GLOBE CORRESPONDENT

As saxophonist Ken Field paused to listen to a speech at the Somerville Armory's groundbreaking reception late last Saturday afternoon, sunshine broke through the dusty windows and reflected on the sequins of his Mardi Gras-inspired costume, briefly turning him into a human disco ball. The light sent rays across the dirty floor of a space that could soon be a 300-person capacity performance venue.

The transformation typified last weekend's celebration of promised change for the 101-year-old building. About 200 revelers and gawkers took in the New Orleans-style jazz funk of Field's Revolutionary Snake Ensemble and paraded through the 33,200-square-foot building that brothers Joseph and Nabil Sater bought at auction for $2.6 million last spring and hope to transform into a full-fledged arts center by the fall.

In addition to the large performance space at the Highland Avenue facility, Joseph Sater said he and his brother hope to include a smaller coffeehouse/performance center on the premises with a capacity of about 80 people.

Before any of this happens, though, said Joseph Sater, they are ''just concentrating on the four big tenants," those who would anchor studios geared to dance, music, the visual arts, and movie and video production.

He said their goal is to have all such tenants, currently being lined up, on the premises by September.

The performance rooms initially will be used for their performances, screenings, or art openings, and eventually perhaps for other bookings.

An objective of the arts center is also to facilitate activity involving area teens.

As for naming the place, Joseph Sater said he and his brother have read the suggestions dropped into a big box by many at the reception, but are still undecided.

''Most of them have the term 'arts center' in there, and there are some that say 'armament of arts,' or whatever," he said. ''We're still waiting for a few more suggestions."

The Saters' plans for the building, which has been vacant for years, have met with opposition from some neighbors who fear the space will become a loud rock club. Joseph Sater has promised repeatedly that this will not be the case. Unlike the other club he and his brother own, the Middle East in Cambridge's Central Square, this venue will book only acoustic acts.

Last Saturday, the swooping brass sounds of the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble -- which used no amplification -- filled the enormous back room of the Armory, but few notes leaked outside the sturdy structure that once housed the Somerville Light Infantry of Massachusetts' Volunteer Militia.

While enjoying the music and celebrating the new life ahead for the old building, some of the revelers noted the challenge that lies in rehabilitating it, a job that has been estimated at just under $1 million.

''These old buildings are tremendously expensive to fix, but emotionally it's nice to have some older structures, especially massive structures like this," said Field, who in addition to being a Revolutionary Snake is a former board member of ArtSomerville, which helped organize the groundbreaking party.

Artist Ilona Fried said she thought that ''given the turnout, people are really excited the building is going to be used for cultural stuff rather than condos, which is usually how things go these days.

''It's a wonderful building and a wonderful space," she said, ''and having renovated my own house, which is a lot smaller than that, I know that is just a huge project."