Big Audience For Scottish Concert

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1939, Page 10

Big Audience For Scottish Concert

A real Caledonian atmosphere pervaded the town hall yesterday evening when a St. Andrew’s Night concert was presented by the Whangarei and County Pipe Band. The Pipe Band, since its inception, has done much to fan the flame of national sentiment among the children of the heather and their descendants in Northland, and last night’s concert must be added to their list of commendable achievements. The concert was organised as a benefit to the St. John Ambulance Brigade. The Pipe Band thus killed two birds with one stone. It provided an excellent Scottish concert and added considerably to the funds of the brigade, the town hall being filled with an audience as enthusiastic as it was large.

New Artists

In addition to old-time favourites, several new artists of high calibre made their appearance, and the fare provided was of a most enjoyable character.

The Pipe Band made a good impression by the numbers with which it opened and closed the concert, the band making a very picturesque picture, apart altogether from the excellence of the music it played. Highland dancing was a feature of the programme, little girls giving particularly popular items. Flora and Ila McQueen danced the Highland fling, Jean McKenzie and Omai Adams the double swords; Joan Cochrane, the Seantriubbhas; Joan Cochrane, Yvonne Lilley, W. Brown and M. Young danced a Highland reel, and Valarie Fleming performed an Irish jig. All these items were loudly encored.

The Singers

The singers were Mesdames D. C. Dallas, A. V. Slinn and Messrs Arthur Allen and John Mcllroy, all of whom delighted the audience, who demanded encore numbers. “The McNabs” scored a popular success with two sketches, “Ha, Ha, the Wooing O’t,” and “Noo for the Pent Brush.” Mr “Scotty” Taylor took the place of Mr George Tupp, who was unable to be present, and he was warmly recalled for his items at the piano. During the evening Mr Don McKay, of Kamo, presented the band with a banner, which was acknowledged by the president (Mr McCluskey). The Mayor (Mr W. Jones) congratulated the band on the success of the concert, and paid tribute to it for the public spirit it had evinced since its inception. On behalf of the St. John Ambulance, he thanked the piper.s for the help they had given by organising the concert.