Two styles of classic tunes are making their way to local parks this week.
House of Hamill performs “upcycled Celtic folk” at Pastorius Park on July 9. Founders Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan attended shows there when they lived in Chestnut Hill. Now, they’re excited to bring their own music to the neighborhood.
“It’s an ideal setup for a folk concert,” Baldino said. She remembers the park’s twinkling lights and welcoming audience. House of Hamill performs around the country and even brings fans and friends to Ireland on a music history tour several times a year.
Baldino learned fiddle in her teens and met Buchanan at a folk conference in 2015. Both played in separate Celtic-inspired bands before forming House of Hamill. Caroline Browning joined in 2018 after the duo asked their Facebook friends for a last-minute bassist.
“It is a little serendipitous to come back to that style of music much later,” Browning said. When she was young, a music teacher taught her Irish folk songs on fiddle. Browning now plays electric bass, guitar, and mandolin.
“That kind of music has always been very well received at the Pastorius Park concerts,” said Anne McNiff, executive director of the Chestnut Hill Community Association. Her office, along with a board committee, chose House of Hamill because folk ballads and three-part harmonies fit the family-friendly atmosphere.
And harmonize they do: every member of House of Hamill sings. As folk singers, the band enjoys sharing the stories behind their songs before performing them. One of their new tunes, “Banks of Brandywine,” shares dark folklore surrounding the Brandywine River.
“We try to keep the rest of the show pretty lighthearted and funny to make up for the fact that nobody lives to the end of our songs,” Buchanan joked.
Hometown band rocks again
Cisco and Gorgas Parks continue their summer concert series with separate classic rock bands on July 10. The Northern Lights Band performs at Cisco Park at 6 p.m. and Plush performs at Gorgas Park at 7 p.m.
The Northern Lights Band drummer Ron Capone and bassist Pat Kaufman met at Bishop McDevitt High School in 1971. While playing drums in the marching band, Capone was approached by his prospective bandmates. He, Kaufman, Blaise Brugger (the Chestnut Hill Local’s current production manager), and Biff Coin played together until they graduated college. The band reunited in 2007 at a friend’s birthday party.
Lead singers Donna DeMarco, Sarah Maxwell, and Joe Nines joined post-hiatus, along with Matt Pello and Mike Gaudet. Every member has family and friendship ties to Springfield Township.
“We started practicing right across the street from Cisco Park when we first joined together,” Kaufman said. He remembers the band getting ice cream at a local luncheonette during rehearsal breaks.
The Northern Lights Band enjoys performing lesser-known classic rock hits, including a medley from Tommy James and the Shondells. While they still make space for Beatles covers, their repertoire comes from each member’s love of music.
“When we look out and we see people tapping their toes and singing to ‘I Fought the Law and the Law Won,’ it makes us really happy,” Capone said.
A family affair
“We try to book local bands because the whole point is for the community to come out,” said Emily Baiada, Springfield Township's director of parks and recreation.
Baiada explained the community didn’t connect to the bigger acts her team brought in the past, so her office pivoted to please community tastes by keeping the concerts simple. This year’s concert series starts an hour earlier than in previous years, so families can enjoy the performers before bedtime.
Community members “love watching their friends play,” Baiada said. Friend groups and families flock to Cisco Park on Thursday nights with sandwiches and picnic blankets. Youngsters watch animals drink from and swim in the pond. Baiada said the concerts are a great “mini-vacation” from the week and preparation for the weekend.
The Northern Lights Band has performed at Cisco Park for three years in a row. “We’re always open to new groups and we’re looking forward to expanding the offerings,” Baiada said. Prospective bands don’t need to have much experience. They can contact the parks and recreation department for the opportunity to perform at a future show.
House of Hamill performs at the Pastorius Park Concerts, 8177 Roanoke St., Chestnut Hill, on Wednesday, July 9, 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.
The Northern Lights Band performs at James A. Cisco Park & Pond, 299 Montgomery Ave., Glenside, on Thursday, July 10, 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Plush Band performs at Gorgas Park, 6300 Ridge Ave., on Thursday, July 10, 7 p.m. Admission is free.
