Rialto Theatre is drawing the curtains, dimming the lights and creating a dance floor for a new cabaret series that kicks off Saturday.
The premiere show will host '60s vibe acts Kiss and the Tells, Andrew Collberg and The Preservation.
To create an intimate setting, the theater will add tables and limit the audience to 300 - just a fraction of its 1,400 capacity.
"To make the shows feel more comfortable, you can pair it down and create an atmosphere that gives it more of a club setting," said Jeb Schoonover, who is promoting what he thinks will become a monthly series.
Saturday's premiere also helps the theater offset a seasonal lull.
"Sometimes it's feast or famine, and summer months are slow," Schoonover said. "Here in the summertime, they (artists) are not coming to Arizona where it's hot. This show helps fill the calendar."
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Collberg, a Tucson favorite, will start the show with his folk-rock beats.
"It's a really smart idea on their behalf," Collberg said about the series. "When I think about the Rialto venue, it's kind of hard for me to imagine them doing any shows for local bands and smaller touring bands. If this thing works, it's going to be a pretty awesome thing."
After his solo performance, he'll switch from his guitar to the keyboard and join The Preservation from Austin, Texas.
Mario Matteoli, Preservation founder and guitarist, has been a friend of Collberg's since 2008.
"We met in Austin while doing the South by Southwest Showcase, and we liked each other's music and each other," Collberg said.
This Collberg and Preservation collaboration won't stop with the Tucson show; Collberg will continue on with the band for the rest of its monthlong West Coast tour.
Matteoli was happy to add Tucson to the tour schedule.
"I've always loved Tucson," he said. "There's cool people there and good, young musicians. I actually think the club thing is great for us, because lately it has been hard to find a good venue in Tucson."
By offering inexpensive tickets and a limited number of seats, the Rialto is able to showcase smaller, yet vital acts, Schoonover said.
"It's fun for bands to play at the Rialto," he said. "First of all, it's a 30-by-40 (foot) stage, great sound system, full monitor system and same performance level as a national touring act. For the bands, it's their chance to taste what the national touring acts get to taste."
If you go
• What: Rialto Cabaret Series featuring Andrew Collberg, Kiss and the Tells, and The Preservation.
• Where: The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.
• When: 8 p.m. Saturday; doors open at 7.
• Cost: $5 at the door.
Kelly Hultgren is a University of Arizona journalism student who is an apprentice at the Star. Contact her at starapprentice@azstarnet.com or 807-7776.
