The Trybe

Appearing at this year´s Festival are Scotland´s favourite Pictish warriors – The Trybe. Based in the heart of the old Pictish kingdom around the stronghold of Dunnottar Castle, they will be bringing their unique sound to Prague for the first time.

Taking traditional Scottish bagpipe tunes and setting them to fast and furious tribal drumbeats the Trybe have created a music which captures the soul of the early warriors who laid the foundations of the Scottish Nation.

Now largely forgotten the Picts were the people who built some of Scotland´s most mysterious and impressive ancient monuments – the standing stone circles of Calanais, the rings of Stenness and Brodgar, and the many stones carved with fabulous beasts and mounted warriors found throughout the north of Scotland.

Brendan McCabe, piper and drummer with the band explains, ‘I have always been fascinated by the mystery people who left these magnificent monuments, beautifully worked weapons and jewellery. We know so little about them. Hundreds of years before the pyramids were built in Egypt this band of craftsmen warriors were creating their own impressive structures out on the edge of northern Europe. It is impossible to stand in front of a monument like Sueno´s Stone and not be in awe of the vision and talent of their art.´

‘We obviously have no idea how their music actually sounded´, added ‘Skirlie´ McFadden, the Trybe´s piper, ‘but we use instruments that the Picts would recognise and play them with a passion and enthusiasm that they would appreciate´.

As well as playing their Trybal music, the band also dress in a manner reminiscent of those past times. Wearing a one piece garment, the plaid, bedecked with weapons, banners flying from their bagpipes, the Trybe make a big visual impact. Lisa Leith, one of the band´s two girl drummers told me, ‘The Picts were a nation who lived life to the full, from the jewellery they left behind we know they enjoyed making much of their appearance, and of course, most people will know they were called ‘the painted people´ because of their fabulous body tattoos´. On stage we recreate the energy and excitement of a full Pictish Trybal Gathering and are really looking forward to bringing the Trybe experience to the Festival´.