Limelight (Belfast)

Not to be confused with The Limelight.
Limelight

A female bass guitarist and male guitarist perform on stage, with stage lights and a backdrop that reads "The Limelight" in yellow on a black wall.

Indie rock band Sons and Daughters performing at The Limelight in 2005.
General information
Architectural style Victorian
Address 17 Ormeau Avenue
Town or city Belfast
Country Northern Ireland
Coordinates 54°35′50″N 5°55′48″W / 54.59728°N 5.93012°W / 54.59728; -5.93012Coordinates: 54°35′50″N 5°55′48″W / 54.59728°N 5.93012°W / 54.59728; -5.93012
Opening 1987
Website
limelightbelfast.com

Limelight in Belfast, Northern Ireland is mid-sized live music and night club venue complex, which initially opened in 1987. The complex on the city's Ormeau Avenue consists of Limelight 1 & Limelight 2, as well as a bar called Katy's Bar. The outdoor terrace is called The Rock Garden.[1]

Limelight has strong associations with new bands, homegrown talent, and indie/rock/metal club nights.[2]

History

Limelight nightclub and adjoining Dome bar were first opened in 1987 by Patrick Lennon who had previously owned the Harp Bar based in Hill Street, Belfast. Growing over the years it eventually took over the adjoining building which was a premises owned by a spring and airbrake business (hence the "Spring and Airbrake" venue name).[1]

In 2010 then owners, CDC Leisure, went into administration.[1] In late 2011, the Limelight complex was purchased by Irish live music promoters MCD & Shine Productions.[3] In late 2012 following a major refurbishment, the individual bars were rebranded, with the Spring and Airbrake being renamed to Limelight 1, Katy Daly's becoming Katy's Bar and the original Limelight venue becoming known as Limelight 2.[1]

A man plays acoustic guitar in the centre of a stage, the black back wall of which is filled with the words "Spring & Airbrake" in white lettering. A female keyboardist is behind and to the left of the man, and in the background can be seen a male bassist and a drum kit.
Sufjan Stevens performing at the Spring and Airbrake, 2005.
Green-fronted Irish pub, with "Katy Daly's" written on the hoarding above. A black-fronted door is to the right, and cars are parked on the roadway in front.
Katy Daly's in October 2010. The public entrance to The Limelight 2 is adjacent to the right.

Notable performances

Oasis played the venue on 4 September 1994,[4] and according to many local people, the band received a phone call saying that their album Definitely Maybe had reached number one in the UK album charts, shortly before the band cut their gig short and ran out of the venue to celebrate. Other sources claim the album did not reach number one until the day after. Noel Gallagher has commented on the venue:[5]

Limelight is now part of our heritage. There was a great buzz when the owner Eamonn McCann informed me we had hit the No 1 spot that night in '94. I'll always remember this place with affection. We had a party that night and the audience joined in. That was the start of our success story.

Other bands that have performed at Limelight include:

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Coleman, Maureen (15 September 2012). "Revamp puts Spring and Airbrake back in limelight". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Limelight". belfastmusic.org. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "Belfast music venues to be bought by Shine Productions and MCD". BBC News Online. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Beattie, Jilly (18 June 2010). "Top music clubs firm goes bust; venues carry on trading". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Coleman, Maureen (16 October 2008). "Why Noel will never forget Oasis first Belfast gig". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Gigography". arctic-monkeys.com. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "The Limelight". biffyclyro.com. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Blur, 6 juin 1993, The Limelight, Belfast". ticketcollector.wordpress.com. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  9. ↑ Kane, Rebecca (1999). "Kingdom for a Kiss – The Jeff Buckley Tourography". jeffbuckley.com. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  10. ↑ "22-04-91 Belfast Limelight". msppedia.org.uk. Retrieved 20 December 2012.

External links

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