The sweet sounds of Amazing Grace brought an end to Good Friday.
The North Otago Highland Pipe Band came together for a second consecutive year to perform a collection of songs at Oamaru’s Lookout Point last night.
More than 500 people turned out for the half-hour performance, which featured 18 songs and finished with Amazing Grace, leaving band pipe major Bevin Joyce stunned.
"Last year was our first year of doing this and there were a few up here, but we’re really overwhelmed with how many people have come along here tonight," Mr Joyce said.
The support from the community had been outstanding, and it was great for the band to perform together, after so many of its events had been cancelled recently.
Band snare drummer Jennifer Gower said the evening was "awesome".
"I think people are hungry for anything cultural, entertainment, anything to lift our spirits," she said.
The performance came about last year after a former Oamaru man, now living in the United States, requested the band to play Amazing Grace at Lookout Point.
The hymn was his mother’s favourite and the performance was a tribute to her, and the town she grew up in during the 1950s and ’60s.
The man, who wanted to remain anonymous, said his family was pleased the band embraced the project and made it an annual event.
