Before the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s long-anticipated return to Kiwi shores in February 2026, Herald entertainment reporter Mitchell Hageman flew to Edinburgh for a taste of what’s to come at the original Scottish spectacle and its landmark 75th show The Heroes Who Made Us.
I never could’ve imagined that an army of bagpipes would make me quietly shed a few tears, but that wondrous wind ensemble hit me like a freight train.
Perhaps it was the thematic grandeur of the scene, or maybe it was hearing songs of my classical music upbringing played at full bore by a sea of hundreds of incredible performers. Upon reflection, I put it down to what the crux of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is all about: collegiality, camaraderie, and connection.
There’s a reason people call it “the greatest show on Earth”, and the pipes are only just scratching the surface of the brilliance involved in this stunning mix of military tradition and art. It’s more than just a show – it’s an experience of epic scale.
Stepping on the hallowed ground of the more than 900-year-old Edinburgh Castle forecourt was like stepping back in time.
The first proper edition of the event was in 1950, inspired by a smaller show called Something About a Soldier performed in 1949 at the Ross Bandstand at the nearby Princes St Gardens. Eight performances showcased military pageantry and music (marching, pipes, songs, etc), fireworks, and the iconic temporary stands in the Edinburgh Castle forecourt.
The experience of the show today still begins the moment you walk to your seat in those iconic stands, with performers dressed in tartan specific to their clan or country, greeting visitors eager to get a picture in front of the castle’s gargantuan facade.
Bar carts are stocked with Glenfiddich single-malt whisky and local beer, and the full house of 8000 locals and tourists chat eagerly about their favourite acts to come. Whispers from some American tourists about something “Top Secret” immediately make my ears perk up.
The lights dim, and with a fireworks blast from the cannons atop the castle, we’re away at a rip-roaring pace with an opening fanfare of To The Heroes, then straight into the Scottish Jacobite jig Bonnie Dundee from the Massed Pipes and Drums.
Now in its 75th year, this show’s title was fittingly called The Heroes Who Made Us. As explained by creative director Alan Lane, the musical interludes combine to create a fitting tribute to the heroes who have come before us and those who walk among us today.
I was seated near the Salute Taker, a military VIP or dignitary who gets to salute the groups who perform. Hopefully, this is something we’ll see at our own hallowed castle, Eden Park, as well, perhaps with a Kiwi dignitary.
It’s cold, and a tad windy from my high perch, but a sense of warmth emanates from our spectral host – the Lone Piper – a kilt-clad character who drives the story along as various acts continue to emerge from the castle gate at blistering pace.
Scottish musical heroes were honoured early, and it was a treat to hear classics like I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers and Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams played by the UK Massed Military Bands. And no wonder it all sounded so in sync, with electronic tuners used so that each musician is pitch-perfect.
Next, we saw Highland Dancers leap with jubilation under impressive projections cast on to the castle, followed by stirring performances from Ukrainian, Polish, and US military bands. The logistical discipline it must have taken to time the acts with the projections and get them on and off the forecourt without crashing into each other was, in my opinion, quite remarkable.
After much anticipation, I also finally found out what those Americans were whispering about. The Top Secret Drum Corps is a Swiss outfit that has gone down in history as one of the most talked-about acts of the Tattoo, and for good reason. As if we were watching acrobats with drumsticks, the black-clad drummers completed their intense routine with a fierce precision that left the audience breathless.
Suddenly, a spotlight shone into the left side of the stands, singling out “a hero among us”. The gentleman, a retired serviceman now in his 80s, was nominated by his peers in the lead-up to the event, and every night a different hero will be honoured in this same way. It’s a beautiful touch, made even more beautiful by hundreds of projections of other nominated heroes on the castle.
Eagles Wing was a fitting finale – a soaring ballad of hope and community that saw hundreds of volunteers line the exit row stairs and given a standing ovation for their everyday heroism.
And soon after came that moment that finally brought me to tears. Scotland the Brave is a song many around the world would recognise from its distinctive tune. It’s all well and good hearing it on the telly but hearing it in the flesh, with fireworks exploding into the night sky, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime, spine-tingling experience.
It’s rather fitting that the Tattoo will be hosted at Eden Park when it comes to Auckland in February. While not a 900-year-old castle, it’s still the site of many great battles (especially against Scotland) and is a place where we could all agree the legacy of heroes was forged.
The production team bringing the event to Auckland told me they hope to bring “a piece of Edinburgh” to New Zealand, and with a mix of local and international performers and plenty of bells and whistles teased, I have no doubts this will be the case.
This thing is loud, it’s sweeping, it’s emotional, and you bet it’s going to blow Auckland audiences away. This first-time Tattooer is well and truly converted, and I can’t wait to see it on home soil.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
February 19, 20, and 21 at 8pm
Eden Park, Auckland - Tickets are available at ticketek.co.nz
To get $75 off a bundle of 4 tickets, click here
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.
Mitchell was a guest of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.