The Palladium Nightclub

New to Unilocal,is it possible to give this venue 0 stars? I have been to most of the venues in new england never have i ever been treated so poorly by people who were supposed to be staff members. They need to replace the majority of the staff members in this establishment. Starting with one of the managers a large woman who works at night the one that is outwardly rude the one that became physically confrontational with me. This woman is an atrocity

This is my favorite place to see a show, small enough to get right up front to see the bands and the sound is really good, lots of metal and punk bands play here

Biggest dumpster in the city very unsafe the place is very DIRTY and is falling apart (just look up at the ceiling you’ll see nobody LOOKS UP) So I can tell you that I won’t tell anyone to go there it is going to have a bad accident or should fall down that’s how bad the building is ow I forgot to say go down in the basement and look at that word will not give it what it deserves cause it just looks like tooth picks are holding it up so if I were you I wouldn’t let any of my freinds or loved one go in there cause IT’S NOT IF IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IT’S WHEN IS IT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!

Well I Think its about time i do a review about this place.
Have been on the Palladium 3 times last year to see a few of my favorite bands:
Sonata Arctica /​Nightwish /​DragonForce
Lets start with the tickets. I always get a physical one, but if you have an e-​ticket one or will call there‘s already enough reviews about that (one described it as hard as getting a handgun in a foreign country).
I never had problem with lines cause im always late for the show, doors open at 7pm i usually go by 8. On the security check you better have nothing on you, me and my Girlfriend always carry only money and ID‘s along with her cigarettes and my inhaler (yes shes a smoker and i have asthma). So the first show was upstairs in front of the bar and she could go out in a little area to smoke, same think didnt happen on the 2 following shows which were upstairs and you cant smoke. As said before, no re-​entry here.
The bar is expensive, slow and staff is usually rude to all people. As a male that came from Brazil i know how bad bathrooms can be but the one in here gets a prize. Probably the nastiest bathroom i‘ve ever been too. My Girlfriend told me her bathroom was a dump too.
I wont complain here about the fact that they dont have either ac on hot days or heating on cold days cause i just dont care about that.
If youre hungry you can get yourself a nasty microwavable slice of pizza for 4,50 or a equally nasty hot-​dog for the same price. Or you can starve, your choice.
Now about the show itself, the reason why we all came here.
1 — Im not a sound quality nazi, but im gonna tell you the sound here is awfull, drums are louder than the guitar, vocalists you cant even hear, if you dont know the songs, good luck trying to figure it out there.
2 — Ive seen the show from many different places and in all of them you have to be standing, if you move you lose your spot, and its usually too crowded, they sell more tickets than they should
3– Cant even take a picture of your favorite band without having a rude staff member telling you to put it down, meanwhile there are people smoking in the bathrooms but this seems to be a bigger problem for them.
4– The best spot i ever had was on a Sonata Arctica Show, Upstairs in the bar, i could almost touch them, that made me forget about the fact that i was standing 5 feet away from that nasty bathroom.
Overall once youre in you feel like youve been watched, and youre presence there is unwanted, the staff is awfull, the whole place looks so old that could burn down in seconds with all of us inside, Food, drinks and everything else you buys just because you have to, otherwise you wouldnt.
Go there if you favorite band is playing and theres no other location nearby you can see them. Otherwise, just dont go.

Ive been going to shows in clubs and theaters like this since 1985 and this is my least favorite of all (MA, RI, CT, NH, NJ, ME) venues. I first went to this particular venue in 1998. Ive seen a lot of shows there, but I’m still not impressed AT ALL. They routinely oversell the venue making it nearly impossible to enjoy the show.
They won’t only not let you film any national or international bands even if you have permission from the band themselves, but you can’t even film your own kids local band!
Also they don’t allow ANY writing utensil in the building. A security guy told me they’re afraid people will stab someone in the neck. The drinks are super overpriced and they don’t even have «ice water» available at the bar. They want you to buy a bottle of water. Its the only venue Ive ever been to that won’t give you a cup of ice water.
The soung can be good, but it can also be AWFUL. These old theaters weren’t designed for «rock music» so it can come down the whoever is doing the sound.
So your saying why do I still go? If you lived in New England you’d realize they are the only venue MANY metal bands play.

Worst concert experience of my life. I suspected I wouldn’t like Worcester, and boy, did it deliver. I could see nothing from the floor at all, so I had to go upstairs. It was stifling hot, with no ventilation whatsoever, and a total fire hazard for anyone not near the exits. The staff was lame and didn’t help me the times I needed them. They came down hard on some people yet let others do whatever they wanted. Be consistent or don’t have rules! And the attendees, wow. Many were absolutely horrendous (it only takes a few) — rude, nasty, smarmy (one guy even flashed money at me), and straight-​up made a good time impossible. I will never go back to this place as long as I live. It says a lot if you have a horrible time seeing one of your favorite bands of all time. I ended up spending money over again, money I didn’t have, to see the same show in another state a few days later, as there was no way I was having that be my last live experience of a favorite band. I hope everyone who ruined my night that night gets exactly what they deserve. The next place? It became an instant favorite. Total opposite experience.
P. S. Oh, you might want to know they searched EVERY SINGLE THING in my bag (literally opened everything). Worse than when Northampton’s Pearl St. took my PEN (because pens are clearly weapons — WTF). I would complain, but I met some real nasty people at the Palladium. So, please, search away. Just too bad you can’t make people leave their inner crap at the door.

The Palladium is a decent venue that gets some pretty good metal shows — in fact, I’d say the vast majority of bands I like actually end up playing at The Palladium on their tours. It’s a small-​medium size venue that can fit a couple thousand people, with a floor and some seats above. Everything there is general admission, so when you but a ticket you can go decide where you want to go.
The sounds quality was alright, but it seemed like the vocals were too quiet for many of the shows I’ve seen there. Instrumentally, it was solid.
Bathrooms are alright, but not great. Parking can be difficult as well; there’s a lot relatively close if you don’t mind walking a couple blocks, but it’s your best bet unless you want to try parking on the streets or at a lot closer to the venue — though those fill up fast.
In the end, though, The Palladium is a decent venue that I’ll continue to go to thanks to the awesome tours they manage to book.

Having had the opportunity to support, and, in some cases, actually MEET a number of my favorite bands at this place numerous times over the last few years, I really cannot say enough great things about it. My best friend and I always have the time of our lives here, no questions asked. True that the sound quality of the venue may be a bit outdated, but the awesome bands that we have had the pleasure of seeing, such as the following:
Children of Bodom
Within Temptation
In Flames
Rhapsody of Fire
Epica
Kamelot
Finntroll
Sonata Artica
Devin Townshend /​Animals As Leaders
Nightwish
I just got tickets to see OverKill with Symphony X in September, so that is sure to be a blast and a half \m/​
It is very conveniently located close to not one, but two hotels, with the Hilton Garden Inn just a block across the street, and the Holiday Inn roughly twice the distance away (but still very close). If you are not looking to drive or struggle to get the last Commuter Rail train back to Boston, then I highly recommend booking a hotel room at either of these locations for convenience.
There are only a few things that cost this place one star:
1) The staff — They just seem to hate everyone and everything, and treat the guests like terrorists. After 9/​11, I could see some cause for concern, but confiscating a small, pocket-​sized flashlight that cost me $ 10??? WTF??? I seriously wanted to give that security guy at least 20 broken bones for that!
2) Their anti-​camera policy — When it comes to video-​recording on cameras, they have a very Axl Rose-​type mentality, even when the bands themselves don’t care in the least bit. With the few times an a**hole staff member catches me harmlessly doing a short clip of the show, they’re lucky to escape before I have the chance to put them in a 10-​day coma!
3) Beverage prices — $ 3.00 for a single half liter bottle of water… I need not say more!
All in all, this is a great place for great metal shows, and has provided my best friend and I with so many opportunities of a lifetime each and every time we’ve been here. Great shows performed by great bands, but horrible staff, pricing and camera policies.

This place does get good bands. Unfortunately most of the people that work there are completely rude. The bathrooms are quite gross. Oh, and don’t forget to bring an extra 5 – 20 bucks (depending on day) or you’ll have to try to find parking on the street. Will I go back? Of course. They are one of the few venues around that has bands I like.

Amazing venue for great shows! Upstairs for local and regional act has enough room in the balcony and flood to see some good acts. The main stage is amazing. Plent of room for a pit in the floor and some great seated areas with tables. Typical bar that offers a descent selection and you can grab chips and dogs at the snack bar.

Oh, the Palladium. Full of teenagers, smells like an armpit, the women’s room is literally the most disgusting of all time. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Out of all the venues in this glorious paradise we call Massachusetts, this spot seems to have the lockdown on showcasing the best metal acts.
To be quite honest, the sound quality is mediocre (especially in the mezzanine), nothing like the Royale or even the House of Blues, but the opportunity to see incredible bands like Opeth, KoRn, etc. is worth it. Friendly staff, fast drinks and service.

How can a venue not have heat on when it is below freezing out. Even the bands complained about how cold it was inside. The sound was terrible. It was way to loud to the point that I could barely understand what songs they were playing. The place is old, dark and dingy which does add to the feel of the place. This place could be great if the owners cared about running it properly.

Convenient parking and ticket costs that doesnt totally break the bank. However the fact that there was no heat AT ALL on an evening that was 30 degrees outside is terrible. I kept my jacket and hoodie on and that still wasn’t enough! Pretty bad when the bands make comment to the cold.
Also the sound was terrible with the headlining band. It’s a smaller venue, so the sound should be adjusted accordingly. First time ever I wanted the show to just end or leave early!

After spending several hundred dollars on tickets and a hotel room, driving four hours and waiting three hours I left this venue before the band I love even came on. Everyone was very rude, there are many pointless rules and the place is disgusting. My boyfriend went to use the restroom and there was human and mouse feces everywhere. The bartenders, staff and band employees were all very rude. No one was helpful at all. We waited three hours for the band to come on and all we got was terrible opening bands and then we left. This place is disgusting and a waste of money. I will not be coming back here ever again.

Last night I went to killswitch concert there the sound quality was terrible. The drums were much more louder thatn the guitar and the sound was harsh and unclear. I’ll never go there again. I tought because all this metal bands have shows there the place should be awsone. They should go to house blues in boston that place rules.

My comments to a friend re: NEMH 2008: «The music was great. The venue was complete shit. That was the fourth or fifth show I’d seen there, and the squalor was 10x worse than usual. No seats on the toilets, no *doors* on the stalls, shit smeared on the walls, neo-​nazis everywhere doing fucked-​up shit. It was so bad I just swore off that place forever. I hope it burns to the ground with the owners inside.»
Edit: I went back for Slayer on 11/​28/​2014 because a bunch of friends wanted to go. The sound was awful: if I hadn’t already known all the songs, I never would have been able to tell what they were playing. People smoking *everywhere*, including the bathrooms, and not enough venue security personnel to do anything about it. Vomit on the floor by the merch stand that took the venue staff 30 minutes to clean up. This place continues to suck the suck out of suck. Worst venue ever.

They may have some amazing bands coming through, but this is the worst venue I’ve ever been to by far. The line for will call and the box office (one window) was around the building, hundreds of people, and I waited for 40 minutes. Missed the first two openers. This also happened twice.
They basically make you use will call bc having an E ticket is an extra 15 bucks, on top of the 20 dollar bullshit service charges
And in my opinion, the place sounds like shit.
Some cool staff though

I don’t know, I thought the venue was pretty good! I was surprised at how friendly the female security at the door was. I’ve kind of become accustomed to encountering generally miserable security staff at rock shows, so it was nice to have a little friendly banter as my purse got checked. As far as the other reviewers who have experienced overboard, aggressive behavior (which we all have at some point at a rock club), that was not the case for me.
I liked the tiered layout of the club so that there were many places to stand and get a good view of the stage. There was a strong security presence which didn’t prevent the kids from crowd surfing and having a good time, but did help keep those rambunctious rascals from getting hurt.
The club is nice looking but could use an overhaul. It seems run down. There are only 4 toilets in the women’s room– kind of unacceptable for a venue this size. The line was outrageous.
Other things– $ 6 beers, $ 25 tickets, $ 15 parking lot. Good sound. Pizza slices for sale. If another band I like comes through here at some point, I’m sure I will enjoy returning.

A true Metal rock venue.
Pros:
Metal music acts (a lost art)
Dark and dirty (the way it’s supposed to be)
Cheap (tickets and drinks)
Cons:
The sound is awful but acceptable
No AC in the summer
If you like crushing metal shows then look this place up. They are one of the only venues in the Northeast that books top metal acts especially young and up and coming acts.
I hope this place never changes.
Thanks