Irish Guard, Royal Regiment of Scotland appear at Wheaton College

Two bands steeped in traditions of music and military service are visiting Wheaton College tonight in their debut tour of the U.S.

The Band of the Irish Guards and the Royal Regiment of Scotland will perform at 8 p.m. at Edman Memorial Chapel, as part of the college's Artist Series.

"Groups like this are consistently good," said Tony Payne, general manager of the Artist Series. "It's very spectacular with the costumes, and it's a lot of wonderful music."

Payne said the entire evening is "very multi-sensory" with the musicians marching on stage while playing a variety of music, including folk songs, traditional bagpipe songs and British marching band songs.

"It's an event that's very hard to describe until you have experienced it," said Payne, adding the concert is family friendly.

Edman Chapel is on the northeast corner of Washington and Franklin Streets in Wheaton. Ticket prices range from $39 to $53 for general audience seats. Discounts are available for students and people 60 and older.

Before the concert, Gene Green, Wheaton College's professor of New Testament and a bagpiper with the Chicago Highlanders, will present a lecture titled "Twelve Clansmen and a Bagpipe Make a Rebellion: The History, Mechanics, and Music of the Great Highland Bagpipe."

The lecture is free and open to the public. It begins at 6:45 p.m. in Room 339 of Blanchard Hall, 501 College Ave.

For more information or tickets, call (630) 752-5010. Concert tickets are available at the door.