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A parting message to customers posted at Bodles Opera House in downtown Chester. Photo by Pamela Chergotis
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Bad economy deals Bodles its final blow, By Vicki Botta
Chester — Whether you pronounce it “Bow-dels” or “Boo-dles,” everyone around here still knows what you’re talking about.
Bodles Opera House, the iconic live music venue in downtown Chester, closed Saturday night with little warning. Nothing about the closing was mentioned at its last show and open mic night last Thursday, said Bodles fan Gene Focarelli, who was there. “At one point Pat [Mazo, the owner] asked if anyone in the audience had won the lottery, and at another point joked with a dollar in her hand that if she had $999,000 more she could possibly keep the place going,” he said.
But he didn’t know just how serious she was.
Mazo and her partner, Jo Gillman, posted the following message on the Bodles Web page: “After almost 25 years of hosting and presenting some of the finest live musical performances, it is with a heavy heart that I announce the closing of Bodles Opera House. High operating expenses, increasing debt, the state of our economy and lack of attendance has made it extremely difficult to continue, and left us with no other options.”
This is not the first time Bodles announced it would shut down because money was short. The last closing, in the summer 2004, was narrowly averted. Many musicians and fans descended on the club to raise both funds and awareness to keep this rare institution open.
Recent attempts have proved less successful, said Focarelli, himself a performer. As a member of Gargerelli, a musical-comedy revue, he has performed at Bodles fundraisers through the years.
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| Last spring, Bodles Opera House owner Pat Mazo looked at Brooks family photos with Catharine Otto Christensen, a Brooks family descendant. The Bodles building at 39 Main St. was built in 1855 as the George H. Brooks Carriage and Sleigh Factory before it became a car showroom and eventually part of the opera house. The building at 34 Main St. was an opera house first and last, with intervening uses as a silent movie house, high school gym, and meeting hall. Photo by Leslie Smith |
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But only four acts responded to a recent invitation to participate in this year’s “Beach Bash,” which was supposed to be an annual fundraiser for the club, he said.
Another problem is the cost of the acts most likely to draw a large audience. When Mazo e-mailed inquiries to patrons asking if they would like to see The Searchers, a very expensive act to book, many people e-mailed saying they were interested. But when the time came, not that many patrons actually came out and Mazo “lost her shirt,” said Focarelli.
Evan Teatum of Goshen, another musician who has performed at Bodles, reflected on the end of an era.
“Many years ago, when Pat first took over, I used to do sound there for dinner—no money—just a good meal, good company and great music,” he said. “I got to do sound for Living Legends like Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and many others. Then I introduced Pat to my friend Tom ‘Tonto’ Hendrickson, who taught me about sound, because I couldn’t commit to do it all the time because of the uncertainty of my work hours and my own gig pursuits. I hated to give it up, but it was the right thing to do and I’m glad I did because Tom designed and installed the system and even brought his own equipment for Pat to use when she first got started. That’s the way that place was, everybody was like family. If Bodles needed something, you pitched in and did what you could, and if you needed a gig to promote a CD or showcase a new tune, you could go there and feel like you belonged.”
He said Mike Baglione, who ran the open mic, never missed one in 15 years.
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“That was the best open mic in Orange County, period,” Teatum said. “The most welcoming and most professional. Mike recently crafted a handmade guitar and donated this beautiful instrument to Bodles to offset costs because that was the Bodles way — selflessness.”
Focarelli said Bodles was the kind of place where, if you wanted to play on any given night, you could come and share your music. Mazo was always looking for new acts, and greeted everyone with a hug, he said.
Bodles has hosted many famous acts, and many more fine unknowns. Sugar Loaf’s own master of blues, the late Bill Perry, performed there regularly.
“Many people cover legends like the Stones, the Beatles, etc., but where else are you going to be able to hear the wonderful originals by talented songwriters or local young people sharing their talent and love for music?” asked Focarelli.
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You won’t be able to hear them at Bodles anymore.
Mazo and Gillman held out a glimmer of hope in their message: “There have been a few inquiries from performers about doing a fundraiser to help with some of the debt, that would be a gift of great love that I am probably not worthy of, but will certainly accept. So please check the website from time to time for updates as to those possible events.”
On the Internet
www.bodles.org
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