Page 39 - The Peorian, Vol 3 Issue 2
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It could get enough national
shows to fill each month, but
it could not do that many.
Instead, the venue is looking to
do around six to eight national
shows a month along with
hosting numerous cooperate and
wedding events. Limelight will
also be open to local talent.
When Nick Fairley, an area
drummer for a few Peoria bands,
first read about Limelight he
was excited at the idea of the
venue and about the owners all
being musicians, which he found
refreshing.
“As a musician, occasionally
you go to venues where the
logistics aren’t right, whether it
be the equipment or even just
the ethics of the matter,” Fairley
said. “I’ve been to a number
of places where you can tell
it’s not artistically minded. It’s
business minded. You need that
too, but I’m definitely excited to
hear the owners were musicians
themselves.”
Fairley likes venues that are
professional and that have an
idea of what the image of the
experience is going to be like.
Diehard music lovers will go
anywhere, he says, “but it’s nice
when you go to a venue that
has paid attention to detail.” He
believes Limelight will provide
that.
Ever since the closing of the
Madison Theatre in 2003, Peoria
has not had a venue like this.
Fairley finds this a shame.
“Champaign has got the
Canopy Club, Bloomington has
got the Castle Theatre [but] what
does Peoria have without the
Madison?” Fairley said. “We have
a lot of small bars and venues –
small places that will have music
– and we’ve got the Civic Center,
but what do we have to bring
in those regional and national
touring acts that can’t do a Civic
Center gig?”
The coming of Limelight
will bring in good acts that are
coming through Champaign or
Chicago, Fairley says.
39
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Continued on page 40
A group performs songs written by The Beatles in the opening event at Limelight in February.
As shown in the photograph on the next page, the facility was packed for the event.
