March 19, 2017
Visitors to the Maidenwell Hotel got a surprise treat on Saturday afternoon – a visit from the Murrumba Pipes and Drums band, who dropped in to play a four-hour gig.
New licensee Deb Wallis had invited the band to perform at the historic pub, and they leapt at the opportunity.
From lunchtime until late afternoon, the band’s pipers and drummers treated the audience to an energetic mix of traditional Highland favourites blended with more contemporary tunes like “Rock Around The Clock” and the theme from Star Trek, all played on bagpipes and drums.
They performed on the rear deck, the front balcony and in a semi-circle around the fireplace, occasionally marching through the hotel to stretch their legs and change locations.
The skirl of the pipes drifted across the road to the Maidenwell Trading Post and out over the adjoining sports grounds, and by the end of the day it’s doubtful there were many Maidenwell residents unaware there were Scots in town.
Saturday’s concert was the first time the band has ever performed at the hotel, but it’s not the first time some members have visited the venue.
Celtic music often features on the menu of the twice-yearly Maidenwell Folk Gathering held at the pub every March and October.
The band isn’t a stranger to the South Burnett, either.
The group are regular performers at the Scots In The Bush festival at Boondooma Homestead each August, and have performed at every one except for 2014 when they were away competing in Scotland, watching the quirky event grow from 40 vans at its debut to 800 vans last year.
Band Chief Gervie (Gervase) Fullerton told southburnett.com.au the group draws its members from all over Queensland, including the Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast and Kingaroy, and as far afield as Mackay, Biloela, Hervey Bay and Dalby.
The band was formed by the Ellis family in 1996 for social entertainment and competition purposes, and after a decade-long long break from the competition scene it re-entered the fray three years ago thanks to piping teacher Mark McKenzie, and hasn’t looked back since.
Murrumba Pipes and Drums is currently in Grade 4 of the Australian competition and placed third at the most recent Queensland State Titles.
Next week the band will be travelling to Brisbane Boys College in Toowong to compete in the Highland Gathering, the annual BBC pipe band competition.
And next year band members plan to compete at the World Championships in Scotland.
“That’s why we welcome the opportunity to perform at places like the Maidenwell Hotel and Scots In The Bush,” Gervie said.
“It gives us valuable practice with live audiences, and you really can’t beat that.”
