The Prodigals Earned Longest Residency World Record
The band secured a Guinness World Record for their 29-year musical residency at a Kips Bay bar.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Cultural
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The Prodigals have been awarded a Guinness World Record for the longest annual residency by a band. The group has performed weekly at Paddy Reilly's Music Bar in Manhattan since 1997.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights the endurance of long-term musical residencies in the city's local entertainment landscape. It honors the band's commitment to maintaining a consistent live music presence for nearly three decades.
The band provided pay stubs and historical newspaper articles to verify their 29-year history to Guinness World Records. Members of the current lineup include Gregory Grene, Eamon Ellams, Colin Forhan, and Sean Tierney.
The players
The Prodigals
The Prodigals are a musical group that has maintained a consistent live presence in Manhattan for nearly three decades.
Paddy Reilly's Music Bar
Paddy Reilly's Music Bar is a long-standing establishment located in the Kips Bay neighborhood of Manhattan.
The details
The band submitted extensive documentation, including pay stubs and archived articles, to prove their performance history at the Kips Bay venue. Despite the pub changing ownership in 2023, the weekly performances have continued, and the group plans to maintain their residency indefinitely.
Timeline
The Prodigals began their weekly residency at Paddy Reilly's Music Bar in 1997.
The band reached their 29th anniversary at the venue on March 17, 2026.
The official Guinness World Record was awarded to the band on September 18, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The story follows a pattern set by the Guinness World Record for longest residency by a band, marking a rare longevity milestone in the local music industry. This achievement highlights a shift in venue-artist relationships where long-term consistency remains a cornerstone of the city's cultural scene.
Fans and local residents can continue to visit the Kips Bay venue to see the band perform their weekly sets. This record confirms the group's ongoing availability at the bar despite recent changes in establishment ownership.
The takeaway
Maintaining a long-term residency requires consistent commitment to both a venue and a local audience over several decades. Musicians looking to build a career in a city can use this milestone as a benchmark for the value of stability in an often transient entertainment industry.
Further reading
Discover more about local performances in the Cultural section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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