The Palladium | |
 The Hollywood Palladium in June 2012 (post-2008 renovation) | |
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| Address | 6215Sunset Boulevard Hollywood,California 90028 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°05′53″N118°19′27″W / 34.098007°N 118.32421°W /34.098007; -118.32421 |
| Public transit |   Hollywood/Vine |
| Owner | Palladium Investors Ltd. |
| Operator | Live Nation |
| Type | Concert hall |
| Genre(s) | Big band,rock and roll,pop music |
| Seating type | Standing room only, dance floor |
| Capacity | 4,000 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 10, 1940 |
| Built | 1940 |
| Opened | October 31, 1940 (1940-10-31) |
| Renovated | 2007–2008 |
| Website | |
| livenation.com | |
TheHollywood Palladium is atheater located at 6215Sunset Boulevard in theHollywood neighborhood ofLos Angeles, California, United States. It was built in aStreamline Moderne,[1]Art Deco style and includes an 11,200-square-foot (1,040 m2) dance floor including a mezzanine and a floor level with room for up to 4,000 people. The theater was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 2016. The Palladium was designatedLos Angeles Historic Cultural Monument No. 1130 on September 28, 2016.
Los Angeles Times publisherNorman Chandler funded the construction of theart deco Hollywood Palladium at a cost of $1.6 million in 1940.[2] It was built where the originalParamount lot once stood between Argyle and El Centro avenues,[3] and was operated by film producerMaurice Cohen. The dance hall was designed byGordon Kaufmann, architect of theGreystone Mansion, theLos Angeles Times Building and theSanta Anita Racetrack inArcadia.[1] He was also the architect for theHoover Dam and earlyCaltech dorms.[3]
The ballroom opened on October 31, 1940[2] with a dance featuringTommy Dorsey and his Orchestra and band vocalistFrank Sinatra.[3] It had six bars serving liquor and two more serving soft drinks and a $1 cover charge and a $3 charge for dinner.[3]
During World War II, the Palladium hosted radio broadcasts featuringBetty Grable greeting servicemens' song requests. Big Band acts began losing popularity in the 1950s, causing the Palladium to hold charity balls, political events, auto shows, and rock concerts. In 1961, it became the home of the long-runningLawrence Welk Show.[2][4]
From 1955 to 1976, the venue was the scene of Latin Music Orchestras for ragers sponsored by radio personality Chico Sesma titledLatin Holidays, featuring childhood friendRay Vasquez Recording Artist, Lead Vocalist and Trombonist. The Tito Puente Orchestra performed regularly between 1957-1977 to sold-out houses of 5000.[5]
PresidentJohn F. Kennedy attended a dinner given in his honor by the California Democratic Party at the Palladium on November 18, 1961.
In 1964, it was announced that none of the jazz bands scheduled were to be paid and a riot ensued after the show was cancelled.[3]
The Joe Loco Orchestra and show performed on the March 1965 Latin Holiday with singer/dancer Josephine "Josie" Powell.
Pop Expo '69, referred to as a "teenage fair," was a youth-oriented event held from 28 March to 6 April 1969 at the Palladium, and included performances byThe Jimi Hendrix Experience and theMC5.
In 1973, Stevie Wonder performed withTaj Mahal in what was advertised as an "Afrocentric concert" to benefit African refugees.[3]
Beginning in the 1980s and 1990s,punk rock,rap andheavy metal concerts started to be booked at the venue. Several violent disturbances resulted, eventually leading to the Palladium closing for eight weeks, starting in February 1993.[6]
Since 1985, the theater has been owned by Palladium Investors Ltd., a privately held group. Curfews were implemented in 1993 and a show byMarky Mark and the Funky Bunch was called off because of a brawl that occurred a few nights earlier. It was also used for Hollywood celebrity parties.[3]
In 2007, the owners agreed to a long-term lease to operate, manage and exclusively book the Hollywood Palladium withLive Nation, a Los Angeles-based company.[7]
The Palladium reopened with aJay-Z concert on October 15, 2008 after a year-long, multimillion-dollar renovation by Live Nation.[8] The renovation included an overhaul of the venue's interior and exterior, a new dance floor, expanded concessions, upgraded restrooms and improvements to the stage infrastructure. Jay-Z performed for nearly an hour-and-half, backed by an eight-piece band andDJ AM, who played his first show after surviving a plane crash in South Carolina.[7] The Hollywood Palladium was also used as the memorial service site for DJ AM on September 3, 2009.[9]
For the 2008–2009 season, a yearlong table for four cost $30,000.[3]
TheLos Angeles City Council approved an expansion of the Palladium property parking lot in March 2016. The plan consists of two 28-story residential towers that surrounds the Palladium, standing 350 feet (110 m) tall and creating 731 condominiums, 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m2) of store-front retail space, and a below grade-parking garage. The Towers were designed by Stanley Saitowits of Natoma Architects for developer Crescent Heights. The L-shaped design resembles and echoes the design of the Palladium.
The localAIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) filed a lawsuit in 2016 citing over development and improper approval process. One of many local lawsuits filed by AHF president Michael Weinstein.[10] In August 2018, the district court ruled all steps were taken duringEIR/DEIR. The AHF filed an appeal.[11] The AHF lost the appeal in November 2019 and Crescent Heights plans to proceed.[12]
The Hollywood Palladium has been featured in many films and television productions over the years:
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