Burns Night

[otronics 0]

Got one coming up....any advice, music required for when the roast comes out etc...

 

Thanks.

[am.entertainment 0]

not to shure on this but i did a gig for burns night a few years ago and i diddn't play anything while the haggis comes out as they make a speech about it. They do something else aswell. all i can say it was one hell of a good party.

 

i would ask them about running order. there was a piper playing aswell

[kenny wisdom 0]

Definitely check with the organisers just when they want you to play - I imagine it will be some very light background music as guests arrive, but there will be a good hour or two when your services are not required - possibly just some background music when they are eating. A Burns night supper follows a formal format, but don't be discouraged by that, there is enough "leeway" in the proceedings to make for a hilarious night!

 

There will be an opening address, followed by the Selkirk grace - hopefully you'll have a native speaker for the grace and following poems, else they'll sound a right load of garbage! As it is, it will be incomprehensible! Then guests will be asked to be upstanding for the Haggis, which will be piped in by a piper, and the poem to a Haggis will be recited, with gusto and vim, culminating in him cutting the haggis open with a knife - all very dramatic! They will then eat. My mum (Scottish) swears that I'd like haggis. If you get a chance to try it, do, just don't read on the web what's in it. A bit like black pudding - nice to eat, just don't think about it!

 

Then there should be a guest speaker who yarns on, usually humorously, about what a great wee chappie that Robbie Burns is, and then a Toast to the Lassies, which should also be funny. Then the lassies are invited to respond with their own reply to the toast. As you can see, it's all designed to get a few drams down your throat! I figure if they're not going to sing and recite poems at this point, this might be where you play!

 

I think lighthearted and Scottish is the order of the day but you should have Auld Lang Syne on hand as the evening should end with a rendition of that.

 

If you haven't been to a Burns night before, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much fun the night is!

Edited January 12, 2009 by kenny wisdom

[otronics 0]

Thanks for the help.