Amazing & Historic Scenes from Cambridge Highland Games - 1989

Get the vibe of a Highland Games in Ontario, Canada in the late 80s. In this video a taste of professional solo piping (Bruce Gandy, Michael Grey, Bill Livingstone, Jim McGillivray), piping judges, massed bands and the premier grade pipe band contest (78th Fraser Highlanders, Clan MacFarlane). All that and more on a hot, sunny, summer's day of July 1989! Madonna was number one on the charts: "Express Yourself"!

[@geraldm7435]

This is awesome! Thank you for sharing! 🎵🎶

[@chriszvokel457]

Mike playing his awesome jig, "Tom Anderson," at 4:40. The first time I heard that tune was in 1990 at the end of a 78th Fraser Highlanders medley played at the 1990 Diamond Jubilee Pipe Band Championship. That medley was insane, and I remember thinking, "This jig is from the future." The whole medley had that feel, but this jig did in particular, and it was the perfect setup to their finale with "Eileen MacDonald."

[@inigomontoya6968]

What an absolute gem! So much to unpack here and the legends featured! I can't help but to chuckle at the sound of the snares (and how tenor drumming) has evolved from then compared to now.

[@ChrisZ70]

The snare drums sounded better back in the late '80s. They sounded like _snare_ drums rather than the hard plastic garbage cans of today.

[@leoburns9674]

What a wonderful snippet of history. As the legends of our hobby age up… what a great opportunity to look back and see them in their youth/prime. Wonderful!

[@mictrenor5953]

One of my favorite competitions. What a great day!

[@louislamonte334]

This is really inspirational!!

[@kareemfakh]

Beautiful

[@dunaber]

Thank you, Kareem.

[@michaelkazmierskidunn7189]

HOLY MAZZILLO!!!! That, is, just, EPIC!!!!!! Judging from just the audio as a blind piper myself. Oh and I might be a little young for Madonna but her voice is awesome, blame my introduction to her on my older brother by 14 years LOL... probably Madilyn Bailey would be Madonna's modern equivalent haha. (and Mazzillo by the way is the name of my favorite deceased zampogna maker. A 1970s recording of him playing a set can be heard on my own channel LOL).

[@dunaber]

Love your zampogna recordings, Michael!

[@perrypiobaireachd]

Those drones !!! After a day like this you still hear them in bed before sleeping 😄

[@ChrisZ70]

Is the taller piper two behind the pipe-major Scott MacAulay?

[@dunaber]

Are you referring to Clan MacFarlane? No. I believe that is Bill Baird from Michigan. Scott MacAulay had left the band by then and was managing the College of Piping, Summerside, PEI.

[@ChrisZ70]

@@dunaber Yes the Clan -- oh, okay, thank you!

[@ChrisZ70]

Willie Connell asks him, "What are you gonna play?" and Jim McGillivray says, "How 'bout something different. How about 'The Old Wife of the Mill Dust'." Was Jim being facetious, because it's a standard jig often played in these competitions? Or was it actually seldom played?

[@dunaber]

I am pretty sure Jim was being facetious. 🙂 Definitely a tune often heard.

[@michaelkazmierskidunn7189]

That voice sounded more like Bob Worrall.

[@joekirk6372]

Love hot air ballons

[@yahyahussein425]

WHY, of all times did that guy have to stand in front of the camera!! Grrr....Some people and their lack of consideration.

[@dunaber]

😛