Lilling is finishing a documentary about legendary Georgetown nightclub the Bayou, which he hopes to air on Maryland Public Television next year. Lilling has owned Silver Spring production company Metro Teleproductions since 1989. This is his first documentary. How did the Bayou project get started?
Back in ’98, [C-SPAN Producer and co-producer of the documentary] Bill Scanlan said, “Hey, the Bayou’s closing down.” We got permission to do a documentary and started shooting almost immediately. We didn’t realize what a rich history the club had. It started as a Dixieland club in the ’50s and had, in the early ’60s, the first vestiges of rock and roll. The Bayou heyday was probably the ’70s and ’80s. It drew to its conclusion in the ’90s, so the Bayou had a 45-year run as a club, which is unusual.
Why the Bayou?
U2’s second show in the United States was at the Bayou, the night after they played the Palace in New York. Dave Matthews played the Bayou as a house band before they made it big, as did Hootie & the Blowfish. Some artists played the Bayou on the way up. Some artists played the Bayou on the way down.
Why did it close?
It was the last undeveloped real estate on the waterfront. On the site of the Bayou now you have the AMC complex and restaurants. The landlord was given an incredible offer to be bought out of the lease.
Whom have you interviewed?
We’ve interviewed famous musicians, former owners of the club, bouncers, bartenders, local bands. Stuff that does not make into the documentary we’re putting on the blog, [mtitv.com/BayouBlog].
Anything else?
We are still looking for additional material — anything from photographs to Bayou pay stubs to videos that people shot independently in the club. Anyone who has something can email me at [email protected].
– Rachel Baye
