Red Hot Chili Pipers – Patchogue Theater 3.9.24

(Article submitted by Amanda Packey)

Have you ever been to a bagpipe dance party? Well, I sure have, and it was a blast!

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers came to the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts on March 9th, 2024, and put on a two hour show jam packed with rock and dance favorites that had the crowd going wild. Let’s be real, here. You know it’s going to be a good night when a band opens with a cover of “Thunderstruck.” I mean, who wouldn’t have their energy up after that?

The list of covers is long, but it included such notable favorites as ZZ Top, Stevie Wonder, Rush, and Avicii. And let me tell you, they had the whole crowd on their feet when they ended the show with the triple threat of “Take On Me,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and “Shut Up and Dance With Me.” I suppose the only way to top that is to come back for an encore of “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)” and “We Will Rock You.” (I have posted a full set list on setlist.fm here: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/red-hot-chilli-pipers/2024/patchogue-theatre-for-the-performing-arts-patchogue-ny-13aa25d9.html)

For a little local flavor, the Pipers brought out our very own Selden-based Siol Na h’Eireann Pipes & Drums during the second set. They played two songs together, “Highland Cathedral” and a cover of “Wake Me Up” by Avicii. They absolutely killed it! You can see a video clip of their performance on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/2746159782203838

Another fun note, it was also Ross Miller’s (the piper with the fantastic beard) birthday that evening, so we all made sure to sing Happy Birthday for him. While no one had a cake on hand, they did bring out a platter of cookies for the occasion. Also, someone promised to buy him a beer that evening, so I hope that evens things out.

During the show, the Pipers had mentioned they were celebrating 20 years of touring, and I can see why they’ve remained popular this long. Any band that can bring the entire crowd to its feet and have them all dancing in the aisles is worth its weight in gold in my book. But what was really a special moment was when the Pipers came off the stage and started dancing in the aisles with the crowd! It was a shared moment of pure joy throughout the entire theater, and one that I hope to relive the next time I attend one of their shows. That said, I hope they come back next year. I am definitely looking forward to it.