Members of Waterstreet won’t be opening up for Motley Crue anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a rockin’ career ahead of them.

The band competed Monday in a contest known as “Guitar Center On-Stage: Your Chance to Make Rock History.” The winner was to get an opening spot on Motley Crue’s 2009 tour, a record and management contract and new equipment.

We were rooting for the Peoria-formed band – made up of Evan Hand, Joe Shadid, Rob Gould and Mike Crusen – but learned earlier this week that the Last Vegas of Chicago was named winner of the showdown, which took place at Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles.

Peoria should still be proud of Waterstreet: 7,930 bands registered online to take part in the contest, and the Peoria natives made it to the final six. The contest was a great opportunity for them to get noticed, and we expect big things from them in the future. To learn more about the band or hear music samples, visit their MySpace page at www.myspace.com/waterstreetband.

So long, Lenny’s

Central Illinois has gotten a little less funny with the closing of Lenny’s Comedy Cafe, which was up and running for less than a year in Sunnyland.

The club, located at 2466 Washington Road, opened in December 2007. It was a joint effort between Lenny Cox, a former emcee at Jukebox Comedy Club, and Les “Woody” Knollenberg, who runs Woody’s Family Restaurant in Groveland. Cox reportedly decided to leave the club in late August and is now working at Pip Printing in Peoria.

It’s unclear exactly when the club shut its doors, as Knollenberg could not be reached for comment.

Cox, who has not been involved in the club since August, said, “I don’t want to speak for them, because when I parted ways, I wished them the best and wished it could have worked out for them.”

Bring on the child actors

Remember the parade of stars at last year’s Peoria Rivermen games? You can expect the same thing this year.

Jennette McCurdy, who plays Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon sitcom “iCarly,” will sign autographs at the Nov. 28 game against Rockford. We’re working on scheduling an interview with McCurdy, so if any fans have a burning question for her, e-mail it to dhatch@pjstar.com, and we’ll bring it to her attention.

Also on the schedule is a Jan. 31 appearance by Cody Linley, who plays Jake Ryan on the Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana.” Linley also appeared on season 7 of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars.”