City Limits

Just a few days ago, I was eating lunch with a friend when I mentioned that the once-great rock bar City Limits had recently reopened. A fellow two tables over from us perked up immediately when he heard the name. "City Limits is back?" he yelped out, spilling some of his burrito in excitement. Yup, it is. See, back in '05, the bar had finally lost a long battle with developers, shutting down in the face of a relentless condo onslaught in downtown Delray. After searching for a year to find a venue that would live up to their expectations, owners Maggie and Ed Gallagher spotted a small, one-story building behind Elwood's and transformed it into a two-story music hall. Their M.O. this time around? Music, music, and more music. With the help of veteran soundman Seth Goldman — who spent 20 years mixing for a little band called Pink Floyd — the Gallaghers are bringing live rock back to Delray. Sure, local groups like the Valerie Tyson Band and Ruffhouse play all over the place, but over City Limit's high-caliber system, they sound better than ever. They just opened in late November, so some days are a bit slow. But thanks to Burrito Boy and others, the word will get around.