The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, not to be confused with the American rock band, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, are the Celtic bagpipe band set to bring an electrifying performance to Sorg Opera House in Middletown this month. As the self-proclaimed “Most Famous Bagpipe Band on the Planet,” the group is made up of pipers, guitarists, keyboardists and drummers who travel the world performing their famous blending of traditional Scottish music and rock/pop anthems coined “Bagrock.”
The group’s claim to fame was on the BBC’s When Will I Be Famous? reality show in 2007, when they won the public vote and the grand prize of ten thousand pounds. After gaining international fame, the band would eventually sell out shows worldwide and perform over 200 times each year. Putting their unique spin on contemporary songs like Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” — the band’s cover from the BBC’s Radio 1 Breakfast Show can be found on YouTube with over 5 million views — the members showcase their bagpipe brilliance through an infectious and powerful instrumental performance of both classic and modern tunes.
Three highland pipers lead the stage at a Red Hot Chilli Pipers show, with around five to seven band members accompanying them. The skirling of the bagpipes colliding with the beat of the drums and the shredding of the guitar all on one stage truly brings the fire to the show. Paired with vocal performances and even the occasional Scottish highland dance, this fire is what has kept fans coming back for over 20 years since the band’s start in 2002.
The Red Hot Chilli Pipers play Sorg Opera House on Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. More info: sorgoperahouse.org.
This story is featured in CityBeat's Aug. 7 print edition.
