About 150 from all the North West and the Midlands gathered in Manchester for the bi-annual recital, held this time at their new venue, the Ukrainian Club in Cheetham Hill. We were treated to a night of superb playing by Stuart Liddell from Simon Fraser University Pipe Band and Robert Watt from Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band.

As usual the event had been well organised by Owen Nash, the power-house behind the Society's activities, recently returned from his visit to the United States. If I had to pick one person who has done the most for solo piping in the North West of England, this would be the man. The Society will be holding its annual Solo Piping competition in November 2000 which will this time include a juvenile category.

Gordon Forest, Chieftain of the Lancashire and Cheshire Federation of Scottish Societies, acted as our Fear-an-Tigh with his usual warmth. He always goes to the trouble of explaining to the audience something of the history and meaning of the piobaireachd to be played that evening, something I have always regarded as a nice touch, and tonight was no exception.

Rose Fletcher was among the audience on the night. Rose has been a leading light in the piping world in this part of the world for more than half a century and has a considerable effect on the standard of playing in this area. It was good to see her still in such good health and still supporting local piping events with her usual energy and enthusiasm.

Robert Watt opened the evening with a most interesting selection of tunes, concluding with a fine rendering of the piobaireachd "Corrienessan's Salute". Stuart Liddell then treated us to some marvellous playing on a superb bagpipe, leaving us to enjoy the mid-evening break in anticipation of more to come.

Stuart returned in the second - minus jacket this time - to treat us to more of his wonderfully relaxed style and brilliant fingerwork, including in his selection this time the piobaireachd "Lord Lovat's Lament". For me this was the highlight of the evening. A marvelous, very tuneful rendering. And his tone was quite superb throughout.

The audience was as large as usual with many people travelling long distances to be with us. One piper from the Scots Guards Association Pipe Band (Windsor) had travelled down to Portsmouth that morning to play with the band and had then driven all the way back up to Manchester for this occasion.

This was part of the duet that Robert and Stuart played together to finish off an excellent evening of piping.