Portland Metro Pipe Band – Band Member Profile
Name: Bruce CasePiper or Drummer? Band Manager
When did you begin playing pipes or drums? Back in about 1995 or so, my family and I attended a family wedding. A bagpiper was playing at the wedding. My youngest son, Patrick (then about age 8), was facinated by the piper and later announced he would like to learn to play the bag pipes. This was my first introduction to this instrument that makes a rather strange sound. But it began to grow on me. Once Patrick joined a pipe band a few years later, I was hooked.
Provide some info about your piping/drumming background, musical influences, and other bands you’ve played with: When Mark Tomasetti and John Osburn approached me to manage Portland Metro, I was quite humbled and honored at the same time. This has been one of the best experiences of my life. Others who have influenced me include Jeff Brewer, Rob MacNeil, and Joe Hewitt, all who have provided valuable guideance and great conversations over a couple beers.
High point(s) of your band and/or solo career, including awards or trips: Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know many terrific and supportive people in the pipe band community. Many from the Vancouver BC area. They’re all great people!
Funniest band moment: My 2001 trip to the World Pipe Band championships in Glasgow, Scotland with the Sir James McDonald Pipe Band. That particular trip was very very wet. Every day it rained in Glasgow, and rained hard. The day of the Worlds was especially wet. Standing in the rain for 2 hours watching it puddle around your soggy shoes while watching each and every band march onto the field and be announced was an experience I will never forget. Remember my wife finally saying "I’m not having fun anymore!" while we were soaked.
Of late, probably the funniest is Bruce Riggs dropping his kilt while performing on another very wet and rainy 2009 Shamrock Run.
Misc. facts about you: Spent the past 9 years as the Piping & Drumming Chairman for the Portland Highland Games. Love the job but time to move on. Looking for any interested volunteers for my replacement. My wife and I are very proud of our 3 sons, Patrick (a piper in this band) being the youngest. All grown up now and living in various parts of the country. We now have 2 grand daughters. A 3rd grand daughter is due to arrive in May 2012. We love them all.
In real life, I’m a certified project manager (PMP) working in the Information Technology field. I have found managing a band is not much different than managing a project. Both have lots of people to please and managing expectations is always a challenge.
I am also responsible for this website - good or bad. I know, it's a pretty lame site - but it's easy to maintain.
Send email to: bruce@pm-pb.org