirit. Sample a variety of gins and learn how best to pair them with selected garnishes and mixers from the Ginoisseurs from Glasgow’s Alston Bar and Beef. Voted Scotland’s both best Gin Bar and best Spirit Bar in 2018.

Date: Wednesday 15 August.

Venue: The National Piping Centre.

Tickets: £10, over 18s only.

A Flame of Wrath

Standard Habbie

An evening playfully celebrating the life and myth of the most famous toun piper of old, Habbie Simpson.

Date: Wednesday 15 August.

Venue: The National Piping Centre.

Tickets: £15 adults / £12.50 concessions.

After Worlds Shindig

After World’s Shindig – Late Night Special! Featuring two fantastic acts, head down after the events at Glasgow Green for some great new music from Assynt and the launch of Hamish Napier’s new album The Railway. 10pm The National Piping Centre £10 adults / £8 concessions

Date: Saturday 18 August.

Venue: The National Piping Centre.

Tickets: £10 / £8.

Thunderstruck

Thunderstruck is the true story of Gordon Duncan; one of the greatest bagpipers who ever lived. An interactive, one man theatrical extravaganza that explores the history, strict traditions and culture surrounding bagpipe music and how one man rocked the bagpiping world to its’ core, and changed the life of one young piper, forever. It is an original and exciting journey through a world lesser known by the average audience member, featuring a host of characters and a live multi-instrumentalist three piece band. Take whatever romantic notion you have about bagpipes and leave them at the door.

Date: Sunday 19 August.

Venue: The National Piping Centre.

Tickets: £15 / £12.50.