Bemus Bay Pops

We were Camelot

"We dreamed it, we developed it, we built it, we embraced it, we shared it, we loved it, we nurtured it and now we all remember it as a special time in our lives.  This was our Camelot. Others will follow, but there will never be another Camelot on the Lake."

Dan Dalpra

Pat Locke, Maestro Muse

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                    A Man Named Dan                         

                                                       

Dan with Steve Swanson and the Bemus Bay Pops Symphony Orchestra

"This is your gift.  This belongs to all of you.  I hope you enjoy it, you nuture it and it grows for all of us."

Dan Dalpra

Dan and Sue

Deanna, Danelle, Dan, Sue and Dana 

The Dalpra Grandchildren

Dan discovered aviation at the young age of 16.  He eventually took a $5 introductory lesson and was immediately, hooked!  He received his private license when he turned 17.  His plan was to become an airline pilot.  At the age of 18 he had his commerical, multi-engine, instrument and flight instructor rating. At 19, he became the general manager of the flight school and charter service.  When he turned 20 he was hired by Haines & Company, Inc. of North Canton, Ohio becoming their corporate pilot.  When he reached the age of 22 Dan was promoted to Vice President of Marketing for their direct mail division called Americalist.  

Dan met the love of his life, Sue Caskey in May of 1971.  They were married in November of that year. Then out of the blue, having discovered Sue's hometown of Bemus Point NY, Dan decided to leave the world of aviation and move to Bemus Point.  Together, they created the Italian Fisherman though in 1974 Dan decided to create Guppy's as a year-round restaurant.  Eventually, they sold Guppy's and focused their sole attention on the Italian Fisherman.  

In 1998, the Bemus Bay Pops was created after hosting a special CD release party for his talented friend, Steve Swanson.  At that time, Dan got an idea to host a symphony orchestra on the roof of the Italian Fisherman!  This lead to the birth of the phrase, Bringing the Arts to the People. Dan is amazed that all of his personal experience was actually preparing him for all of this.  Dan truly thought he was going to be a full-time airline pilot, but he now realizes that someone of higher power had bigger plans for a man named Dan.

"There was alot of history in between all of those years.  So much so, it could be a novel."

Dan Dalpra, Founder & CEO 

Thank you, Dan.

Pat Locke

Maestro Muse

 

And many of us .. even know the words!

Music Matters!

Pat Locke, Maestro Muse

#popslove

John Marcellus, Conductor 

Chautauqua Lake Pops Symphony Orchestra 

A painter paints on canvas.  A maestro paints on silence.

                         

The baton is an extension of the conductor's arm.  When properly used, it helps a conductor gain clarity in articulating the music and leading an orchestra.

The Maestro 

The Trombonist

The Cummerbund

Pat Locke, Maestro Muse

#popslove

 

Hollywood Nights tribute to Bob Seger was to perform on the floating stage this summer.  Though they had to cancel .. this personal story by lead singer, Rick Murphy is worth sharing with the many fans of Hollywood Nights.  Enjoy while listening to a Bob Seger song that you might have in your music collection.  

I had convinced my mother that all twelve year olds go to Kiss concerts and tickets were only $7.50.  To my suprise she agreed and why wouldn't she!  I was beating the heck out of my drums every day and she knew what this meant to me.  The journey was monumental being a school day and with general admission tickets that meant one thing.  Get there early and that is what we did.

I remember getting dropped off with my cousins in the afternoon and seeing bright yellow wooden barriers blocking the steps leading up to the doors and a few other kids already claiming their spot of concrete at the gate.  It was really cold that day, but we had on our flannel shirts and a Philly pretzel, in hand. 

Once inside the sound system had begun to make some noise and the lights were coming down as a few roadies pushed across the stage and one making his way up a small rope ladder to the top of the staging.  I can remember looking at all the nearby faces and they all looked back with that same sense of excitement and wonder, knowing that something big was about to happen.  Knowing that Kiss was still putting on their battle gear, the opening act was taking the stage and plugging in their guitars.  A man came up to the microphone and asked if we were ready for some rock & roll and we all screamed that we were ready.  I could not tell you who this guy was, but he had this way of holding his microphone.  He went from one song to another with the force of a freight train.  His vocals were gritty and explosive unlike my painted heros.  I began to look around and notice a girl who was singing every word with this rocker and I asked her "Who is this guy?" She screamed back with a smile, "That's Bob Seger man, don't you know?"  

From that point on, I made it my mission to listen for this guy on the radio.  Buying his album was out of the question.  Money was tight and heck I was only in the sixth grade. I came across a song here and there, but remember not hearing him very much on the radio back then.  He was a force to be reckoned with and his stage show was all horsepower.  

Fast forward many years and here I am singing this guy's songs with a killer band in front of thousands of people and catching the eye of someone in the audience unfamilliar with his music and knowing I better deliver the goods to that fan as Bob Seger did to me, that night!

December 21,1976 Philadelphia Spectrum

Rick Murphy, Hollywood Nights lead singer

www.hollywoodnights.com

Pat Locke, Maestro Muse

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