Hollywood Palladium Information
Hollywood Palladium is an incredible theater style performance venue that was built in a Streamline Moderne art deco style. It includes an 11,200 square foot dance floor, a mezzanine, and a floor level with room for up to 4,000 people. The theater first opened in October of 1940 and was registered to the National Register of Historic Places as of 2016. The venue was also designated Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument No. 1130 on September 28, 2016.
The Hollywood Palladium first opened its doors on October 31, 1940. It was initially funded by Los Angeles Timespublisher Norman Chandler, who spent over $1.5 million bringing the venue to life. He handpicked film producer Maurice Cohen to run it from the start.
Before the Palladium began regularly hosting some of the biggest events in Los Angeles, Chandler tasked well-respected architect Gordon Kaufmann with designing every aspect of it. Kaufmann was best known for working as the lead architect on the Hoover Dam throughout the 1930s. He was also the architect for the Greystone Mansion, the Santa Anita Racetrack, and the Los Angeles Times Building.
Kaufmann designed the Hollywood Palladium in a Streamline Moderne style while utilizing the Art Deco architecture that was very popular in the 1930s. The interior of the building included a mezzanine, a floor level that could accommodate up to 4,000 people, and, most notably, a gigantic 11,000-square-foot dance floor.
Upon opening, the Palladium didn’t waste any time making its mark on Los Angeles. Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra hosted a dance on the venue’s first night, with up-and-coming singer Frank Sinatra commanding the room as the band’s lead vocalist. This helped set the stage for the venue’s importance in the coming years.
Even though World War II was unfolding right as the Hollywood Palladium was setting up shop, this may have played a key role in its quick rise to prominence. The venue routinely hosted radio broadcasts, with the likes of notable actress and model Betty Grable accepting song requests from those serving in the U.S. military, providing a feeling of hope in what were quickly becoming uncertain times.
The Palladium also hosted many big bands that were popular throughout the 1930s and 1940s before deciding to move in a different direction in the 1950s. The venue set its sights on hosting auto shows, charity events, and political galas. President John F. Kennedy was once honored during a dinner held by the California Democratic Party at the venue in the early 1960s.
However, around this time, the Palladium also started hosting rock-and-roll concerts, and eventually, it carved out a niche as one of the top concert venues in L.A. It did this by hosting newsworthy events like Pop Expo ‘69, a so-called “Teenage Fair” that featured a performance by The Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1969. It also hosted a memorable Stevie Wonder and Taj Mahal benefit concert in 1973.
The future of the Hollywood Palladium was briefly called into question in 1993 after several violent incidents during concerts at the venue led to it getting shut down for about two months. Just prior to that, it had transformed into one of the most popular places in L.A. to catch a punk rock or rap concert.
But the Palladium bounced back and later returned to prominence in the 2000s after inking a deal with Live Nation and undergoing renovations in 2008. Jay-Z helped re-introduce the venue with a concert on October 15, 2008, and it has been getting back to business ever since by hosting many of the best concerts in Los Angeles.
Hollywood, California is famous around the world for turning dreams into reality for thousands of dreamers. Amongst the many popular places in Hollywood is the Sunset Boulevard which has been referenced in countless movies and books. Located on the Sunset Boulevard is the world famous music venue called the Hollywood Palladium. Here, you can witness live music every night of the week and although the concerts and other musical events are scheduled in abundance in this venue, the tickets to the show are the hardest thing to locate.
Situated at 6215 Sunset Boulevard, this gigantic music venue has been built in a very chic and modern style. The dance floor inside alone measures around 11,200 sq. ft. which means it has the capacity for around 4,000 people. Since the time that the Palladium was built in 1940, it has held up its legacy quite stalwartly. Whether it is because it was built at the place where the famous Paramount structures once stood or not, luck has certainly been loyal to the reputation of the Hollywood Palladium.
The Hollywood Palladium has managed to run strong since its opening hosting, Jazz concerts, rock concerts, punk rock, heavy metal concerts, Orchestra, charity balls, political events and even radio broadcasts during WWII to forward song requests made by servicemen to their families back home. The Hollywood Palladium has certainly played its role during the history of Hollywood.
It was exclusively booked with Live Nation in 2007 for the first time and started entertaining from the next year. By this time, the complete interior as well as exterior of the music venue was overhauled. The Hollywood Palladium can be seen in numerous movies and TV shows. ‘The Day of the Locust’, ‘Skatetown’, ‘U.S.A, 1941’, ‘The Blues Brothers’ and ‘Almost Famous’ are some of the movies in which this venue has been filmed.
The Hollywood Palladium has indeed earned a lot of fame over the past decades. The story however, doesn’t end here and there are numerous events that are soon to follow. If you want to be one of the few who experienced a night at the Hollywood Palladium try to get your hands on some tickets for the upcoming events now.
History
The Hollywood Palladium is now a historic landmark in Los Angeles. However, it’s worth noting that the venue was considered ahead of its time when it was first built in 1940.
Even the venue’s name conjured up thoughts of the future. Palladium, a silvery-white metal discovered in the early 1800s, is named after an asteroid called Pallas.
The story of this venue began when Los Angeles Times publisher Norman Chandler funded the construction of the original venue at a cost of $1.6 million in 1940. The venue was built where the original Paramount lot once stood and was operated by film producer Maurice Cohen. The dancehall was designed by Gordon Kaufmann, architect of the Greystone Mansion, the Los Angeles Times Building and the Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia.
The venue’s opening night on October 31, 1940 included a dance featuring Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra and band vocalist Frank Sinatra. The original venue had six bars serving liquor and two serving soft drinks with a $1 cover charge and a $3 dinner charge.
Then, during World War II, the Palladium hosted radio broadcasts featuring Betty Grable greeting servicemens’ song requests. But then, band acts began losing popularity in the 1950s causing the Palladium to host charity balls, political events, auto shows, and rock concerts to keep it afloat. Then, in 1961, it became the home of the Lawrence Welk show.
Even though the Palladium rose from the ashes of the original Paramount Pictures lot, it didn’t necessarily rely on its history as a selling point. Instead, architect Gordon Kaufmann designed its Streamline Moderne ballroom to give Hollywood a “futuristic vision of tomorrow.” Kaufmann’s designs leaned heavily on well-thought-out curves and aerodynamic lines to make the venue look more modern than some may have anticipated.
The venue also had a long run of hosting the Latin Music Orchestras for ragers sponsored by radio personality Chico Sesma titled Latin Holidays,” featuring childhood friend Ray Vasquez Recording Artist, Lead Vocalist and Trombonist. This lasted from 1955 – 1976. The Tito Puente Orchestra performed regularly between 1957-1977 to sold-out houses of 5000.
Famously, the venue also hosted a dinner given in honor of President John F. Kennedy that he attended on November 18, 1961.
Starting in the 1980s and 90s, punk rock, rap and heavy metal concerts started to be booked at the venue. Then, in 1985, the theater was owned by Palladium Investors Ltd.
The acts chosen to perform at the Palladium over the years have also played a big part in defining their respective eras. From the big bands of the 1940s and the rock-and-roll acts of the 1950s and 1960s to the punk rock performances of the 1980s and 1990s and the rap shows of the 1990s and 2000s, the venue has always been at the center of the Los Angeles entertainment scene and has served as a reflection of what is cool — both in the City of Angels and beyond.
Today, the Hollywood Palladium serves this same role. Globally known artists, emerging local musicians, and all those acts that fall somewhere in between flock to the venue each year to soak up the experience of performing in this one-of-a-kind space.
What’s The Theater Like Today
It’s always been one of the most stylish places in Los Angeles. With a focus on hot acts by famous performers playing to some of the wildest and most energetic crowds on their side of the country. You don’t go to Hollywood Palladium unless you’re ready to rock with your favorite bands and performers.
There’s also this cool and trendy style that it has going on that makes it popular with everyone who’s anyone. But despite this trendiness, it also attracts some of the most welcoming music fans in California. Fans tend to just be there to have a great time and are happy to share the space with fellow music lovers.
There’s also plenty of drink stations so you can stay refreshed during the entire show or event. So you won’t ever feel like you’ve got nothing to do.
So sit back and relax at Hollywood Palladium.