Music: Enter The Haggis At The Holland Center

Enter the Haggis.

Just five days after our last concert, the Wife and I went to another.  On Friday we went to the Holland Center, made our way through the symphony crowd who were heading to the main hall, and went to the smaller Scott Recital Hall to enjoy the music of Enter the Haggis.  We've seen them before back in 2010 and we really liked them.  Twelve years later they were just as good as we remembered.

Amplified bagpipes ...
Need I say more?

A newer addition.

Unlike in 2010 there was no warm up band so Enter the Haggis did two complete sets.  Like most bands the membership changes over time.  Since our first time when the band consisted of five guys, a female violinist/vocalist has been added and a female bass player was substituted in for the original who was taking a break from the tour. The substitute bass player was found on Facebook - her mother-in-law contacted the band.  She was pretty good on the bass and the vocals.

The music was just as good as we remembered.  They performed old songs which I was somewhat familiar with along with music from the newer album that was sadly issued in March 2020.  Most of their stuff was original material, the only exception was a cover of Crosby, Stills, and Nash's "Helplessly Hoping" with the two women and the lead guy doing the three part harmony.

My only critique is that this is the wrong venue for the band.  They need a younger audience and the Holland Center attracts older music lovers, the Wife and I included.  I would love to see them at the Slowdown or the Waiting room where the band could feed off the energy.  They would rock the place with an audience who would really appreciate them.

I got myself a t-shirt from their rather meager merch table.  A few photos can be found here.