SALISBURY — While they may not play “Californication,” “Under the Bridge” and other Red Hot Chili Peppers hits, the similarly named Scottish rock bagpipe band Red Hot Chili Pipers will be putting their own spin on plenty of other classics when they perform at Blue Ocean Music Hall on March 12.
“They do everything from ‘We Will Rock You’ to other Queen songs, or AC/DC songs, and the more rock versions of songs like ‘Amazing Grace’ and it just captivates the audience,” Kathleen Aiello of Atlantic Hospitality Group, which owns Blue Ocean Music Hall, said.
The Red Hot Chilli Pipers are a nine-piece ensemble—featuring world-class pipers, guitarists, drummers, and keyboardists— that formed in 2002, according to founding member and director Willie Armstrong.
“We fuse traditional Scottish bagpipe music with rock music, we tend to keep the audience on their toes,” Armstrong said.
The band have performed sold-out tours across the United Kingdom, America, China, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Switzerland, Ukraine, Barbados, Dubai, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and India.
Most of the group is academy trained, according to Armstrong.
“They are the best in Scotland. Three bagpipe players, a full rock band and an amazing vocalist. You’ll want to return again and again,” Armstrong said.
Aiello spoke about how she first discovered the group while attending a performing arts conference in New York City a few years ago.
“They did a showcase for the attendees to the conference and they were just phenomenal. It was just so different and so fun,” Aiello said.
She said they have performed at the Blue Ocean Music Hall in years past.
“It was just such a fun show. It sold out and it was amazing,” Aiello said.
Armstrong said he was thrilled to be returning.
“Blue Ocean is such a beautiful venue. The last time we played there it was just after a storm, the scenery is off the scale wonderful, such a vibrant crowd who were extremely enthusiastic about our music,” Armstrong said.
He said Salisbury provides great energy.
“I remember asking the audience to cheer if they wanted us to come back and they took the roof off. We loved it, felt very welcome and we’re all excited to return,” Armstrong said.
Asked if they would be performing anything unique this go around, Armstrong said they are actually a week away from releasing a new album.
“It’s called ‘Back to Roots’ and it is the zenith of our long careers. We’ll be playing most of the new tracks on stage along with our well known crowd pleasers. We can’t wait,” Armstrong said.
Tickets beginning at $25.50 can be found at: www.blueoceanhall.com/calendar/