300 shows later, Tucson’s midtown benedictine chapel is now among Arizona’s buzziest music venues. 

“We just probably wouldn’t have done it all the way if we knew what we had to get into, but boy are we glad we did it,” said David Slutes, co-owner and director of La Rosa Arts, which will celebrate its one year anniversary in Tucson with an Oct. 9 birthday party.  

“It turned out great and by not compromising on all the details, the sounds and the lights and the little details we put in place, and making sure we kept the essence of the Benedictine chapel intact, that was very important to us. It’s paid off, I think. It’s just been well received and we love it. I love walking in there every day.” 

The brainchild of La Rosa was born when Slutes partnered with Charlie Levy, a “marvelous venue guy” in Slutes’ words, who opened the Van Buren, Crescent Ballroom and Valley Bar in Phoenix.

We just liked how each other worked within our sort of realms and said, ‘Hey, we should do a project together.’”

The two had been hunting for potential spaces, both in Phoenix and in Tucson, when someone told Slutes to check out the old benedictine church on Country Club and Speedway. 

“We walked into this building and thought it was the most beautiful thing we’d ever seen, and thought, this could be something special.”

Not only did Slutes and Levy bring a new venue to town, but they introduced a mama-bear venue of sorts, one that catered towards a middle-ground of artists who would otherwise squeeze into a smaller space or underfill a bigger one. Slutes has always attested that Tucson needs a mid-sized venue.

“There’s so many artists that want to be at this level, and just at this level, don’t want to be in a too-big place. So it worked out really well.”

“And that being said, and this is just what I’m hearing, that they would come back because of it, because it’s such a unique community venue. We’re getting so much good feedback from touring artists and local artists as well.”

Pushing 300 events this year, La Rosa has quickly asserted itself as a bastion for performance artists of all mediums, genres, sizes, and audiences. Slutes, a “serial programmer,” accomplishes this balance through the sheer quantity of shows he brings to the space. 

“I’m always balancing a dance night, with a touring show, with making sure we’re answering the local community. I think that’s absolutely imperative.”

“If you’re coming for a dance or comedy show, that person owns it, the country folks own it, the metal folks feel they own it, the folk people feel they own it, by just doing a lot of different programming, which is really something I adore doing. But always with an eye on the local community, because the local community is what put me there.” 

La Rosa will honor its local community through its Oct. 9 birthday party, which will feature music, live screen printing, raffles and giveaways, birthday cake, venue tours, an EDM afterparty, and comments from Tucson Mayor Regina Romero.

The original idea was to bring in a big-ticket act to celebrate the birthday, but Slutes said, “Let’s do it with great locals, and bands from different different genres, too.” 

The event will spotlight young indie band New Misphoria; Bolero Jonze, prolific musician Brian Lopez’s project that “everyone loves”; Street Blues Family, which is one of Slutes’ “all-time favorite acts”; and Las Azaleas, a “tremendously talented mariachi act.”

“All of them go well together, because we’re all Tucsonans,” Slutes said.

“The biggest thing about our venue, I think, is it’s born and raised out of Tucson. It’s not Live Nation money. And that’s something we’re very proud of.”  

LA ROSA ANNIVERSARY PARTY

WHEN: 6 p.m., Oct. 9 

WHERE:  La Rosa, 800 N Country Club Road

COST: $10 donation to La Rosa Foundation

INFO: larosatucson.org