Michael Alexander meets performers from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2022 including a Fife piper, US-based Scots ‘divas’ and two American hip hop stars turned soldiers.
Piper and singer Cammy Barnes
He is a singer-songwriter from Fife who toured the world with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, made his theatre debut in Black Watch for the National Theatre of Scotland in 2010 and reached number one in the World Music iTunes charts with his debut solo single Chasing Love in 2019.
But rising star Cammy Barnes, who also runs a barbershop in Methil, admits that performing at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo this summer has “ticked every box” – and has even made him “greet”!
The former Kirkland High School pupil has been taking to the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade as part of Electro Pipes.
The specially created tattoo super group blends the traditional instrument of the bagpipe with modern, electronic music, mixed with state-of-the-art projection and lighting.
Cammy, who learned to play bagpipes “from the moment he could walk”, describes the ‘Shake that bagpipe’ performance as a “proper showstopper”.
But while Cammy has been enjoying the “amazing buzz”, he laughs that he’s “trumped” his dad Robert who performed as the solo piper at the tattoo years ago while serving with the Queen’s Own Highlanders.
That’s because Cammy also has the privilege of singing the Skipinnish song Walking on the Waves.
The moving finale sees him sing solo before he’s joined by a New Zealander, a Mexican and then a full crescendo of international performers.
“The first time I went to the tattoo with my dad I was about eight or nine and he’d point up at the castle ramparts and tell me that, before I was born, he was the lone piper,” smiles Cammy.
“From then on it was my dream to play the pipes at the tattoo.
“He said if I didn’t join the army I’d never be allowed to do it.
“But I think I’ve trumped him now! He never got to sing! I wind him up!”
Black Watch theatre show
Cammy, who trained at the Aberdeen City Music School and the National Centre of Excellence, Plockton, considered joining the army.
But as his application progressed, he secured a job with the second cast of the National Theatre of Scotland’s Black Watch theatre show.
Instead of becoming a soldier, he pretended to be one – playing the role of 18 year-old squaddie Macca.
Black Watch play 10th anniversary – ‘I got pretty emotional’, says former Fife soldier
Cammy, whose grandfather served in the Black Watch, toured the world with the acclaimed show.
However, being at the tattoo, there have been some “weird” synergies, he reveals.
“It’s mad,” says Cammy, “because some of the boys I’ve met here, one of them’s brother, that’s what the Black Watch show was about, and then his grandad taught my dad pipes.
“There’s also a lot of pipers at the tattoo who my dad taught through the Fife circuit. My dad’s the pipe major in Methil Pipe Band. It’s weird how it works man!”
‘One big family’
Behind the scenes at the tattoo, Cammy says it’s like one big family and the emotional energy of the show is tangible.
But he’s not ashamed to admit that literally every night, he “greets” at the same bit.
“I cannae explain the buzz, standing in the middle of that,” he says, adding that during the Covid-19 restrictions, he started his ‘Barney’s Barber Shop’ business in Methil.
The ‘Voices’ theme of this year’s tattoo is the first from new creative director Michael Braithwaite who along with new partners in production design, lighting, audio, costume and projection has combined “time honoured traditions and magic with innovation and contemporary flourish”.
“ Am honestly burstin oot this suit ” Great meeting you @NicolaSturgeon ✌🏻🏴 pic.twitter.com/MYKsHcHQUf
— 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬 (@iamcammybarnes) August 16, 2022
Cammy, who’s off to Nashville after the tattoo to do a show with a country singer, says “pushing the boundaries of tradition is 100% the way to go”.
At the same time, however, crowd favourites like the lone piper and the Massed Pipes and Drums are the “heartbeat of the tattoo” and should not be tampered with.
The Highland Divas
The Highland Divas are another act who’ve broken new ground on their debut this year.
The group, who are the first purely vocal act to appear, comprise Marla Kavanaugh, originally from Dunedin, New Zealand, and now living in LA; Margaret Kelly, originally from Falkirk, now residing in New York; and Georgia Johnson from Edinburgh, who is now based in Massachusetts.
Former in 2012, they’ve headlined New York City Tartan Week and have performed at iconic venues including Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Centre.
But in an interview with The Courier, the women, who are all working mothers and “proud Scots”, reveal that the tattoo has been an “absolute dream come true”.
“It’s been mind-blowing – so much more than we could have imagined,” explains Marla, who is married to former NYPD police officer and 9/11 survivor Daniel Rodriguez.
“We have been imagining this for five years and then pretty intensely for a whole year.
“Just being on the esplanade with so many people from different countries after two plus years, and connecting with everybody who’s performing from all around the world – it’s unbelievable!”
Formation of group
Marla, who is a critically acclaimed former opera singer, explains how the seeds were sown in 2011.
Her husband – who’s been known as ‘The Singing Policeman’ since performing after the September 11th terrorist attacks – was paired with Margaret to sing at an event marking the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Hitting it off immediately, Marla, who’s late dad was Scottish, and Margaret, who moved to America to pursue a career in musical theatre/Broadway, decided to form The Highland Divas.
Their aim was “to do something that was an expression of who we are” and to represent the “authentic voice of Scotland”.
They initially had “different very nice people” taking the group’s third spot.
Then, a few years later, they found Broadway star Georgia, who’d moved from Scotland to theatre school in New York City in 2005.
Georgia, now a mother-of-three who also works as a primary school teacher, says the three of them are “like sisters”.
However, they laugh that they’ve changed the definition of “divas”!
“We do notice a lot – people are expecting divas when they see our name!” laughs Marla.
“But we’re more about women’s feminine power and energy coming together.
“We’re real women. We’re not young girls singing. We’re women who chose each other to sing together, but we are all mums first.”
Emotions running high
Four years ago, during a visit to Edinburgh, The Highland Divas pledged to one day sing at the tattoo. “We totally visualised it!” laughs Margaret.
It was after discovering that fellow Kiwi Michael Braithwaite was the new creative director, however, that Marla started “badgering” him. It started a conversation leading to where they are now.
Their delight at being in Edinburgh is evident.
But emotions are also running high during our interview as Margaret reflects on the recent loss of both her parents when she was pregnant; Georgia remembers coming to the tattoo as a girl with her late grandparents and Marla, whose opera singing mum always encouraged her to follow her dreams, remembers watching the tattoo on TV with her late dad.
“Coming back here to do this is hard,” laughs Margaret, blinking back tears. “But it’s the best thing ever and they’d be really proud of us.”
Georgia adds: “It is literally our dreams come true to be here. The whole cast is a family and we don’t want to leave. But now we want to keep the dreams going!”
US Army Field Band hip hop
Hip hop isn’t something that Edinburgh tattoo audiences have experienced before.
But that’s made it all the sweeter for staff sergeants Lamar Riddick and Nicholas Feemster who’ve made their US Army Field Band debuts, bringing rap to the United States Department of Defence and the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade for the first time ever.
Feemster and Riddick, who are the first rappers ever hired by the US Department of Defence into a military music organisation, say it has been “awesome” to see the “shocked and amazed” reaction from the crowd.
However, in an interview with The Courier, the fully trained soldiers believe it’s great for people to be introduced to “new ways of storytelling they may not have known before” and to help promote “unity” through their music.
NiccoFeem
NiccoFeem (Nicholas Feemster) began his musical career at the age of 13 after his father suggested he buy a pen to write down his lyrics.
When he was 16, he performed for the first time in a high school talent show and took home the first place prize, further convincing him he had found his purpose.
Although he has been writing stories through music for over a decade, musical talent runs deep in his family.
NiccoFeem’s grandfather (Herb Fame) is one half of the critically acclaimed R&B duo, Peaches & Herb who created hits like “Shake Your Groove Thing” and the triple platinum song “Reunited.”
For NiccoFeem, however, it’s storytelling through artistic expression and expressing vulnerability through his music that empowers him.
He spearheaded a global social media campaign called #letjustbehonest2020 in partnership with the Black Mental Wellness Corporation further illustrating the impact music can have on mental health.
“I would say hip hop is the ultimate form of self-expression,” says the 30-year-old former bartender and advertising worker who’s been in the army for seven months.
“You can paint any picture you want with it, which is why it’s amazing we got this opportunity with the field band because not only are we allowed to tell our story, but we can help tell the stories of other people.
“We can do it in a way that’s emotionally engaging, compelling and really makes people pay attention – especially in a world where we need more voices like that.”
Lamar Riddick
Fellow soldier Lamar Riddick, 29, is a Christian hip hop artist who prides himself on his articulate and clear sound, passion for music, and his desire to empower.
Born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, music has been part of his life since he “banged pots” in his mum’s kitchen as a small child.
An established artist, he decided to audition for one of the lead R&B/hip-hop/rap vocalist posts advertised by the US Army Field Band in 2021.
By the time he came face to face with NiccoFeem on the final shortlist, they had connected as friends and knew that regardless of the outcome of the audition, they were going to work with each other.
“Rap can sometimes be seen in a negative light,” says Lamar, whose trip to Scotland is his first outside the USA.
“But music is like a race car – the average person will say that sport is dangerous but I would beg to say it depends on who is driving the vehicle.
“I think we are in the perfect position to drive the vehicle in a way that will invite more passengers.
“I want to put that out there – to let the world know that we are here to drive the vehicle of hip hop in a new direction.”
Unity through music
In a world often divided by racial tensions, socio-economic division and conflict, Lamar says being at the tattoo is about promoting “unity” through their music.
He adds: “We are here with our allies to partner with the show to break that mould and show that different countries, different cultures can come together on one stage and hold hands and create a musical show that no one has ever seen before. We are glad to be a part of that!”
And what does the director think?
As the tattoo draws to a close tonight, New Zealander Michael Braithwaite – the first non-military creative director of the tattoo since its founding in 1950 – says it’s “exceeded all expectations”.
“People have been absolutely raving about it which is thrilling after such a long Covid-19 gap,” he says.
“The notion of connection, different artists from around the world sharing their voices through their dance, their music, piping, singing.
“It’s created a beautiful tapestry of connection with our audience and also the interplay between the artists.
“They are all back stage making friends with each other.
“The atmosphere is a really big international family.
“I know that can be a bit of a hackneyed line but it’s really been the reality”.
Tickets for 2023
Planning is already under way for the 2023 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo which has the theme Stories and will be led by the RAF. Tickets are on sale now.
Conversation