After three years and more than 350 concerts with our old system -- which we thought sounded pretty darn good -- we've taken the leap to a top-notch JBL Vertec Line Array for our main speakers (all sixteen of them!), which includes high quality, computer-controlled amplifiers from industry leaders Crown, dbx and Harmon Professional. In short: This sound system rocks! From the subtlest acoustic music to the hardest rocking metal and everything inbetween, the Rialto's new system is designed to provide the best quality sound you're likely to hear anywhere.

Other system components have been upgraded, including digital consoles from Yamaha, excellent microphones, and a plethora of geeky professional audio gear, like high end power distribution equipment and top of the line cables, all designed to ensure that the music from the artists on the Rialto's historic stage sounds as pure and clear to the ears of our audience as it possibly can. It's a commitment to quality that is at the heart of the Rialto's mission to serve the music-loving community at the highest level.

With the assistance of renowned acoustic consultant Sam Berkow of SIA Acoustics of New York City, we've made acoustic modifications to refine the way the Theatre's auditorium responds to amplified music. It's a long way from the opening days of the Rialto Theatre in August 1920 when itinerant vaudevillians roamed the stage and silent movies were accompanied by a piano. The result, we hope, is a better listening experience no matter what kind of concert you're attending here in the 21st Century.

This nearly $300,000 upgrade investment is evidence of the not-for-profit Rialto Theatre's commitment to the continual improvement of the Rialto concert-going experience. We hope your ears will hear the difference. Enjoy!

Now the band is returning to Tucson for the first time in over six years, and only the second time ever (the first being an opening stint for Guided By Voices at Club Congress in June of 2002 that we remember fondly). My Morning Jacket will hit the Rialto stage on Wednesday, September 24th. Tickets for this exciting addition to our outsized fall concert schedule will go on sale to the public this Friday, August 29th at 10 a.m.

You will not want to miss this tremendous band on the Rialto's brand-new PA system. WE MEAN IT!

The Go Vote 2008 Festival Area, held outside of Rialto, will have information booths from over 20 different participating organizations. The event's proceeds will benefit Giffords for Congress. Tickets are on sale NOW exclusively at GiffordsforCongress.com/Calexico.
The floor will be general admission at $25 ($15 for Students), and the reserved-seated upper balcony is $35. VIP tickets are available for $75, which includes a rooftop reception at Hotel Congress with members of Calexico, Jim Adkins, and Congresswoman Giffords, reserved lower balcony seating, a signed concert poster, a commemorative Calexico wall calendar, and a Jimmy Eat World collectors' edition vinyl.

As an added bonus for Calexico-lovers, the band will be selling their brand new album Carried To Dust at the show. Don't miss this all-star event!

Tickets for this event goes on sale Saturday, July 5 at 10am right here at rialtotheatre.com.

The natural beauty of Great Big Sea exudes prominently in their live performances. Fortunately for Tucson, they will be performing at The Rialto Theatre live on October 7.

Newfoundland natives Great Big Sea aim to marry traditional music of Newfoundland with their own pop explorations, and have a reputation for raucous and moving live shows.

Tickets go on sale TOMORROW--that's Friday, June 27 at 10am online, by phone at 520.740.1000, and at the box office (12-6pm).

So from the Grey Lady direct to you: in conjunction with next Tuesday's RZA as Bobby Digital performance at the Rialto, The RZA will be appearing at The Hotel Congress before the Rialto show as part of the 9 Queens/Wu Chess Chess Fest (say it fast five times and you'll see a purple cow). 9 Queens, a locally based non-profit chess education and outreach organization, has put together quite the chess event to complement the concert. Aside from a chance to play against RZA, there'll be a tournament, prizes, chess lessons, and lots more. To find out more about the event click here and to learn more about the 9 Queens organization click here.

So there you have it -- the perfect night of entertainment and intellectual stimulation courtesy of The Rialto, 9 Queens, Hotel Congress, and of course, The RZA. Tickets available by clicking here.

It all goes down on Friday, August 8th, giving you plenty of time to arrange babysitters, limousine service, and dinner reservations.

Tickets go onsale this Sunday, June 8th, at 10 a.m. Get yours (hurry!) by clicking here.

Buy your tickets now online, at our box office (12pm - 6pm), by phone (520-740-1000), or at any Bookmans Bookstore.

Compounding our cozy excitement is the special guest support for this lovely concert, lullaby-extraordinaire Iron & Wine!

Tickets for this performance go on sale Saturday, May 10. The floor will be general admission/standing room only, while the balcony will be reserved seating.

Stay tuned next Saturday at 10am to purchase your tickets!

Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra will perform at the Fox Tucson Theatre on June 26 at 8pm. Reserved Seating tickets are ON SALE NOW and can be purchased online here, by phone at (520) 624-1515, or in person at 15 W Congress in downtown Tucson.

Ottmar Liebert has said that "flamenco is a music both romantic and dangerous; it is an attitude as much as it is a musical genre." Therein lies the philosophy that catapulted him to fame at the end of the '80s with an engaging mix of subdued flamenco guitar and South American percussion, rock, jazz, and pop influences. Liebert's "attitude" actually suppresses the more challenging and "dangerous" aspects of flamenco in favor of the romantic -- and the stylish. He's not a technical wizard on the guitar, but he has a feel for the music's innate sensuality and a gift for creating memorable melodies.

Our favorite songstress Brandi Carlile has been added to the Indigo Girls show on June 18 here at Rialto. We can only attribute her last minute addition to her undying love and appreciation for Tucson, and our modest stage, as shown by staying late and graciously meeting absolutely everyone that stuck around after her previous performances. Also for further reference, see the three framed concert posters adorning Rialto's lobby with her signature dotted with a heart, and a sweet note to Tucson. Maybe we should come right out and say it: Rialto has a crush on Brandi... And to be coupled with the Indigo Girls... the only other thing we should say with great urgency, is get your tickets NOW.

General Admission Floor (standing room only)
Reserved Seating Balcony

The mini-orchestra will perform at The Rialto Theatre on May 14, 2008, and reserved seating tickets are on sale now.

A few more press snippets about this incredible band:
This is rich, hugely approachable music, utterly cosmopolitan yet utterly unpretentious. And it seems to speak to just about everybody.
-Stephen Brookes, WASHINGTON POST

From a serendipitous start, Pink Martini’s eclectic repertoire, alluring performances, and top-notch orchestrations have proven an irresistible mix.
-James McQuillen, SYMPHONY Magazine

Led by Harvard graduate and classically trained pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale, the band moves gracefully between such genres as Cuban rumbas and French café tunes.
-THE NEW YORKER