Eagles Community Band Hosting a Free Stage Band Concert

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Eagles Community Band's stage band is bringing a concert to the community on Saturday, April 5, at 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church on Fenn Street.

The event will feature local musician and trumpeter Jeff Stevens.

"This is something new for us. We typically have our concerts on Sunday at three o'clock," said stage band director James Stakenas.

The band was encouraged to bring something to Pittsfield at a time of year when it's not usually playing,  hoping it gives the community something to come and enjoy that's free.

Stakenas said, "Stage band just sort of roundly describes the fact that we're a 16-piece instrumental group, and we play music from all sorts of different genres."

The band plans to play many tunes from the '40s, "The Bare Necessities," and more including solos from Stevens and other band members.

"He's also going to solo with us on a couple of other tunes, different spots of the program, but we will also have a trombone feature, an alto sax feature, and I think a barry (baritone) sax solo. So we're going to showcase some of the other members of our stage band," Stakenas said.

"We're hoping it's an entertaining program. We have some good music picked out. Jeff’s a great soloist. We want people to relax and then just enjoy the afternoon. It should be fun for both us performing and for the people in the audience."

The band is encouraging young students to attend to help improve their own playing and enjoy a set of music that's not usually heard around the Berkshires.

"The nice thing is that they're going to see there's not many local big bands for them, for students, to come check out. And I always tell my students to go listen to other people play, because that's one of the best things you can do to improve your own playing, is listen other people," said bass player Jacob Keplinger. "There's jazz, a lot of jazz performances around Berkshire County, but not many big bands," 

The Eagles Community Band has performed in the Berkshires and beyond for nearly 90 years. The concert band has about 70 members and all ensembles combined have around 90, ranging from high school ages to musicians in their 80s. The band was originally sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 358 and became a nonprofit organization in 1993.

Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action. 

 

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

 

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

 

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature." 

 

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures. 

 

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis. 

 

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.