Bates Printing Logo Why Bates PageWhat's Happening PageOff The Presses PageCustomer Menu PageContact Page
Back to Home Page

Back Alley Blues
Back to What's Happening

Dancing Picture

Gathered Around Picture

 

A Word From the City


Dear Dan,

This event was so well organized and so well planned...The entire event was beautiful, exciting and entertaining. You helped us have a night away from our day-to-day lives. You transported us to Bourbon Street in New Orleans without having to leave our own backyards. What a wonderful evening!...Your contributions, generosity, time and dedication to this memorable event are certainly appreciated.

Francis H. Cicchinelli, Jr.
Mayor of Massillon

 
Back Alley Blues

As the summer celebration of Massillon’s 175th birthday continued, Bates Printing, Inc. and Rotary Club of Massillon presented Back Alley Blues. Chairman Dan Bates and his committee created a magical one-night blues club in Diamond Court and Postal Place—completely walled off from the rest of downtown Massillon’s Saturday night activities. The ambiance escalated from the wail of a single sax to the full-blown blues of Barflies with Patrick Sweany and dancing under the stars.

Set against Diamond Court’s architecture and art, intimate outdoor tables for two and group settings sparkled with white tablecloths and candlelight. Strands of white lights draped overhead and hundreds of trees, shrubs and flowers from Moyer’s Nursery lined the alleys with lush landscaping.

The Massillon Club’s Chef Bob Bradley sang “Stormy Monday” with the band after he served ribs, chicken, catfish, corn, hush puppies, and accompaniments. Guests found bluesman-style sunglasses on the tables, along with blue marbles, Back Alley Blues bubbles, blue pick-up sticks, and early Elvis playing cards to amuse themselves during band breaks.

Anne Bissonnette, Curator of the Kent State University Museum, said “Congrats Mister Bates! We had ourselves a wonderful time. It was the highlight of my parents' trip [from France] and a great celebration on the day of their wedding anniversary. They felt they were given the star treatment. In your line of work you might be astonished to learn that they were most impressed by the 'Reserved for Bissonnette' sign on the table, spelled correctly, which they forced me, as their child accomplice, to cram into my back-pack along with just about everything that was removable on the table!...Well done!”

Linda Krieger of Stanwood, Ohio, wrote: “Kudos to you and everyone who put together Back Alley Blues...It was truly WONDERFUL. We all had a great time...kept on talking about it. My girlfriend Michelle could not believe that something so cool was actually only five minutes from her home. The entire evening was so well done...lots of class. So when is the next one?

Mary McMunn of Bexley, Ohio wrote: “You have got to do that again! It was fabulous! I felt like I was in France celebrating Bastille Day. A definite success, and certainly one that should be repeated!”

While 450 people from all over northeast Ohio enjoyed the premier Back Alley
Blues, more than 200 were disappointed when the event sold out. Watch for details of next summer’s encore.