[Spotlight Post] Tartanic
This week’s spotlight is on a band I never even considered listening to before two weeks ago – Tartanic. I haven’t met them yet, but they suffered a tragic loss this past weekend and our hearts and prayers go out to them.
Tartanic is a bagpipe and drum band. Yes…you read that correctly. Pipe and drums – and apparently, dancing girls. I caught the audible end of one of their shows the first weekend of Scarborough Renaissance Festival and found myself jamming out to “Amazing Graceâ€. Just try to wrap your head around that. The song started out as a traditional bagpipe “Amazing Graceâ€, which instantly put me in funeral mind – then the drums kicked in.
I’m going to shame my Scottish ancestry by admitting… not a big fan of bagpipes on their own. Even with master pipers there’s a still a sense – occasionally – of “what did that cat ever do to youâ€? But add DRUMS — Now I’m hooked. But I’m a percussion girl. I have always been a sucker for bass players and drummers. So, adding drums to the pipes… I’m in.
And I was really lucky, Robyn bought me their live album for a “late birthday†present this past weekend. Now I’ve discovered I need a “loud†Celtic music playlist and a “soft†one. Because as pretty as most Ren Faire music is, there are days when I need the LOUD – and Tartanic is that – but musical and rhythmic and will get your fingers tapping on keyboards.
So I have been listening to Tartanic through this awful week. I hope I have the opportunity to express my condolences for their loss – a band member and his wife were killed in a head-on collision with a drunk driver on Sunday night. Because even though we haven’t met yet – they’re still part of our Faire Family. They’re ours, and we grieve with them.