It’s The Red Hot Chilli PIPERS — (NOT the Peppers!) — a 9-piece ensemble consisting of pipers, guitarists, keyboards, and drummers — who have been rocking the world from New York to Beijing to Melbourne and everywhere in between with musicianship of the highest order and a passion for pipes that will leave you breathless. The band has four music degrees from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and all the pipers and drummers have played at the top level in bagpiping.

Since they walked away with the top prize on the primetime TV talent show, “When Will I Be Famous” in the U.K. in 2007, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers haven’t stopped for a breath, other than to inflate their bagpipes! Formed in 2002, The Chillis have fast become a global phenomenon, taking their signature ‘Bagrock’ sound to the masses with their unique fusion of rocked up Bagpipes and clever covers of popular songs from all genres. Their trademarked sound is a unique fusion of traditional pipe tunes — like “The Flowers of Scotland”, “The Hills of Argyll”, and “Amazing Grace” (done Chilli- style, of course!) — and contemporary anthems like Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, “Clocks” by Coldplay, “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol, “Let Me Entertain You” by Robbie Williams, and a fantastic rock medley of “Deep Purple”, “Smoke on the Water”, and AC/ DC’s “Thunderstruck”.

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The company excels in community outreach and education, collaborating with U.S. university dance programs to reconstruct notable works for students. It offers intensive workshops for dancers and hosts discussion events to engage with ideas. The company will perform two classic pieces: “Continuous Replay,” originally choreographed by Zane in 1977 as “Hand Dance” and revised by Jones in 1991, featuring Kansas State University Dance Program students, and “D-Man in the Waters,” a vibrant Bill T. Jones work from 1989, closing the evening.

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Harsher critics have stated the opinion that the Ukulele Orchestra formed their repertoire based on any music considered inappropriate for the instrument, with a “shopping trolley dash through genres” and musical history. In Europe and America the Orchestra is best known for playing versions of famous rock songs and film themes, sometimes changing these so that the expectations of the audience are subverted. Sometimes a rock song will be changed into a jazz idiom, or sometimes several songs which are known from different genres are combined in one “soup of contrasts.”

The founding brief for the group was to have fun and “not to lose money.” Incredibly, throughout its thirty year career, the group has succeeded in both not losing money AND incidentally making millions of dollars. It has been seen worldwide by audiences including members of the British Royal Family and other crowned heads of Europe, at the Houses of Parliament in London, and by many millions of television and online viewers.

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Luca’s concerts feature diverse, thrilling guitar performances — playing one to three-neck guitars, using feet or a kitchen knife, and blending rock, pop, soundtracks, and originals. With surprises, humor, and anecdotes, the show is engaging, never repetitive, and leaves audiences amazed.

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Luca’s concerts feature diverse, thrilling guitar performances — playing one to three-neck guitars, using feet or a kitchen knife, and blending rock, pop, soundtracks, and originals. With surprises, humor, and anecdotes, the show is engaging, never repetitive, and leaves audiences amazed.

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