The best album I heard all last year was René Marie’s tribute to Eartha Kitt “I Wanna Be Evil.” It wasn’t just me. The album earned René a Grammy nomination and brought a lot of new fans.   She is playing  bigger rooms now, but we are so lucky to[…]

Friends tell me I have a great job – being around music and great musicians and getting paid for it. Today, I think they are probably right.   I’m working in my office but also listening to a rehearsal of the Palladium Chamber Players – the notes wafting down from[…]

Our annual Boogie Woogie Blues Piano Stomp was another one for the memory books. Rockin’ music, some great personalities on stage and a full-house in our big room.   The show featured our own Liz Pennock and Dr. Blues, the legendary Bob Seeley, Ann Arbor’s Mr. B, and the showman[…]

The wonderful performer CJ Harding is back at the Palladium this Saturday (March 28) for the third time with her great Patsy Cline show – Sweet Dreams. And she’s paired with my  favorite classic country band – The Only Daddys. They’ll be backing her up.   CJ has performed this[…]

Our show season is going non-stop this spring, but I wanted to take a minute to tell you about a very different kind of event.  “Discover DaVinci & Michelangelo: Side by Side” – an original, national touring theater performance – is coming to our mainstage on Friday, March 27.  […]

We’re so proud to announce another musical coup for the Palladium. The Grammy nominated jazz singer, Rene Marie, is bringing her Eartha Kitt tribute show to the Side Door in April.    René Marie brings her trio to the Side Door, in support of her new album – I Wanna[…]

    I’m still feeling great in the afterglow of our kickoff concert Wednesday by the Palladium Chamber Players.   A record crowd of over 400 fans heard great works by Mozart, Piazzolla, Enescu and Schumann. The three string players – Jeff Multer, Danielle Farina,  and Ed Arron – were[…]

  We’ve got a great weekend of shows coming up. Friday night it’s the most acclaimed and interesting  Beatles tribute act in the biz – The Fab Faux, which brings the band to life without the Beatle wigs.   The group includes Will Lee (bassist for Paul Shaffer’s CBS Orchestra[…]

Outside the weather is chilly, but the weather report inside our intimate Side Door Cabaret tonight is warm and inviting. Nate Najar is bringing in a special quartet for tonight’s 7:30 show.   We are down to just a handful of tickets, so if don’t want to be frozen out,[…]

Damon Fowler is an important part of the Palladium Family, and it’s with real sadness I have to report that Damon lost his Mother, Connie Fowler,  this week.     Damon had hoped to be able play tonight’s sold-out Side Door show, but he decided Friday morning he would not[…]

We’ve got the Rat Pack coming back this Sunday afternoon at the Palladium. You can see and hear Tony Sands, who has done several sold-out shows as Frank Sinatra in our Side Door,  Johnny Petillo as Dean Martin  (he has appeared on the The Tonight Show and Late Night with David[…]

You have one more chance to catch St. Petersburg Opera’s hit production of The Barber of Seville. The show played to capacity crowds over the weekend and it proved to be a favorite with audiences and with TBTimes Performance Critic Stephanie Hayes.   To get your ready for Tuesday’s show,[…]

Stan Hunter, the great pianist and B3 player, landed in the hospital this week and won’t be out in time for tonight’s show in the Side Door. But his wife Pam thinks one way to get Stan feeling better is for the show to go on. We’re going to be[…]

If you are already a fan of our Side Door Cabaret, then I’m sure I’ll see you at one of our eight Side Door shows coming up in January. If you haven’t visited the nightclub that made the Creative Loafing’s “Best of the Bay” list yet – what are you[…]

We’re diving headlong into 2015, but I couldn’t start the year without a quick look back at one of our favorite shows of 2014.   Nate Najar’s annual jazz holiday show was a best-seller this year -drawing the biggest crowd in its 9-year history. The band featured New York sax[…]

  We’re excited to have Seasonal Sparkle, St. Petersburg Opera’s annual holiday musical extravaganza, back at the Palladium. This year’s version features Elizabeth Futral as a featured performer. Learn more about this Metropolitan Opera veteran by reading this preview from the Tampa Bay Times. You can read the entire article[…]

We’re not completely sure, but this is perhaps the ninth year in a row that Nate Najar has brought his holiday jazz show to the Palladium. It has had various names but it has always featured great players, the best holiday jazz tunes and there’s always been a sampling from[…]

Many thanks to John Collins and the folks at the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance for making PalladiumPaul the inaugural artist in their MUSE promotion. The photos of artists hands and a few words about their personal muse, will be featured weekly, leading up to the Arts Alliance fundraiser on Jan.[…]

Ms. Lauren Mitchell is returning to set the Palladium’s intimate Side Door Cabaret on fire once again. She and her band – which now features the great guitarist Billy Seward – take the stage this Saturday (11-22) at 8:30.   Lauren’s star continues to rise, with more touring and a[…]

We’ve got a special treat for you this Thursday in the Palladium’s Side Door. Join us for a Louisiana-style night of dancing and great Cajun and zydeco music featuring Tom Rigney and Flambeau.   Based in San Francisco, Rigney’s band specializes in fiery Cajun and zydeco two-steps, low-down blues, funky[…]

Our little theater has seen plenty of remarkable jazz shows over the years. This weekend’s concert featuring the legendary Dick Hyman and the great young jazz band, La Lucha, promises to be another one of the great ones.   You can get tickets for Generations of Jazz – Saturday, 11/15[…]

Richard Blanco is coming to the Palladium as part of St. Petersburg College’s Plume Poetry Series on March 23.  A Miami native, Blanco has just publised a collection of stories about his childhood in that city.  Blanco has been getting plenty of attention since he was asked to read at[…]

I caught Rod Picott at last year’s Americana Music Conference in Nashville. My friend Sylvia Rusche made sure we caught  some of Rod’s show amidst all the other performances that week.   I’m glad she insisted.  His songs are all gems  and he is a very soulful singer. And as[…]

I’m excited that Have Gun, Will Travel, the great Americana band from Bradenton, is making its Palladium debut this Saturday in the Side Door. If you haven’t seen and heard this band yet, don’t miss this show. I’ve loved the band in outdoor settings but I’m anxious to hear them[…]

Trumpeter James Suggs brought his Miles Davis tribute to the Side Door last week. The show sold-out and the audience and the band appeared to have a great time.   I love Miles’ music, but I didn’t know we had so many Miles Davis fans out there.  What we do[…]

Our beautiful, historic theater has transformed into a Neapolitan Market for St. Petersburg Opera’s current production of Pagliacci.   Audiences are loving this production and so did Tampa Bay Times arts critic, Stephanie Hayes. The final production is tonight at 7:30 and there are some good seats remaining.  Visit our[…]

Pieces of a Dream have been part of my personal soundtrack since the 1980s, when I discovered this Philadelphia-based ensemble that managed to be soulful, jazzy and funky all at once. I’m counting the days until they bring their eclectic show to the Palladium. Showtime is Friday, Oct. 24 at[…]

Wanted to share this article about some local favorites – Calidore String Quartet. These talented young artists have played two Palladium shows to much acclaim.  Violinist Ryan Meehan grew up in St. Petersburg and his proud parents are residents of Allendale.   Calidore has been making very big waves around[…]

Two of our favorite guitar-slingers – Sean Chambers and Damon Fowler – are headed to the Side Door this weekend and next weekend.     We start off Friday night (9-26) with the return of Sean Chambers at 8 p.m. Here’s what the Suncoast Blues Society said about this show:[…]

Lots of good Palladium news came out of Creative Loafing’s “Best of the Bay” awards party at the Coliseum Wednesday night.   Where to begin? How about with our artists who won lots of honors. Selwyn Birchwood and Betty Fox both got nods in the blues and soul categories. Both[…]

We’re wrapping up our Side Door Summer series this Friday with a great double-bill – La Lucha with Jun Bustamante.   Jun sings with the jazzy guys of La Lucha – a trio that puts a jazz spin on pop hits, Brazilian tunes and standards. Jun is also a unique[…]

I hope you’ll join us Saturday August 16 for a very special show featuring five of St. Petersburg’s best bands: Steve Connelly & The Lesser Gods, The Ditchflowers, Ricky Wilcox & The Moonsnakes, Ed Woltil & The Loaded Question and Steve Robinson. This show marks the return of both The Ditchflowers and[…]

My buddy Richard Gilewitz has been traveling round the world a lot – playing his music and doing guitar workshops for fans all over and down under.   So if you haven’t seen him around Florida – which is still mostly his home – then you need to get down[…]

No one ever said Kenny Drew Jr. was easy to work with. He was quirky and temperamental. His moods would swing unexpectedly.   But when he was seated on a piano bench he was a man who could do no wrong. Kenny served up lyrical, classically inspired phrasing. He was[…]

Our friends at Creative Loafing launched their 2014 music issue this week. It’s billed as a comprehensive guide for music lovers. Along with listings, the Loafers focused on a handful of their favorite music spots – including my personal fave – the Side Door at the Palladium.   CL Editor[…]

I was down in Sarasota for some beach time on Longboat Key and there was our favorite R & B gal, Lauren Mitchell, staring out from a news rack in downtown. Lauren and the band were featured on the cover of the July issue of West Coast Woman.   Lauren[…]

Got nice coverage of our summer renovation from the Tampa Tribune this week. Staff Writer Kate Bradshaw used the expansion of our bathrooms as a jumping off point for a feature about the venue.   For more check out the Tampa Tribune website. And check out the story here: BY[…]

We enjoyed a fun night on Thursday in the Side Door, listening to three young jazz talents playing alongside some old pros. Duke Ellington veterans John Lamb and Buster Cooper, backed by the great drummer Ron Gregg, shared the stage with Danny Stagnitta (alto sax), his brother, Tony (trumpet), and[…]

I’ve been told there’s a ghost – a female figure in a flowing dress that sweeps through our breezeway – but truth be told, I’ve never seen anything ghostly during my time at the Palladium.   But I’ve also been careful not to open the portal in the Side Door[…]

Remember the old Rolaids commercial which asked the question – “how do you spell relief?”   Well, starting in September, our patrons will be spelling out that answer this way: “N-E-W-B-A-T-H-R-O-O-M-S”   We’re closing our Hough Hall main stage starting next Monday while crews expand our lobby bathrooms. When it[…]

Over the past few weeks I’ve been doing my job backed by an incredible live soundtrack – the score of Leonard Bernstein’s  West Side Story. The orchestra, composed of some of the bay area’s best musicians, are rehearsing just upstairs from my office. I’m not sure what people think as[…]

After a long search – which included visits and concerts by numerous candidates – the Florida Orchestra has a new Music Director. Michael Francis’ appointment appears to have the strong support of the musicians, the board and the search committee. He won fans with his recent Coffee Concert and brings[…]

The temperature says it’s summer, but you wouldn’t know it is the slow season by the pace of the arts and cultural life in St. Pete.   I couldn’t get to everything on Saturday night, since I was singing a few songs with the big band at the Celebrate Sinatra[…]

Congrats to my friend and neighbor Bob Devin Jones and the Studio @ 620 on their 10th birthday celebration this weekend.   Bob and co-founder Dave Ellis built a space that allows people to stretch their creative wings. There are times when a show or a performer flies right into[…]

It was a rainy, but busy weekend in the ‘burg and beyond. Here’s a recap of the arts weekend, mostly filled with stuff I witnessed personally.   In the theaters: Excited to see that Jobsite Theater opened Return to the Forbidden Planet, this weekend.   I did the show in[…]

  You’ve got one more chance to catch St. Petersburg Opera’s production of Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma. The final show is Tuesday night.   Tampa Bay Times review, Jim Harper, says this production continues the SPO tradition of breakthrough performances. I’ll be in the audience Tuesday night and I hope to[…]

The economic problems of recent years were challenging for arts organizations, but there was an upside – stability of leadership. With few jobs available, leaders of local arts organizations mostly stuck around doing their best to keep their organizations moving forward during trying times.   But with better economic news on[…]

The folks at St. Petersburg Opera assure me that no one in the audience will be sacrificed this weekend during their production of Vincenzo Bellini’s  Norma. But I should warn you that the backstage prop tables are littered with knives, broadswords and battle axes for this opera set in the time[…]

Part of what makes the Palladium special is our focus on talented artists that call this area home. The list is long – names like Damon Fowler, Nate Najar, Liz Pennock and Dr. Blues, John Lamb, Selwyn Birchwood and so many more.   This month we are welcoming another top[…]

I was too young in the early 1960s for the first wave of Exotica, so it was the Exotica revival in the mid-1990s that caught my attention. The bachelor pad, Latin-inspired jazz of Martin Denny and Les Baxter was being re-released and I feel in love with the sound of[…]