Limelight at NLQP,
June 15th, 2019


The Limelight Circus Tour made the annual pilgrimage to Ohio for the epic Classic Fest weekend in the quarry. The yearly festival features a host of great tribute acts over a weekend of live music at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park. The over/under for our driving game was set at 41 and many Gatorades were chilled. Sadly a rest stop revealed the demise of a bird upon the grill of the circus van. Even the clowns were sad. Such is life though, and after a few squeaks from a clown nose, all were uplifted and the circus eventually rolled into beautiful Nelson Ledges. The forecast was gloomy for the day but the skies cleared for Ball & Chain and their awesome Janis Joplin tribute. A great crowd assembled and there was a lot more than love in the air. They delivered a great performance as always and readied the stage for Limelight. A powerhouse set was prepared and featured a tribute to the 40th anniversary of the classic album, Hemispheres. Caramel the adventure bunny was onstage for the show and acting as emissary for adventure mouse, who apparently was otherwise engaged. It seems adventure mouse told the bunny about the crazy audiences at NLQP and he didn't believe him. Now adventure bunny endorses the Classic Fest crowd, who rocked with the band and assisted loudly in the singing. Scattered raindrops began to fall and the Limelight set wrapped up to thunderous applause just as the steady rain began. A difficult load out was made easier by the next band- The Pettybreakers, who were spot on and rocked away during a steady downpour. It was as if Tom Petty himself were there to make us smile. After we were packed up and a bit moist, hunger set in. Next was what came to be called "the soaking at the meat tent." Suffice to say the rain was relentless and ever worsening and the meat tent line was uncovered and hungry. Time stood still however, and preparations of the requested food products took exceedingly long. Undaunted, and with Philly cheese steaks and triple bacon burgers on the line, they played the role of sponge. All ended well since the food was incredible and there were dry shirts available. After some mingling with our Ohio friends, a rainy exit was in order and the relentless rains seemed unending. The circus tried to outrun the rains to no avail, as the downpour continued. There was a sighting of an ark under construction. To wrap things up, the road kill final count ended up at 49, Steve being the closest to an exact guess with 48. Special mention to "Foot Stool", "Twisty the deer" and "Loopy Legs". We look forward to the next adventure as the circus rolls back to The Heights at Brother Vic's in South Salem, NY on Saturday, July 20th. We hope to see you there!

Spring 2019
The Circus hits the road ...

Suddenly it was Spring… We’ve survived another long cold winter, and as we prepare to start yet another tour, we want to say thanks!

We kicked-off the 2019 tour in April this year. A great crowd joined us at the Chance to make it a special evening. But it was special even before we loaded our gear on to the stage. This is the start of our SEVENTEENTH season together, and we each were reflective about where we’ve been and where we’re going. How many times had we lugged our gear onto that stage, done our sound-check, then waited to rock? How many more times will we get? It’s amazing to us that after all these years we’re still there, playing our hearts out. And the memories came pouring out like a waterfall, and with each, a feeling of accomplishment and humility.  Many of them are buried in the archives of this blog. And some are yet to be revealed. We’ll be sure to share some of the more entertaining memories with you as we can. We’ve worked hard, very hard, to be the best that we can. To make sure that any person coming to see our show left feeling pleased with their choice. And we have been rewarded too! Performing as Limelight has enabled us to travel the USA and Canada, meet many great people, and even be recognized as the Nations #1 Rush Tribute multiple times. We’re the oldest of the Rush tribs out there, the target that each of them is aiming for, and none of this is lost on us. We acknowledge it all. And say Thanks to you, our fans. Because of you, and your love for the band Rush, we’re able to bring our circus to you and enjoy entertaining you. It’s because of you we’re still here, and because of you we keep going. Thank You, Thank You, Thank you!! We will keep working hard for you!

As we embark on this tour we’re headed back to some familiar haunts, as well as some new venues. We hope to see many of our friends and are looking forward to making many new friends during our travels. Check our Shows page for updated tour info and be sure to join us for one of our performances. We’ve got a few surprises for you. After all, it is the 40th anniversary of the Hemispheres album…

 

Fall/Winter 2018-19
A Winter update;

 How quickly the calendar flips and the script turns to 2019, the 17th year of Limelight, a tribute to Rush! So quickly, in fact, that Summer slipped to Fall, flew into Winter and then a shiny new year.  We would be remiss not to chronicle our adventures during that span.
On Saturday, July 21st we visited our friends at The Heights at Brother Vic’s in South Salem, NY.  It was our third time performing there and for the first time on that stage, we were joined by our young friends from The School of Rock, who opened the show with an excellent set.  It is always uplifting the see the future of live music blossoming before our eyes!  Of course, under the fine instruction of Professor Lou, we would expect no less.  The crowd was fantastic and everyone enjoyed an evening of music and frivolity as Rob was at his silly best.  The “Tour that Shall Not Be Named!”© would continue.

Limelight was honored to appear in the July/August issue of 2nd Floor Sound Factory, The Magazine as part of their regular feature “The Tribute”.  The Canadian publication interviewed our professor Lou and the resultant article shined a bright light on our craft.  We are humbled and thankful to be featured in this three page feature starting on page 82.  Check it out at www.2ndfloorsoundfactory.com

Saturday, October 6th marked a very special day on the tour.  Limelight was thrilled to perform with a host of talented bands at the beautiful Ives Concert Park in Danbury, CT for the Fore ‘n’ Aft Benefit Reunion Concert.  The legendary Fore ‘n’ Aft had locations in Brewster, White Plains, Long Island, NY and Westport, CT and these were staple rock venues during the 60s, 70s and very early 80s providing the region with countless performances from local acts to rock royalty. It was simply the place to be!  Not only a reunion show, this amazing event was a benefit for the ALS Association, the National Adoption Foundation, Hillside Food Outreach and Ann’s Place of Danbury, which provides comfort, support and resources to families living with cancer.  Needless to say, an event worthy of all our efforts! This reunion show featured amazing performances by Rat Race Choir, Richie Scarlet, Doug Wahlberg Band, Future Tense, Hey Baby Band, Paralax, Whitewood, Witch Hunt and of course, Limelight: a Tribute to Rush.

         October 13th, the tour roared back into the beautiful Orange County Choppers Cafe, for another fantastic evening of Rush’s finest!  A wonderful crowd was there and enjoyed the music.  Our thanks to Steve Gamma for the fine work behind the mixing board!  It is worth mentioning that the staff specifically said our fans are “very nice people”, a glowing endorsement of Rush fans.  We have found this phenomenon of “niceness” in Rush fans repeats at every single venue in every city we visit.  Perhaps more people should discover the music of Rush, the world would be a far better place!

         On November 17th, Limelight returned to the legendary Chance Theatre in Poughkeepise, NY for our umteenth appearance there.  The lineup of acts included an awesome opener from Postcript, young talents from the School of Rock All-Stars.  The list of difficult songs they performed was impressive and things are looking up for our young musician friends!  Our friends Bedrock, were also on the bill and their high spirit and energetic performance was a tremendous addition to the evening!  Another highlight of the night was when talented young drummer, and former student of Lou, Brooke Lauren sat in on Spirit of Radio and succeeded to thunderous applause!  We look forward to great things from Brooke in the future.  Thanks as always to Frank Pallett for keeping live music alive in the Hudson Valley!  Where would the area be without the Chance.  Thanks also to Photography By Piernot LLC for “rockin the Nikons”. Lisa and the crew always capture us brilliantly through the camera eye.

Time stands still for these photos, which you can check out at our "Live" section of the Photo's page.  For all else, time is relentless and here we are in 2019, the 40th anniversary of Rush’s epic release, Hemispheres.  Limelight has plans to honor this album with a grouping of selections from that effort!  We also have grand designs on debuting a long awaited, much requested song, which we will tease in this way.....come check out a show in 2019!!

Thank you all for helping us achieve this incredible longevity and for keeping the music alive.  Keep supporting live music and keep endlessly rocking!  Cheers for an outstanding 2019 from Limelight: a Tribute to Rush.

Summer 2018
We're still here...

2018 marks the 16th year that Limelight has brought the music of Rush to grateful audiences. We open with this because thanks to you, our fans, that we have been able to enjoy this party for so long. Thank You!

The festivities started early this year and the annual slumber was called short!  On February 10th we returned to The Heights at Brother Vic‘s in South Salem, NY.  Vic has a beautiful venue in place and it‘s closer than you think! We are thankful for people like Victor who are keeping live music alive!  It was a great turnout and a great night. Special thanks to super photographer Lisa Piernot and her crew for all their support and for “rockin the Nikons”. As you know, our drummer is a music instructor working with The School of Rock and we were joined onstage by his talented student, Emily Brown, who stood in for Rob and sang The Sprit of Radio.  She received a rousing ovation for her efforts and we wish her all the best in her musical endeavors.  It’s always fun working with the many talented young musicians coming up. The sound was on point and Limelight energized the crowd with two long sets of Rush’s finest.  Rob was in rare form and invited the entire crowd to Steve’s house for a party while he was in the bathroom. Always a fun night with Limelight! We look forward to returning to Vic‘s in the summer.

After a Spring respite, we resumed the “Tour that Shall Not Be Named!®”, With our annual pilgrimage to NE Ohio.  Our friends at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park were ready and waiting and an incredible crowd gathered to witness the great lineup of acts that Classic Fest always delivers.  Ball & Chainas usual gave an outstanding Janice Joplin tribute while our friends from Virginia, Hendrix Lives, rocked their first NLQP appearance. We met this talented group at a show several years ago during a series of shows in Virginia. They have an amazing tribute to the incomparable Jimi Hendrix.  Special thanks to Lenny Holmes for hanging with us and talking guitars and amps! Limelight took the stage next. We braved the heat and humidity and let fly a flurry of notes in a Rush-like manner. Our Rush set brought the crowd to its feet and set the stage for Several Species’amazing Pink Floyd tribute. Thanks as always to Evan and the great staff at NLQP and to the great people of Ohio who never disappoint.

A short time later, the “Tour that Shall Not Be Named!®” ventured to the home of Brian Remaley and we were honored to be a part of his annual BBQ/Music Festival.  It was our first appearance at this event and it did not disappoint!  Brian is famous for his fantastic food and the unbelievable BBQ spread was endless!  The lineup of music was a honor to be a part of.  Popa Chubby Band opened the day with his legendary blues followed by Thieves of Sunrise, a great rock and soul quintet out of Dallas TX.  Next up was K2 featuring Corky Laing, Peter Barron, Joe Venti and Paul Morris playing the music of Mountain.  We got to know a few of the gentlemen in Preacher Stone during our time there. Shout out to Ronnie and Jim!  It was great hanging out with you. They are a southern rock band out of South Carolina and have a great, tight sound and we really enjoyed their set. Limelight closed the night and rocked a 75 minute set of old school classic Rush.  The sound was absolutely amazing and many thanks go out to Moe and Isaac for working their butts off all day and night. Thanks to the guys from Preacher Stone for staying to watch our set and cheering us on!  We hope to be a part of this great event next year.  Best of luck also to Brian, who just announced he will be partnering with Don Oriolo and reopening Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Pine Island, NY!  Like Brother Vic, Brian has been instrumental in keeping live music going in the Hudson Valley and we are thrilled he will be able to continue that tradition.

Of course live music needs and audience, so come out and see Limelight on Saturday, July 21st at the aforementioned Heights at Brother Vic’s! We hope it’s ok with you, but all we’re going to play is Rush….

 

Winter 2017
The Van stops here.....

An eventful summer quickly turns to Fall and Winter and our Vanisphere tour reaches it’s end.  The poor vehicle has seen much and is weary from wear.  Many bugs met their end across the vast windshield but thankfully, nothing between the speeding wheels.
     
In late October, Limelight joined forces with Brian’s Backyard Barbecue and several local bands including Strangebreed and Iron Cobra to raise thousands of dollars for a local family battling cancer.  It was uplifting to make a difference for these great people in their time of need.  Music can touch peoples lives in more ways than one.  Of course, Brian Remaley and his wife, Robin, are always there to offer help and they should be thanked for their generosity.  There is currently an effort being made to save Brian’s Backyard Barbecue.  The County and State had main roads closed for tremendous lengths of time and business at Brian’s was severely affected.  Limelight and the Hudson Valley music scene supports Brian and what he has brought to the area.  A home to many local bands and stop off for many National acts, Brian’s is an example of the kind of place we need more of, not less!  To help this cause you can donate here:
https://www.gofundme.com/save-brians-backyard-bbq

         After a quiet November of reflection and skiing, Limelight returned by popular demand to the OCC Cafe after making our first appearance in September.  A rare late December appearance stirred all the Who’s in Whoville and a merry time was had by all in attendance.  A special thanks to our newest fan, who drove all the way from Cape Cod to see us!  Steve Gamma did an awesome job behind the sound board (as usual) and the band was surprisingly tight for being rousted from hibernation for the jolly occasion.  We want to thank all involved at the OCC Cafe for having us at their beautiful complex and we look forward to playing there in 2018. 

With the passing of 2017, Limelight completes its 15th year of this partnership, and it seems an appropriate time to wax poetic of our feelings at the end of a decade and a half of bringing the music of Rush to all who will have it.  So many thanks to our Ohio friends!  It has become a home away from home and we can’t wait to come back.  Virginia, we hear you!  We have a multitude of friends and great memories of our times in VA and we are continuing our efforts to get back there.  Toronto!  We miss you as well.  It seems like forever since our last appearance at RushCon in 2009.  We stopped entering the contest many years ago, feeling it was time for other Trib’s to enjoy the thrill of performing for a RushCon crowd. But we will never forget our three journeys to the event, and playing for some of the most loyal Rush fans on the planet. PA, we hope to see you soon. We continue to work on venues in your state. Connecticut & New York; we look forward to seeing you during next years tour and are hoping for several new venues.  Limelight is always looking for new places to play and appreciate your input!  Message us through our website or on Facebook. We’ll follow-up right away!
In all our time performing this music, and all the shows we‘ve done, the common denominator is the reaction we get from people.  We have made untold numbers of friends and played so many wonderful venues, but the best part is always the fans.  “Thank you for doing this!“  Rush fans are truly passionate about this amazing music and the overwhelming appreciation we have received through the years makes it worth all the hard work. We could not have gone 15 years without the support of all our fans and the fans of live music everywhere. You have our eternal thanks and our commitment to you, our fans, to bring the most accurate and passionate Rush Tribute we can.  We plan on continuing to bring the music of Rush to stages everywhere, starting in early 2018. Our 16th Tour kicks off with a return to Westchester County in NY, at The Heights at Brother Vic’s on Saturday, February 10th. Please join us and help us kick-off this tour with a bang!

Best wishes from Limelight for a safe, happy and healthy 2018. 

We remain Endlessly Rockin!

 

 

Summer 2017
The Vanisphere Rolls on.....

Oh, where has the summer gone?  Hard to believe the Fall is fast approaching.  A very busy summer of Rush has hastened the season.....Worth it.  Many miles were traveled and many notes were played (yes, furiously).  The Vanisphere is in dire need of a wash and wax although the windshield is curiously free of insect demise. The interior of the Vanisphere needs serious cleaning and there is some debate over who the task should fall to.  Regardless, here is how it happened:

When we last left our heroes, a venture to Westchester County, NY for a show at The Heights at Brother Vic’s was in the offing.  A beautiful new venue it was and Limelight rocked the audience with two sets of old school Rush.  We are thankful to Victor and his awesome staff at the Heights for welcoming us to their stage.  It’s refreshing to have music venues opening instead of closing! We look forward to visiting again for an evening of music, food and friends.

Tire pressure- normal, gas tank- full, and the oil had definitely been checked.  The Vanisphere was packed and ready, so it was off to Ohio for our pilgrimage through the wilds to see our friends at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park.  The date was June 10th and the weather was perfect.  As usual, there was a huge crowd enjoying all the fantastic tribute bands performing back and forth on two stages. The Classic Fest weekend seems to get bigger every year at Nelson Ledges and we always have a blast! Rob had a special guest join us on stage: Adventure Mouse.  Apparently they go everywhere together.  We rocked a 90 minute set of Rush to the screaming faithful and enjoyed every second! This was our 13th year there and we hope for 13 more. 

And for those keeping track, The Road Kill Count Game™ was exciting indeed at the unfortunate expense of the local wildlife that had met their end under the speeding wheel. The death toll was 45 and we all had the under.  Details of some of the carnage are too grisly for words. 

         On July 14th, Limelight made it’s way back to The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY.  It always feels special to play that legendary stage, almost like coming home. And their new FOH Tech, Russ, took good care of us, keeping that feeling alive.  We have been working with Frank Pallet and The Chance since the beginning of Limelight.  In fact, Frank himself suggested we name the band Limelight. With his support, and the support of all our fans everywhere, we’ve been able to share our Tribute to Rush with so many of you. Many Thanks. We rocked a 90 minute set. Rob & Adventure Mouse kept the audience inspired. Another great show, and Exit...Stage Left.       

Then we had soup. (2X)  ;)

         With nary a lube, the Vanisphere was pressed into service for another road trip to Ohio. Through torrential rain and threatening fog, the Vanisphere bore through the wilds with brave Eric at the helm.  Briefly, there was a Distant Surly Warning but all generally went well.  Weather delayed our arrival but we loaded in under cover from the rain.  The show was our return to Rocking on the River at a perfect new location in Lorain, OH.  Several thousand people braved unseasonably cold and windy conditions to rock the night away with us.  We were treated to thunderous applause and the crowd singing along from beginning to end! Many thanks to the great sound and stage crew for an evening without incident, a true group of Pro’s.  Adventure Mouse made an appearance but did not like the windy conditions and went back in Rob‘s pocket.  We were honored at the end of the show to be asked back for two encores, despite the wind and cold. Our many thanks to Bob for having us back and to the thousands of Ohioans who flock to see Limelight whenever we are there! 

A very special thanks to the crew of the Niña, the most historically accurate replica of a Columbus ship ever built!  A replica of the Pinta, was there as well. They were at port just a few hundred yards from the stage and were kind enough to invite us aboard after the show.  It was incredible to be aboard these ships and feel what it might have been like in 1492!

After some late night feasting, a sleep interval was in order to regain our strength for the next day’s activities.  Our destination: Warren, OH for a show at the beautiful River Rock Amphitheater.  It was our first time playing in Warren and we were looking forward to meeting another group of Ohio concertgoers.  We didn’t have to wait long, as the huge crowd that had gathered to see Limelight for the first time quickly impressed us. The crowd was awesome as was the thunderous sound system and incredible lighting. The energy was so high by the end of the third song that the PA system crashed!  We kept playing and Rob led the entire crowd in singing Fly By Night utilizing an orange traffic cone as a megaphone!  Power was restored and there was much Rush.  Among the audience were two young sisters that we had met and brought on stage several years ago. It was great talking with them, and hearing how much that experience meant to them! Such an overwhelming response from Warren, we look forward to a return in the near future.

One thing we can say for sure:  LIMELIGHT LOVES OHIO!!

After staying at beautiful new hotel in town (Thanks Ken!), we embarked on the long journey home.  Eric persevered through patellar problems and provided proper transportation for all passengers. We again indulged in The Road Kill Count Game™. Count was set at 44 but not nearly achieved with a paltry total of 14 unfortunate fauna.  The odds makers will surely drop the over/under for the next game based on this total. The Vanisphere is currently enjoying some well-earned rest but has yet to be cleaned… 

On to the next adventure.

 

Spring 2017
The Vanispheres Tour

May 2017

     The extra napkins have long been used up, as have the standard stockpile.  Ketchup continues to be an issue.  Thankfully there seems to be an abundance of paper towels.  Having cleaned up the ketchup from the van and awoken from our annual winter slumber, Limelight is proud to announce the 2017 Vanispheres tour is here!  With the cold winter in the rear view mirror, the Van backed up to a familiar door to kick off the season. Where better to start our FIFTEENTH year together then with our friends at Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Middletown, NY.? We succeeded in achieving our 21:12 start time once again (miraculously) and suddenly notes were being furiously struck until there was much rejoicing (yaaaay!) from the packed house. It had a feeling of going home as we worked our way through two long sets of classic Rush highlighting the early years. Like a family reunion, we all enjoyed being together again, laughing it up before the show and on stage during the show. If this was any indication of how this year’s tour was going to go, we’re in for a good time!

    As the summer approaches, the Vanisphere has received the appropriate servicing, as it will be needed for many miles of safe travel. In early June, join us as we help break in a new venue for live music in Westchester, NY!  The Heights at Brother Vic’s in South Salem, NY will be the place to see Limelight on Saturday, June 3rd for another marathon 2 set evening of Rush!  We’ve heard great things about this room and the food too! Call ahead for reservations to secure your table for a great evening of Rush, care of Limelight.

   June also sees us make our 13th trip to Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, and their annual Classic Fest.  The lineup of great tribute acts seems to get better every year and this years line-up will not disappoint. NLQP is such a unique venue, after all these years of visiting and performing, each year has had it’s own surprise. We look forward to seeing the Olympic Hoola-Hoop team rehearsals and performances along with all the other festivities this place is famous for!

    For the moment, we polish the Vanisphere and adjust the tassels, (yes, there are tassels in our Vanisphere.  Deal.), and maintain tire pressure in preparation for our traveling show of Rush’s music that is to come.  We hope to see you out supporting live music in your area.  It’s fun and we are pretty sure it’s good for you!  Remember, the show at The Heights at Brother Vic’s is coming up soon, join us for our first appearance there!

 

Fall 2016
No more napkins?

 As we transition into another beautiful fall in the Northeast, we present what could be the final entry for the chronicles of the Extra Napkin Tour:

In mid-August, Limelight returned to our home base, to Downtown Danbury and their annual Summer Concert Series.  It had been two years since we were last able to perform in Connecticut, and there was a feeling of excited anticipation for our long set.  Many people showed up early to stake their spot on the Green and even sound check felt like a part of the show. The weather was absolutely perfect and the assemblage was vast.  The opening band blew us away.  The Bedford School of Rock All-Star Band played a great set of classic rock and showed again why there is a bright future for music.  These young musicians have flourished under Lou’s tutelage and the hard work was on display for all to see.  We’re humbled and proud to share the stage with these young musicians.

Limelight took the stage to deliver a powerhouse set of Rush classics, highlighted by the local debut of La Villa Strangiato.  A fan video of the latter 5 minutes of La Villa has received over 2000 views and can be seen here:  LaVilla Danbury 2016. After La Villa, Lou wowed the huge crowd with an awesome drum solo that drew a huge ovation and left mouths agape.  At the finish of our planned set, the appreciative crowd insisted on an encore.  After some quick discussion, to further honor the 40th anniversary of ATWAS, we ended with Bastille Day to complete a great night.  We look forward as always, to returning to Danbury in 2017.

            In September, Limelight returned to see our friends at Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Middletown.  As with any good barbecue place, the stockpile of extra napkins was tested.  The food and hospitality there never disappoints and we had a great crowd who thrilled to 2 long sets of Rush.  Thanks to everyone that packed in that night. An amazing energy filled the room with so many enthusiastic fans. We were treated to one our favorite things; A die hard “never like a Tribute” fan was converted and took the time to let us know. It’s that kind of fan appreciation that inspires us to always deliver the best show possible, every time we take the stage. That night, special attention was given to celebrate the 40th anniversary of not only ATWAS, but 2112 as well.  It was a thoroughly excellent evening and Brian himself ran the soundboard.

     As the extra napkin tour concludes, we look back on a great year, as well as forward to the next.  This winter, we plan on using the last of the extra napkins to polish up Roll The Bones, our most requested songs.  RTB just had it’s 25th anniversary and we can’t wait to debut it in the spring when we kick off the 2017 as yet unnamed tour. Any suggestions?

     As always, Limelight appreciates all your support and asks that you continue to support live music!  Without you there is no show. Keep on rocking!

 

July 2016
We need Extra Napkins!

Like a fireworks rocket, exploding overhead, so was the flash of realization; We haven’t updated our blog since the Holidays! Not wanting to keep you all waiting any longer than necessary we arrive here, halfway through another year, our Fourteenth together. Not many bands have enjoyed such tenure and we are very thankful for our longevity. Our fans have helped us to be so prolific; and so the “Extra Napkin Tour” continues on!

We emerged from our winter hibernation (What winter?!) early this year. After what seemed like an extended autumn, Limelight gathered at the LAB. We spent some time discussing what to include this year and after careful consideration and with the help of some soup, we all agreed highlighting the All the Worlds a Stage’s 40th anniversary would be our path for this tour. We spent the next several hours rehearsing the set. It was great to be together again and playing!

And so we arrived for a late March show at The Chance Theater, Poughkeepsie, along with Slash Trib; Top Hat. Though a bit brisk, things warmed up quickly. Any dust collected over our break was quickly dispersed and soon the whole place was singing Passage to Bangkok with us! So many enthusiastic fans, it was a great way to break into the new season; With a long set of our most requested material, including our long awaited Chance debut of La Villa Strangiato.  Riffs were furiously executed and rock faces were repeatedly used.  Ironically, we ran out of napkins at dinner.

June arrived and as in years past, we made our annual pilgrimage to Nelson, Ohio for the Classic Fest weekend at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park. The napkins were plentiful for the long van ride and at times very necessary as there was more ketchup than usual for the trip. Our journey out and back included the now infamous “Road Kill” game. The over/under was set at 24 as we left New York. Traveling almost the entire length of PA on our first day that number was quickly reached. This years trip included several “special” animals including a first for all of us, a Black Bear! A sullen silence fell over the passengers of the van as we passed the poor bear, paying our respects at the unfortunate loss of this beautiful animal. Final count ended at 43, a new record! Honorable mentions go out as well to the porcupine, flat face and coffee table for their epic demise.
The folks at NLQP had been busy since last year. A brand new structure, providing enough cover for 300 people and the new second stage! As usual, the crowd and atmosphere at NLQP was electric and the awesome roster of bands was ready.  Ball and Chain was rocking on the newly built second stage and delivered their stirring Janis Joplin tribute to a great crowd as we set up on the main stage. The new structure afforded shade to many and the beach was filled with happy music lovers. Rob had the entire park singing along and it seemed everyone there knew that “HEY!” was a lyric in 2112! We were thrilled to debut La Villa to our friends at NLQP, along with our arsenal of Rush classics. La Villa has been a welcome and long awaited addition to our set! Another long awaited addition, on display for the masses, was Lou’s drum solo, which was incredible and received a huge ovation. Upon finishing, Lou hurled his sticks out to the crowd at such an alarming speed, it conjured memories of the 2015 “shoot your eye out tour.“ Thankfully, no eyes collided with drumsticks. Many of our traditions were observed during this trip including the creation of a new Breakfast; the Succulent Seventeen. Perkins will never be the same. The mandatory visit to the Dutch Pantry was rewarding as well. We’re already planning on our return next year.

As the extra napkin tour continues, Limelight returns home for an outdoor show at the Danbury City Center. We always look forward to this concert and the crowd never disappoints! We plan on debuting La Villa for the hometown fans as well as Lou’s solo and we can’t wait for our return to this stage after not performing there last year. Don’t miss the Westchester School of Rock All-Star band opening the show. We have had the privilege of performing with Lou’s students on several occasions and continue to smile over the young talent that has emerged in our area. We hope to see you all there!
Bring extra napkins!!

 

December 2015
Happy Holidays from Limelight!

     Another year gone in what seems like the blink of an eye, and another year of great music and great times!!  The 2015 “Shoot Your Eye Out” tour, thankfully resulted in no lost eyes, but did deliver plenty of great memories of the shows we played, and the people we met during the tour. This year also marked the end of an era, as Rush has announced there will be no more major tours.  Limelight, however, is not going anywhere.
     In late October, Limelight returned to the MTK Tavern in Mt. Kisco, NY, this time for a full night performance.  Our opening band, Plethora of Nothing, members of Lou’s Westchester School of Rock, did not disappoint and rocked the stage like they belonged there!  The place was packed and Limelight performed two long sets for an energetic crowd.  We would like to thank the MTK Tavern staff and ownership for treating us like family!
     Then in November, Limelight returned to what seems like our new home; Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Middletown, NY.  The venue has become a welcome spot for us, as well as many Rush fans, to enjoy a night of music, food and great times in a comfortable environment.  As always, thanks to all the folks who came out to support us and get their Rush fix, and to Brian, Diane and the whole crew for always taking such good care of us!  Look for our return to Brian’s early in the new year.
     2015 has seen some welcome additions to the show!  After 13 years, the long awaited La Villa Strangiato was added along with a full drum solo, Lakeside Park and Presentation!!  Some of this was done as part of our tribute to All The World’s a Stage, the 40th anniversary of Rush’s first live album, to be seen in some form during the “2016 Extra Napkin tour”.  Not satisfied with these additions, Limelight always strives to give the fans what they want, and a song that has been often requested through the years has become part of our winter project:  Roll The Bones.   Already, we have started the studio work to create the backing tracks required to pull off this great song. We expect we will be adding it and several others to our sets during 2016.
     As always, check back here at the site often for upcoming performance announcements and other band news, as we are beginning to book for 2016. 
     And lastly, from Limelight to you, we wish everyone a safe, happy and healthy Holiday season and look forward to seeing you all during the New Year!!!  Keep supporting live music and keep on endlessly rocking!!

 

October 2015
Both Eyes still intact.....

Summer already seems a part of the distant past as the leaves begin to turn to fall in beautiful New York State. As the "shoot your eye out" tour of 2015 rolls on, we begin to hope in earnest that no eyes actually get shot out. One starts to reflect on the wisdom of naming a tour as such. Perhaps it should have been the "break a leg" tour, which at least can be related to a musical performance based on social terminology for such things. Regardless, after performing great distances from home much of the summer, Limelight returned home to perform once again at Brian's Backyard Barbecue in Middletown, NY. Brian's is always a great time and is becoming a regular stop regardless of the name of the tour. Brian's has a delicious menu, including fantastic barbecue selections, so perhaps the 2016 tour should be named the "extra napkin" tour. This would be fitting also based on the incidents that usually occur in the front seat of the van, where Steve often has ketchup issues. Anyway, Limelight rolled into Brian's and launched into a lengthy multi-set performance at our favorite start time, 21:12 PM. A packed house was treated to their much needed fix of Rush classics as well as the long awaited debut of La Villa Strangiato! We had toyed with bringing it into our catalog since our inception almost 14 years prior, but busy schedules always seemed to prevent it. Neither age, injury nor complacency were a factor, however, as Limelight triumphantly performed the epic number with nearly flawless precision. We welcome this magnificent song to our regular rotation and hope you will come see us perform it soon! We had not added anything to our catalog for a while and as such, were not satisfied with adding just the one song.
Since 2016 will mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Rush's first live album, All The Worlds a Stage, and as is our passion for all things Rush, we plan to honor this milestone during the 2016 "extra napkin" tour by playing the album in its entirety. Of course, this required a further expansion of our catalog to include Lakeside Park, Presentation and...........(pause for dramatic effect).......a highly anticipated drum solo from our master of sticks, Lou Caldarola. Wasting no time, Limelight learned these classics and implemented them at our most recent performance at The Rusty Nail in the beautiful Vermont resort town of Stowe. Our first show in Vermont was welcomed by Eric, not only a skiing aficionado, Ski Patroller and Professional Ski Instructor, but also the owner of a beautiful vacation home nearby to Stowe in the lovely town of Jay, providing the band with an enjoyable and hospitable stopover after the show. Although we arrived there at around 3am, we had soup, then we had more soup, and it was very good. Our thanks to not only Eric and Judy, but to the great folks at the Rusty Nail, who treated us well and rocked into the night with us. Lou's drum solo was amazing and we look forward to our fan base having the opportunity to see it for themselves.
That time is upon us as we quickly approach our next performance at the MTK Tavern in Mount Kisco, NY. If you recall, it is the same club where over the summer, Lou's students from the Westchester School of Rock took their final exam by performing their outstanding tribute to Rush. Many of them will be back to see our final exam as we make our usual effort to do justice to the brilliance that is Rush, including the new additions listed above! Some of the young rockers under Lou's tutelage will be performing their music as our opening act! We hope you will join us as well. The show will be on Saturday, October 24th and the music starts at 8pm.

Thank you all for supporting Limelight and live music of all kinds! Keep on rocking--


June 2015
the "Shoot Your Eye Out Tour" continues.....

            As summer approached and Limelight prepped to renew the 2015 “Shoot your eye out” tour (why did we name it that?), a surprise:  Limelight was invited to submit an original version of a Rush song for Indaba Music’s Rush-40th Anniversary Cover Competition (www.IndabaMusic.com).  We had a mere 9 days to write, rehearse, record and submit it.  First task was choosing the song from a short list, but it was an easy choice.  On several occasions, (mostly rehearsals, but also at one show) we jammed out Working Man with a Rage Against the Machine feel.  We had always thought to record it someday and now had a great reason to!  At rehearsal we explored a few directions and versions, then hashed it out separately before getting together again to hit the record button.  A few days later and many hours of effort, our submission was officially up and playing.  Check out the final result by Limelight here: Rage Against the Working Man
            Many of you may not know this, but Lou is not only the drummer in Limelight, but also the program director and a drum instructor at the School of Rock/ Westchester.  They choose a specific artist or genre to study and then spend the semester preparing a show honoring that artist.  In this instance, they were paying tribute to Rush. We have had the privilege of connecting with these talented young musicians in the past and were happy to do so again.  We were in attendance at their closing performance at the MTK Tavern in Mount Kisco, NY.  The setlist was full of challenging songs and one after the next they rocked them out.  We were blown away by the talent and enthusiasm of these kids.  It was obvious how much time was put into the performance.  It restores faith that there is a future for quality music!  At their invitation, Limelight briefly took over the stage to perform Something for Nothing and Beneath, Between and Behind.  We wish them all the best of luck in their musical futures!
            The “shoot your eye out” tour would be sorely lacking without the annual pilgrimage to Ohio. We have been performing in Ohio for 12 years and every trip restores our faith in the live music scene! Our fans in Ohio are just awesome and we love to give them what they're after; a Kick-ass Rush show!  On Friday, June 12th, we performed at Lock 3 in Akron, Ohio.  We arrived and loaded in on schedule and then the monsoon came.  Sound check was delayed by rain for almost an hour.   Thankfully, the stage crew had a plethora of tarps!  The rain did stop, of course, and Limelight rocked to 1,000 strong.  There was a threat of rain so we just stayed up there and ended up playing for 110 minutes straight! Forearms and bladders were tested and Limelight did triumph (not the band, although they are cool).  We would like to extend our thanks to everyone at Lock 3 for their hospitality and look forward to a return there in 2016.
            The next night, Limelight rolled in to Nelson Ledges Quarry Park for our 11th year performing at Classic Fest! It’s such a great atmosphere and it keeps growing every year. A weekend event full of classic rock tribute acts, with a beach and meat tents! Of course the Olympic Hula Hoop team was present in full force and were very busy perfecting their craft.  We love being a part of this great event and as always, want to thank Evan and his staff for everything they do.  We played our set to a raucous crowd and warmed them up for an incredible Pink Floyd tribute by Several Species.
            With mission accomplished, Limelight drove the long road home.  It should be noted that the rather morbid, but entertaining Road Kill Count game was played.  The over was set at 26 and was easily bested.  The final tally was 34, certainly a sad weekend for slow footed and dim witted woodland beasts.  The tally was assisted by a 2 pointer from the rarity category when a demised porcupine was seen and an additional two points for a Deer carcass on an elevated structure.  We need help.
Our next scheduled performance is Saturday, August 8th at Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Middletown, NY.  Our usual start time of 21:12 will once again be attempted.  It should be noted that we will very likely be debuting a long awaited addition to the mighty Limelight’s List of Rush Songs We Know.  Any guesses as to which song?  Maybe you should just come out and see.  Have a safe and rockin summer and we‘ll see you at Brian‘s in August!!

         

May 2015

Could this be the "Shoot your Eye Out" Tour??


Limelight awoke early from its annual winter slumber and performed a cold-weather show for the first time in recent memory to kick off season 13 of Limelight, a Tribute to Rush. The occasion; Steve's birthday, the location; Middletown, NY, at Brian's Backyard Barbecue. Snow was piled up everywhere from the relentless winter and parking and load in were adventurous. Luckily the weather cooperated and we had a great turnout for the party. Limelight performed two long sets of Rush for a great crowd and a good time was had by all. The smell of barbecue smoke, birthday candles and furious riffing filled the place and the performance went without incident or injury. An unprecedented event occurred when Rob made a napkin sketch of the birthday boy while on stage (signed and numbered lithographs will be available for purchase). Stomachs and ears were full and there was much rejoicing.
Winter did drag on however, and the groundhogs forecast was prophetic, as Eric's skis flourished upon the mountain. Finally the cold of winter abated and spring arrived just in time for Limelight to return to the legendary Chance Theater stage in Poughkeepsie, NY. The date was May 2 and Limelight shared the stage once again with our good friends Mindcrime and their awesome tribute to Queensryche. Mindcrime's singer, Branco, entertained everyone by performing with a wireless microphone while wandering all over the club! His journey continued to behind the bar where he was fed a variety of liquors, including Jägermeister shots and something called a Ninja Turtle, all while belting out his lead vocals. To Rob's delight, Bronco was beverage inspired to switch the band to an Iron Maiden tribute on the fly and they played an awesome version of Hallowed Be Thy Name. It is always a pleasure to share the stage with Mindcrime and we look forward to pairing up with them again. It should also be mentioned that Blind Spectrum, a local original band, opened the night and blistered out some progressive original music that made us all proud that the younger generation still embraces not only live music, but progressive music as well! As far as the Rush set, we had decided to play exactly what we wanted to play and it worked out well because the crowd loved the set list, which featured deep cuts like Circumstances, Anthem, Bastille Day and Vital Signs. As a matter of fact, we played the entire Moving Pictures album except for Camera Eye! All went well until Lou cracked himself in the head with a drum stick, not wanting David Lee Roth to garner all the attention. Luckily a white flash and a few beats later, he was back on track!
Limelight hopes to be adding on to our repertoire shortly and in time for our performances in Ohio. We're looking forward to our annual trip to the Midwest. On Friday, June 13 we will perform for our first time at Lock 3 in Akron, Ohio at their incredible outdoor venue, performing two long sets of Rush for the Ohio faithful. The following night marks our tenth year at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park. We're excited to perform for our great friends there on the beach and in the woods. There will be campfires, hula hoops and hoopla as well as, of course, lots of Rush. Keep checking our website for news, blogs and updates as we will be adding some more shows for this, the 2015 injury-free (?) tour (hopefully named). We look forward to seeing you all out, endlessly rocking! Get your tickets for Rush and keep supporting live music. Happy Spring!

January 2015

The “40th Anniversary no-tour tour” was a great ride, and we enjoyed every bit of it! And now Limelight presents an end-of/start-of the year update:

    The “40th Anniversary no-tour tour” saw it’s final show of 2014 at Brian’s Backyard Barbecue on October 25th and our anticipation of a great show was well founded.  A packed house enjoyed two lengthy sets of Rush, delicious foods and tasty libations.  It is rare we can play two long sets and it allowed us to perform “deep cuts” like Witch Hunt and Analog Kid.  Our deepest thanks to all those who attended, some who drove great distances and some from right down the street.  It is always our pleasure to bring the incredible music of Rush to the ears of those who enjoy it so much!  Also, many thanks to Brian and Robin Remaley, who have built the establishment into a very popular place to see or perform a show.  Rock clubs seem to be a rarity these days and Brian’s is a shining example of a great rock club run by great people.  It’s a place that is about the music, not the money.  We look forward to our return to Brian’s Backyard Barbecue on Saturday, February 28th, our first show of 2015. 
     Of course, 2014 could not have passed without some manner of injury or ailment to a member of Limelight.  Our drummer, Lou Caldarola, bravely performed the Brian’s show while enduring the pain from a hernia, likely a result of lifting too many spirits of concert goers.  Our brave hero, Lou, has now fully recovery from the surgery and is back on the drums where he belongs.
    2015 promises to be another great ride and we have already started booking shows.  Our annual Ohio trip to Nelson Ledges Quarry Park on Saturday, June 13th has been confirmed and we are excited to announce a new venue, Lock 3 in Akron, Ohio (www.lock3live.com). We will be appearing there the night before (Friday June 12) and look forward toour first performance there. The Saturday performance at NLQP’s Classic fest weekend will represent our 9th consecutive year performing at beautiful Nelson Ledges Quarry Park!  This is a beautiful place to see and the music is incredible.  Besides our tribute to Rush, the music is non-stop with fantastic tributes to legendary bands like Led Zeppelin, Yes, Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd as usual participants. Ohio has become a second home for Limelight, playing to thousands of screaming Rush fans year after year!  We literally can’t wait.  The phrase “Cleveland Rocks”  should be officially changed to “Ohio rocks!” 
   We’re still working on filling our calendar and are always looking for new areas to invade so please let us know if you and your friends crave Rush and where you think we should be playing!  Contact us right here at info@rushbylimelight.com.
    Remember, next up for Limelight is a return to Brian’s Backyard Barbecue (www.briansbackyardbbq.com) in Middletown, NY for another huge night of Rush.  A dinner/theatre type setting with great food and great music, you can expect two long sets of your favorite Rush.  Brian’s will not be charging a cover, so walk up or get reservations and come early for the awesome food.  The tables do fill up fast so call ahead at 845-692-3227 and get a table reserved close to the stage! The show will be Saturday, February 28th at 9:12 PM (aka 21:12 PM) sharp. This is the only venue we ever start at 2112 and we think that is just too cool.
     As always, check back with us for new photos, blogs, updates and things generally Rush-related and we hope to see you all out at Brian‘s on February 28th! We wish all our friends a safe and very Happy New Year and hope to see you all out endlessly rocking in 2015!!

 

August 2014

The “40th Anniversary no-tour tour” has been a great ride and with one show left (maybe two) until our annual slumber, Limelight presents an end of Summer update:

The long road to Ohio found four musicians and a bunch of gear packed into a van once again, Westward bound. This time, the destination was Cuyahoga Falls, OH for our first performance at Rockin’ on the River, an incredible outdoor venue near Akron. It is NE Ohio’s longest running and highest attended outdoor concert series and from our experiences at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, we know the people of Ohio take their music seriously! It was a pleasure to meet Bob Earley, the owner and promoter of the annual free concert series and an honor to be a part of this awesome event. Apparently, Bob had been getting requests for a Rush tribute for many years and was told to make sure and get the best one! We almost connected last year but a scheduling conflict prevented it. Finally, and well worth the wait, Limelight hit the stage and rocked to a sea of 6,000 people. The consensus among the band was that this was the closest we have come to experiencing what Rush does at any of their shows: A huge crowd of enthusiastic, screaming Rush fans. The crowd sang along and cheered and rocked the night away and we were moved and exhilarated by the astounding response. We played two long sets and we wish we could have played longer. We want to thank Bob and his staff for treating us like family and for the great job by Aggressive Sound. We certainly hope to play there again.

As chronicled in our 2014 Summer Blog, the entertaining, but disturbing road kill count game was again played for the trip to Cuyahoga. Of course as the participants are now veterans of this game, new debates have caused new rules:

1- If the carcass can fit in a typical suitcase, it doesn’t count (including large critters that have decayed to a carpet-like thickness whereby it can be rolled up or folded and fit in said suitcase)
2- If the creature is agreed upon to be a moose or bear, the size warrants two points.
3- The rarity factor: if the critter is clearly a rarer species (porcupine, yak, kangaroo, giraffe, etc.),
it counts as one -or- two points (as determined by the impartial arbiter based on degree of rarity or geographic anomaly).
4- Finding the mangled remains of Bigfoot automatically ends the game and the over can be considered as achieved (in this eventuality, pulling over and gathering said remains for scientific study or sale to the highest bidder is recommended).

For the record, Eric, Lou and Bob Early took the over, Steve took the under and Rob abstained to be the impartial arbiter. We set the over at 27, which looked for a long while like an un-achievable amount. However, there was a rally, and the final tally was 29. Look for a PDF with full rules in the near future! *Limelight does not in any way condone the harming of any animal for any reason!! Of course, if they are already demised on the roadway...count ‘em up!

On August 2nd, Limelight returned home and performed once again at the City Center Danbury, Summer Concert Series. The weather threatened rain but it held off and there was much rejoicing. The huge crowd was treated to a solo performance of a song from 101 Dalmations by Rob’s daughter Tori before Limelight took the stage and delivered another polished 100+ minute set to an enthusiastic home crowd. There was also an appearance on stage by Jim Strom, Erics’ dad who came into town to see Eric perform with Limelight for the first time. We never get tired of playing for the home crowd and hope to do so more often. We would like to thank Lisa Cutner-Piernot for her support and incredible photography. Check out her work at www.photographybypiernot.com. As always, thanks to Flippy for the great sound system and his professionalism and easy going nature. Special thanks to Andrea Gartner and her staff at City Center Danbury, who always treat us right. And, of course, thanks to our hometown fans, who consistently come in droves to this event to support us!!
Next up for Limelight is a return to Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Middletown, NY for another huge night of Rush. A dinner/theatre type setting with great food and great music, you can expect two long sets of your favorite Rush (and some deep cuts as well!) Brian’s will not be charging a cover, so walk up or get reservations (845-692-3227) and come early for the ribs! (or anything else of the menu). The show will be Saturday, October 25th at 9:12 PM (aka 21:12 PM) sharp. This may be the last Limelight show of the year, so don’t miss it!

June 2014

....13 years and still going strong.....

Beautiful warm weather surrounds us and Limelight is hard at work on our 13 season together, dubbed the “40th anniversary no tour tour.” We wanted to take a breath and blog a bit about all things Limelight. Our story begins on the 19th of April when we awoke from our Winter slumber and performed at Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Middletown, NY. We actually performed there almost a decade ago when it was a different place and there were about 12 people there. On this night though, the house was packed and the drinks flowed. We performed two long sets for the home crowd including special attention paid to the honoring of the 40th anniversary of Rush’s debut album. Eric fought bravely against the dreaded menace, the cramp, and once again proved victorious and there was much rejoicing. Brian’s has flourished under new ownership and we are glad to be a part of it. We look forward to our return to Brian’s on Saturday, September 13th. Check out Brian‘s for lots of great shows at www.briansbackyardbbq.com Our next stop was Hopewell, Virginia and two nights at the beautiful Beacon Theater (www.thebeacontheatreva.com). A building with tremendous history has been brought back to life and the theater is thunderous again. We want to extend our thanks to Brad Wells and the team at the Beacon Theater for their hospitality. The first show, May 29th we performed an opening set in front of the mighty Zoso (www.zosoontour.com) and their Led Zeppelin tribute. It had been a few years since we paired up with Zoso and it was great to see them again. A faulty bass drum pedal almost spelled doom halfway through their show, but our hero, Lou, saved the day with a loaner pedal and the show went on! The second night, May 30th, we played an opening set for a fantastic Jimi Hendrix Tribute called The Hendrix Experience. We got to spend some time with them and they are great people and great musicians. We hope to pair up with them again sometime. It bears mentioning at this time that a disturbing road game has been added for this tour: The Road Kill Count. A bit gruesome perhaps but morbidly entertaining on a long drive! (suffice to say we set the over at 23 and reached it). Lou was alarmingly good at it. Anyway, as I said, disturbing. The “40th anniversary no tour tour” continues to the “anniversary within the anniversary.” On June 14th Limelight returned to Nelson Ledges Quarry Park for our tenth year performing at their Classic Fest Weekend. Eric the brave drove the Limelight van straight and true through a maelstrom of rain and wind the night before and the overnight stay was most uncomfortable. Undaunted, we invaded the local Perkins and had our way with the breakfast menu. The weather was vastly improved and the drive from Clarion, PA to Nelson, OH went without incident. Our return to the main stage was accompanied by a huge crowd and a beautiful day and we had a tremendous time rocking the quarry. As always the staff and the people there are awesome and we want to thank Evan and his crew for always treating us right with special mention to Eddie! We look forward to the next decade at NLQP. Limelight goes right back to Ohio for our first performance in Cleveland at Rock on the River where we will be playing two long sets. We hope to see many of our Ohio friends at this beautiful venue. After our return we have a month off until our homecoming at the Danbury Green for a 90 minute performance on the bandshell for the Danbury City Concert Series. Stay tuned to for more information, photos and audio as our “40th anniversary no tour tour” is in full swing.

April 2014

As the frigid winter draws to a close and warm weather surrounds us (not!), Rush fans find themselves still basking in the warm glow of Rush’s hall of fame induction. Long, long over due, but richly deserved, this honor was summed up brilliantly and succinctly by Alex Lifeson in his well worded acceptance speech. Those who have not seen it, or wish to again, click on this link: Acceptance Speech Link. Another must-see from our friends from the North, Rush’s Clockwork Angels Live concert DVD is available now and is a welcome edition to the annals of Rush’s live works. They have not lost a step, and if it’s even possible, seem to be getting better with age! Check out the official trailer here: Clockwork Angels DVD Link. Since our last blog, Limelight performed an anniversary show at The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie, NY to celebrate 20 years that the Pallet family have owned it. It was late November 2013 and marked our sesqui-bleenteenth time playing there. As always, a great time was had by all, there was much rejoicing, and many stunning pictures were taken by Todd Gay, which can be seen in our photo gallery. Although Rush has never played the Chance, that stage has seen performances from hundreds of renowned acts through the years and it is always our honor to echo the songs of Rush through the halls at alarming decibel levels! Rush has chosen to skip touring in their 40th year of existence. Yes, allow that to sink in for a moment. Limelight will pick up that torch and bring our Rush tribute to stages all across this fine nation and others if they will have us! We will soon embark on the “40th anniversary no tour, tour” or some other clever title. Our first stop will be close to home when Limelight plays Brian’s Backyard Barbecue in Middletown, NY on April 19th. Brian’s is a great venue for dinner and live music. Free admission and stellar food, an intimate atmosphere and 2 hours of Rush in our own backyard! We hope to see you there.  


November 2013

Limelight, a Tribute to Rush will be joining forces with The Chance Theater, Faceless a tribute to Godsmack, Badd Habit and more to celebrate 20 years of the Chance with the Pallett family and raise money for FOODSTOCK helping keep charity money local to the Hudson Valley! Tickets will be $12 and help local charities...come out and support a legendary local venue still bringing us the best in live entertainment and help a good cause in the process!

 

Summer 2013

.....the Seat of Your Pants Tour.......

Finally, justice is done and Rush is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! This honor feels a bit anti-climactic since it was unofficially bestowed upon them decades ago, as Rush fans worldwide have always known where Rush belongs in the annals of music history. One of the most talented, influential and thought provoking groups has our eternal respect…..
Speaking of respect, Limelight continues to show ours through our tribute act. It's hard to believe we are coming up on 12 years together, and how that span pales in comparison to the 35+ year longevity of Rush, with the Clockwork Angels tour finished this August (we hear rumors of a return to the road for Rush in 2015!). It seems age has not caught up to them. We, however, do not seem to possess this fountain of youth, as various maladies always seem to befall us! The latest round has led us to call our summer tour the "Seat of the Pants Tour." Our brave guitarist, Eric, was diagnosed with Cellugoutospiderosis (yea.... they had no idea what it was), which severely affected his left hand throughout the summer. "Seat of the Pants" since the prospect of cancellations hung over us before every show. However, our hero, Eric, enter......stage right, persevered. With the aid of consultations, therapy, shots, medication, bourbon and the unending support of his band mates and Limelight fans, Eric performed admirably and no cancellations occurred.
We once again made our annual journey to the Home of the Olympic Hula Hoop team, and performed for a huge crowd at beautiful Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, OH. A great show where we honored the Hall of Fame induction by playing lots of Rush for the appreciative fans. Can't wait for our next visit there! Our travels through Pennsylvania happened to coincide with the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sadly for some of us in the band, this no longer included the Rangers or in Eric's case, the Flyers, but for Lou's Bruin's, glory still awaited. He had our support in finding a place to view the game. We found little support from the PA locals. We were refused service at a small bar (nice people there), and soon after found ourselves in a sports bar packed with Penguins fans. Although perilous, cheeesesteaks in hand, we braved the furrowed brows and dirty looks and later, happily departed with our lives and a Bruins victory.
Closer to home; we were honored to perform at the “Random Act of Passion” concert to benefit Healing Newtown, a project created in response to the Sandy Hook tragedy. The project centers on the arts as a way to help the Newtown community to strengthen and to heal. Our half hour performance at the Danbury Green was for a great cause and a nice lead in to our Headlining spot just 6 days later. Limelight returned to the Green in Danbury to perform a 90-minute set for a huge crowd of our Connecticut friends and family. We are forever grateful for the support we always get from Danbury, I-95, and Danbury City Center. The Monday prior to the show we had our tune-up rehearsal. It was apparently Steve’s intention not to be outdone by Eric’s Cellugoutospiderosis, so he plunged a wood chisel into his left hand at the end of that workday. An enjoyable injury made even more pleasant by pressing it against the neck of his bass repeatedly for a two and a half hour rehearsal. We also visited Barney McNabbs in Yonkers, NY for a rare two-hour show at a more intimate venue. We were happy to get the chance to play some select "deep cuts" like Circumstances and Witch Hunt. Once again the McNabbs crowd made our night. Singing with Rob and air drumming late into the night. So by the Seat of our pants we head into autumn. Having successfully navigated the perils of the summer. We hope to have news soon. Stay tuned…….

Winter 2013

......Is anybody out there?........

Ok, we know it's us that have been hiding, but it's not like we wanted to. It just seemed to happen that way. Suddenly our calendar was over and there we were, with no shows! We typically take the winter off and this was just an early start for us this time. We're very proud to annonce we will be returning for a tenth season together and have started booking shows already. Keep your eyes peeled to our calendar page for more dates to be added. We're planning a very special show this year to pay omage to Rush, as they finally are welcomed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. (sic) We hope to see many of our old fans and meet plenty of new ones so stay tuned and plan on attending one of our shows!

 

June 2012

...Early Summer update...

Wow! Is it Summer already? After enjoying another great show at Moheghan Sun Casino's Wolf Den in ealry February, time has just cruised right along. Fear not! Limelight has been hard at work in preparation for this summers line-up of shows! We continue to add more songs to our library and have every intention of sharing them with you, our fans very soon! We're very much looking forward to performing our seventh show in 7 years at our now home away from home; Nelson Ledges Quarry Park and their annual "ClassicFest" Weekend. NLQP offers a great line-up of tributes and an atmoshpere that can't be beat. We're also very proud to be returning to our fans in VA and have announced a pair of shows there. Another first for the band, we'll be playing the “Better at Night” Friday concert series at Colonial Downs, entertaining fans between races. We're also heading back to one of our favorites Innsbrook After Hours. And not to leave our fans to the north out, look for us to roll into Septembers for a Mid-summer dose!
Look for updates here as we check back with tales of our journeys and more dates....

 

November 2011

.....Fall update......

Here’s a fall update on recent events:
We have thoroughly enjoyed performing for wonderful and appreciative audiences wherever we go and we can’t thank you enough for your support. On September 23rd, Limelight was washed out of performing at the WPDH roof-a-thon as torrential downpours cancelled the Friday night live band schedule. As always, we appreciate the support from 101.5 WPDH and applaud their tireless efforts to help a great charity. Hopefully it won't rain at roof-a-thon next year and we'll be invited back! Saturday, October 1st Limelight played at The Room in Brookfield, Connecticut for an inspiring audience of young music fans and up and coming musicians. Three bands from the area and from the Westchester School of Rock provided the opening entertainment at this all-ages club. We had such a blast playing to such a young and energetic audience, who proved you can dance to Rush (apparently you can also mosh and zumba to Rush). We also performed a “different” version of Working Man that cannot be described herein. To round out our October, Limelight returned to play for our friends at Septembers in Chicopee, Massachusetts. We were treated again to the great hospitality of the staff at Septembers and the locals who came out to support us and rock into the night! We pulled a bunch of songs off the shelf for this lengthy performance including Analog Kid, Natural Science, Circumstances, Vital Signs and Witch Hunt! Look for a return to Massachusetts to play at Septembers in March of 2012.
Limelight generally lessens our gig schedule through the winter and this year is no exception. Having said that, stay tuned here for a potential "year-end" show! We're also proud to announce our return to Mohegan Sun to rock the Wolf’s Den! That performance will be on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5th, 2012. What better way to watch the big game then to be in the luxury of a Casino, enjoying your favorite music live and the game at the same time?!! Be sure to mark this one on your calendars!

Have a great fall everybody!!

September 2011

....a Late Summer Update....

Thank you to all friends and fans that attended what turned out to be the finale of Danbury‘s Summer Concert Series on the Green!! With hurricane Irene bearing down on us, and one last night with no rain in the Northeast, we had what appeared to be our best turnout ever. It is always a pleasure to play in Danbury, with half the band local to the area. We always feel a special energy and pride playing to the home crowd, and August 26th was no exception. Between all of the children up in front, (and on stage), and seeing all of our friends in the audience, it was a show that will stay in our memories for quite some time! We hope you all had as much fun as we did. As always thanks to Andrea and the city of Danbury, and Flippy, for the great work on the sound. We’d also like to give special thanks to Herm and the Danbury Whalers for allowing us to use their beautiful hockey facility to get ready.

Although a local show is a rare occurrence for us, we are excited to announce two other area appearances upcoming:

On Friday night, September 23rd, Limelight will headline 101.5 WPDH’s legendary Roof-a-thon, being held this year at Mesier Park on Main Street in Wappingers Falls, NY. The event benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, so come help out the kids at this great charity event. It has been a several years since our schedule has allowed for Limelight to be able to perform at Roof-a-thon. We are honored to be able to help this great cause with our friends at WPDH. Also performing will be Madd Dogg and Facelift (Alice in Chains tribute). Visit www.wpdh.com for more info.

On Saturday, October 1st, Limelight will be performing an all-ages show at The Room, 3 Production Drive in Brookfield, CT. Also on the bill are ISpaceWalkSometimes and Night Riders, both School of Rock bands! We’re excited to be performing at a new club so close to home and we hope to see you there. For more information visit www.theroomct.com.

On October 15th, Limelight will be traveling to visit our new friends at Septembers in Chicopee, MA. We truly enjoyed ourselves at our first show in June and can’t wait to play there again. We are brushing off some Rush songs that haven’t been on the set list in quite some time for our performance. Show up to be surprised! For more information visit www.septemberslounge.com.

July 2011

....a Early Summer Update....

Thank you to all the fans who supported us during our recent shows!! We hope you had as much fun as we did and we look forward to playing for you again soon.  As a tribute to the 30th anniversary of Moving Pictures and the 35th anniversary of 2112, we continue to play large portions of both of these amazing albums whenever time permits.

            On Saturday, June 11th, we made our annual voyage to Ohio to perform for a sixth time at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park’s Classic Rock festival.  As always, the venue and the people were a pleasure to be around.  Despite some heavy downpours, the weather cooperated enough to get most of the show in, to the delight of the throngs of festival attendees who shook off the rain and rocked with Limelight.  Thanks as always to Evan and the entire staff of Nelson Ledges and a special thanks to Bush Dog for his bravery in the face of extreme water management, his kindness and hospitality.  We can’t wait to return to NLQP in 2012.

            On Saturday, June 25th, we were off to Chicopee, Massachusetts (just outside of Springfield) for our first appearance at great club called Septembers. We want to thank Daniel, Al, Steve, Nuge and all the Septembers staff for making it such an awesome and memorable time for us.  Nuge’s outstanding laser light show was a thing to behold! Thanks to John Ripa and Tina Schnaper for the awesome pictures, which we will post shortly.  We especially want to thank everyone from the area who came out to see our first performance at Septembers.  We felt right at home with all of you and we can’t wait to see you again in October......... 

April 13, 2011

......a Spring Update.....

Thanks to everyone who supported Limelight during our Spring performances!  This year marks the 30th anniversary of Moving Pictures and the 35th anniversary of 2112 and we are honoring these amazing albums by playing plenty of songs from both.

       We enjoyed playing to a hometown audience at The Chance in Poughkeepsie on March 25th.  For the second time, the opening act was Mindcrime, who impressed us all with their amazing tribute to Queensryche.  Many thanks to Weefan photography for their amazing work photographing the show. 

        The following week, Limelight got on the road to Richmond, Virginia to return to The National Theatre on April 2nd.  Once again, Richmond Engine Company #3 opened for us with their impressive Primus tribute.  We want to thank them and The National Theatre for their hospitality.  As fate would have it, we were privileged to have been booked for this performance during the Final Four of college basketball, which this year, featured Richmond’s own VCU Rams.  The game was shown on huge screen TV in the theatre before the concert and the locals packed in to root for their team.  The energy and atmosphere were electric and we were proud to be a part of it.  For an inside look at our most recent Virginia trip, check out the short documentary recently posted on this website.  You can also check out photos and video from our February 3rd performance at the Wolf’s Den at Mohegan Sun.
Stay tuned to RushByLimelight.com for information on upcoming Limelight shows and don’t miss Rush on their current tour!!  Hope to see you all soon.

February 3, 2011

Limelight plays the Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino

Limelight performed for their first time tonight at the Mohegan Sun Casino's Wolf Den. The room was full and the band put on a 90+ minute show that had all cheering and asking for more. When asked, guitarist Eric Strom said "We had an amazing time. The crew at the casino was top notch and had things done for us before we could even ask for them. The sound and lights were unbelievable as well. All that combimed with a very enthusiastic audience made for an evening that none of us will forget too soon!" The band is looking forward to a fall return. Keep an eye to the shows page for up to date info.

From RushCon.......

January 5th, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR RUSH FANS!

Welcome to 2011, from your friends at RushCon.
We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season.

RUSHCON 11? STAY TUNED!
We know everyone is anxious to know about RushCon 11. We are still in the early planning stages, and will get info out as soon as we can. Please make sure to join our official Facebook Fan Page, and our Twitter account, for up-to-the-minute updates.

RUSH TOUR 2011!
I'm sure everyone is gearing up to see Rush on the Time Machine Tour (part 2) this Spring- in a bunch of new cities, and even Europe!

LIMELIGHT TRIBUTE SHOW
If you can't hold off until Spring, come check out Limelight (the Official Tribute Band of RushCon 4, 7 and 9) at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Conneticut, Thursday, February 3rd - 8:00pm. Their spot-on reproduction of deep Rush tracks will tide you over until you see the real thing. And the show is free! You can't beat that price!

The awesome guys of Limelight are even letting the fans help choose a song to add to their set list! Choose from: Witch Hunt, Stick It Out, Passage to Bangkok, By-Tor and the Snowdog, or Circumstances. Check out their Facebook page to vote for your favorite! Hope to see you there!

10/11/2010

Be sure to check our video page to see our own Lou Caldarola performing his version of the Hockey Theme (TSN).

10/6/2010

RUSH + HOCKEY = LIMELIGHT is Back...The Danbury Whalers welcome LIMELIGHT - LIVE Saturday December 4th 2010... Performances at: 6pm (before the game) and During the 1st intermission- Above the Ice!! Band Performance area next to the Section 107 area seating, above the Zamboni Entrance... See you there!!

9/6/2010

LIMELIGHT has launched it's new website and a FaceBook page! Check our links page.

8/2010

LIMELIGHT is sorry to announce we must cancel our performance at Danbury City Center for the closing weekend of the Summer Concert Series -August 27th. We are taking a short time off while we let our bassist/keys player Steve Schnaper recover from surgery, He will be fine and we will be back soon!

7/6/2010

Limelight, Tribute to RUSH to Play at Danbury Whalers Game

In a joint announcement today at the Danbury Ice Arena, Danbury Whalers CEO, Herm Sorcher & Rob Jackson, Vocals & Lou Caldarola, Percussion, of Limelight, Tribute to RUSH have announced that the Hudson Valley based band will be performing at a to be announced Danbury Whalers home game during the 2010-11 season

Now in their eighth year, Limelight has thrilled audiences throughout the United States and Canada with their performances.

In 2009 Limelight was, for a third time, named North America's #1 Rush tribute by the organizers of RushCon, the only officially sanctioned Rush convention. A third trip to Toronto ensued where Limelight again rocked an audience of Rush fans from all over the globe.

Lou Caldarola commented, "We are hockey fans. We want to do whatever we can to help make the Danbury Whalers successful. We are going to give the fans a great show."

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