Here at the Palladium, where jazz is  part of our musical DNA, we’ve had a long and successful relationship with the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association. Sunday’s concert, featuring two of our favorite singers, Synia Carroll and Theo Valentin, is a perfect example.   Working with the Downing organization, we are able to present […]

Both Tampa Bay Times and Creative Loafing are recommending tonight’s program by Elizabeth A. Baker, Intersect, which premiers in the Side Door at 7:30.   Baker will be joined by local pianist John O’Leary, Tampa Bay native turned Oakland-based composer/improvisor Nathan Corder, Oakland-based saxophonist Tom Weeks, and Toronto-based saxophonist Robert Hess for an evening of […]

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival we’re bringing back a band our audience raved about last year – Peace of Woodstock.   The band recreates the feeling of being at the festival, covering some of the best performances by multiple bands. Despite some threats to do it, I can report that […]

What is iberian jazz?   Singer Ona Kirei, who is making her Palladium debut tonight, is happy to tell you. She does it beautifully on a video she’s posted to her Facebook page. I loved it. Check it out at this link or just visit Ona’s Facebook page.   Here’s what we’re saying: Vocalist Ona […]

Friday night in the Side Door one of my favorite shows is making a comeback. The great trio La Lucha returns with a night of ’80s hits revised and jazzified. Last time they did an “80s Jazz Party” singer was Whitney James. This time, they are bringing another Palladium favorite, and another vocalist from The […]

Thanks to Creative Pinellas and my former St. Pete Times colleague Eric Snider for a great profile of our Saturday night soul man – Latimore.   Latimore and his band from Chicago are the headliners of a big Soul Celebration this Saturday at the Palladium. The St. Pete Florida Blues Band opens the show with […]

We’re excited to welcome Bob Burr and Steve Marshall for a night of magic and comedy this Friday in the Side Door. The comic/magicians have told me the show will be very family friendly. If it got a rating, it would be PG.     National headlining comic Marshall and comic magician Burr will bring […]

Tickets are almost gone for Saturday night’s Bossa Nova Guitars show featuring Nate Najar and Phill Fest in the Side Door.   It’s a chance to hear two of the best acoustic guitarists in jazz on the same stage. Phill is the son of renowned Brazilian pianist Manfredo Fest.   At a previous incarnation of […]

Our pal, Jerry Notaro, posted his review of our Joni Hearts Nick show by the Florida Bjorkestra to the Joni Mitchell website – Jonimitchell.com. Jerry knows music as well as anyone in bay area, and he was impressed with the Bjorkestra’s take on both Joni and Nick.   His review is reprinted here. To read […]

One of the joys of being part of the Palladium was getting to spend lots of time with two of our founders – Bill and Hazel Hough.   I am saddened to write that Hazel has left us. I can’t believe I won’t be seeing her in her favorite seat, stage left at the top […]

Here’s another preview of Saturday’s Joni Hearts Nick (The music of Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake) show by The Florida Bjorkestra.     This one comes from the on-line magazine St. Pete Catalyst, which has become a go-to spot for local arts coverage. Tickets are going fast for this special evening in the intimate Side Door […]

Thanks to Creative Pinellas for featuring our upcoming Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake show by The Florida Bjorkestra in the current edition of its on-line magazine.   The show is Saturday night, Aug. 3, at 8 p.m. in the intimate Side Door Cabaret and features a 12-piece version of the Bjorkestra. For tickets and more […]

The Palladium was the backdrop for a clean energy event focused on electric vehicles on Monday that included Mayor Rick Kriseman and Congressman Charlie Crist. Here’s a Tampa Bay Times story about the event. Note the great photo of our theater!!   To read the full story follow this link to the Times.   ST. […]

Two great comedy shows are about to hit our Side Door stage, ushering in the first of several big yuks in our Summer House series.   Both shows feature the return of a very VERY funny lady – Aniria Turney. This Saturday, 7/27, Ward Smith & Friends brings Aniria, the Palladium debut of Tim The […]

Summer is such a fun season at the Palladium. I get to bring lots of great bands into the Side Door – where the A/C is always set on “stun” – and our audiences get to discover new favorites they may not have heard before.   We’re calling the season – Summer House – and […]

I caught Ella Jet and Future Soul at the Gasparilla Arts Festival main stage this past March and knew I had to have them on our Summer House concert series.   Ella’s been a musical force since she was 12 years old, and I’m thrilled we are finally getting this 21-year-old sensation into the Side […]

When writer and director Bill Leavengood came to me with a new musical satire that needed a theater, I was happy to find some dates, especially when he assured me that Drilled: The Musical  was “topical, irreverent, crazy, silly, stupid, raunchy, surprising AND set in a dental office.”   He wrote it with another Palladium […]

It’s never too early to get excited about our Palladium Chamber Players upcoming season. I was particularly energized last Sunday when I picked up the blue wrapper with the Sunday New York Times rolled up inside.   It’s always my favorite part of Sunday morning:  a home-made latte, an easy chair, and the Sunday Times. […]

I’m very excited to have the great sax man Jeremy Carter back in the Side Door this Saturday night. Last summer, during our Summer of Soul season, Jeremy sold-out the place with his “Soul of Jazz” show. He’s back this summer with a tribute to John Coltrane.   Coltrane has been gone more than 50 […]

 D.C. drummer and vibes master Chuck Redd is back at the Side Door this Friday night celebrating the release of his new record, Groove City. He’ll be joined by Tampa Bay’s favorite jazz trio, La Lucha for the show. It’s the first jazz show of our  Summer House series in July and August.   Chuck […]

I’m excited to announce that I’m spending the next week in the Berkshires.   PalladiumPaul (AKA Paul Wilborn, the Palladium’s Executive Director) has been selected to attend the distinguished National Dance Presenters’ Forum at Jacob’s Pillow. This four-day dance leadership development intensive is held at Jacob’s Pillow’s 220-acre site in Western Massachusetts, July 10-13. The […]

This summer we’ve added a series of Thursday night showcases to the Palladium’s line up that feature artists and bands that don’t fit our regular jazz/blues/stand-up comedy formats.   And there’s nobody better to kick off this series than Sarasota’s enigmatic singer, songwriter and swingster Dean Johanesen. I’ve enjoyed Dean’s music since his days with […]

The Palladium’s Summer House opens on July 4 weekend and like all great resorts, you need to book early!   The Damon Fowler Trio returns on Friday, July 5 and there are less than 50 tickets remaining. Damon ranks with our best home-grown talents. He’s beloved locally but he’s also got a national fan base […]

Our friends at St. Petersburg Opera wrap their current season at the Palladium with two weekends of Puccini’s classic Madama Butterfly.   Madama Butterfly has five performances, starting Friday, June 21 and closing Sunday, June 30. For tickets and more information you can follow this link.   Moscow native Zoya Gramagin will sing the Butterfly […]

From July to early September we’re beating the heat with a series of shows in the Side Door and Hough Hall featuring some of our favorites artists. We’re calling our series  Summer House and we promise the music will be hot, the beer will be cold and the air conditioning will be set on STUN. […]