June 7, 2010 - Utica Monday Night Concert

La Banda Rossa played a concert to open the 2010 Utica Monday Night Heritage Celebration at Chancellor Park. Every Monday will spotlight a different Ethnic group and opening night featured Italian music and food.

It was a beautiful evening and a large crowd turned out with sweaters, jackets, sunglasses and lawn chairs.

Danielle's and Cafe CaNole supplied sausage and peppers, and Italian pastries. The aroma wafted over the Bandstand with the audience singing as we played all their favorite Italian songs introduced by our very own interlocutor, Pasquale Giuseppe Santacroce.

We were joined this evening by trumpeter Dorian Mohar - back from his cruise ship gig (Welcome Home), and joining us on bass drum was Red Band veteran, Frank LaPuma.

Barb Seaton is now playing a very special instrument at Red Band concerts - look for her new RED flute and piccolo!

The concert closed with a salute to our director Arlene and her husband Pierre celebrating their 48th wedding anniversary and then everyone sang "Happy Birthday" in honor of baritone player, Donna DeRosa.

Italian Night in East Utica is all about

MUSIC, FOOD, FAMILY, and FRIENDS.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!

Please click on link below for photos of Utica Monday Night.
Italian Night at Heritage Park

May 31, 2010 - Memorial Day Parades

Summer has arrived early this year. The flowers of mid-June are already in full bloom and it feels like the heat of July is here in full force.

Surprisingly, the crowd of spectators seemed more sparse than last year in the Whitesboro and Utica Parades. Perhaps they were off enjoying picnics with family and friends.

However - they were all back home in time for the evening parade in New Hartford.

In all 3 parades we were greeted with smiles-flags-applause and many shouts of "Thank You" as the people acknowledged our Country's Servicemen as we played the songs of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard as well as God Bless America.

Although it was a "scorcher" - the warm reception of the crowds and the deep meaning of Memorial Day made for three spirited parades.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!

Photos from Whitesboro and New Hartford Parade

Please click on the link below for more photos

Memorial Day Parades

March 19, 2010 - St. Joseph Day Concert Utica, NY

It only takes 2 days to switch from the "Wearin' O' the Green" to "Sportin' the Red" to honor St. Joseph - and this year, The Red Band participated in the celebration by performing on the great stage of the Stanley Theatre.

Cafe CaNole hosted their annual St. Joseph Day Feast - setting up a buffet line along one side of the stage and a pastry shop in display cases on the other side, featuring the special St. Joseph Day pastries - sfinge and zeppole. St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Pastry Chefs. We were setup at the rear of the stage to provide music while everyone dined.

All across the stage were enough banquet tables to accommodate hundreds of people - and hundreds arrived. As we played most of our Italian repertoire, our audience, dressed primarily in red, started arriving in a steady stream.

During our 2nd half of the concert - the staff started setting up more tables and carrying more chairs across the stage as the buffet line got longer and longer, stretching from one side of the stage across the front to the other side.

The tradition of the St. Joseph Day table started in the Middle Ages when the people of Sicily prayed to their Patron Saint, St. Joseph, to bring them rain during a severe drought to prevent a famine. They promised if he answered their prayers they would prepare a large feast to honor him.

The rain came and the tradition of the feast continues.

What a wonderful turn-out to share the Italian Heritage at this St. Joseph's Table on his Feast Day.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!

Please click on the link below for photos
St. Joseph Day Concert

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!!

Please click on the link below for more photos

St. Patrick's Day Parade

November 8, 2009 - Whitesboro Veteran's Day Parade

Whitesboro celebrated Veteran's Day with a parade held on Sunday, November 8th.

They could not have picked a nicer day - it was sunny, clear and so warm that we performed our last parade in short sleeves - no jackets necessary on this beautiful November afternoon.

We followed the Oneida County Voutures 92 Truck with it's cannon booming down Main Street as we played all the Military Marches for the Patriotic Flag waving crowd.



We marched onto the Village Green staying in formation as we lined up by the Gazebo.
We all joined in as a young Cub Scout stood on a chair to lead everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance -then Professeressa Arlene Iagnocco conducted La Banda Rossa playing the Star-Spangled Banner - a fitting song for our final number of the 2009 Red Band Season

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!
Please click on the link below for photos
Veteran's Day Parade

September 26-27, 2009 - St. Cosma-St. Damian Feast - Utica, NY

Every year the St. Cosma-St. Damian Feast seems to get bigger. The number of buses arriving from Canada has grown from over 80 in past years to well over 100 this year.

On Saturday evening, the grounds around St. Anthony’s Church were packed with people. Our Concert started late (not until close to 9:00pm) because of the size of the Candlelight Procession and the length of time it took to complete.

As always we began our Concert with the three National Anthems to honor the Pilgrims from the United States, Canada, and Italy. Usually the crowd explodes with cheers at the first strains of “O Canada” – but this year the applause after “Inno Di Mameli” was overwhelming.

The dance floor stayed crowded all through the second half of our Concert. They danced to everything from Polkas, Tangos, Marches, and Italian Movie Themes. They even did a kick-dance on top of the tables during “New York New York”.

The rain held off until the last few songs of the night and it rained steady as everyone left and we packed up our instruments.

Sunday morning the rain continued on and off all morning and afternoon–yet this was one of the largest processions ever. It extended for almost 4-5 city blocks. The distance was shorter this year and more people seemed to walk it.

The rain didn’t matter – up went the umbrellas and the two Bands played on.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!!

Please click on link below for photos.

St. Cosma-St. Damian Feast Saturday Night Concert
St. Cosma-St. Damian Feast Sunday Morning Procession

September 20, 2009 - San Gennero Feast at Turning Stone Casino - Verona, NY

The Red Band returned to the Turning Stone Casino as the closing act for their San Gennaro Festival.

This year they moved us from the stage at the back of the Event Center to the Main Stage.

We started a little late as we had to wait for the cooking demonstration to finish before setting up for our concert - but Hey! - That's Italian! Good Food and Music!

The audience stayed to listen to our two hour concert. We had to omit a few selections because of the late start - but we did play all the Italian favorites and received a good round of applause for each one.

This is the one gig that's so different from the rest- the Big Stage - Music Stands with Lights (setup by stage hands!) - Microphones - Spotlights - Sound System - and we get to watch ourselves perform on the Big Screen at the opposite end of the room.

It's the Big Time and fun to play.

VIVA LA BANDA ROSSA!

Please click on link below for photos

Turning Stone

September 5, 2009 - Richard Galime Wedding

This one was for "Family"!

The Red Band gathered on the steps of St. Anthony's Church to salute newlyweds, Richard and Mary Galime.

Richard grew up with the Band, playing 3rd trumpet at the age of twelve - then rapidly improving his trumpet skills he joined his father, Al, at 1st trumpet where he continued to play through his high school and college years, and beyond.

As family and friends exited the Wedding Mass, they were delighted to have the Band entertain them with marches and Italian music as they waited for the Bride and Groom to descend the Church stairs.

When Richard and Mary exited the Church we honored them with the Royal Italian March.

Then the Bridal Party and guests began to dance outside as we played "Funiculi Funicula" and the "Tarentella".

The Galimes' are such a musical family - Al, Richard, Michael, and Julia all play in La Banda Rossa in addition to having their own rock bands that play at area clubs and weddings - and last year at the Sts. Cosma and Damiano Feast, the Bride, Mary, joined us on trumpet.

Best wishes to both of you!

VIVA MR. & MRS. GALIME

Please click on link below for photos
Wedding