I was in WUSF Radio studios taping an arts podcast on a stormy afternoon last week when I noticed Mike Cornette, WUSF’s jazz director on the other side of the glass.   After I finished my podcast, he hopped into the interviewer chair and we chatted a bit about our[…]

We’ve got a very special jazz concert coming up in the Side Door on June 17th. Our own Nate Najar is back with two of the best side men in the business – clarinetist Dan Levinson, and bassist Tommy Cecil. Nate’s calling this his “Swing Trio” and I can guarantee[…]

Our new development manager, Monica Kile, and her family are the main feature in this week’s issue of Creative Loafing.   It’s the first public sharing of what Monica and Jon’s friends all know – that Jon’s genetic condition is life-threatening and that the family of four has vowed to[…]

Back in my days as a reporter I was lucky enough to spend time with lots of talented people, like Maya Angelou, Frank Zappa, Nat Adderly and dozens more. One of my favorite afternoons was spent at Kitty Daniel’s Tampa house talking about music.   After we talked, she played[…]

The editors at Tampa Bay Magazine have again named The Palladium at SPC to their “Best of 2018” list.   The “Best” list is included in the current May-June edition and it honors the Palladium as the “Best Community Performing Arts Center.” Here’s what they said:   “A part of[…]

Hard to believe we are coming to the end of another wonderful Palladium Chamber Players season. The final concert, featuring Jeffrey Multer and the Mile-End Trio, is Wednesday, May 9 at 7:30.   Marika Bournaki, piano,  and Julian Schwarz, cello, wowed our January audience and this program, with works by[…]

I got to New Orleans just before Jazz Fest and saw the posters for the annual WWOZ Piano Night show, which happens at the House of Blues between the two festival weekends.   I was thrilled to see a name that all our Palladium audiences are familiar with – Bob[…]

Our Side Door cabaret has become the go-to spot for book launch parties this year and we’ve got a great one this Sunday at 4 p.m. Author Bill DeYoung is celebrating his new book, Phil Gernhard, Record Man (University Press of Florida), by bringing one of the Gernhard’s hitmakers, The[…]

I made sure I flew home from an extra-long weekend of food and music in New Orleans in time for tonight’s concert by the Palladium Chamber Players (Wednesday, April 25). It’s an all-Schubert program and there are still some fine seats available.   For tickets and information call our box[…]

My pal, the rock ‘n roll troubadour, Ronny Elliott takes the mic in the Palladium’s Side Door for a show that celebrates “the magnetic seabreeze that brings hepcats” to our humid hunk of Florida coastline. Ronny didn’t have to ride the breeze, he was Tampa-born (he saw Elvis at the[…]

There is so much to tell you about Sunday’s Madonna/George Michael show “Something Sacred” featuring the 18-piece Florida Bjorkestra and a special choir from One City Chorus.   If you haven’t seen a Bjorkestra show, what are you waiting for? Both Creative Loafing and TB Times are raving. Here’s what[…]

The loss of David Warner as editor of Creative Loafing is a big blow to our arts community. Every week David proved the value a good editor brings to a publication. His sign-off was pure David – classy and insightful. As a fictional character I like once said: “Our (arts)[…]

All of us at the Palladium were so proud to be the site for the Dr. Martin Luther King memorial event Wednesday evening with One City Chorus, The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African-American Museum and lots of our city’s leaders and finest performers.   In case you missed it, I’m[…]

I’ve been enjoying The Chopin Project website for a few years now, since my friend Fred Slutsky launched his passion project and shared it with me.   Along with bringing together all things Chopin, Fred has branched into concert production and this weekend is one of his most ambitious yet.[…]

When Synia Carroll takes the Side Door stage this Friday night for her “Synia Sings Sarah (Vaughan)” concert,  it will represent the completion of a personal journey for the Sarasota-based jazz singer.   “I felt called to do this show,” Synia told me during a phone interview this week. “Sarah’s[…]

Palladium favorite Nate Najar is back on his home turf this Friday night (March 30) with The Bossa Nova All-Stars, a band of musical luminaries that includes the Brazilian singer Maucha Adnet who toured for 10 years with the bossa nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim.   The rest of the[…]

After a stunning performance on March 14, Our Palladium Chamber Series returns on Wednesday, March 28, with another very special program.   Jeewon Park will be performing Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Jeewon, Jeff Multer and special guest Julian Schwarz, will play the Brahms’ Piano Trio No. 1 in the second[…]

One of my dreams for the Palladium is that we’d be the site of a Florida Orchestra Masterworks concert. This Saturday, March 24, that dream is coming to fruition when the orchestra takes the stage to perform a program that includes the music of Mozart, Haydn and Schubert.   Tickets[…]

If you’re like me, you don’t really see the point of this whole Saint Paddy’s day thing. Green beer? Yeech! Irish drinking songs? Thank you, no!   So for this year’s St. P’s day on Saturday, March 17, we’re doing something a little different. We’re welcoming back Uncle John’s Band,[…]

The Travelin’ Man, Roy Book Binder, is back at the Palladium’s Side Door tonight (Friday, March 16) for a night of acoustic blues, stories and an opening set by his buddy and fan – Damon Fowler.   For tickets and info, call our box office at 727-822-3590 or follow this[…]

I hope you can join me Wednesday night at 7:30 when the Palladium Chamber Players return to our main stage with another stirring musical adventure.   This time Artistic Director Jeffrey Multer has created a program featuring Mozart, Rachmaninoff and Schumann. And our regular players – Multer, Park, Arron and[…]

Hard to believe it’s been nine years since our first Boogie Woogie Blues Piano Stomp. And it is always a favorite with Palladium audiences.   Liz Pennock brought me the idea for the Stomp and has been our talent coordinator for all the shows.   Tonight she and her musical[…]

I always start my Monday checking on ticket sales for upcoming shows, and what struck me was how few tickets are remaining for the five nights of the St. Petersburg Jazz Festival that opens this Wednesday, Feb. 21.   Four of the shows are in the intimate Side Door, which[…]

We are excited to welcome the Grammy-winning pianist and arranger, Bill Cunliffe to the Side Door on March 1. You can follow this link for more info and tickets to what promises to be one of the best jazz shows of the year.   Leading up to that show, I’m[…]

I love the One City Chorus and I think you will too.   One City is a true community chorus and their first Palladium show was a very special night. Creative Loafing has called the group’s performances “joyous, uplifting and beautifully sung,” and presented One City Chorus with a Best[…]

The Palladium’s Side Door has become to go-to-venue for CD release parties by the top talent in our area. This Friday night we’re excited to host another CD release for the Backtrack Blues Band. And all the music was recorded live at the Palladium!   The group has established a[…]

There is real magic in the air and on the stage with the current St. Petersburg Opera production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.   Tampa Bay Times Music Writer Andrew Meacham penned a rave review, which I’ve attached below. Tonight is your last chance to see this production and tickets[…]

I stopped in the Mahaffey Theater Thursday evening for the first (annual?) Besties Awards, presented by the folks at Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, the local tourist development shop. I thought I’d mingle a bit, enjoy the free drink coupon, and slip away.   But no, this was a very fun night[…]

If you want to see the St. Petersburg Opera Company production of The Magic Flute, you don’t have time to wait!   The Sunday matinee is sold out and only a handful of tickets remain for tonight’s opening night performance. Palladium Box Office Manager Megan Byrne told me that Tuesday’s[…]

So great to hear Selwyn Birchwood today on Sirius XM Radio’s Bluesville channel.   The tune was Guilty Pleasures from Selwyn’s new release, Pick Your Poison. The album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Blues Chart.   We consider Selwyn our own down here at the Palladium. The one-time[…]

In my 10 years here at the Palladium there have been a lot of musical highlights, but I have to say the top was seeing Chester Gregory perform as Jackie Wilson in the concert show, The Eve of Jackie.   The show was so good, we decided we had to[…]

All of us at the Palladium are so proud to be the performance home of Beacon 2018.   Our artistic directors, Helen Hansen French and Lauren Ree Sloane, promise another an evening of dance, film and performance that will inspire and entertain you. It seems like were just only yesterday[…]

Palladium Paul is no dummy. He has figured out that picking good partners is the key to success. And 15-years-ago in Los Angeles I started a new partnership (she likes to call it a marriage) with Eugenie Bondurant, an actor and acting teacher.   Now, we’ve won the MUSE Arts[…]

Martin Luther King Day is officially Jan. 16, but at the Palladium we are celebrating all month with a diverse collection of shows that celebrate the sound and spirit of soul.   The party starts Friday, Jan. 5, when we present Soul Party, a double-bill featuring two of St. Pete’s[…]

As we look forward to 2018 and a year-long celebration of the Palladium’s 20th anniversary, it’s good to remember how we got here.   We are able to balance our budget each year thanks to the endowment created by our founders and the generous donations of our friends and supporters.[…]

They say time goes fast when you are having fun, so I must be having a lot of fun.   Another year has literally raced by.   The good news is that December means the return of one of my favorite Palladium traditions – Nate Najar’s Jazz Holiday concert on[…]

Palladium tickets are always a bargain, but today only we’ve got an even better deal for our friends.   A whole list of your favorite Palladium shows, and some you might not know are your favorites yet, are on a special online-only sale today.   Check out the link below[…]

One of our favorite jazz musicians, Chuck Redd, is headed back to the Side Door this week for a very special show.   He’s appearing with our favorite young jazz trio, La Lucha, and doing a night of music by Frank Loesser (Guys and Dolls) and Cy Coleman (Witchcraft). The[…]

I was around for Ybor City’s first renaissance, in the 80s and 90s, when artists, writers and musicians reclaimed the Tampa historic district from decay. One of the highlights of that era was the opening of the Jazz Cellar in the basement of an old cigar factory that had been[…]

The Piana from Savannah is coming back!   Palladium favorite Victor Wainwright is headed this way with his  horn band –Victor Wainwright and the Train. The show is this Friday night at 8. Backtrack Blues Band opens.   Victor and the boys – including members of the Memphis horns –[…]

We’ve got a big dose of original Florida soul music coming to the Side Door Friday night when we present from Gainesville, Little Jake and the Soul Searchers.   We’re also celebrating the release of the new book, Florida Soul, by our buddy and University of Tampa professor, John Capouya. […]

There are still some seats available for tonight’s final performance of the crowd-and-critic pleasing production of Charles Gounod’s Faust. Faust is the opening show of the St. Petersburg Opera’s 2017-18 Palladium season.   The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Call the Palladium box office at 727 822-3590 for tickets or[…]

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[…]

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[…]

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.[…]

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[…]

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[…]

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[…]

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[…]