A SCOTTISH school pipe band were amazed to receive a call from Sir Paul McCartney giving them just four days’ notice to join him on stage.
The Beatles legend needed a pipe band to back him for a performance of Mull of Kintyre at a huge gig in Liverpool on Tuesday.
Despite the short notice, the Loretto School Pipe Band were naturally only too happy to oblige.
Sir Paul has worked with the band, from Musselburgh,East Lothian, in the past it seems the presence of the superstar help them on to a fantastic performance in front of 7,500 adoring fans.
Pipe Major Colin Pryde was in the middle of a normal class when he got the call from the former Beatle’s office.
Mr Pryde kept his cool and told Sir Paul’s manager : “It’s a bit short notice, but we’ll do it.
“Paul McCartney makes decisions about his set at the very last minute.
“He wanted to do Mull of Kintyre inLiverpoolso needed to get hold of a band at short notice.”
Atmosphere
He added: “Paul asked his musical director to find a band and told him to go to one of the bands who had played with him before, and we were the first port of call.
“They really loved what we did at Hampden. It was great to be asked to play again.
“It went brilliantly, the kids were fantastic. They were a bit nervous before they went out, but once they got on stage they just went with the flow.
“For the four days after I got the call, Mull of Kintyre has been coming out of the practise hall.
“I’m sure our neighbours will be sick of the sound of it.”
Sir Paul was accompanied by 11 pipers and seven drummers from the school, the youngest aged just 12.
Pipe major Luke Bissell, 16, managed to share a word with Sir Paul at Tuesday’s concert.
He said: “The atmosphere was really good because he was back home and everyone was really into it.
“Before he played, I spoke to him. He asked us where we were from and asked us to play a tune for him on the pipes.
“I wasn’t too nervous about performing on stage with him. I just tried to enjoy it as much as I could without being nervous.
“It’s a good story to tell people.”
ThoughLiverpoolwas not the first big gig for Loretto School Pipe Band.
Last June they played in front of 50,000 people at a concert in Hampden park.
Piper Lorne Robb, 12, said: “I was really excited. I knew a little bit about him before but not that much. I think he’s amazing especially to still be playing now.
“My dad is a pretty big fan of his. He went to a party and that was the main talk!”
