In the next week, DV8 will host three concerts, starting with Saturday's Sean Kingston show.
And there's more to come next month. Andre Nickatina headlines a bill Nov. 11 that includes three other rappers. Nine days later, 1980s hair band Quiet Riot will play a show; and on the night before Thanksgiving, a show by another big-name rapper is in the works.
"We don't just do concerts, either," says DV8 owner Keya Tehrani, who opened the club in 1985. "We are booking for everything, including the prom for St. Gregory (College Preparatory School), some Sweet 16 parties, weddings. We're hosting a baby shower on Nov. 6."
In the past 18 months, DV8 has evolved from dance club/bar into an energized concert and party venue. It hosts one club night a week - 93.7 KRQ's "Planet Q" on Fridays that is simulcast to Clear Channel stations throughout the country, Tehrani says.
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Concert promoters and event planners are drawn to the club initially because of its central Tucson location, he says. But it also earns points for its size - it can accommodate 1,200 people- and its amenities - a trio of bars and a set up that provides a good view of the stage throughout.
"The stage is lifted really high and the way it's organized the venue looks full," said promoter Tim Thompkins, whose ND Promotions is bringing in hip-hop/pop artist Kingston on Saturday.
Thompkins also calls DV8 "an incredibly safe place to see a show," which didn't hold as true 18 months ago. There was a shooting in the parking lot in May 2009 that left three people injured.
"Most of the problems we have had in the past has been in our parking lot," said Tehrani, who grew up mostly in Tucson and graduated from the University of Arizona. "They weren't our customers. They were cruisers."
Tehrani reconfigured the lot to eliminate cruising vehicles, installed eight more lights and hired security officers to patrol the lot.
Tehrani said the venue has mostly hosted hip-hop and rock shows, but he would love to expand it to country concerts.
About Sean Kingston
The Miami-born, Jamaican-raised melodic rapper introduced himself with the global chart-topping hit "Beautiful Girls." His eponymous debut album in 2007 racked more than 500,000 sales and climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and No. 3 on the hip-hop/rap album charts. Other hit singles from the album included "Me Love," "Take You There" and "There's Nothing" (remix).
The 20-year-old Kingston followed up in 2009 with "Tomorrow," which spun off the singles "Fire Burning" and "Face Drop."
He's still working on his third album, although he has released a number of singles. He also is working with Justin Bieber on a mixtape; no release date has been announced.
Expect his audience to be heavy on women and also tweens courtesy his recent appearance on the Disney hit "Suite Life on Deck."
"Kingston's fan base is girls 13 to 18. He's not the kind of hip-hop artist that will bring gangsters or wannabe thugs," says promoter Thompkins. "I really think the majority of the audience will be women and college kids."
If you go
• What: Sean Kingston in concert.
• Featuring: Tucson rappers Kleptoo and 20 Twinn Twin.
• When: 8 p.m. Saturday.
• Where: DV8, 5851 E. Speedway.
• Cost: $25 at all Bookman's locations. Also available through www.ticket master.com
• Et cetera: This is an all-ages show.
• Details: DV8tucson.com or 885-3030.
Upcoming at DV8
• Wednesday: MC Magic.
• Next Thursday: DoomsDay.
• Nov. 11: Andre Nickatina, with Pigeon John, Smoove-E and The Abilities.
• Nov. 20: Quiet Riot.
For ticket information, go online to DV8tucson.com or call 885-3030.
