Tuesday, September 27, 2011

September 24, 2011 - St. Cosma-St. Damian Feast Part 1 Saturday Concert - Utica, NY

If the attendance record for the Annual St. Cosma-St. Damian feast was not shattered this year, it sure came close. There was approximately 100 buses from Canada in addition to all the local people that attended.

When we arrived early to setup for the concert every picnic table was already taken.

The food pavilion was packed and “Horror of Horrors” – the Saturday night allotment of eggplant sandwiches were already SOLD-OUT!


The concert couldn’t start until the Candlelight Procession returned and Benediction was held on the Church steps – but we had our own candlelight under the tent. Many of the picnic tables were elegantly set with tablecloths and candlesticks. There was one table with an elaborate tiered candelabra and another with an autumnal floral bouquet. The evening’s 40 piece Red Band “Orchestra” included a special guest – Richard Galime and his wife, Mary. In keeping with their family tradition they make the trip from Chicago every year to play trumpet along with Richard’s father Al on trumpet, brother Michael on saxophone, and cousin Patricia Durante on bass clarinet and the newest member of the Galime family, audience member Lena.



We must not fail to acknowledge the fantastic solos by Richard on “Italian Festival” and Al on “Smoke Gets in your Eyes” – BRAVO!
Once again our concert included three National Anthems (USA, Canada, Italian), Polkas, Tangos, Marches, and Italian favorites. All were received with thunderous applause.

It looked like another successful concert would go off without a hitch when just moments after an encore of the “Tarantella” – a fight broke out in front of the Clarinet side of the band and exploded with it’s entourage right out across the dance floor where other people joined the fracas.

Within moments a whole squad of Police not only broke up the fight but declared the Feast over for the night and dispersed the guilty and the innocent in one fell swoop.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!
For more photos please click on the following link
Saturday Concert

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