(Fred Mascherino of Taking Back Sunday and The Color Fred at The Loft on October 31, 2007
Photo Credit Tara Quealy)
From Harry Houdini to Godsmack, The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie has lent its stage to some of the biggest names in entertainment. The theater has even been named best music venue in the Hudson Valley by Hudson Valley Magazine three times in a row.
The Chance Theater originally opened as a vaudeville theater in 1912, called The Dutchess Theater, hosting acts like The Three Stooges. The theater closed down from 1945 until 1970 when it was re-opened as a film and live entertainment venue called, Frivolous Sal’s Last Chance. Later the venue became known as The Last Chance and then The Chance. Some of the security staff at the venue claim that the old building is haunted and say that they have seen ghosts on the surveillance tapes.
Two other smaller venues were added onto The Chance making it an entertainment complex. The Loft, which can hold 400 people and Club Crannel, which can hold 250 people have shows about two or three times a week. The Chance Theater holds 750 people and has a show about four times a week. The Chance Theater with a bar on each floor, has two floors for fans to view and enjoy whoever is performing on stage. The Police, Judas Priest, Third Eye Blind and Fall Out Boy have all played there The Chance before. Mostly local, smaller bands play the two other venues.
“It’s a good venue because if a show sells out at The Loft we can move it to The Chance,” said intern Chelsie Friedman. “We never lose a show.”
Not just used for live acts, every Saturday night The Loft is used as a night club. Located directly above The Chance, The Loft will occasionally ask reality television celebrities to make appearances; the most recent star being Steven from The Real World Las Vegas.
“I love The Loft,” said Fred Mascherino of Taking Back Sunday and The Color Fred after playing there on Halloween. “I would definitely come back here and play.” Mascherino who is in a number of different bands has also played The Chance and liked playing there as well. “I played at another place in Poughkeepsie with my other band, Breaking Pangea, which was not so great.”
“Not just one type of band can play there,” said Steven Viola a junior education major at Marist College. “Smaller local bands can play at the Loft and Crannel, and bigger bands can play at The Chance.”
Viola also noted the convenient location of the venue. “If The Chance was not here, I would have to go all the way to New York City or Albany to see a show,” he said. “That is where the next closest venues are.”
The Chance Entertainment Complex is an overall favorite with bands and fans a like and it is a great part of Poughkeepsie’s culture.
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