Watch as 'Highland Rave' staged at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo for the first time

Latest incarnation of Edinburgh Castle spectacular revealed

Rave music is being embraced by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo as part of the latest reinvention of the spectacular event.

Edinburgh Castle and its 8,800-capacity esplanade is turned into an open-air nightclub during the new show, complete with laser-style special effects, dancers, glow sticks and “steampunk” inspired costumes.

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The “Highland Rave” sequence, which combines the whistle, pipes, drums and fiddles with electronic beats, has been introduced to the Tattoo by New Zealand-born creative director Michael Braithwaite in his swansong event after four years at the helm.

A 'Highland Rave' sequence is one of the highlights of this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.A 'Highland Rave' sequence is one of the highlights of this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
A 'Highland Rave' sequence is one of the highlights of this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

His final production, which previewed at the esplanade on Thursday, also features a tribute to Bollywood, renditions of John Denver’s Country Roads, Rod Stewart’s Sailing and a song from the soundtrack of the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun. Nathan Evans’ sea shanty Wellerman, Australian rapper Masked Wolf’s song Astronaut in the Ocean and Take My Hand, a track by Scottish festival favourites Skerryvore, also feature.

The 2024 show has a theme of “journeys” this year and features the Royal Navy as its lead military service, as well as visiting groups from India, Switzerland, Australia, the United States and Canada.

Mr Braithwaite told The Scotsman: “The Highland Rave sequence is our big party piece for the show. It’s an unashamed onslaught of sight, sound and colour. We always like to surprise and delight our audiences with new technology, new lights, new colours and new costumes.

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"It’s where we go a bit crazy and have a lot of fun. We never want our audience to see the same thing twice. The Highland Rave features our own musicians and dancers, as well as performers from some of our visiting bands.

A piper playing the Highland Rave at this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA WireA piper playing the Highland Rave at this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire
A piper playing the Highland Rave at this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

"I think the juxtaposition between that sequence and the massed military bands coming on straight after is what the Tattoo is all about. I couldn’t be happier with the response from the crowd on the first night. As the sequence started, we knew we had something as everyone was clapping along.”

Mr Braithwaite, the first non-military figure to design and programme the Tattoo production, was hired four years ago to shake up the event after working in the entertainment industry in the United States Germany, Italy, Dubai, Japan, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

He previously worked on the cultural programme staged to coincide with the London Olympics, as well as with the company behind The Muppets franchise, the Merlin Entertainment group, the LEGO Group and film industry giants Warner Bros.

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Key innovations introduced to the Tattoo included new special effects to light up the esplanade and new technology to project animated sequences into the facade of the castle. Other changes included covers of tracks by Celtic rock and pop bands including Runrig, Tide Lines and Skipinnish, renditions of hits Robbie Williams, Tom Jones, Jess Glynne, Lizzo and The White Stripes, and an “electro pipes” sequence.

A 'Highland Rave' sequence is one of the highlights of this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.A 'Highland Rave' sequence is one of the highlights of this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
A 'Highland Rave' sequence is one of the highlights of this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Speaking before the first performance of this year's run, Mr Braithwaite said: “We’re thrilled with how the new show has come together over the last couple of weeks after planning it for a year. The cast are champing at the bit to get in front of audiences.

"It’s been a great experience working on the show. There are obviously things that we hold very close to us at the Tattoo, including the massed pipes and drums, military music, precision drill and the lone piper. But, as I’ve always said, one of the great traditions of the Tattoo has been innovation. It offers everything you might expect, but a lot more besides.”

Tattoo chief executive Jason Barrett said: “Michael was our first ever creative director and has transformed the Tattoo over the last four years and three shows.

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"We can’t thank him enough for all he has done to influence its evolution and lay the foundation for the Tattoo to continue to thrive in the years ahead. We are forever grateful for his contributions.”

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