Pulse: Player: David Grasso

Like any self-respecting teenage boy growing up on the Main Line, David Grasso dreamed of wailing on his guitar in front of thousands of screaming fans. But his father convinced him to follow a more practical path: real estate. Today, as the 35-year-old president of Metro Development, Grasso has done well with his dad’s advice, amassing a hefty portfolio, from Bella Vista lofts to Manhattan condos to a $120 ­million retail project in Warrington.

But for someone who’s a rocker at heart, mere bricks just don’t cut it. So last year the Society Hill resident started an entertainment division. “I had to take a step back and refocus on the dream I put on hold,” he says. And when Grasso refocuses, think five-million-megawatt death-ray. There are the two House of Blues he’s bringing to Center City next year, the documentary he’s producing on R&B musician John Legend, and an Eric Stoltz/Ione Skye vehicle he’s backing.

And lest you think a guy with this much action in his life doesn’t have time to pick up the guitar, think again. Grasso’s formed a new band and says he should be wailing shortly.