Rio Theatre

UPDATE:  
We went to see Beck last Sunday at the Rio.  The show was amazing, and the sound was fantastic.  The usual "Gold deck" area was open space so you could get close to the stage if you wanted.

However, someone needs to give the usher staff permission to develop a back bone.  In the seated area there were two very tall guys who refused to sit down and were blocking the view of at least 20 people.  When we complained to the ushers, we were told they couldn't do anything.  Huh?  It took an audience member's up close and personal beratement before they sat down after about the 3rd song.

I'm sorry, I'm not going to pay a ticket price to a theater to have to police other people's bad behavior or look at the back of someone's head for part of a performance.

I have mixed feelings about the Rio. It's sometimes hard to separate the venue from the crowd, and last night's crowd at the Robert Earl Keen show was not that unusual. Mostly middle aged, respectful folk like myself, plus some less respectful, more chemically-impeded patrons who like to hear their own voices, constantly talking, singing, hooting, hollering--I guess that's all part of the fun at a REK concert. And it was fun.

But the staff at the Rio could sharpen their customer service skills a bit. I don't go there often enough to know the whole routine, but I do know that they tend to (or at least used to) make people stand outside in a long, long line prior to a show and open the doors only about 20 minutes before showtime. Last night they opened the doors earlier, for which I am grateful. Gf & I got our seats and then I had to run an errand. No one said anything as I left, and there's no signage indicating any policy about re-admission.

When I got back, torn ticket stub in hand, two or three employees hassled me about not having a hand stamp. Well, if I needed a hand stamp, why didn't anyone say anything when I exited? Why isn't there signage to indicate this?

The Rio is still perhaps my favorite performance venue on the Central Coast--especially with the closing of the Golden State Theater in Monterey. They do a lot more right than wrong, usually. Even though yesterday was a warm day, it was relatively cool & comfortable in the theater. And the sound is almost always good. I'll continue to attend selective shows here.

It's an old movie theater. Not a cool, art deo 1920's movie theater, but a plain theater. It's well maintained and clean.

The seating is like in a movie theater. They sold the area in front of the stage to "gold circle" ticket buyers, which means you can pay a higher price to sit up close, at least at the alt rock concert I just attended.

Concessions are interesting. Coffee, tea or water, plus some cookies. No alcohol.

No smoking, which is good for the view.

You will probably need to walk 1-2 blocks from your car.