Khellsey-Anna Pemberton kicked it off with a rendition of She Moved Through the Fair accompanied by the pipe band which was a great starter for 10.
Dave Dobbyn’s Welcome Home sung by Brendan Mason was followed by a harmonica melody by Brendon and Liam Fairbairn, which provided something different for the evening.
The crowd showed its delight in the performance of the Juvenile Band, showing the future of piping in the region is looking strong. That was followed by the enchanting Loch Lomond that transported the audience to the bonnie banks and the shady glens and had a few kicking their feet and joining in.
Act two kicked off with Kayla Wilcox singing the Skye Boat Song accompanied by the pipe band. Pemberton then switched things up with a rocking version of 4 Non Blonde’s hit What’s Up, before Mason had the crowd singing Country Roads supported by the pipe band.
The singalong continued when Kayla Wilcox sang On Top of the World with Mason channelling Bruce Springsteen with a rendition of Dancing in the Dark.
The upbeat tunes kept on coming with Don’t Stop Believing, featuring the pipe band and Highland dancers, but the highlight of the night was still to come.
Caledonia by Dougie Maclean set me off, there were goosebumps and a definite lump in the throat. I may be slightly biased as it is one of my favourite songs and my son was one of the pipers accompanying Mason. It always reminds me of the Tennent’s Lager ad of the 1990s — check it out on YouTube.
It was Chris Chilton’s time to shine as he stepped into the spotlight as the night drew to a close. With a grin that said it all; he was in his element as he launched into ZZ Top’s La Grange before the closing number, Long Way to the Top, accompanied by a full complement of swaying pipers and drummers, which was a sight to behold.
The pipe band closed off the show with the spine-tingling Highland Cathedral, which again had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up, especially when the whole band joined in on the chorus. It was a magnificent sight.
They weren’t finished though and for their encore, launched into Scotland the Brave, which had the crowd foot-tapping and clapping along, which they had been doing most of the evening.
It was a fantastic show and one the ILT City of Invercargill Pipe Band should be proud of. The standard of the performances gets better every year, I can’t wait for Pipin’ Hot 2025.
