2023 – “Banded Together – The Boys From Glen Rock High” GRHS Screening 3-30-23
(ignore April 30, 2017 publish date – this was published on April 7, 2023)
Glen Rock High School on March 30, 2023 (click this PANO pic twice to fully enlarge and then scroll side-to-side to see everything):
I was to meet “Banded…” producer Barry Rubinow in front of GRHS at 5pm for the 7pm screening. I got there a little early and found a parking space across the street right in front of the school, so I got out and leaned against my car so he could easily spot me.
The sun was shining brightly on the building, so I thought getting a well-lit panoramic shot of the “scene of the crime” might be a good way to kick off this post. Then I noticed the bench to the left of the flagpole. It appeared to be painted black-and-white……………..but it wasn’t – that’s the sun shining brightly on the black cut-out metal.
Definitely worth zooming in on:
Quick detour: I need to back up about a half-hour to show something I photographed while driving on a busy highway on my way to GRHS that may be of interest to anyone who lives in or near Glen Rock – especially since it may no longer be there after an April 15 implosion. (NOTE: As of 4-5-23, the implosion has been delayed.)
This building is the reason why Glen Rock and Fair Lawn have smelled like Nilla Wafer cookies for decades………..it’s the Nabisco plant on Route 208 that made them:
Way back in 1966, I worked in a chem lab that was right across 208 from Nabisco and the aroma was heavenly………….I didn’t want to go into my building. That’s when Nabisco looked more like this:
But I digress……………back to GRHS.
Because the proceeds were for a good cause, it was suggested that EVERYONE buy a ticket. I can’t remember the last time I did that, but it was only $10, so what-the-hey. The procedure was a bit of a pain – what? No PayPal? – but here’s my ticket:
And guess what – no one ever scanned it, so I got in for free (for 10 bucks).
Either way, it was worth it.
First order of business: photograph Barry and Carey Rubinow, who are flanked by Arts Council of Glen Rock members Lisa Hahn (left – Business Liaison and Public Relations Director) and Patti McHugh, (right – Co-President and Banded Together Committee Chair) against the Arts Council background:
Meanwhile, back in the band room, the half of the band that were able to be there that night was putting together songs that would work with their instrumentation: sax, trumpet, stand-up bass………….and bongos.
In this PANO pic (click once to fully enlarge), we see (l-r): (Uncle) Floyd Vivino, producer Barry Rubinow, a woman I don’t know, Doug Romoff, Jerry Vivino, Jeff Venho and Frank Pagano:
It’s the first time I ever saw Frank without a pair of drumsticks in his hands, so I HAD to get a shot of him with his bongos:
Back in the hallway, here are the student t-shirt sellers. You should buy a couple of them because they have the movie’s original name on them (“The Band From Glen Rock High”) and they’ll soon be rare:
This is Joyce Johnson (Photographer, Banded Together Committee, Arts Council of Glen Rock). She actually asked me to stand in front of the backdrop…………..that’s a first!
And here’s the result:
Somebody asked me if the photo credit was already on the background……….uh, no.
It’s getting close to the 7pm show time, so the auditorium starts to fill up. I didn’t realize it when I took the picture, but it includes one of the original concert’s musicians. Five rows back in the center (short white hair) is gospel singer and pianist Ouida W. Harding, who – like everyone else in the band – is a GRHS graduate:
You can find other pictures of her performing during that concert here:
https://iaintjustmusic.bobleafe.com/?p=14920
During the movie, I wound up sitting in the second row – right behind the music teacher who molded all these GRHS students into great musicians – Joe Sielski.
There’s a part in the movie where the musicians reunite at Joe’s house and I thought it might be interesting to include the Joe sitting in front of me with the Joe on the screen (as it turns out, I’ve had better ideas).
After the screening, there was a short Q & A and then the live entertainment started, beginning with a history lesson mixed with comedy from Uncle Floyd. In an effort to cut down on the number of videos I’d have to post on YouTube, I combined the 32 seconds at Joe’s house with Floyd’s 6 minutes to present you with this video.
(NOTE: Make SURE you hit either the “YouTube” or “Watch on YouTube” button so you can read the description on both this video and the one that follows. There’s a lot of relevant information in both places that you won’t have access to if you just click on the below image[s]. I think it also makes the number of views more accurate):
I shot the main part of the show with a mixture of stills and little videos. I stitched the mini-vids together into an unsmooth 9-minute overview that ends with Barry calling someone up to the stage. I’ll get into that part in the stills that follow this video:
I’m not quite sure what Jerry and Barry are doing………..the tomahawk chop?
Jeff solos (I’m guessing). I liked the spotlights on brass:
Jerry was trying to get everyone to snap their fingers:
Joe complied:
Two more band shots:
After the show, I told Joe that I got a lot of great shots of the back of his head…………I wasn’t kidding, Joe!
Oh yeah………..Barry called someone up to the stage at the end of the show. It was Glen Rock’s mayor, Kristine Morieko, who presented Barry with a proclamation. I’m glad I didn’t choose to video that part because she read the entire thing and it took a while (too many “whereases”), but it was a very nice gesture that – in the end – proclaimed that on the next day – March 31, 2023 – the Borough of Glen Rock would be known as “Boys In The Band Rock, NJ 07452”).
It must have been interesting if you called any municipal office the next day and heard: “Hello, Boys In The Band Rock dogcatcher” or maybe “Boys In The Band Rock Arts Council” (or insert your favorite department).
Here’s how that Kristine/Barry onstage encounter ended:
I found an easier way to let you know what the proclamation said – I took a picture of it. It’s larger than most of the other pix, so click this PANO twice to fully enlarge so it’s readable:
But if you really want to read a great article about the movie, find what’s right next to the proclamation in that picture. It’s the front page of the main section of The Record from March 29, 2023. The writer – Jim Beckerman – did as complete and thorough an account as you could ever want to read.
I thought it would probably be on the front page of the entertainment section, but the front page of the ENTIRE PAPER? Wow!
I emailed Jim, asking him how THAT happened. His reply: “…that’s a surprise to me as well!”
In closing, I’d like to thank the woman who held the proclamation and newspaper up so artfully for the picture………….. Carey Rubinow (the better half of the Barry and Carey show).
And, of course, thanks to Barry for putting this great story together.
See y’all in Ridgewood for the screening on April 27?
Thanks, Bob!!!!
Great work as always.
Barry