The death of Frank Pallett etched the fate of The Chance Theater in stone. A mainstay in Poughkeepsie’s live music scene, The Chance was a theater with over a century of heritage that offered a venue to Count Basie, BB King, and The Ramones when their music careers were still in their infancy. Pallett took ownership of the theater in February 1995 and spent the rest of his life developing it into a place worthy of acts like Bowie and The Rolling Stones, as well as making it a launchpad for local bands to cut their teeth as live performers. When he died in 2021, Poughkeepsie mourned the loss of a local hero, but the city pondered the fate of this historic venue. The venue permanently closed its doors in October 2023. Chai Developers, the new owners, plan to renovate the theater while maintaining its heritage; however, the theater’s indefinite closure indicates the end of an era and reflects a greater global grassroots music venue crisis.