Archived News and Press

George Square in the heart of Glasgow’s cosmopolitan city centre will tomorrow come alive to the mellifluous sounds of the South Sea Islands as Tonga’s Royal Corps of Musicians together with a top multi-national cast from the Scottish Capital’s showpiece military event present the first of four free nationwide ‘Taste of the Tattoo’ performances from this summer’s sold-out 60th Edinburgh Tattoo (until 29th August).

Tuesday 13th of October 2009

A panoply of international talent, including UK Tattoo debuts for performers from China and a Canadian Choir, will help celebrate the 60th Edinburgh Tattoo (7-29 August 2009) at this year’s Castle Esplanade Homecoming-themed spectacular.

With over 1,000 performers, featuring a Tongan cultural troupe, Swiss percussionists, Brit Award winning pipers and drummers as well as singers from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the show is set to present an absorbing array of fresh content without diluting the popular format which attracts capacity audiences annually.

Tuesday 13th of October 2009

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Celebrating 60 Years of Valour, Mateship and Glory

Due to overwhelming popular demand, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo will return to Australia for performances at the Sydney Football stadium in February 2010. The new production will be the biggest ever seen in the event’s six decade history.

Friday 15th of May 2009

Over 400 visitors from 14 countries have revealed that an impressive pictorial record of one of the world’s most breathtaking spectacles can be successfully accomplished in the 19th Tattoo Photographic Competition run over the period of the 2008 Tattoo.

Entries to the annual competition came from all over the UK, and as far afield as the US, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Belgium, China and Japan.

Thursday 7th of May 2009

Particulars of four exclusive taster performances of this summer’s 60th Edinburgh Tattoo, (7 – 29 August) which is part of the Scottish Government’s 2009 Homecoming Scotland initiative, have today been unveiled by Tattoo organisers in Edinburgh.

Details of the complimentary hour long ‘Taste of the Tattoo’ presentations – from Ayrshire in the heart of Burns country to Scotland’s historic gateway in the Borders - including dates, times and venues, are now revealed below:

Date Time Venue Contact details

Friday 3rd of April 2009

Firm audience favourites, the (now not-so-secret) Top Secret Drum Corps from the Swiss city of Basel will, by popular demand, make a welcome return to the Scottish Capital for next year’s 60th Edinburgh Tattoo (7-29 August) and its three-week season on the floodlit Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.

Fusing furiously fast and exceptionally precise percussion with clockwork precision visual effects, this 30-strong group is once again expected to drum its way in to the hearts of an anticipated 217,000 Tattoo-goers.

Monday 24th of November 2008

2009 sees Scotland’s colourful military musical spectacular celebrate its 60th season, while paying tribute to the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, and playing its part in Scotland’s first ever year of Homecoming.

 

Monday 18th of August 2008

Musicians, singers, dancers, percussionists and acrobats from all over the world will gather next week at the Ross Theatre in Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens for The Royal Bank of Scotland’s ‘Taste of the Tattoo’.

 

This year’s ever-popular free show is set to take place on Thursday August 14th at 12.30pm, showcasing 300-performers from America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United Kingdom.

 

Wednesday 6th of August 2008

From attention-grabbing visual scenes to action-packed themes, the 4-minute recording of the impressive 59th Edinburgh Tattoo (until 23 August 2008) provides a distinctive flavour of this year's Castle Esplanade spectacular.

 

A feature of this news release is the rich variety on show at this month's annual Military showpiece and an interview with the man responsible for the colossal yearly undertaking; Chief Executive and Producer, Major General Euan Loudon, helming his second Tattoo.

 

Wednesday 6th of August 2008

Ahead of their eagerly anticipated appearance at this summer’s showpiece Edinburgh Military Tattoo, 100 musicians from Southeast Missouri State University Marching Band, The Golden Eagles, will gather, in full ceremonial attire, at Edinburgh’s City Chambers Quadrangle, to honour the Scottish Capital’s first citizen, Lord Provost George Grubb, at 11.00am on Monday, 28 July.

 

Thursday 24th of July 2008

Against the majestic backdrop of Scotland’s top tourist attraction, over 1,000 performers from America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United Kingdom are set to provide a wealth of matchless entertainment at this year’s 59th Edinburgh Tattoo (1-23 August).

 

All the traditional ingredients will be present - massed pipes & drums, massed bands, the Lone Piper along with a number of impressive overseas offerings – for three spectacular weeks on the floodlit Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.

 

Monday 21st of July 2008

Tickets for this year’s keenly awaited Edinburgh Tattoo (1-23 August) have long since sold out, but at 10am on Monday, 21st July a limited number of half-price tickets for the Thursday, July 31st preview performance of the 59th military showpiece go on sale from the Tattoo Ticket Sales Office on Edinburgh’s Market Street.

 

With weeks to go before the 2008 Tattoo season opens, this occasion provides a final opportunity to obtain tickets for next month’s sold-out show.

 

Sunday 13th of July 2008

All the traditional ingredients will be present – massed pipes & drums, massed bands, the Lone Piper along with a number of impressive overseas offerings – but some will be contributing a new look at this year’s Edinburgh Tattoo (1-23 August 2008).

 

Wednesday 28th of May 2008

Musicians, singers, dancers, percussionists and acrobats from all over the world will gather this week at the Ross Theatre in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens for The Royal Bank of Scotland's 'Taste of the Tattoo'.

 

The first of this year's popular free shows is set to take place tomorrow, Wednesday August 9th at 12.30pm, with the Concert Band of the Army of Chile and the Evendart Artistic Company.

 

Monday 7th of August 2006

A cornucopia of international talent including, for the first time, military and civilian performers from Chile and China, will help bring down the final curtain on 12 years of Brigadier Jameson’s time as the Edinburgh Tattoo's Chief Executive and Producer at this year's 57th Castle esplanade spectacular (4-26 August).

Monday 24th of July 2006

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo has issued a 'greatest hits' collection CD and new pictorial book - in association with G W Publishing of Berkshire - to help celebrate its 57th season and as a final salute for retiring Producer, Brigadier Mel Jameson.

Foreign and home-grown acts who have appeared at the Tattoo feature on the 70-minute compact disc and in the beautifully illustrated 96-page hardback pictorial record of the event.

Monday 24th of July 2006

Consistently impressed is how the judges described the submissions for the 16th annual Edinburgh Tattoo Photographic Competition, which last year attracted more entries than ever.

Over 400 entries from all points of the compass were in fact studied by the 3-strong judging panel.

Friday 24th of February 2006

Tattoo fans have now snapped up all the available tickets for this summer's RBS-sponsored annual spectacle, six months in advance of opening night, ensuring their place at the 57th military showpiece event, the final curtain call for Producer Brigadier Mel Jameson.

Friday 10th of February 2006

After 11 years at the helm of Britain's most spectacular - and arguably most popular - outdoor event, Brigadier Mel Jameson, 62, is set to stand-down as the Edinburgh Tattoo's Chief Executive & Producer at the year's end.

The Brigadier said that he had decided in the autumn that the time was right to go.

Friday 13th of January 2006

It was deemed the most successful Edinburgh Military Tattoo yet staged, so following up this summer's critically acclaimed production is expected to be no mean feat.

But Tattoo Chief Executive & Producer, Brigadier Melville Jameson is determined to go one better than the year before.

Friday 18th of November 2005

This week sees the release of new DVD and Video recordings of highlights from this August's triumphant 56th Edinburgh Tattoo.

Wednesday 2nd of November 2005

Today sees the opening of the 7th annual summit of the International Association of Tattoo Organisers at Edinburgh Castle.

Thursday 18th of August 2005

This week, the magnificent green valley of West Princes' Street Gardens is to provide the setting as 50 musicians from The Guard of His Majesty The King of Norway and the West Indian Trinidad & Tobago Defence Force Steel Orchestra take centre stage at the Ross to present a sparkling display of music, melody and rhythm.

Monday 8th of August 2005

The 56th Edinburgh Tattoo (5-27 August) is set to be the must-see event of the summer.

Tickets have long since sold out for the 24-performance, 3-week run on the Castle Esplanade, where the 217,000 visitors who are expected to attend will witness a fabulously cosmopolitan programme of music, colour and action.

Monday 25th of July 2005

ickets for this year's eagerly anticipated Edinburgh Tattoo (5-27 August) have long since sold out, but at 10am on Monday, 25th July some 4,000 half-price tickets for the Thursday, 4th August preview performance of the 56th military showpiece go on sale from the Tattoo Ticket Sales Office on Edinburgh's Market Street.

Wednesday 13th of July 2005

The winning entries from the 15th annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo Photographic Competition are set to be unveiled to the public from 10am this Saturday, May 14 at the City's latest free-to-access visitor attraction, The Spirit of the Tattoo, located at the top of the Scottish Capital's Royal Mile.

Thursday 12th of May 2005
  • 100% of all available tickets sold in 12 weeks
  • £3.9 million in Tattoo Ticket Sales

With more than 4 months until opening night, the Tattoo announced yesterday that tickets for its 56th production, which runs from 5-27 August, have now sold-out.

Thursday 31st of March 2005
  • Over 77% of all available tickets sold in 4 weeks
  • £3.25 million in gross ticket sales to date

In spite of the slowing housing market and a recently reported fall in consumer spending, figures released by Tattoo organisers today reveal that over 1

Tuesday 18th of January 2005

At 10.00am on Monday January 10th at the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, Scotland's First Minister, the Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP, personally offered elements of the Scottish contingent of the internationally acclaimed Edinburgh Tattoo his best wishes as they put the finishing touches to their rehearsals for the Edinburgh Tattoo's 'Salute to Australia' at Sydney's Aussie Stadium from 3-8 February 2005.

Monday 10th of January 2005

There has, until now, been nowhere to tell the compelling story of Edinburgh's Military Tattoo, descriptively, graphically and entertainingly.

Wednesday 1st of December 2004

With Edinburgh Castle as the superb floodlit setting, over 1,000 performers from the United Kingdom, Russia, Norway and the USA are set to provide a wealth of entertainment at next year's Edinburgh Tattoo (5-27 August).

Monday 22nd of November 2004

A new video and DVD recording of highlights from this year's celebrated Edinburgh Tattoo go on the market this week just as the internationally renowned event learned it had won a prestigious tourism accolade at last Friday's Scottish Thistle Awards ceremony.

Tuesday 2nd of November 2004

Watch the Tattoo as you've never seen it before on the cinema screen. A stunning spectacle captured with the clarity of today's state of the art high definition photography with surround sound.

Press Information

Wednesday 11th of August 2004

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo in collaboration with Scottish-based outdoor equipment supplier, Outdoor Explorer, and webcam solutions provider, CamVista, will webcast the entire 24-performance run of this month's (6-28 August) Military spectacular on the Internet.

Thursday 5th of August 2004

Colour, spectacle and excitement are assured ingredients at this year's 55th Edinburgh Tattoo (6-28 August) when the largest single gathering of military musicians in the United Kingdom come together against the famous backdrop of Edinburgh Castle for Scotland's traditional showcase of music, theatre and dance.

Monday 26th of July 2004

If you are looking for a summer treat for all the family then head to Dewar's World of Whisky in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, on Sunday 15th August 2004.

Wednesday 23rd of June 2004

Tickets for this year's 24-performance run, from 6-28 August, have now been snapped up some 7 weeks ahead of opening night.

The Tattoo has smashed all its previous records with the 2004 season representing the fastest ever sell-out in the event's 54-year history.

Wednesday 16th of June 2004

The greatest outdoor spectacle seen in Australia since the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympics

Since the launch of The Edinburgh Military Tattoo's first ever visit to Australia only six weeks ago there has been huge interest for tickets from all over Australia, and New Zealand.

Wednesday 19th of May 2004

First Ever Visit to Australia: Internationally acclaimed:

Edinburgh Military Tattoo

To present a Salute to Australia World's mightiest arts, cultural and entertainment event at Aussie Stadium, Sydney, February 2005

Thursday 4th of March 2004

Record numbers of people have already secured their seats for this summer's Military Tattoo (6-28 August 2004).

In little more than 4 weeks since the Box Office opened, over 149,000 visitors have booked tickets, contributing to the busiest early Tattoo sales period since records began.

Wednesday 4th of February 2004

In spite of the difficulties which can be encountered in capturing that memorable moment on film, amateur photographer Duncan McEwan from Bridge of Weir in Renfrewshire, has demonstrated that a creative eye and a camera is all it takes in the 14th annual Tattoo Photographic Competition.

Wednesday 4th of February 2004

The largest single gathering of military musicians in the United Kingdom are set to perform at next year's showpiece armed services event staged against the matchless backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

Tuesday 25th of November 2003

This week sees the release of a new DVD and Video recording of highlights from this year's record-breaking 54th Edinburgh Tattoo.

Sunday 19th of October 2003

An impressive 100-minute compilation programme of the very best moments from the last seven Edinburgh Tattoos (1996-2002) - including exclusive never-before-seen special features - has this week been released on DVD to celebrate the showpiece military event's fastest ever sell-out season in its 53-year existence.

Monday 1st of September 2003

The 54th Edinburgh Tattoo has sold out in record time. With seven days to go before the show opens next Friday (1st August), the Tattoo has smashed all previous records with 100% of the available seats snapped up. This represents the fastest ever sell out in the event's 53-year history.

Thursday 24th of July 2003

Against the spectacular backdrop of Scotland's top tourist attraction, over 1,000 international performers, 20 horses, 150 dancers, 20 motorcycles, and one or two surprises, are set to provide a wealth of peerless entertainment at this year's 54th Tattoo on the floodlit esplanade of Edinburgh Castle from August 1-23.

Tuesday 22nd of July 2003

A limited number of half price tickets for the Thursday, July 31st preview performance of this year's Tattoo will go on sale from the Tattoo Ticket Sales Office on Edinburgh's Market Street at 10am on Monday July 21 2003. Tickets may also be obtained by telephone (08707 555 118) using a credit/debit card (a booking fee of £2.00 will be applied per transaction).

Monday 14th of July 2003

Since the release of the best moments from last year's phenomenally successful Queen's Golden Jubilee Edinburgh Tattoo on video cassette, some twenty weeks ago, global shipments of the recording have won a Scottish Record Industry Association (SRIA) Platinum Award.

Tuesday 11th of March 2003

Latest figures released today by Scotland's showpiece military event reveal that 55% of the available 217,000 tickets for the 2003 Tattoo (1-23 August) have already been snapped up.

Friday 31st of January 2003

Edinburgh New Royal Infirmary Doctor, Andrew Trenholm, from Canada, has scooped top prize in the Tattoo's 13th annual Photographic Competition for 2002.

Thursday 23rd of January 2003

The very best of modern production technology combined with 600 musicians, fireworks, horses, traditional pageantry and theatrical special effects are set to provide a unique and memorable celebration of music, dance and spectacle at next year's 54th Edinburgh Tattoo (1 -23 August, 2003).

Tuesday 26th of November 2002

Organisers have this afternoon announced that next month's Queen's Golden Jubilee Edinburgh Tattoo (2-24 August) has smashed all previous records with 100% of all the available seats snapped up before the show opens this Friday.

Monday 29th of July 2002

It was a Sunday afternoon in March two years ago that Tattoo Chief & Producer, Brigadier Melville Jameson met Senator John Warner, former Chairman of the United States Armed Forces Defence Committee in Washington DC.

Wednesday 24th of July 2002

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is quite simply one of the greatest shows on earth. Mixing musical skills with visual thrills, it is a glittering spectacle which has drawn millions of people from all over the world.

Tuesday 23rd of July 2002

Featuring the programme launch for the Tattoo's Queen's Golden Jubilee production and a live performance from a dynamic North East Indian cultural group from Imphal on Wednesday 24 July 2002

Sunday 14th of July 2002

A limited number of half price tickets for the Thursday, August 1 preview performance of this year's Taftoo will go on sale from the Tattoo Ticket Sales Office on Edinburgh's Market Street at 10am on Monday July 22 2002. Tickets may also be obtained by telephone (08707 555 118) using a credit/debit card (a booking fee of £2.00 will be applied per transaction).

Sunday 14th of July 2002

The forthcoming Edinburgh Tattoo (2-24 August), which will celebrate The Queen's Golden Jubilee, already appears to be bucking the national downward visitor trend experienced by many a hard hit tourism business if early ticket sales are anything to go by.

Thursday 31st of January 2002

An impressive photograph of a re-enactment of The 79th Highlanders repelling French Cavalry at Waterloo has been judged the best pictorial moment of the 2001 Tattoo in a competition run by the show organisers last summer.

Tuesday 29th of January 2002