Not many teenagers would be able to say that they performed live at the O2 arena, in front of 25,000 people, with Sir Paul McCartney, but I am lucky enough to be able to.

On the 22nd December I had the amazing opportunity to perform Mull of Kintyre with a band of twenty pipers and drummers as part of Paul McCartney's Good Evening London tour. It was an incredible experience and one that will always have a prominent place in my memory. I was asked by Cecil McCready to play the snare drum in this concert around two weeks before hand, and jumped at such an amazing opportunity.

When we arrived at the O2 at around eleven that morning, we were issued with passes which enabled us to go anywhere backstage, and even allowed us to watch part of the concert. After practicing together as a group, as we had all never played together before, we had a sound rehearsal on stage. As i walked up the steps to the stage, I saw 25,000 seats that would soon be filled, and before long, my nerves kicked in. We then met Sir Paul McCartney, as he welcomed us all and shock us all by the hand. It would be an understatement to say that I was star struck, and the thought that I had just shaken the hand of a Beatle was circling my head, yet his warm welcome and relaxed attitude calmed me slightly. After various sound checks, we went back to our dressing room and waited to perform. As we were performing in the latter part of the concert, as part of the encore, it enabled us to be able to see the majority of the brilliant concert, and it was overwhelming to see the stage from the crowds view, which I would soon be performing upon.

After a good hour watching the concert, it was time to go and change into our uniform, which was Royal Stuart Tartan. Once changed we got our call for the stage, and before long I was having the experience of a lifetime. After worries of dropping my drum or falling down the steps faded, I was able to enjoy and fully appreciate what I was actually doing, and didn't want it to end. Soon there will be a DVD of the performance, so that I can prove to unbelieving family members that I actually had such an amazing experience, but still this memory will never be lost, and is one I will cherish forever.

I would like to thank Cecil McCready for giving me the opportunity to play alongside him in one of his out of school jobs. Many might say that it was a rather amazing Christmas present, and one that I will never forget. I will always be grateful for the absolutely incredible experience I gained that day, and secretly hope that I may be able to return to that stage...a girl can only hope!