They sound like an interesting bunch. To begin with "Midland" and "highlands" just don't seem to fit. (One of the things I disliked about California was the mountain range to the west -- you could not see the incoming weather until it was right on top of you.)
But they've gone a different route from most bands with their focus on ca. 1700 piping and drumming and the semi-ancient uniform -- it's hard to tell from their photo, but it looks like one or two may be dressed in breacan feilean or great-kilts (think Braveheart).
For my part I didn't take up the piob mhor until '82, in a little mountain town with a VERY Scottish name, under the misapprehension that piping was a dying art because I'd never heard pipes live before. A year or so after I moved to a locale where piping was fairly big and joined a band that, like the MHPB say, sounded just like all the rest -- though our uniforms were ca. 1900, spats to feather bonnets, and expensive as all get out!
But we were a show band, after all; I never got to Cancun with them but did travel to other places. And sometimes we'd pipe ABOARD the plane -- I am in this photo, but not really visible.
It's a pity the MHPB don't have anything going the weekend I'll be there. I'm not playing these days anyway -- I'm away too often. But to any members who might chance across this posting, I'll just say, "Math ga riribh!" You sound like a group with whom I'd really enjoy playing.
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