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For two and a half years, The Wyoming Valley Pipe and Drum Band has been playing for the green at heart.
SUBMITTED PHOTOs
The Irish Lads have had a successful 33-year career, spanning five albums and including performances on the same stage as The Clancy Brothers and Dubliners.
Although the Wyoming Valley Pipe and Drum band is most often seen in this season of Irish pride, its love for its heritage is year-round.
“We really just want to represent this area, the people here and what they stand for,” said Butch Modzelewski, 61, of Wilkes-Barre, who founded the band two and a half years ago.
This is apparent in the band’s claddagh symbol. The creator of the symbol and the band’s pipe major, Chris Lynch, 40, of Duryea, made sure the symbol represented the region as best it could.
“The main focus of it is the heart, and then we have the pick-ax inside to represent the coalminers, and the other side is the Native American war club.”
These represent two important historical aspects of the area. “Valley with a Heart” also is a part of it, historically significant in that it’s the phrase coined during the time of Tropical Storm Agnes of 1972.
The band consists of 21 players, three now in training, as well as seven flag and two banner carriers.
“There’s a wide age range in the band as well,” Modzelewski said. “The youngest is 13, and I’m the oldest, in my 60s.”
Everyone is welcome to join.
“If you have no idea how to play the instruments, it’s OK,” Modzelewski said. “We train you and get you going.”
They also don’t limit themselves when it comes to venues.
“We’re friendly, and we’ll do just about anything you want,” Modzelewski said. “Weddings, funerals, birthday parties. You can also have only one guy play, five of the members or the whole band.”
The band plays Irish, Scottish and American sets, and Modzelewski throws in some flair of his own.
“No matter what we’re doing, even if it’s a pub crawl on St. Paddy’s, I have to throw in a polka or two,” he said. “I’m the only one that plays them.”
Quirks like these make the band stand out. Members also try to get as much crowd participation as possible.
“We don’t just stand there and play. We love to move around and have fun,” Modzelewski said.
“In fact, this year, when the parade comes to a halt, we aren’t going to just stand there. We’re going to get into a circle and play the bagpipes really fast and dance. We want to get everyone riled up.”
Another favorite local Irish band is The Irish Lads, who have had such a successful 33-year career – spanning five albums and including performances on the same stage as The Clancy Brothers and Dubliners – it seems nothing could weigh them down.
Tommy Boyle, 57, of Hazleton, who’s on vocals, guitar and keyboard, said one thing does, however.
“The equipment is getting a little heavier.”
The trio, which also includes Mike Dolon, 59, of Hazleton on button-box accordion, bodhran, tin whistle and vocals and Rich Fedoriska, 56, of Pottsville on bass guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals, is certainly going to get a workout this St. Patrick’s Day season. They kick off a packed performance schedule today.
“We have seven jobs in 10 days,” Boyle said. “Each show is about four hours long.”
Though the schedule can be a bit daunting at this point in their career, Boyle said, the fans make everything worth it.
“The people we’ve met over the years, far and near, are phenomenal. It’s nice to know that in a world that can sometimes be filled with sadness, there are such great people out there.”
The band, which plays Irish folk music, was the featured entertainment on a Carnival cruise ship in 2005 and can be heard on www.midwestirishradio.com, which broadcasts out of Ireland.
No matter where the band goes or with whom it plays, one thing held dear is the enjoyment derived.
“What we agreed to in 1978 is that we would stop doing it when it was no longer fun,” Boyle said. “And it’s still fun, so we aren’t going anywhere.”
Not only are they going to continue playing, they’re ready to put out new music.
“We definitely won’t go out without at least one more album,” Boyle said. “I’ll go out on a limb and say we’ll have it out within the coming year.
“And if it takes longer than that, well, you might just have to come see us in a nursing home.”
If you go
Irish Lads
Tonight
8: Shenanigans, Lake Harmony
Saturday
1 p.m.: Murphy’s, Swoyersville
Sunday
4 p.m.: Bart & Urby’s, Wilkes-Barre
Thursday
7 p.m.: Kevin’s Bar & Restaurant, Kingston
Wyoming Valley Pipe and Drum
Tonight
6: Saints & Sinners, Pittston
7: Uptown II, Wilkes-Barre
8: Senunas’, Wilkes-Barre
9: Hops & Barleys, Luzerne
10: Murphy’s, Swoyersville
Saturday
Scranton St. Patrick’s Day parade, Irish Cultural Society, Rooney’s in Pittston
Sunday
12:30 p.m.: Rodano’s, Wilkes-Barre
2 p.m.: Wilkes-Barre Parade, followed by Mulligan’s, Senunas’ and Outsiders, all of Wilkes-Barre, Kelsey’s in Ashley and Barney Inn in Wilkes-Barre
Thursday
5:15 p.m.: Plains American Legion followed by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Game and Two G’s in Bear Creek