The Rialto Theatre is on a run like nothing since last October. It's especially noteworthy since the year started with only a handful of bookings.
In the first 18 days of May, Rialto will host a concert almost every night including the first show by East Los Angeles legends and local favorites Los Lobos in two years. There's also a sold-out show with Fleet Foxes, which made its last Tucson appearance in 2008 at Solar Culture.
The Rialto's run kicked off Sunday with Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. Rapper Brotha Lynch Hung canceled Tuesday's show, but Wednesday hip-hoppers Atmosphere played to a sold-out house.
"We have had busier or comparable stretches, but this is definitely among the busiest we've had," said Curtis McCrary, the Rialto's general manager and chief talent buyer. "We've done 20 shows in a month before but doing (16) in pretty much three weeks is pretty crazy. We tend to be subject to feast or famine. This is, I guess, feast."
People are also reading…
McCrary said what makes this run interesting is the big-name concerts including Los Lobos, Fleet Foxes and B-52s.
Here's what's left to come:
• Today: Electronica dance band Ghostland Observatory at the Rialto and bluesman Robert Cray Band at The Fox Theatre (Rialto is presenting the show).
Ghostland Observatory is as much a dance party and spectacle as music, with lasers and smoke creating an atmosphere to go with Aaron Behrens' singing, and occasional guitar playing, and Thomas Ross Turner's heavy funk synthesizer and drum grooves.
They play Rialto at 8 tonight. Tickets are $27.
Robert Cray has gone from shocking newcomer - a young African-American hot rod electric guitarist and singer who wrote his own electric blues and hit big on the radio charts with "Strong Persuader" in 1986 - to a veteran in the last 25 years. He's racked up a pile of awards and more than 20 albums. When he hit the scene, and more suprisingly the airwaves, young African-American players were a rarity in electric blues. Cray was a fresh voice and had his own take on the classic guitar slinging macho bluesman. He was listening to Buddy Guy, Albert Collins and BB King, but he did it his own way.
Cray recently brought back a couple of the band's early members.
The Robert Cray Band plays the Fox Theatre,17 W. Congress St., at 8 tonight. Tickets range from $36 to $84 at the Fox box office, 17 W. Congress St., or at www.foxtucsontheatre.com
• Los Lobos' music is tied to its roots, all of them, and seemingly everything else they ever heard. The group assimilates the blues and ethnic music roots and fundamental rock styles like no other band, except The Band. Los Lobos is comfortable quoting from the folk music of rural Mexico, the urban rock 'n' roll of Mexican-American immigrants in Los Angeles and many other styles. (They even do a killer cover of Louis Prima's old "Jungle Book" hit "I Wanna Be Like You.")
Los Lobos has original songs that ring of 1950s-style guitar rock then they'll do something that uses the power of later Brit hard rock, then delicate acoustic Mexican folk and accordion-driven cumbias and conjunto-style music. And sometimes, there is an alloy of styles that is hard to dissect, including a couple of middle period Los Lobos albums that many fans found a rough fit.
Their latest album, "Tin Can Trust" is, as always, a mix of styles, but continues that growth. In particular, it seems that they are blurring the line they used to have between electric and acoustic Los Lobos.
Los Lobos plays the Rialto Saturday at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $30 in advance, $32 day of show.
• It says something about Fleet Foxes, albeit a screaming nationally hot folk band with stunning harmony vocals out front, that it sells out a show in a month loaded with shows in a town notorious for slow advance tickets sales. Fleet Foxes play the Rialto Sunday at 8 p.m.
• The B-52s require an army of hairdressers to get their boufants just so for their show Tuesday. OK, army may be a bit exaggerated. It's more like two, says the Rialto's McCrary. He's hiring a pair of local blow-dryer wielding professionals to make sure Kate Pierson's and Cindy Wilson's bouffants are perfect for the hard-to-define, alternative to the alternative, New Wave, surf rockers 8 p.m. show Tuesday. Tickets: $39 in advance, $41 day of show; $55 for reserved balcony seats.
• Seattle-area folk rocker Brandi Carlile, a strong and expressive singer with some heartfelt introspective songs, is not as big a name as some of those from last week, but is an up and comer. Carlile plays the Rialto next Thursday.
Dan Sorenson and Cathalena E. Burch
Other events
• Wednesday: Paramount's Original LaserSpectacular featuring the music of Pink Floyd.
• May 13: Hip-hopper Devin the Dude.
• May 14: Beyond The Sacred: Music & Arts Festival.
• May 15: Children's rocker Dan Zanes & Friends with Salvador Duran.
• May 17: Rappers Bone Thugs 'N Harmony.
•May 18: Electronica and dance outfit Above & Beyond.
For tickets, visit www.rialtotheatre.com or call 740-1000.
