Family Continues Tradition of Playing Summer Concert Series

The Trogani family has been a staple of Montville since 1977. On Thursday, some of the members of the big family will be performing at the Community Park Ampitheatre under the name of The Flipside, a band that plays at bars, parties, and weddings.

The Trogani family, with nine of its 12 children graduating from Montville High School, is no stranger to Montville. Like the family that comprises most of the members, The Flipside is no stranger to the Summer Concert Series--the band has been featured in the event since 2003, with the exception of the one year Montville did not hold the event.

The band has been around even before they started playing the Montville Summer Concert Series.

“The Flipside has been performing as a band for the past 25 years,” Guy Trogani, one of the members and elder-statesmen of the band, said.  “Our make-up varies because we perform different songs and playlists for different events like acoustic sets at bars.”

When the band opens the concert with the first set, The Flipside will be showcasing their acoustical talents, featuring Monica Trogani, her boyfriend, James DiPaolo, and his brother, Robert, performing. Then, the second act will feature the more traditional performance [of The Flipside] when Guy Trogani, Mariella Trogani, Guy’s daughter, Marnie Zacher, Guy’s sister, her husband Norman Zacher, and Jason Zacher, come out to play. 

“What we try to do as a band is just give the audience some easy listening,” Trogani said. “We’ll perform Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Van Morrison, and old time country. We also perform four to five blues numbers that Mariella fronts.”

However, because of the family nature of the band, The Flipside will be performing some newer tunes for the younger generation as well.

“Mariella will be performing a 'Glee-type' song,” Trogani said. Mariella, who starts Kean University this fall, also plays alongside her cousin, Jason, Marnie Troganie’s son, which has the next generation of Trogani’s continuing to play alongside each other. 

“Our band really is all about doing activities as a family,” Trogani said.  “We have a lot of it [family] playing in the band, doing our best to have family-fun.  And, we try to make it enjoyable for the audience to bring their families to.”

“With Mariella and Jason, who is studying music at Montclair University, going off to college soon, we really want this concert to be fun,” Trogani said. 

The Flipside will be performing from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday.