Music, not movies, will star at redone Northgate Theatre

The movie lover's loss is the music lover's gain: The majestic Northgate Theatre, closed since February after showing movies for 51 years, is about to become the Northgate Music Theater. Call it a sequel.

"We're confident it fits a need," says Jeff Steichen, the longtime owner of the Showbox nightclub downtown. With his Moto Productions partner, Gloria Connors, Steichen is tuning up the Northgate as a music venue, installing a top-shelf sound system and giving the battered theater a makeover.

With a capacity of 2,380, the Northgate will be more than twice the size of the Showbox and will be the second-largest, full-time pop venue in Seattle. The Northgate is larger than the 1,384-capacity Moore but slightly smaller than the 2,807-capacity Paramount; the Moore and Paramount are operated by the Seattle Theatre Group.

"I'm not concerned," says Jason Ferguson, booking manager for the Moore and Paramount, regarding the Northgate. "I wish them luck."

The Northgate begins its second life Saturday, with a concert by Mexican pop singer Alejandra Guzman (dubbed "the Ani DiFranco of Mexico"). The metal band Gwar plays at the Northgate on Oct. 25, then Florida alt-rock band Dashboard Confessional on Oct. 28, followed by funk superstar George Clinton on Nov. 9.

Tickets range from $30 advance for Guzman to $16 advance for Dashboard Confessional — similar prices to those the Moore and Paramount charge for pop concerts.

The Northgate will serve alcohol, but most shows will be all-ages concerts. Steichen notes that kids will be able to access the venue via the nearby park-and-ride transfer station, and adults should be attracted by "4,500 free parking places."

Brooks Gay, assistant manager of California Pizza Kitchen, just down the parking lot from the theater, was surprised to hear the old theater was becoming a concert venue.

"Anything that would bring people into the area and have them stop by to eat, that's terrific," he said. Then he added a note of caution: "With musical venues, if they're going to be serving alcohol, that's always a concern."

Moto Productions has a one-year lease from mall owner Simon Property Group. Steichen is hoping it will turn into a long-term agreement and is looking for an appropriate screen to show classic movies and perhaps even combine old movies with live music.

Loews Entertainment, which operated the movie theater, took the old screen.

The once-grand Northgate Theatre was designed by John Graham Jr., who also led a team of architects designing the Space Needle. But the theater had fallen into disrepair in recent years. One of its charming features was a second-level "crying room," where parents could take fussy kids; Steichen is transforming that into "The Crying Lounge," a bar to soothe fussy adults.

Tickets and more information are available at www.northgatemusictheatre.com or 206-361-0813.

Tom Scanlon: 206-464-3891 or tscanlon@seattletimes.com.