Kilby, 48, believes he is fulfilling that biblical command by providing a 21,000-square-foot concert venue that can accommodate more than 700 teens from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The club is located at 2852 Wilmington Pike, inside the Wilmington Plaza shopping center.
The Attic comes complete with two stages, a large food counter, video games, pool tables and surveillance cameras.
“I’m just trying to create an environment where it’s safe,” Kilby said. To do this, Kilby has volunteers from local churches act as security. These volunteers are males and females, but Kilby said he prefers his security personnel to be males who are large in stature.
All volunteers are required to pass a criminal background check and “be firm, but yet not aggressive,” he said.
The Attic is mostly known for its live band entertainment. But Kilby said sometimes there is dance music played between band performances.
“We’ll play some very clean dance music,” Kilby said. He noted that while popular music is played in the club, the dance music is limited because of “the way that young people want to dance these days.”
Kilby said he is fine with the club blending today’s popular music with contemporary Christian music. “I’m not trying to create a Christian environment or a church environment,” he said. “I’m trying to create a positive environment. I’m going to create an environment where they want to come.”
The band’s music and behavior also is a concern. Prior to a performance, every band has to sign what Kilby calls a “family friendly contract” where the band has to agree to refrain from using foul language or anything that could be considered offensive. The bands also are not allowed to invite any spectators on stage while performing.
There is a standard for Attic staff as well. Staff members are not allowed to be alone with a teen. If that happens, the staff member is removed from the club.
The club is affiliated with Harvest Youth Ministries, 2921 Wilmington Pike, a ministry also founded by Kilby. The ministry used to operate The Cellar, a once popular teen hangout in Moraine. He said he was forced to close it in June due to the economy.
For more information about Harvest Youth Ministries, visit www.harvestyouth.org.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or kwynn@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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