The Palladium and some members of the Palladium artistic family picked up Best of the Bay Awards from Creative Loafing on Wednesday night.   Our jazz man, Nate Najar and his trio won as Best Local Jazz Ensemble   Our favorite opera company, St. Petersburg Opera, took home the award for Best Opera Company.   […]

You might want to bring your sweater when you visit the Side Door for one of our “grand reopening” shows starting this Friday.   The Side Door nightclub was closed during August and most of September for brand new air conditioning and some new paint. We also hung some wonderful art. And coming soon – […]

Buffyfest descends on the Palladium this Saturday, along with one of the stars of the iconic show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.   I was prepared to write a piece setting our audiences up for this one-of-a-kind show by the Florida Bjorkestra, but the Tampa Bay Times did it for me. So I’m sharing this piece […]

We’ve all been through a lot over the past week, so maybe this is a good time for some fun and great music. The Palladium came through the storm well and we had a cast of very talented people ready to perform the hit musical “Webb’s City,” that celebrates the history of our town.   […]

In the theater business September is normally considered the “Dog Days.” Performance seasons get going in October in Florida, but not this year.   After taking a break for Labor Day weekend, the Palladium roars back with a month of shows that offer something for everyone. I’ve linked all of these shows to our box […]

Great guitarists take the spotlight this Saturday night in a show headlined by vocalist Whitney James and two incredible guitarists – Dan Heck and LaRue Nickelson. We’re calling the show: Guitar Hero!   LaRue is the go-to guitarist in our area who moves easily through various genres, while always sounding original. Dan Heck, who is […]

This weekend we are welcoming back one of our favorite performers and introducing a newcomer to our stage. We’re bringing in a double bill of Lauren Mitchell and her band, along with Ari McManus and her band – Ari and the Alibis.   Both women are soulful singers with big voices and great bands behind […]

For August, the Palladium is going upstairs! Our Side Door nightclub is getting some additional air conditioning and other improvements this month, so the fun and music will be focused on Hough Hall.   The Side Door will have a festival re-opening weekend on Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1. Damon Fowler will bring his […]

Part of the fun of my job is finding talented young performers and making them part of the Palladium family. A few years ago, one of those youngsters was a guy right out of the University of South Florida named Selwyn Birchwood.   We loved him from the start – even when his first show […]

Here at the Palladium we love introducing great new artists from our area. This Friday is one of those debut shows that I am thrilled to announce.   I’d been hearing about Siobhan Monique for a while and caught an early show at Ruby’s Elixer. She has the voice and the stage presence of a […]

It has taken a while, but I’m happy to welcome one of my favorite performers, Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, for a solo show at our Side Door nightclub.  The show is Friday, July 14, at 8 p.m. in our night club. We’re calling the show – A Much Too Intimate Evening with Rev. Billy C. […]

After performances over the July 4 weekend and a couple of very fun school shows, St. Petersburg Opera’s final performances of Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods are this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.   I’m looking forward to seeing the show Friday night myself,since I wasn’t around for the holiday weekend. I did hear rehearsals and […]

The fastest-selling show at the Palladium this summer features a 7-foot, silent clown who sings other people’s hit songs.   That’s right, Puddles Pity Party, coming up next Thursday, July 13, is moving close to a sellout in advance. You can get your tickets by calling the Palladium box office at 727 822-3590 or following […]

Our newest Palladium sensation, The Florida Bjorkestra, is returning after a string of killer shows featuring the music of Bjork, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Tori Amos and more. These concerts, featuring 18 instruments and voices, are not boring tribute shows, but present music by these edgy artists performed by some of our best Tampa Bay […]

Two new blues albums are topping the charts and getting lots of attention these days. Taj Mahal and Keb Mo have finally gotten together for a album called “TajMo.” And our own Selwyn Birchwood has just released his new Alligator Records album: “Pick Your Poison.”   You can see shows by these great artists at […]

I’ve just returned from a two-week trip and happy that I’m back in time to see Tuesday’s final performance of The Tales of Hoffman, presented by St. Petersburg Opera.   The show has been getting great reviews from patrons and that was echoed this weekend in the review by TB Times arts critic Andrew Meacham. […]

  I am very excited to be playing the Palladium! This show, as has been the case for all of my USA tour dates before and after, are part of my web series Popp Over America! (More on that below). For this Side Door show, I will be performing solo acoustic rock versions of songs […]

It was already a good Sunday morning, I was up early with no obligations for several hours – our Mother’s Day celebration was a dinner. I’m sipping a home-brewed cappuccino and sitting in my favorite chair with my two best Sunday morning friends – The New York Times and The Tampa Bay Times.   My […]

Thanks to Creative Pinellas for asking me to be the Guest Editor of the monthly newsletter.   This month we’re featuring some of my favorite artists and performers – Mark Sforzini, of St. Petersburg Opera and the Tampa Bay Symphony; Glass artist Catherine Woods; Bluesman Selwyn Birchwood; and an interview with two top jazz guys […]

Very proud of our jazz pal –  pianist and new dad, John O’Leary. He’s done a successful Kickstarter campaign to support a new recording that combines his love of science and music.   John is a regular at the Palladium, performing as part of La Lucha, O Som Do Jazz and other collaborations. Check out […]

Hard to believe but our 2017 Palladium Chamber Series is wrapping up on May 10. It will be the fifth concert of this season – our most ambitious ever. And this concert will feature all four of our core Chamber Players ensemble – Jeffrey Multer, Danielle Farina, Edward Arron and Jeewon Park.   One new […]

I first heard Daniel Giron at a private party in South Tampa last year and he really caught my attention. He’s the kind of player who makes you want to stop talking and listen – even in a party setting.   So I’m very excited that Daniel will be in concert this Friday at the […]

For everything you want to know about Palladium Paul and more, Creative Pinellas has produced a podcast featuring a lengthy interview with yours truly.   The conversation runs from my days as a journalist, my years in the middle of the Ybor City arts colony, and on to these fun days running the Palladium at […]

We are excited to welcome back the Listening Room Festival Showcase this Friday night on our mainstage. Last year’s show was incredible and this year’s model should be no less stellar.   These songwriters and bands have been playing at house concerts in our area this week and come together Friday night on one stage. […]

David Amram arrived at TIA with a lot of bags, but very little baggage.   I found him Tuesday night near the luggage carousel. He was already weighed down by two large carry-ons. Moments later, a huge silver, triple-zipped bag circled by. I picked it up and thought perhaps it was filled with rocks.   […]