BEN DAVIDOFF

Bartender Mason Arbor of the newly opened Vaudeville Cabaret, 110 E. Congress St., talks with Hector Sanchez, a meter technician for Southwest Gas. From bands to magicians, jugglers to tango dancing, the 2-week-old bar will hold entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights from 8 to11 p.m.

Friday October 19, 2001

There are two new hot spots for booty call and eclectic performance in the Fourth Avenue/downtown area at recently opened bars North and Vaudeville Cabaret.

In addition to offering traditional bar amenities such as a jukebox and 10 beers on tap, Vaudeville features a variety of local evening performances ranging from Brazilian martial arts to belly dancing.

Between the two new venues, there should be something to please everyone.

Vaudeville, owned by Noel Chester, caters to a diverse crowd of students - such as the University of Arizona Salsa Club, Tucson natives, older folks and even families - who are encouraged to bring children accompanied by a parent to early evening performances.

"We're trying to offer an alternative to conventional bar band entertainment which is easily found on Congress Street," Chester said.

The environment at Vaudeville is casual and relaxed. The dˇcor - which includes a rotating art gallery featuring local artists - is tasteful with obvious attention to detail. Excellent lighting, good acoustics, an outdoor patio, high ceiling fans and a crooning pianist create a soothing vibe on Wednesday evenings.

Any type of creative talent adaptive to a cabaret environment is encouraged to contact Chester about performing. Projected performances range from classy - such as the UA string quartet - to racy drag shows.

Performances at North include creative pick-up lines and girls conniving to get guys to buy them drinks.

North, formally Club XS, caters to the UA crowd.

North features local Gamma and Delta girls, decked in the latest Prada, belly dancing in Britney Spears-hip-hugger-pelvis-dipping jeans.

"It's pretty much exclusively university students," said North co-owner Andrew Sommer, "Fine by me, they don't fight."

The male dress code is khakis and a button-down shirt, sleeves rolled, or the more casual polo, with rumpled hair gelled into spikes. A warning to females: The make-up glob count is high, and shoulders must be slung with a jaunty leather purse. Cleavage and fanny exposure is also high.

North's interior style is minimalist industrial, with exposed pipes, lighting from neon Harp Lager signs and a repetition of gray colors and metallic materials. There are a variety of both active and sedative drinking position options: booths, a dance floor with a stage, stools at the bar and high top tables.

Wednesday $2 female and $5 male cover for penny pints and Saturday $2 U-call-it and Red Bull drinks offer the best potential for maximum booty networking.

Other nights at North, customers can expect to find a more casual bar environment with good deals on drinks, four pool tables and the Golden Tee video game. Time to perfect that putt.

Sommers compared North to XS.

"North is an anytime bar with two nights a week dance-oriented and packed," he said. "It's not as dark as XS, and a better fit for Fourth Ave."

Sommers, who has been in the bar business since he was a 19-year old bartender at the Outback, cites easy parking, less fights and Brooklyn Pizza next-door as favorable outcomes of North's location on Fourth Avenue.

Chester is also pleased with Vaudeville's downtown site.

"I grew up here and have been coming downtown for 20 years," Chester said. "I think there is a reason for people to come, and people do come."

Both owners keep their fingers crossed on a slightly awry version of the "Field of Dreams" myth: If you build it, (fill it with babes, booze and entertainment) they will come.

Vaudeville is located at 110 E. Congress St. and is open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., and from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. North is located at 536 N. Fourth Ave., and is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week.