The powers that be that are in charge of booking entertainment for the annual Lady of Lourdes Bazaar decided to go for something different this year and asked The Red Band to perform.
Many years St. Rosalia and Lourdes are on the same weekend but this year St. Rosalia was a week earlier and we were available.
We were asked to play a concert in an excellent time slot - Friday evening at 6:30 - at the height of Lourdes famed fish fry dinner hour.
It was packed when we arrived. There were food tents, the bandstand, and Hawkins rides and amusements all filling up the grounds surrounding the Church and School.
The Band seemed to equal the size of the audience - a larger than usual 43 member band including Arlene, our conductor, and Pat Santacroce, our announcer.
We played many of our Italian favorites and although Lourdes is not primarily an Italian Parish – it was obvious that our music is well-known. We noticed many members of the audience singing along, knowing all the lyrics by heart.
We closed the concert with a salute to America and Patriotism by playing The National Emblem March. Then an audience sing-a-long of, America the Beautiful, You’re a Grand Old Flag, America, and Battle Hymn of the Republic. Our last song was Stars and Stripes Forever with an excellent job on the piccolo solo by Barb Seaton and Varnum Harris.
A special occasion was announced during the concert - it was the 39th Wedding Anniversary of our lead trumpeter, Al Galime and his wife Elaine. We dedicated “Over the Waves” in their honor.
The audience stayed in full force until the very end of our concert.
Many years St. Rosalia and Lourdes are on the same weekend but this year St. Rosalia was a week earlier and we were available.
We were asked to play a concert in an excellent time slot - Friday evening at 6:30 - at the height of Lourdes famed fish fry dinner hour.
It was packed when we arrived. There were food tents, the bandstand, and Hawkins rides and amusements all filling up the grounds surrounding the Church and School.
The Band seemed to equal the size of the audience - a larger than usual 43 member band including Arlene, our conductor, and Pat Santacroce, our announcer.
We played many of our Italian favorites and although Lourdes is not primarily an Italian Parish – it was obvious that our music is well-known. We noticed many members of the audience singing along, knowing all the lyrics by heart.
We closed the concert with a salute to America and Patriotism by playing The National Emblem March. Then an audience sing-a-long of, America the Beautiful, You’re a Grand Old Flag, America, and Battle Hymn of the Republic. Our last song was Stars and Stripes Forever with an excellent job on the piccolo solo by Barb Seaton and Varnum Harris.
A special occasion was announced during the concert - it was the 39th Wedding Anniversary of our lead trumpeter, Al Galime and his wife Elaine. We dedicated “Over the Waves” in their honor.
The audience stayed in full force until the very end of our concert.
VIVA OUR LADY OF LOURDES!!
VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!
To view photos please click on the following link
Lady of Lourdes Church Bazaar
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