Coastal Scottish Pipe Band
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| Coastal Scottish Pipe Band | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1898 |
| Location | Western Australia |
| Grade | 3 |
| Pipe major | Paul Fleay |
| Drum sergeant | John Christensen |
| Tartan | Ancient MacLaine of Lochbuie |
| Notable honours | 1st place, New Zealand Pipe Band Championships: 2007 (Grade 4);
1st place, Western Australian Pipe Band Championships: 2007 (Grades 3 & 4) |
| Website | www.coastalscottish.org |
The Coastal Scottish Pipe Band, also known simply as 'Coastals', is a grade 3 pipe band based in Perth, Western Australia. The band was formed in 1898, and along with the City of Melbourne Highland Pipe Band is one of the oldest pipe bands in Australia. Their many recent successes include winning the 2007 New Zealand Pipe Band Championships (Grade 4), held in Dunedin.
History
The Coastal Scottish Pipe Band was formed in 1898 by a group of expatriate Scottish men working at the old Fremantle Railway workshops. As one of the only pipe bands in Western Australia at this time the band called themselves 'The Gay Gordons' and adopted the Gordon tartan in their uniform. From this point they continued to grow, competing in their first competition at the WACA Ground in 1928. An event which was, among other festivities, organised to coincide with the Centenary of the foundation of the Swan River Colony.
The economic depression of the coming year was to have quite a large impact on the band and the coming years were to ultimately be ones of rebuilding. In the years following World War II, Coastals regained its full strength and by the 1950s and 60s the band was actively performing at many notable social turnouts including the first visit to WA in 1954 by the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. It was also around this time that Bon Scott, who went on to become the front man for the Australian Hard Rock band AC/DC, was a snare drummer with the band.
In 1975, the band was renamed the City of South Perth Pipe Band and also adopted the Ancient MacLaine of Lochbuie clan tartan, which continues to be part of the current uniform. It was also in the coming years that the band produced the first known recording of Pipe Band music in Western Australia.
In 2001, the City of South Perth council reviewed their sponsorship of the band, and on 28 August of the same year the band officially readopted their former name "Coastal Scottish Pipe Band WA". Since this time the band has had success at both state and international levels of competition. The most notable achievement in the bands short term history was winning first place in Grade 4 at the 2007 New Zealand Pipe Band championships. The band was awarded first place in the MSR, Musical Selection, Drumming, and Street March (Music), thereby winning the overall Grade 4 competition and trophies. In 2009, the band travelled to Glasgow, Scotland to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships. Most recently in 2012, Coastals travelled to Ballarat, Victoria to compete in the Australian National Pipe Band Championships.
Coastals has had an exciting history, one which will no doubt continue to develop. Current goals of the band include winning the Australian Pipe Band Championships, the World Pipe Band Championships, and perhaps attaining Grade 2 status. The band performs regularly throughout both country and metropolitan Western Australia and is currently emphasising the development of young pipers and drummers through a structured learners program.
As of early October 2008, the APBA WA branch upgraded Coastals to Grade 3.