Photos by Isabell Macrina
The Wiley Brothers warm up, even in 80-degree weather
By Isabell Macrina
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Nestled between bustling restaurants and businesses covering anything you could need, the Walpole Town Common is a true center of the community. It is a place to gather, pay respects at the memorials, or in this case, to dance.
The Wiley Brothers are a musical group that is based in the South Shore/Cape Cod area of Massachusetts. Veterans of the Boston and Providence music scenes, the group consists of baritone singer and guitarist John Ahl, guitarist Hank Gatlin, bassist Tom Pattavina, and drummer Johnny Tropicana. They specialize in musical stylings from the 50’s to the 70’s, giving a look back to the old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll.
The band enjoys playing outside, saying they like seeing the families and kids having a chance to enjoy the music. The Wiley Brothers, while new to this configuration, have some fans that follow them around. “I don’t know which thrills us more, the followers or the newbies,” said Pattavina, which got a laugh from the other bandmates. They are a group of jokesters, taking the music seriously but not themselves, which could be inferred from their graphic button-up shirts. But they love the music, and they take songs everyone knows and put their own spin on it.
People brought chairs, blankets, and food to spread around the common and enjoy the show. When the song “Brown-Eyed Girl” kicked off, patrons from local restaurants who were seated outside looked over, smiling and swaying to the music, some even took their takeout right to the common and took a seat. A few locals walking their dogs crossed the street to stay for a song or two, and the pups seemed to like it too.
Each member of the band got their moment in the sun, a featured moment or a solo, but they never waved in their dedication to the music. The band encouraged people to dance, which the children in the audience took as a challenge to win. They bounced around the grass right under the stage, pulling in their parents or siblings for full family dance parties. It is events like this that show music is something that ties communities together, no matter the weather.
