The Palladium Ballroom

I have visited this venue for multiple artists in different parts of the venue, and have always had a good time. I mainly attend electronic music events, but I have been here for rock shows as well as downtempo events as well. This venue has handled all of them pretty well in terms of crowd size.
Parking is your usual concert venue parking, in terms of you are guided where to park. It’s nothing glamorous, but I have never had any issues in terms of parking, and have always been able to leave at a good pace.
Depending on which part of the venue you are at, the line either forms down the side for the larger stage, and in the long «hall» near the back of the venue for the smaller stage. There has never been any issues in the crowd, and security has always been tight. They are strict in a good way, as in they are pretty good at seeing through the crowds and seeing if there are going to be problematic people. In my case I have been only asked to throw things away (glowsticks), but I was aware that this was asked by the artist, not the venue.
The bartenders are pretty friendly, and know what they are doing. The prices can be a bit high, but once again it should be expected to spend a little extra money when going to something like a concert.
The only time I have seen an «altercation» at the event was when an overly-​excited fan jumped on stage to hug the artist, but the guards did a good job of stopping him and escorting him out quickly. They are good at helping people with medical issues, and are quick when alerted of a possible medical problem.
I have also attended shows with special events, such as meet & greets before the show. The staff was awesome, and was kind enough to not push people out or make them rushed. It went very smoothly.
All in all this venue does a good job. Your experience really will vary depending on the artist and what show you are going to. I go to music events/​concerts quite often, so I am aware of what to expect and how a usual concert venue operates.

We planned a meeting for 800 employees at Southside Ballroom a few weeks ago. Amber was our event coordinator and she was such ray of sunshine yet professional. Our meeting went so smooth and the venue was a hit! The food was great! We had chicken and waffles, steak kabobs, mac n cheese muffins and oreo brownies. Parking was easy and the staff was awesome. Definitely would like to return for a concert!

Rating/​review based on the Pixies concert in February.
Pros:
Plenty of parking
All around friendly staff (parking lot attendants, ticket takers, bouncers, servers and ladies room attendants)
Great clear sound
Clean ladies room with plenty of stalls — little waiting time in line
Outdoor area — You are permitted to take your drinks out unlike some venues. Mainly referred to as the smoking area.
Con:
I couldn’t see the stage no matter which vantage point I tried. I noticed a lot of other ladies having the same issue. I could have used a perch. I did end up pushing my way through the crowd on the last song. I wasn’t going to leave without a good photo. I will admit had I arrived earlier I might have been closer. The next time I go I will TRY to be early and will check into getting VIP access if it’s available. The VIP section is on a higher level with tables and chairs. I’m getting too old to be in the pit. The plus of not being early… no long lines.
The Pixies sounded great so it was worth it to me.
This was my first visit to The Palladium. I will give it another try.

Large venue, which was nice. Great acoustics. Always crowded and is a stand-​up venue. No seating unless you have VIP tickets.

The Palladium is a great venue. Tickets have always been reasonably priced and are sometimes downright cheap. The sound is fine. The room is big enough so that even for «sell outs» there is plenty of space. For bigger shows they open a third or fourth bar to shorten the lines. I’ve seen some amazing shows here and always have a great time.
Seems to me this site is full of whiners who have unrealistic expectations for a concert venue. People complaining that they had to stand, wait in a line, pay to park etc. Really? You poor things. Maybe you should stay home then. I bet if there were seats these same folks would yell «sit down» at anyone who dared to stand or dance.
Others on here are complaining that if you want to stand upfront it’s crowded. NO! Can’t be. Too loud — that’s one of my favorites. Bring ear plugs. I bring ear plugs to every show I see no matter the venue.
And lastly, the neighborhood is bad. No, it’s not. I live in the Cedars and it’s one of the lowest crime areas in Dallas. The freakin’ Police Headquarters is almost directly across the street from the Palladium.
So, in summary, if you act old (old is as old does), don’t like standing, don’t like crowds of people, don’t like loud music, and are afraid of a neighborhood because it does not look like your suburban neighborhood than by all means please do not come to the Palladium. The rest of us will have a better time without you.

An adequate venue. Parking was safe, close, and ample.
Line formed around the building but began moving quickly once the doors were opened promptly at the posted time (1 hr before show).
Small merchandise area where you first walk in, then main ballroom beyond that is a large concrete-​floored area with railings around perimeter (very handy for leaning) and plenty of bars beyond the railings. If General Admission, you will stand the entire show as there is no seating.
There was also no food service for our show, only crackers, chips, etc, so eat before you come in.
The acoustics are fair to poor as it is basically a concrete warehouse with pipes and metal joists at the high ceiling. Could really use some acoustic treatment for better sound. House of Blues (being built as a concert hall) is much better acoustically. Sightlines are good from everywhere however with a few I-​beam poles in the middle of the floor.
People and bartenders are nice and friendly and eager to serve.
Parking lot emptied fairly quickly (like after a Mavericks game) after the show with most pouring onto I-​30 which is nearby.

I hate general admission shows. Standing for hours to see a band just plain sucks. So, I hate the Palladium. They could fill that venue with seats and it would be really nice, but that would cost money and they probably couldn’t sell as many tickets.
Sound is decent, but as with most shows, too loud and way too bass-​heavy – a disease created by the hip hop genre, and almost every sound engineer has been infected.
Now, the positives. The venue is very clean and the staff is very polite and attentive.
It will have to be a band that I want to see really, really badly for me to ever go back, though. Did I mention that I hate standing for hours?

Great sound and great lighting. One of the best general admission concerts i’ve ever been to.

I’ve only been here twice for shows, but I’ve had a great experience each time! The drink prices aren’t too steep. It’s $ 10 to park on their lot, but I don’t mind because it’s near downtown Dallas. So it’s expected. The Verizon theater in Grand Prairie is in the middle of nowhere and charges $ 20. The staff was pretty friendly and the place seemed secure. Only thing is I wish they had places to sit. The only way you can have a seat is if you pay twice as much for the VIP section which is pretty far away from the stage. If I’m going to be VIP, I’d like to be able to actually see the show. Nonetheless, it’s a great place and I’d definitely recommend seeing a show here!

Came here to see New Order. Here’s a great tip: If the concert you’re going to has super long lines in front, go through the bar. There you can order a drink if you like and walk straight to the entrance of the concert with no line!

This place is OK.
On the positive: The women working security and information at the very front were very friendly and pleasant. Inside, it’s a pretty small space so good views of the artists from almost everywhere.
On the negative: They nickel and dime you for everything. $ 10 parking in a huge lot with plenty of excess space. I can understand charging for parking at your venue if parking is at a premium. But there is tons of room. $ 10 nonetheless. I recommend driving more east towards Southside Lofts and parking that way. $ 5 to hang your damn coat up. $ 15+ for VIP if you want to sit down. I think it was probably even more than that. At a place you’re already paying upwards to $ 50 for a show per ticket and you can’t even sit down??? Why can’t Dallas be kind like other cities and just relax and not feel the need to charge for everything ?? sheesh. At least, i suppose there wasn’t some douchey valet vulture, classically found littered throughout dallas establishments.
Other than the negative gripe, this place is pretty good. They seem to draw some better names than other venues around. Nas & Laryn Hill were here a few weeks ago. The Wallflowers tonight. And just down the street is Absinthe Lounge and Cedars Social for some nice cocktails and lounging.

I went to the Palladium Ballroom recently to see Justice perform, and I was pretty happy with the venue.
It’s what you would expect, stage, floor, random bars along the wall, but I will say that they did a good job of keeping the air conditioning full blast so it didn’t feel like a cauldron inside.

Went here for a free concert, got tickets from a friend of a friend. The bands were primarily 80’s rock cover bands and Jackyl. Oh, Jackyl… trying not to let them influence my rating here (: It was a really good experience though, such a large and space, your typical venue pricing for drinks and some good people watching.

Freaks of Nature tour… YESSS.
For those of you who are unaware… let me aware you.
Kaskade is a genius. He’s been around forever and is worth a lot of dollars to see. His DJ’ing/producing/remixing skills are pretty much unparalleled.
So I made the 4+ hour trek to Dallas to see Kaskade with my Texas concert crew.
Upon entrance: peek inside my backpack, dispose of ALL glowsticks (even unopened!) but glow bracelets/​necklaces/​wearables are A-​OK. Scan my ticket, scan my ID for wristband… and we’re in!
Things you want to know about the venue: Water was $ 3, redbulls were $ 6. They apparently had hydration stations in the venue, but I never saw. They have water fountains too. Fully stocked bar (a friend ordered 6 shots and 2 beers and it was $ 40…holy cheap!). The bathrooms were huge, fairly clean and the lines moved quickly. The space is pretty big… but it filled up. The sound system was quite good as well.
THE SHOWWWW… Fareoh opened, but we only got to see about an hour of him. Next up was Alvin Risk… holy shit. He was excellent, and absolutely adorable. (Any DJ in Argyle is A+ in my book!). He is so freaking talented… and the fact that he ended with a remix of the theme to ZELDA… ah, that made my inner/​former nerd heart swoon!
And then… KASKADE. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…
He opened with «Eyes» (strong move, that song has serious emotional reactions from just about anyone!!!) and played alot of jams from Fire and Ice (mostly Fire, for obvious reasons.) Everytime I wanted to go and get a drink or use the bathroom, he would play one of my favourites… First time? Don’t Stop Dancing Girl. Second time? I remember. Third time? Llove. JESUS.
He played til about midnight… and then, THE AFTERPARTY. (see my review of that!)
Overall, cool venue but it’s in a really shitty part of the world. Dallas confuses me… we were in «downtown» but it was deserted? Literally… there was no one. I understand here in Texas no one walks anywhere, but even here in Houston you see people, especially when there is a sold out concert about to happen.
Ah well, just my 2 cents!

I’ve enjoyed both shows that I’ve been too at this location. At one of them they went above and beyond for my friend who has been in a wheel chair for most of her life. She was concerned about running people over, and people standing in front of her making her not able to see & they helped us get her in and find a spot she could see with out putting us in a spot that we would be cutting in front of people that had been there way before us. The food we got from the Jack Daniels adjourning restaurant was much better than what I expected it to be.
The next concert I went to was much more of a head ake … not because of anything the venue did … just the traffic getting on to Lamar was HORRIBLE. They really need to re think that exit with the light. We pulled in to a far off parking lot 30 – 45 mins after the doors opened at 8 and we still didn’t get in until my guess is ⁹⁄₉₃₀. So after we got in and bought merch we had missed all but the last 2 songs of the opening band. I didn’t know who they were so I wasn’t to heart broken about it but I do like to give new bands a try. Any other issues I had were the normal sold out standing room only concert issues … Drunk people spilling on you, 6’7″ dude blocking the view for some 5’4 chicks etc.
Yes parking is $ 10 for reg $ 20 vip … but that’s almost ANY concert I’ve been too in Dallas charges something for parking; if the venue doesn’t do it trust me the owner of the parking lot or the city will to make and extra few bucks. There are rude people there, but there are also awesome people you can make what I call concert buddy’s with. Drinks & merch are over priced; traffic will be a pain. Again thats almost any concert … if the band is worth it, then sit back and enjoy the show, let the other stuff just roll off your back.

Had an amazing time at the Florence and the Machine concert last night! Not sure if the VIP table reservations are offered at every show but having reserved this for last night, I would definitely jump at the opportunity again. While the tickets for the VIP tables were almost twice as much as General Admission, they were still under $ 80. We didn’t have to wait in the huge line outside to get in and we had our private area with a cocktail waitress. Great view of the stage without having to be crammed in between sweaty strangers all battling for a better position. The cocktails were not great and the waitress mixed up to order more than once but it was still way more convenient than trying to get up to the bar. Definitely recommend the VIP table when seeing any concert here, so worth the money!

Basically I do not like the general public and don’t like to be among them. But if you want to go to a concert – guess what?! So, I’m off to the Palladium to see a show.
What an odd place. I’m not really sure what I think. My feet hurt because it is a big concrete slab. They pour your beer in a plastic cup – like I’m twelve or at the State Fair. The bartender was super nice and a little flirty, which was pleasant. The sound isn’t very good. It’s really flat and I’m really short so there’s no chance of seeing. The $ 10 parking is way in the back and takes a little while to get in and out of, not the best deal on parking I’ve seen. They sent us back to the car becasue we had a camera, but there were a lot of cameras with flashes inside and no one seemed to be sending those folks back to theri cars.
I’d rather go to the Granada, but if the show you want to see as at the Palladium, suck it up and go.
As far as the general public goes– 5 drunk sorority girls with dirty mouths talking OVER the show, 3 strippers/​prostitutes rubbing each others hoo-ha’s through their pants AND the 1 guy who keeps buying them beers becasue he thinks they really like him, 1 super rude guy who got in front of me so close that the back of his shirt was touching my beer and yes there was room in front of him to move up but he was too busy rubbing on his girlfriend to notice – oooops, girlfriend is mother to one of my daughter’s friends and 10 million people recording the whole show on their iphones and ipad – yeah ipads. HATE the general public.

If a specific concert venue is keeping you from seeing a band/​artist you love, you are obviously going to the shows for the wrong reasons (maybe, this is how I feel blah blah blah I’m over it already). That being said, the Palladium Ballroom is not a bad place.
On their website, it indicates that you must purchase tickets through Ticketmaster or 1 hour before the show, but this is certainly not true. I have been to 2 shows here so far, and another early next year. For the first show, I used ticketmaster because I lived in Waco and did not know any better. For the next show, we decided to stop by the venue box office a few weeks ahead of the show to see if they possibly sold tickets without the Ticketmaster crazy-​fees (easily + $ 20). Yes, you can get them at the box office. No fees, no processing, just the advertised price. My friends just purchased tickets for a show next April, and they paid $ 45 per ticket online, but I got them for $ 25 flat at the box office.
Next is parking. Parking sucks here. It costs $ 10 and you better get there early to get a half decent spot. I take a cab now, because for a few dollars more than parking, you don’t have to drive and you can party as much as you want (or can afford here) and get home safely.
Drinks are very reasonable for a concert venue. The mixed drinks start at 6 – 8 dollars, but the «well» is Jack Daniels level, so it isn’t such a bad deal after all.
They have a sign up at the box office that indicates that «point and shoot» cameras are fine, but I have been to a show there that only allowed cell phones in, no standalone cameras at all.
The sound is pretty good. Just be ready to stand up for the entirety of the show unless you bought VIP. Tip the bathroom attendants too.

I dunno what the other people are upset about. Yes, the parking is a bit messy but it’s RIGHT NEXT TO THE VENUE. No walking all over the place in the dark at 2 am while drunk!!! And the lot wasn’t that bad, plenty of room to park, just have to use common sense and drive slow to watch out for other cars and people walking.
Great sound for the LMFAO concert. Bartenders were nice, drinks were good, and lots of shot girls available the whole night for test tube shots.
Recommend it.

It’s rare I’ve found that I’m in distinct disagreement with most people — when I read the reviews for this place I was really worried that my friend and I were driving 210 miles each way on a work night just to be disappointed.
Here in Austin, the Austin Music Hall has set the standard for crappy musical experience, effectively taking away enjoyment of great bands with their boorish management and horrible acoustics. I was expecting the same from the Palladium based on all the negative reviews.
Well, my friends, we had a GREAT time seeing Thievery Corporation and Massive Attack. The place hit on all cylinders for us — ample, safe and reasonably-​priced parking; nearby bar to enjoy a beverage before the show; spacious room with high ceilings which produced a rich sound and excellent sight lines.
The show was great, the place was excellent, the only drawback was the douchebags holding up their cell phones constantly. Seriously, like for every song which started, there were at least 10 people in our immediate vicinity who felt the need to stick their arms straight up in the air and video the bands. I’m assuming they then immediately posted the video to Facebook or Twitter or whatever narcissistic outlet of choice.
It used to be that people talking constantly during shows was my pet peeve, but these bozos who can’t watch a show without holding up their phones have supplanted the talkers.
I saw Neil Young at the Bass Concert hall once and they had a very strict no cell phone usage during the show policy. They would literally give someone a warning once, and then toss them out if they continued. More places need to do this.
But the Palladium rocks, if I lived in Dallas I would definitely be psyched to go see shows here.