I watched the tattoo on TV last Saturday, and enjoyed almost every minute of it. As an ex-pat Scot, the massed pipes and drums brought the usual lump to the throat, but I thought the only unnecessary items were the Estonian "gymnasts", the Indian dancers and the emphasis on the arty side of military music. It is a Military Tattoo and, IMHO, should remain such. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the Indians, they were fascinating, just out of place.
L1A2 - geta bloody life, mate, it's a once-a-year splendid show!!
The one slight disappointment to me wrt the QCS was the overall presentation; I felt that a liitle less of the counter-marching and a little more of the arms drill would have been preferable, but then I'm perhaps stuck in a time-warp! Their precision is marvellous, and it is far too easy to be critical from the comfort of a lounge chair, their performance as the Colour Guard was a sight to behold. All I have to do now is get my brother in Aberdeen to send me the DVD, so I can reminisce on how the "sheepskin piano" OUGHT to be played.
Kind regards from a happy
TheNightOwl.
