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Seven-year-old Hazleton resident Joey Stewart clung to his ukulele and leaped up and down Friday as the Indigo Moon Brass Band performed from a slow-moving flatbed truck.
				&ldquo;I waited all day. I wanted to hear the music,&rdquo; he said as his twin sister also bolted from family gathered on her front porch to get closer to the excitement.
				Due to a coronavirus ban on mass gatherings, Luzerne County replaced its concerts along the Susquehanna River with on-the-road performances in five communities. The Hazleton one was first.
				County tourism head Theodore Wampole came up with the idea to take performances to the people, largely as a way to lift spirits amid the pandemic.
				Wampole, executive director of the county Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the Hazleton event was a &ldquo;great success&rdquo; and exceeded his initial expectations.
				&ldquo;To have people along the route dancing along, waving, smiling, shouting &lsquo;thank you&rsquo; over and over again as we passed by, that made it a success in my eyes,&rdquo; Wampole said after the 1.5-hour event concluded. &ldquo;People genuinely enjoyed something different and entertaining, and that was our goal.&rdquo;
				Escorted by city police and county sheriff deputies, the Indigo Moon Brass Band blasted out music in the New Orleans tradition with a touch of funk and rhythm-and-blues. Band members are based in the Wyoming Valley and Scranton areas.
				Caught up in the energy, a 23-year-old identifying himself as Jose Cuervo broke into impressive dance moves when the band paused near his residence on Alter Street, where a group was gathered along the shady side of the street to escape the heat.
				&ldquo;It was cool. It was good for the neighborhood &mdash; a good old wakeup call,&rdquo; he said.
				Jamie Koskulitz walked from her nearby residence to wait for the performance to reach Vine Street.
				&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s a nice idea. At least they&rsquo;re trying to do something to help people try to forget the craziness going on,&rdquo; Koskulitz said, referring to the pandemic.
				Some blocks had no people out and about but suddenly filled up with residents popping out of yards and homes, drawn to the music.
				Along the route, residents repeatedly said they enjoyed the visiting band.
				The only complaint was a wish the group could linger longer.
				&ldquo;That&rsquo;s it?&rdquo; one woman said.
				Wampole thanked Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat, who rode along in the parade, and members of the concert committee. That included Wilkes-Barre City Council Vice-chairman Tony Brooks, who was in a vehicle with Wampole behind the flatbed.
				&ldquo;We look forward to doing it again next week in Pittston,&rdquo; Wampole said. The July 24 event in Pittston will feature The Mule Team.
				Additional information is available at <a href="https://www.visitluzernecounty.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.VisitLuzerneCounty.com</a>.

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The Big Easy comes to Hazleton