2026 Edinburgh Tattoo: from a haka to Sinatra in search of a ‘wow’ moment

The chaos, clutter and colour of the Fringe seep away as you head up the Royal Mile, past Deacon Brodie’s pub and into the orderly world of the military where everything runs on time, and the whole organisation purrs like the engine of a Rolls Royce.

The Tattoo is a unique show in a unique setting, and the 2026 offering, A Call To Gather, is both re-assuringly familiar and entertaining … but, for me, it lacked a wow factor. Lugging into conversations as we filed down Castlehill and on to the Royal Mile, it seemed some others shared the same view.

Let me put it this way. In 2026 we got a show, a good show, but last year we got a spectacle, and there’s a difference.

It’s hard to pick fault in the presentation given the high production values from start to finish, and the delight of the audience which filled every seat on this press night event.

They were clapping away from the moment the pipes launched into Scotland through to the final departures, but it missed a sense of a heartbeat. It has a strong story, but one which needed to be brought to life more with a central, visible narrator on the Esplanade, engaging and directing the audience’s attention, rather than a voice over and animation, even if it did come courtesy of Outlander and Rebus actor Richard Rankin.

It was interesting that after the national anthem, everyone remained standing until a voice over the PA said “now … sit doon” - now, THAT was the human element that was missing. A wee bit of Scottish humour delivered with warmth and cheek. Moments like that make a difference.

A Call to Gather takes its inspiration from The Call statue in Princes Street Gardens which commemorates the power of connection Scotland has, and weaves together bands and performers from a number of countries, including the USA, New Zealand, Canada, Germany and, for the first time Quatar.

Giant flags are raced down the seats as each one takes their bow before they return for their own set pieces, all of which were based around music - the thrill of seeing precision drills was very much limited this year.

The castle remains a stunning backdrop for a series of projections, but it felt like we’d seen them before, and while the bands were all - as you’d expect - absolutely perfect - for me, it lacked a breakout ‘oomph’ moment.

The closest it came was a magnificent Haka from New Zealand, but I doubt anyone then expected them to go straight into Elton John’s Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting, any more than the Major in the royal box expected to take the salute to the strains of Sinatra’s My Way. Last time I heard that song was at 3:00am in Fingers Piano Bar. No-one saluted that night.

And as much as I love a fireworks show - and the Tattoo does ‘em as well as anyone - it really missed the drones which made last year’s finale simply breathtaking.

In saying all that, the Tattoo remains a must see - an experience for visitors and tourists alike, and something that sits head and shoulders above the festival that spreads itself into venues all within firing distance of the castle ramparts.