The Limelight
Coordinates: 40°44′28″N 73°59′38″W / 40.741114°N 73.993832°W
The Limelight is the name of a chain of nightclubs that were owned and operated by Peter Gatien, located in Atlanta, Hollywood, Florida, and London, and formerly in New York City and Chicago.
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[edit] History
Peter Gatien opened the first Limelight nightclub in Hollywood, Florida in the 1970s. After a devastating fire in the late 70s, Gatien chose Atlanta for his next incarnation of Limelight. The Atlanta Limelight opened in February 1980. It was housed in a strip mall in the former home of the Harlequin Dinner Theatre. In 1983, Gatien relocated to New York to open another Limelight club, while his brother Maurice managed the Atlanta club. Maurice reportedly had less talent for running a nightclub than Peter did. "Peter was the brains behind the operation," according to house photographer and publicist Guy D'Alema. "Maurice ... didn't want to spend a dime and didn't have a creative bone in his body."[1] The Atlanta club was located next to a 24-hour Kroger grocery store, which became known widely as "Disco Kroger."[2]
The Limelight in Atlanta was more than a night spot in Atlanta next to what would become known as the Disco Kroger. It was a high profile Euro-style night club that hosted many notables and celebrities over the years. A single photo taken in June of 1981 skyrocketed the focus on the club when entertainment photographer Guy D’Alema captured an image of Anita Bryant dancing the night away with evangelist Russ McGraw (known in the gay communities as an activist). Several hundred newspapers and magazines ran with the photo with the headline: “Anita Upset Over Disco Photo”. Peter Gatien, relished in the publicity. The club hosted many Interview Magazine events which brought names like Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, Ali MacGraw, and Village People's Randy Jones among others to the club. Celebrity sightings included Pia Zadora, Shannon Tweed, Gene Simmons and Rick Springfield to name but a few. The club also served as a location for Columbia Pictures film “Slugger’s Wife” starring Rebecca De Mornay and directed by Hal Ashby. As with any trendy night spot, it was dependent upon the faithful support of its clientele. The Limelight tried to shift course to accommodate the changing trends in the Atlanta nightlife scene but could not turn course quick enough to keep it together. It was a very costly operation to keep open and the demand for large Euro-style clubs was fading fast in Atlanta. Ultimately the Limelight would turn off its lights and quietly and gracefully takes its place in the history books.
The Limelight in Chicago was housed in the former home of the Chicago Historical Society, the building itself being a historical structure. While short-lived as a club under the Limelight moniker, it exists to this day as a nightclub; presently it is the location of both Excalibur and Vision nightclubs. The Limelight in London was located in a former Welsh Presbyterian church on Shaftesbury Avenue, just off Cambridge Circus, which dates from the 1890s. The London club's decline in popularity led to its closure and takeover in 2003 by Australian pub chain The Walkabout, who converted it into a sports bar.
The Limelight in New York City, which was owned by Peter Gatien and designed by Ari Bahat opened in November 1983. It was housed in a former Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, a Gothic Revival brownstone building which was built in 1844-1845 as designed by architect Richard Upjohn. In the early 1970s, when the parish merged with two others, the church was deconsecrated and sold to Odyssey House, a drug rehabilitation program. Amidst financial hardship, Odyssey House sold it to Gatien in 1982.[3] Located on Avenue of the Americas, at West 20th Street, the New York Limelight originally started as a disco and rock club. In the 1990s, it became a prominent place to hear techno, goth, and industrial music, and to obtain recreational drugs. It earned the media's attention in 1996 when Club Kid and party promoter Michael Alig was arrested and later convicted for the killing and dismemberment of Angel Melendez, a drug dealer at the club. The 2003 film Party Monster, starring Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green, was based on this event. The Limelight was closed by the police, subsequently reopening several times during the 1990s. In September 2003, it reopened under the name "Avalon," however it closed its doors for good in 2007.[4] Since May, 2010, the building has been in use as the Limelight Marketplace.
[edit] Documentary
September 23, 2011, a documentary highlighting the club's history during the Gatien era was released in cinemas in through the United States and Canada. Titled "Limelight", the film was produced by Gatien's daughter, Jen, and directed by Billy Corben.
[edit] In popular culture
- The New York location was the subject of the 1985 song "This Disco (Used to be a Cute Cathedral)" by singer Steve Taylor. The song's lyrics mention's the club's name and history. Originally released on Taylor's On The Fritz album, a live version of the song appears on his album, Limelight.[5]
- The club was also mentioned in The Horrorist's track "One Night in New York City" and used as inspiration for Johnny Boz's rock club in Basic Instinct.
- Sex and the City characters all partied at The Limelight in the 12th episode of the 1st season.
[edit] Notable Performers
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Notes
- ^ Ghosts of hotspots past from atlanta.creativeloafing.com, April 23, 2003
- ^ Turn off the mirror ball: 'Disco Kroger' getting makeover from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 1, 2008
- ^ Mendelsohn, Joyce. Touring the Flatiron. New York: New York Landmarks Conservancy, 1998. ISBN 0-964-7061-2-1
- ^ Holy Headache! Finding Limelight’s Next Act from The New York Observer 24 February 2009
- ^ Lyrics: This Disco (Used To Be A Cute Cathedral) from www.onfritz.com]
- Bibliography
- Frank Owen, 2003 Clubland: The Fabulous Rise and Murderous Fall of Club Culture, St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0-312-28766-6 (UK title Clubland Confidential, Ebury Press)
- Review of Frank Owen's, Clubland Confidential in the UK Guardian
[edit] External links
Media related to Limelight nightclub (Manhattan) at Wikimedia Commons
- Limelight on the Internet Movie Database
