New game---Pit Piping

[patsky]

For years now I have been going to Tionol’s and piping gatherings. I have also been in correspondence with other pipers and the piping community at large. The problem is that I have never met a piper that I didn’t like. Pipers are a great bunch and that is their weakness.

That said, I think what we need is some meanness and excitement to liven thing up.

I propose starting an underground “Pit piping” movement. Like the Pit Bull contests, It takes place in a small arena that seats around 200 into which is placed two pipers. They play until one of them either yields or drops dead. No holds barred, everything goes; jigs, reels, hornpipes, eye gouging and biting is permissible, but no cursing. Southern pipers can chew tobacco and spit in the opponents eye Winner get $5,000 dollars and a new set of Quinn/Koehler pipes.

I suggest the first fight be between Paddy Keenan and Seamus Ennis, I know Seamus is dead but his recordings could give Keenan a good run.

I can see it now, the crowds, the tickets, uniforms, cheer leaders. Hot dogs, beer and Joseph Smith hawking reeds at his reed stand. Wow!


Pat Sky

[Jumper]

I'm in.

Who do I give my stake to? And is that cash or gold (or holly!)?

[Paul Reid]

"The Great Keenan and McSherry Blast-Off" - though I think DMQ may be reluctant to tie a mainstock into a plastic bag for Paddy if he won.

[Joseph E. Smith]

... No holds barred, everything goes...

Small firearms? Swords? Sharp pointy sticks? Cow poo?


Thanks Pat, I've been needing a good belly laugh for quite a long time now.

[AaronMalcomb]

Pipers are a great bunch and that is their weakness.

That said, I think what we need is some meanness and excitement to liven thing up.

Is meanness different from surliness because there's a surplus of surliness around here. Surliness abounds.

Sharp pointy sticks?

Sharp pointy sticks come after we learn to defend ourselves against an assailant armed with a banana.

[Douglas]

A long time ago I used to play highland pipes in a rock band and there was this place doing a four week summer rock band show (Saturdays and Sundays) that the band I played with was invited to perform in. The music hall wanted me to play every night though, to start the show.

I would start playing the pipes from the back and walk through the crowds on my way to the stage. Well the crowd liked to act like it was a mosh pit (where the guys would body slam each other). Well they thought it would be fun to body slam the piper on the first night. It made playing rather tricky and I had to turn a few times to keep people away from my chanter. But it was a fun challenge to be able to keep playing the tunes while this went on.

At the end of the first nights show the management asked if it was okay that the people were playing mosh pit with me. I said it was alright as long as they did not come toward the front of me because I did not want the chanter broken. In the remaining concerts they continued to body slam me and the pipes survived the experience.

Now, brandish that raspberry.

[PJ]

But it was a fun challenge to be able to keep playing the tunes while this went on.

Uilleann pipers don't need a mosh pit to challenge their ability to play the chanter. They have regulators for that.

[jdevereux]

You really have lost it, haven't you?

It was great seeing you and Cathy this weekend.

[reedbiter]

ala Mad Max Thunderdome!


"Two Men Enter - One Man Leaves!!"

[Ed Harrison]

Great idea Pat.

You have always kept good company.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFDKo0Tu ... ed&search=

At the next Tionol, how about something more than just the pipes???



....... Ed

[Joseph E. Smith]

Great idea Pat.

You have always kept good company.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFDKo0Tu ... ed&search=

At the next Tionol, how about something more than just the pipes???



....... Ed

Pat, you still got that Gibson?

[Douglas]

That was great. And that was Pete Seeger with him. Pete used to rent my grandmothers cabin. That was a long time ago. It was a nice little cabin.

It is a small world.

[itisi]

Choose your own opponent.
Anything goes.
Pipes by a maker of your choice.

Make it so and i'm in!!