There’s nothing like a solo piping gig to fill your Friday night, and last week the household name Stuart Liddell brought a boundary bending performance. Hosted by Lower Clyde Pipes and Drums, this was a showcase of impeccable musicianship. Stuart has been competing in solo piping for several years, winning the gold medal at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2000 and other acclaimed competitions such as the Glenfiddich Piping Championship in 2009 and 2014. His reputation proceeds him, yet his performance still exceeds all expectations.
The night kicked off with a few standard sets of tunes, played with seamless musicality and crowd-pleasing familiarity. Stuart’s playing is impeccably clean, his fingers move crisply through triplets and grace notes, with mind-blowing precision. But this was no ordinary show, with the standard tunes out the way he began pushing the boundaries of pipe music. Note hashing and tune manipulation made for a humbling display of effortless entertainment.
He started to change things up by moving through fast paced arpeggios and creating impossible displays of mastery of the pipes. His talent is unquestionable, and his performance did not disappoint. Not to mention the interactive ceilidh dance that he both played and participated in.
Stuart is skilled beyond measure yet without ego. This made for the ideal combination and a privilege to be present at such a gig. You can find out more from Stuart and Lower Clyde at the links below.
http://www.stuartliddell.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LowerClydePipesandDrums/