Last year, Mitchell Hageman watched the Edinburgh Military Tattoo at its Edinburgh Castle home. As he recently found out, it also felt right at home at Eden Park.
Moving hundreds of years of history and 75 years of Military Arts excellence 17,925km isn’t an easy feat.
But from one hallowed ground to another, the Royal Edinburgh Tattoo’s Auckland edition truly delivered on its promise of bringing the greatest show on earth to thousands of delighted Kiwis on Thursday.
The big question facing me, and everyone else who has watched it on TV and in person, was how would our version stack up against the original Edinburgh Castle affair?
Simply put, if you think you’re getting a “B-version” of the iconic show, you’re sorely misguided. In reality, you’re getting all the world-class bells and whistles the show has built its solid reputation on, with a special sprinkling of Kiwi flavour adding to the magic.
Yes, Eden Park’s grassy knoll replaced the ancient stone forecourt, and you sadly couldn’t walk on the pitch and grab a whisky before the show starts like in Scotland, but that didn’t detract from the audible buzz humming around the stadium.
You could imagine my delight when a screen big enough to rival Ed Sheeran’s behemoth Loop Tour set-up greeted me, revealing a picture of the hallowed Edinburgh Castle (complete with a “gate” screen that opened and closed). It felt like a full-circle moment, or a bonding of sorts, having the two well-respected national landmarks meet.
Just as they are on the actual castle, projections were cast onto the screen for the whole show, whizzing through stunning Scottish vistas and perfectly timed flashes relating to what was being performed below.
And speaking of light, Eden Park brought the full light show you’d expect from the original, creating thematic, dramatic and at times emotionally moving vignettes.
A brief dusting of rain during the night created a picturesque haze, which you could say was reminiscent of the murky Scottish Highlands. It didn’t dampen the spirits, but if you’re uncovered closer to the field, perhaps pack your tartan poncho just in case.
One of the most empowering parts of the Tattoo experience are the traditions. From tartan to te reo Māori, the respect for – and sharing of – cultures really shone through in our version.
Proceedings started with a pōwhiri and haka, and guests of honour emerged through the “castle gate”. A salute taker (a guest of honour that the acts give thanks to after they finish) is chosen every night, and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro was ours.
Both the New Zealand national anthem and God Save The King were played, the crowd rising to their feet for the occasion. And if you’re worried about missing the iconic ditty Scotland The Brave and the stirring Braveheart theme, you’ll get it multiple times.
Another tradition is honouring heroes, since the show is called The Heroes Who Made Us. Brian, a local Auckland teacher, was given a round of applause for his efforts in his community, while a moving montage of everyday Kiwi heroes flashed across the screen, as it did with the Scots in Edinburgh. This is the heart – and ethos – of the Tattoo, and I’m so glad they replicated the special moment, especially considering the work our services have done during recent weather events.
And, of course, we can’t forget the famous fireworks that mark the exit of the core cast of the Mass Pipes and Drums (featuring a few Kiwis). There are a few big bangs scattered throughout the night, including one jump scare that even gave me a right laugh (and I’d seen it before), but the movie-worthy fireworks of the finale take the cake as the best I’ve seen at the venue. There was no firing of the traditional cannons, as it would be a bit hard to lug them all the way to Eden Park, but the pyrotechnics more than made up for that.
The beginning, end and middle of the show were almost exactly as I remembered them from Scotland, bar a few changes with acts in between. Auckland still gets a “Throwback Tattoo” segment with quirky visuals from the past flashing across the screen, as well as an epic Britpop mash-up on the pipes, and a solid showing from the American and Norwegian outfits.
Another similarity was The Lone Piper, a spectral figure played in our version by Scottish actor Terence Rae, who guides the audience through the night with his thick Scottish accent and booming monologues.
A standout I hadn’t yet seen was the NZ Army band. I didn’t expect to be singing along to Shania Twain, Six60 and Ozzy Osbourne, but the master musicians pulled off an epic party during their set. Plenty of people were singing along, so don’t be afraid to bust out your best karaoke voice if you are heading along over the next few nights.
The most anticipated act of the night was the Top Secret Drum Corps from Switzerland, and for good reason. I was left mouth agape the last time I saw them, and this one was no different. People were on the edge of their seats, questioning how the drummers avoid dropping their sticks or hitting each other during their musical acrobatics.
The Auckland audience was also lucky enough to get a debut from a Japanese Army band and an electric blend of traditional arts from the Tongan Army band. Keep an eye out, also, for a special piping performance near the end, high above the Eden Park grounds ...
It was big, bold, brash and packed full of chill-inducing moments: I can safely say I once again experienced the full wave of emotions I did on the Edinburgh forecourt last year. The bagpipes are just as loud, heroes just as well respected, and new and old performance groups just as passionate. Want to take a trip to Edinburgh for the night with some fellow Kiwis? Now’s your chance.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo plays for two more nights at Eden Park, with tickets still available at Ticketek.
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 travelled to Edinburgh in August 2025 as a guest of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.