The “Scottish” Band Welcomes All the Tribes

Glasgow’s West End is the place to go for live music. And the Ben Nevis Pub was thriving as we spent the evening enjoying the scene with our camera rolling. (I’m feeling the beer, so excuse the swoopy camera moves.)

My agenda for our new public television show was to feature strictly Scottish traditional music. But as the session got going, I learned we had the entire UK in the band: musicians from Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland — and they were drinking Guinness! At first, I was disappointed. My producer and I even talked about finding a bar with a solid Scottish band. Then our Glaswegian guide, Colin Mairs, pointed out that this is the reality…and it’s a fun one: The tribes are all making music together. And that (as a microcosm of our world in general — or, at least, its potential) is a beautiful thing. When it comes to good travel, being open-minded is as important as packing light.

By the way, this is a great example of a highlight for any visit to Britain: Reach out for info, find out which pubs have music, and make memories. What musical memories have you sparked in Britain’s pubs?

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