Pipin' Hot to be staged tonight

Kirsty Macnicol
The Southland Times
June 15, 2001

VICTORIA (Canada) _ The City of Invercargill Caledonian Pipe Band will
tonight (NZ time) stage its international debut of Pipin ' Hot in Canada.
The band arrived in Victoria on Vancouver Island, a 90-minute ferry trip from Vancouver, three days ago. The island is about the size of Otago and Southland and similar in climate to Invercargill.
Pipe Major David Pickett said after three days' relaxing in Los Angeles the group was ready to perform.
Yesterday Pipin ' Hot was highlighted on the front page of the Victoria
Times-Colonist newspaper, pointing to a full-page entertainment feature inside. The newspaper has a circulation of 100,000.
Some band members were involved in a half-hour radio interview.
The publicity appears to be paying off as the box office reported strong ticket sales for the show.
Set designer Peter Thwaites and his team of volunteers have worked into the night for four days creating the sailing ship stage scene.
"The lead-up to this show has been really busy. We've had the odd problem with hired equipment that the backing band is unfamiliar with," Mr Pickett said.
Today will be even busier as the set has to be brought in and full
rehearsals done. The cast will meet Victoria's Bon Accord dancers, who will perform in the show.
"In between, we've been rehearsing the tunes we have to play at the
Bandfest this weekend and fine-tuning our marching display," Mr Pickett said.