La Banda Rossa: March 13, 2010 - St. Patrick's Day Parade Utica,NY

The Red Band opened it's 105th season at the Utica St. Patrick's Day Parade marching down Genesee St. on a cold, blustery, overcast morning. The parade began at 10:00am but we didn't step off until 11:00am. the wind was blowing at 23mph with gusts of 45mph and we marched right into the teeth of it.

From the beginning of the march at Oneida Square and Munson-Williams Art Institute there was a good-sized crowd all in various shades of green, waving flags, applauding, and cheering

Although the crowd wasn't as large as in other years, there was a steady line of spectators all the way to the end. They were dressed in winter coats and quite a few were wrapped in blankets. Lots of little ones were displaying happy smiles with shivering teeth.

In keeping with the theme of St. Patrick's Day we decided to play only two selections - MacNamara's Band" and "When The Saints Go Marching In".

The wind fought us the entire time - blowing off decorations, flipping pages of music, even blowing books right off the holders. But it was the hats that caused havoc - from the front line clarinetist Lenore Gabriel to the back row trombonist Greg Brockway - hats were flying everywhere.

Trumpeter Al Galime's hat blew off and started rolling right up Genesee Street past the Red Band Car that was following the group. When he finally retrieved it he got a friendly, warm ovation from the crowd.

After we passed the reviewing stand, the open space at each intersection created such a crosswind it was just about impossible to play and we finally concluded with the "Marche Reale" at the end of the paraded once we were standing out of the wind behind the old HSBC building.

Clarinetist Linda DeAmicis wasn't able to march and hold a clarinet because of recent shoulder surgery, but she and her husband Jan came to the parade to support the band and take a few pictures thus supplying me with more photos than I'm usually able to take. Thanks Linda.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!