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July 23, 2009
ON SALE FRIDAY: Bon Iver 9/28
BON IVER
Live at The Rialto Theatre
Monday, September 28, 2009
Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon's current incarnation is the lovely Bon Iver, and has gained some serious notoriety for the release For Emma, Forever Ago, listed as one of the top 50 albums of 2008 by Rolling Stone, in the top 10 on Metacritic, and the top 10 plays on Last.fm.
Tickets for Bon Iver's September 28 performance goes on sale TOMORROW, Friday July 24 at 10am. Available online here, through our box office weekdays 10-6pm, by phone 740-1000, or at any Bookmans Bookstore.
OR
Sign up to be a member right now and get early access to tickets IMMEDIATELY! Also, get $5 off your ticket, and some other exclusive member perks! check it out here.
Posted by rialtoadmin at 5:28 PM | Comments (0)
July 15, 2009
ANNOUNCING... RIALTO MEMBERSHIPS!
Become a member today for exclusive perks, discounts and gifts! As a card-carrying member, you'll not only save money going to concerts, you'll be supporting your favorite historic theatre and local ROCK non-profit. Join now, and help The Rialto Theatre Foundation fulfill its mission: to bring the best in live entertainment to the city of Tucson!
IF YOU APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP RIGHT NOW, YOU GAIN EARLY ACCESS AND DISCOUNTS TO EVENTS!
Donations are also available here.
Memberships and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Some restrictions apply. Discounts and Presales may not be available for all events, such as benefit concerts and other special events. Membership benefits subject to change. Memberships and Donations are non-refundable.
The Rialto Theatre Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, as recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.
Posted by rialtoadmin at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)
July 14, 2009
Rialto Theatre Ranked in Top 50 Worldwide Club Venues
- KEEPS ON ROCKIN' -
In its July 20, 2009 issue, Pollstar, the concert industry trade publication, released its mid-year report on club venue rankings.
Tucson's Rialto Theatre moved up from number 58 to number 42, placing the Rialto Theatre in the Top 50 Worldwide Club Venues.
The Rialto Theatre outranked such notable venues as McMenamin's Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR, the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, the House of Blues in Las Vegas, The Grove in Anaheim, and the Triple Door in Seattle.
"The Rialto Theatre's Curtis McCrary continues to amaze me with his ability to secure the kinds of quality artists that have resulted in ticket sales far beyond what a third-rate market like Tucson should be able to support," said Douglas Biggers, executive director of the nonprofit Rialto Theatre Foundation.
"The Rialto Theatre has developed a reputation among and agents across the country for its professionalism, its niche market performance, the quality of the sound...and our fabulous audiences," Biggers said.
Posted by rialtoadmin at 2:33 PM | Comments (0)
July 6, 2009
Reminder: Please contact City Council to voice your support for tomorrow's vote!
TOMORROW, July 7 at 2pm, Tucson City Council will address the dispute regarding the property surrounding The Rialto Theatre that the Foundation utilizes for an artist green room, administration offices, and essential storage. Please voice your support for the continued use of these critical spaces!
Read the July 2 article from the Arizona Daily Star.
Read a Tucson Weekly blog post about this crisis.
Read a full, concise summary of the recent events surrounding the Rialto in the Tucson Weekly.
Please consider doing one or more of the following ASAP:
1) Call the Mayor and Council Comment line ASAP at 791-4700 to voice your support for the Rialto Theatre.
2) Directly contact the members of the Tucson City Council via phone or email and request that they support Councilmember Leal's call for condemnation of the property through eminent domain.
Karin Uhlich, 791-4711, karin.uhlich@tucsonaz.gov
Regina Romero, 791-4040, regina.romero@tucsonaz.gov
Steve Leal, 791-4231, steve.leal@tucsonaz.gov
Shirley Scott, 791-3100, shirley.scott@tucsonaz.gov
Nina Trasoff, 791-4601, nina.trasoff@tucsonaz.gov
Rodney Glassman, 791-4687, rodney.glassman@tucsonaz.gov
Mayor Walkup, 791-4201, robert.walkup@tucsonaz.gov
3) Come to the City Council study session on Tuesday, July 7 at 2 pm and show your support for the Rialto. This is really important!
Thank you all for your continued support!
Posted by rialtoadmin at 9:54 PM | Comments (0)
July 3, 2009
RIALTO THEATRE UNDER DIRECT ATTACK: Help!
On July 2, the Rialto Theatre Foundation was served with a 10-day eviction notice for the Green Room and Office building at 211-215 E. Broadway and the storefront at 316 E. Congress (just west of the lobby) that we use for storage of supplies and equipment.
These spaces-about 3,500 square feet-are critical for the ongoing operation of the Theatre and are owned by Don Martin and Scott Stiteler, owners of the Rialto block. The Theatre has used these spaces for the last four years. The rest of the Rialto block is vacant. The Rialto building is a gutted shell with a boarded-up storefront and the back building was little more than a bombed-out shell before the Foundation spent about $70,000 improving it for its offices and green room. These spaces will sit vacant if the eviction effort succeeds.
Rialto Theatre Foundation attorneys had been attempting to negotiate a rent deal with the owners of the Rialto Block after they made demands for back rent and exorbitant rental rates on the spaces on June 23.
On Thursday, the Rialto block owners abruptly terminated negotiations and demanded that the Theatre vacate the spaces by July 13 in a letter from their attorney to the Foundation. The Foundation had offered to pay $1,800 a month on a month-to-month lease during a cooling off period while permanent solutions were pursued, but the owners rejected the offer.
The actions of the Rialto Block owners are malicious and vindictive toward the Rialto Theatre and the Tucson community it serves.
Read the July 2 article from the Arizona Daily Star.
Read a Tucson Weekly blog post about this crisis.
Read a full, concise summary of the recent events surrounding the Rialto in the Tucson Weekly.
Rialto Theatre and trying to cause it harm?
At its June 16 meeting, the Tucson City Council discussed the proposed development agreement from Downtown Tucson Development Company (DTDC), the entity owned by Stiteler and Martin. Among other benefits to the developers, they were seeking $4.3 million in direct taxpayer subsidy for their development plans, including getting options on valuable parcels of land.
The council had many concerns about the agreement, some of which had to do with adequately protecting the Rialto Theatre. The council voted 7-0 that the developers take another three weeks to refine the plan and come back on July 7 for another vote. It was a reasonable request considering the magnitude and complexity of the proposed agreement.
The developers immediately and angrily announced that the deal was dead and said they were walking away from further negotiations. They blamed the Rialto Theatre for "killing" the deal, and Council member Nina Trasoff called the Rialto Theatre "selfish."
As a result of the City Council's vote, the Rialto block owners are now striking back at the Theatre in an irrational and harmful manner. It's not fair, it's not just and it must not be tolerated by the City of Tucson.
Council member Steve Leal has put an item on Tuesday's City Council study session agenda. In his July 1 memo to the City Manager, Steve writes:
"I would like the Mayor and Council to consider using our condemnation authority at 320 E. Congress, 316 E. Congress and 211-215 E. Broadway and then contribute the property to the Rio Nuevo Multipurpose Facilities District for the use of the Rialto Theatre Foundation to pursue its mission.
We could borrow the funds from our reserve fund. This can be paid back after we sell the Volvo property. Additionally, we should consider using the remainder of the proceeds to stabilize and develop the Arts Warehouses with WAMO."
This is the only answer to resolve this nightmare situation.
Any other outcome puts the Rialto Theatre in extreme jeopardy. Forcing the Theatre to move out of its office, lose its green room and storage space will cause irreparable harm to the Theatre's ability to operate.
Using its power of eminent domain, the City would pay fair market value to the owners for the spaces through a condemnation process, and the Theatre would be able to move forward with planned improvements and continue to successfully operate. The Theatre will pay rent to the Rio Nuevo District, as it currently does under its operating agreement.
Some council members have expressed concern that taking the small amount of property via condemnation will send a negative message to the business community. But we wonder, as members of the Downtown business community ourselves, what is the message being sent if the Theatre isn't protected? The City must not stand by and let its asset-the Historic Rialto Theatre-be damaged by parties that are actively seeking to destroy a Downtown business that benefits the entire community and directly contributes to the success of other Downtown businesses. Supporting one of Downtown's only success stories is a pro-business action.
The community has so far invested $2.26 million in the Rialto, and the nonprofit Rialto Theatre Foundation has invested more than $1 million. This is YOUR Theatre that is under attack. The actions by Stiteler and Martin to harm the Rialto Theatre warrant a swift and decisive response by the City Council.
The best thing you can do to help save the Rialto Theatre is to call and email as many Tucson City Council members as possible with your strong message of support. Do it now!
Three weeks ago, you answered our call and hundreds of you responded in a dramatic show of support.
We thank you for all your efforts and we need you to do it again. We need EVERYONE who cares about the Rialto Theatre to encourage as many people as possible to respond immediately.
The simple message: I support Councilmember Leal's call for the City of Tucson to acquire the spaces the Rialto Theatre needs and ask you to do the same. The City must protect the Historic Rialto Theatre for the benefit of the entire community.
You should also state why the Rialto Theatre is important to you.
Please consider doing one or more of the following ASAP:
1) Call the Mayor and Council Comment line ASAP at 791-4700 to voice your support for the Rialto Theatre.
2) Directly contact the members of the Tucson City Council via phone or email and request that they support Councilmember Leal's call for condemnation of the property through eminent domain.
Karin Uhlich, 791-4711, karin.uhlich@tucsonaz.gov
Regina Romero, 791-4040, regina.romero@tucsonaz.gov
Steve Leal, 791-4231, steve.leal@tucsonaz.gov
Shirley Scott, 791-3100, shirley.scott@tucsonaz.gov
Nina Trasoff, 791-4601, nina.trasoff@tucsonaz.gov
Rodney Glassman, 791-4687, rodney.glassman@tucsonaz.gov
Mayor Walkup, 791-4201, robert.walkup@tucsonaz.gov
3) Come to the City Council study session on Tuesday, July 7 at 2 pm and show your support for the Rialto. This is really important!
SAVE THE HISTORIC RIALTO THEATRE!
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Posted by rialtoadmin at 4:09 PM | Comments (0)
