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The bagpipe carries baggage.

"There are a lot of stereotypes with bagpiping," said Jeff Kruske, competitive bagpiper and president of the Midwest Highland Arts Fund, sponsor of this weekend's Winter Storm III — The Pipes and Drums Concert.

"People may think of the old drunk who wails away in his back yard," Kruske said. "Everybody has probably seen in the media the older, white-haired guy who plays the bagpipes as a hobby after his retirement. And it's not necessarily the case."

Proving the point and then some is the third annual Winter Storm gala at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Community Christian Church, 4601 Main. The concert will feature six world-champion Highland bagpipers: John Cairns, Mike Cusack, Alasdair Gillies, Jack Lee, Willie McCallum and Andrew Wright.

"We have invited only the best of the best," Kruske said. "This is one of the best opportunities, not only in Kansas City but in the Midwest, to hear and enjoy a unique instrument in one of the more acoustically superior venues around."

The concert will also feature six champion Scottish drummers: John Fisher, Jim Kilpatrick, Reid Maxwell, Tyler Fry, Norman "Haggis" MacLeod and Duncan Gibson.

Special guests include the Kansas City Highland Dancers and the Celtic band Tullamore.

But will there be any good bagpipe jokes?

"Generally not,"' Kruske said. "They're usually bad."

Tickets cost $20 at the door; $10 for children ages 5 to 11. For more information, go to winterstorm.net.

To reach Brian McTavish, Arts & Entertainment writer for The Star, call (816) 234-4766 or send e-mail to bmctavish@kcstar.com.