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Nightlife
The majority of Tucson’s bars and clubs, many with live music or a DJ, are clustered along Congress Street Downtown and on 4th Avenue. A proliferation of craft breweries and gastro-pubs are now pouring local brews in this district. In addition, most of the major resorts have late spots for drinks or dancing. The Westward Look Resort’s Lookout Bar, with its expansive view and classic rock band on Friday and Saturday nights, is popular for dancing. The bars at Westin La Paloma, Hacienda del Sol, and Loews Ventana have live acoustic music on weekends.
Downtown Tucson
Bars and Clubs
Club Congress.
The city’s main venue for cutting-edge bands and singer-songwriters, Club Congress has a mixed-bag crowd of alternative rockers, international travelers, young professionals, and college kids. There is live indie rock and folk/roots during the week, while Friday and Saturday nights bring more rock and dance parties. | Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., Downtown | 520/622–8848 | www.hotelcongress.com.
La Cocina.
Hear some of the best local talent play folk-rock, blues, and jazz Wednesday to Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons at this restaurant and bar in the courtyard of Old Town Artisans. Sit under the stars and order from the late-night menu until 2 am Thursday to Saturday. It’s closed Sunday and Monday nights. | Old Town Artisans, 201 N. Court Ave., Downtown | 520/622–0351 | www.lacocinatucson.com.
Playground.
Three distinct spaces at this bar offer something for everyone—everyone who likes a modern, urban vibe, that is. The spacious rooftop deck has a DJ and dancing most nights, plus a good view of town. Downstairs, the sleek, minimalist bar, with large-screen TVs and happy-hour specials, has occasional live music. Check out the intimate covered patio for quieter conversation with your cocktails. | 278 E. Congress St., Downtown | 520/396–3691 | www.playgroundtucson.com.
University of Arizona
Bars and Clubs
IBT’s (It’s ‘Bout Time).
Tucson’s most popular gay men’s bar, IBT’s (It’s ‘Bout Time) has rock and disco DJ’s, karaoke, live music, or drag shows nightly. | 616 N. 4th Ave., University | 520/882–3053 | www.ibtstucson.com.
Plush.
Alternative-rock bands like Camp Courageous and Greyhound Soul are hosted at the intimate Plush, as well as local performers with a loyal following. | 340 E. 6th St., at 4th Ave., University | 520/798–1298 | www.plushtucson.com.
Central Tucson and Eastside
Bars and Clubs
Boondocks.
The unofficial home of the Blues Heritage Foundation, Boondocks hosts local and touring blues musicians and classic rock singer-songwriters six nights a week (Wednesday through Monday). | 3306 N. 1st Ave., Central | 520/690–0991 | www.boondockslounge.com.
Old Pueblo Grille.
This Southwestern restaurant and bar has live jazz on Sunday night. | 60 N. Alvernon Way, Central | 520/326–6000 | www.oldpueblogrille.com.
The Maverick Live Country Club.
An excellent house band gets the crowd two-stepping Tuesday through Saturday nights. Dance lessons are also offered. | 6622 E. Tanque Verde Rd., Eastside | 520/298–0430 | www.tucsonmaverick.com.
The Shelter.
Sip a martini and go totally retro at the Shelter, a former bomb shelter decked out in plastic 1960s kitsch, lava lamps, and JFK memorabilia. Watch Elvis videos and listen to music of Burt Bacharach, as well as current alternative rock. | 4155 E. Grant Rd., Central | 520/326–1345 | www.thesheltercocktaillounge.com.
South Tucson
Bars and Clubs
Nimbus Brewing Company.
This is the place for acoustic blues, folk, and bluegrass, not to mention good, cheap food and microbrews. | 3850 E. 44th St., Southeast | 520/745–9175 | www.nimbusbeer.com.
Casinos
Two Native American tribes operate casinos on their Tucson-area reservations west of the airport. They’re quite unlike their distant and much grander cousins in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Don’t expect much glamour, ersatz or otherwise: these casinos are more like glorified video arcades, though you can lose money much faster. You’ll be greeted by a wall of cigarette smoke (the reservation is exempt from antismoking laws) and the wail of slot machines, video poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps machines. Casino del Sol has expanded into a resort, with comfortable hotel rooms, first-class dining, a spa, and an 18-hole golf course. The only “live” gaming is keno, bingo, blackjack, and certain types of poker. No one under age 21 is permitted.
Casino del Sol.
A few miles west of the Casino of the Sun is the Pascua Yaqui tribe’s newer, larger facility, Casino del Sol, with live poker and blackjack, bingo, and slots. A first-rate Asian-fusion restaurant, an excellent steakhouse, and several casual eateries provide multiple dining options. A 215-room hotel and conference center opened in 2012, followed by a golf course in 2013. An adjacent 4,600-seat outdoor amphitheater books entertainers like Counting Crows and James Taylor. | 5655 W. Valencia Rd., Westside | 520/838–6506, 855/765–7829 | www.casinodelsol.com.
Casino of the Sun.
The Pascua Yaqui tribe’s original gaming venture has slot and video-gambling machines only, and one casual restaurant. | 7406 S. Camino de Oeste, off W. Valencia Rd. about 5 miles west of I–19, Southwest | 520/838–6506, 855/765–7829 | www.casinodelsol.com.
Desert Diamond Casinos Tucson.
The Tohono O’odham tribe operate the Desert Diamond Casinos, which has an indoor concert venue, a hotel and conference center, and plenty of one-armed bandits and video poker in addition to live blackjack, poker, and bingo. | 7350 S. Old Nogales Hwy., 1 mile south of Valencia, just west of airport, South | 520/294–7777, 866/332–9467 | www.desertdiamondcasino.com.
The Arts
For a city of its size, Tucson is abuzz with cultural activity. It’s one of only 14 cities in the United States with a symphony as well as opera, theater, and ballet companies. Wintertime, when Tucson’s population swells with vacationers, is the high season, but the arts are alive and well year-round. The low cost of Tucson’s cultural events comes as a pleasant surprise to those accustomed to paying East or West Coast prices: concert tickets are as little as $20 for some performances, and touring Broadway musicals can often be seen for $35. Parking is plentiful and frequently free.
The free Tucson Weekly (www.tucsonweekly.com) and the “Caliente” section of the Arizona Daily Star (www.azstarnet.com) both hit the stands on Thursday, and have listings of what’s going on in town.
Major Venues
Centennial Hall.
Dance, music, and other performances take place at the University of Arizona’s Centennial Hall. The UA Presents series is held here during the academic year (September through May); a few performances by other entities are held here in summer. | 1020 E. University Blvd., University | 520/621–3341 | www.uapresents.org.
Fox Tucson Theatre.
A refurbished old movie palace, the art deco Fox Theatre hosts film festivals and mostly folk-rock concerts. | 17 W. Congress St., Downtown | 520/547–3040 | www.foxtucsontheatre.org.
Rialto Theatre.
One of Tucson’s hottest venues, the Rialto Theatre, once a silent-movie theater, now reverberates with the sounds of hard rock, jazz, folk, and world-music concerts. You can experience great musicians up close for reasonable ticket prices. | 318 E. Congress St., Downtown | 520/740–1000 | www.rialtotheatre.com.
Tucson Convention Center.
Much of the city’s cultural activity, including opera, touring Broadway shows, and Tucson Symphony concerts, takes place at the Tucson Convention Center. Also part of this complex are the Music Hall and the smaller Leo Rich Theater. | 260 S. Church Ave., Downtown | 520/791–4101 | www.tucsonaz.gov/tcc.
Music
Arizona Friends of Chamber Music.
A Wednesday-night chamber-music series is hosted by the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music at the Leo Rich Theater in the Tucson Convention Center from October through April. There’s also a music festival the first week of March. | 260 S. Church St., Downtown | 520/577–3769 | www.arizonachambermusic.org.
Arizona Opera Company.
This Phoenix-based company puts on five major productions each year at the Tucson Convention Center’s Music Hall. | 260 S. Church St., Downtown | 520/293–4336 | www.azopera.com.
Arizona Symphonic Winds.
In winter the Arizona Symphonic Winds performs a series of free indoor concerts and then goes outdoors with a spring–summer concert schedule at Udall Park in Northeast Tucson. Performances in the park are Saturday at 7 pm; arrive at least an hour early for a good spot on the grass. | László Veres Amphitheater, Udall Park, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd. | Tusayan | www.azsymwinds.org.
Tucson Jazz Society.
The small but vibrant jazz scene in Tucson encompasses everything from afternoon jam sessions in the park to Sunday jazz brunches at resorts in the Foothills. Call the Tucson Jazz Society for information. | 520/903–1265 | www.tucsonjazz.org.
Tucson Pops Orchestra.
In May, June, and September the Tucson Pops Orchestra gives free concerts on Sunday evenings at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park. Arrive about an hour before the music starts (usually at 7 pm) to stake your claim on a viewing spot. | Tucson | 520/722–5853 | www.tucsonpops.org.
Tucson Symphony Orchestra.
Part of Tuscon’s cultural scene since 1929, this orchestra performs at the Tucson Convention Center and at sites in the Foothills and the Northwest from October through May. | Box Office, 2175 N. 6th Ave., Downtown | 520/882–8585 for box office | www.tucsonsymphony.org.
Poetry
Tucson Poetry Festival.
The first weekend in April brings the Tucson Poetry Festival and its four days of readings and related events, including workshops, panel discussions, and a poetry slam. Such internationally acclaimed poets as Jorie Graham and Sherman Alexie have participated. | Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St. | www.tucsonpoetryfestival.org.
University of Arizona Poetry Center.
A free series of readings and classes open to the public is run by the University of Arizona in its beautiful Poetry Center. Check online or call during fall and spring semesters for schedules. | 1508 E. Helen St., University | 520/626–3765 | www.poetry.arizona.edu.
Theater
Arizona Repertory Theatre.
Performances by students occur throughout the academic year on campus at this University of Arizona theater. | 1025 N. Olive St., University | 520/621–1162 | www.theatre.arizona.edu.
Arizona Theatre Company.
From September through May, Arizona’s state theater performs classical pieces, contemporary drama, and musical comedy at the historic Temple of Music and Art. It’s worth coming just to see the beautifully restored historic Spanish colonial–Moorish style theater; dinner at the adjoining Temple Lounge is a tasty prelude. | Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., Downtown | 520/622–2823 for box office | www.arizonatheatre.org.
Borderlands Theater.
This company presents new plays about Southwest border issues—often multicultural and bilingual—at venues throughout Tucson, usually from October through April. | 40 W. Broadway, Downtown | 520/882–7406 | www.borderlandstheater.org.
Gaslight Theatre.
Children of all ages love the clever, original melodramas at the Gaslight Theatre, where hissing at the villain and cheering the hero are part of the audience’s duty. | 7010 E. Broadway, Eastside | 520/886–9428 | www.thegaslighttheatre.com.
Invisible Theatre.
Contemporary plays and musicals are presented in an intimate 80-seat theater by this highly regarded nonprofit company. | 1400 N. 1st Ave., Central | 520/882–9721 | www.invisibletheatre.com.