Edinburgh Tattoo 1974

Pompey Rich · Edinburgh Tattoo 1974

I heard some lovely dits about this one from a former Corporal (Oboe & Bass Drum on parade) whom I worked with at HMP Parkhurst. It was something about messages not getting recieved for the wet weather routine and the massed??? bands running onto the parade from all directions for the finale. I'll let those who were there enlighten us as I don't really have the right to do so. Rab. Were you there?

RAB

I think you're a year out there Rich.. Massed Bands did 1975....

8 months after I left...

Shame I missed it...

Pompey Rich

I will delve deeper, Rab. Good dit though and I will speak to my former colleague and ask his permission to put this dit on here. Unless I can get him to do it.

townsergeant

I believe the chap you are referring to has the initials 'SJ' and it was 1975.
Keith Sharp was on the box that night and the wet weather meant that the RM Motorbike display was cancelled at the last minute.

What followed was absolute chaos and much merriment! No bass drummer on our side so the countermarch on the spot was done wth lots of laughter!

Rab will know what happens when you got a soaking....

...Splice the Mainbrace!

Pompey Rich

Spot on Town Sergeant. One of the twins.

RAB

mrbassbone

Who cares IF you get soaked on the outside as long as you get "wet down" on the inside.

RAB

mrbassbone

RAB

sticky blue

scrumpy75 · Tattoo 75

Remember it well i was talking with Barry Hill (bass drum)Dave Smith and Joe Davis when we heard two three beat rolls,never seen so many bandies run so fast in there life up the wet cobbled street to the entrance.

So many blokes missing there were gaps everywhere,case of pick your own rank and space,Keith Sharps last night on conducting the band,what an ending to go out on.
Good value.

charles laws

I believe I was still playing cards that night, with a few other FOSNI, Rab might remember.

Pompey Rich

Well this dit seems interesting. Would someone who was there like to share the whole story as I think it would raise even more smiles.

Mr Bass Trombone

I seem to remember that this subject has been raised before, about wet day's at Endinburgh TaT. I can recall a couple of dits from the 60s during the said gig. One particular wet and rainy Saturday late night show, bottles falling from the stands on to scaffold below, locals Mozart and Lissed and it was time for the massed bands to perform, much to wet for anything else as per usual, so on we went and on completion of one I should imagine very soggy lone piper, the then organiser suggested that the mased bands should give those that stayed a healthy round of appluase you can imagine the response and how well it was received by those stood on a down hill slope wearing the old fashioned capes.The only good thing in those day's was if you got wet during a show, on return to Colinton Barracks all of those in the Naval contingent who were entitled to it got a TOT of Rum(Mmmmmm) much cursing from the other arms of the forces that were there, take the P%$& would we????
Another amusing dit is from 1962 rain again and not wearing the old fashioned capes, FVD on the rostrum Wally Walters(Oboe) and a lad who some you may know by the name of Laurie Race where in charge of bringing the rostrum to the centre of the arena, which they duly did wearing yes those infernal capes, FVD "Take those capes off" much head shaking and the the word no was heard, dear old Charlie Bowden was called in and yes the capes came off, many chuckles from the band were heard niether Wally or Laurie were wearing a cross strap and pouch nor a white belt, what happened to them for this said error I cannot recall but it was mildly amusing.

Edinburgh Tattoo 1974

Tattoo 75