One of the Valley's most notorious rock-concert venues, shuttered more than seven years ago after a judge ordered it to crack down on crime and drugs, is being reborn.

Milestones in the history of Mesa's Nile Theater, now reopening as a concert venue: August 1924 - Nile opens as an opulent silent-movie palace, showing The Sea Hawk.Ushers are dressed as pirates. 1951 - Nile closes as a theater; building sees other uses over time. 1987 - Nile is extensively remodeled, becomes home to dinner theater and then a restaurant. September 1994 - Reopens as alternative-rock nightclub. Jan. 18, 1995 - Marilyn Manson performs there. Spring 1995 - Nearby businesses begin complaining about vandalism and litter linked to the club. Aug. 1, 1997 - Police arrest members of band Eroticide after allegedly pornographic performance. October 1999 - Overcoming city objections, Nile hosts match between female professional kick boxer and self-proclaimed male bar brawler. She wins in a minute. May 2000 - Fending off another controversy, theater scraps plans for a performance by female oil wrestlers. February 2001 - Police say they made 30 drug buys during sting operations at the Nile. Aug. 25, 2001 - Phoenix man is slain, two others wounded by gunfire during a Nile rap concert. June 2002 - County Attorney's Office obtains restraining order that orders Nile to ban drugs and weapons and to stop allowing crimes to occur on premises. This leads to injunction against the club in October. Nov. 3, 2002 - Nile hosts its last performance. 2003 - Faith Harvest Christian Church moves to the site. 2010 - Church leaves; concert venue called Underground Mesa opens.

But the newest tenant of the historic Nile Theater at 105 W. Main St. in downtown Mesa vows her operation won't be like the one that made headlines during an eight-year run that ended in late 2002.

Those headlines included an early appearance by shock-rocker Marilyn Manson, the arrest of a band called Eroticide for an allegedly obscene performance, a controversial bout between a professional female kick-boxer and an amateur male street brawler, and a triple shooting in 2001 that left one man dead.

"This is not going to be the kind of thing where we're going to need armed guards," said owner Erin Peters. "It's a much different situation than it was."

Peters, 29, is a partner in the Mantooth Group, which has been promoting shows in several small Valley venues since last April. Their Mesa operation is named Mesa-Underground on its alleyway entrance sign, and The Underground on the company's Web site.

Grand opening was Friday night (Feb. 19), featuring a Tempe band called Crash Coordinates and several other performers. Peters said acts will range from soft acoustic styles to hard rock.

For Peters, it's the revival of a youthful dream.

Her band, Round Two, played at the Nile when she was in her late teens. But she doesn't remember it as the raucous place that was chronicled in press accounts of the time.

"We were never involved in any of those situations that happened," Peters said. "We've never had any issues at our shows whatsoever."

Peters said shows will be held in the old theater's basement, which has a capacity of 212. Refreshments will be for sale, but there will be no liquor in a venue aimed at attracting a younger crowd to Mesa's long-struggling downtown.

"We are working with the Mesa Police Department to create a safe environment," Peters said.

Sgt. Ed Wessing, a Mesa police spokesman, said his department will be watching.

"The department welcomes any business that is willing to operate lawfully," Wessing said. "We just want to ensure that not only the people that attend there are safe, but also the businesses around there are safe."

Wessing said the department is researching whether an October 2002 permanent injunction might apply to the new operation.

The injunction was issued in Maricopa County Superior Court at the behest of then-County Attorney Rick Romley. It ordered Corey Adams, who operated the Nile at the time, and his parents, Claude and Kathleen Adams, who still own the building, to provide adequate security and take numerous steps to keep drugs and criminals away.

The Nile closed a few days later.

The notoriety was a far cry from the Nile Theater's opening in August 1924, which came amid glowing newspaper accounts and featured a silent movie called The Sea Hawk, starring legendary actor Wallace Beery. Ushers dressed as pirates showed patrons their seats for the nautical adventure tale.

After the concert venue closed in 2002, the building was rented by Faith Harvest Church, which ran a ministry and bookstore there.

Representatives of the church did not return phone calls seeking comment on why they left or what their plans are now.