The Palace will always be one of my favorite venues to catch a show. Brings me back to my younger days of standing room only shows (although they do have balcony seating available). The theater is located in downtown Saint Paul with lots of neighboring restaurants and bars if you want to pre or post show party. There is no designated parking area but there is paid street parking (free on Sundays and after 10pm) as well as plenty of paid parking lots and ramps nearby. There is a slightly raised platform with a railing that I always try to snag a spot at as it offers a great view (especially for us short people). Most of my pics are taken from that exact spot. The floor can get pretty cramped but most of the crowds I've encountered have been very friendly. The theater itself is old but beautiful. The upstairs area shows exposed beams and bricks which I think adds to the charm! read more

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I saw The Killers here in June 2025 and it was my first visit to the Palace. Entry was fast and easy. The view and sound from behind the soundboard was great, standing room only. The restrooms were clean when I visited at the start of the evening. I'd come back for shows considering it's so small. The only complaint, exit was slow and crowded even though there were plenty of exit options but they were kept close, leaving one bottle-neck exit out the main doors. read more

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A great small venue to see a live performance. We saw Watchhouse this past weekend and the acoustics were great. I didn't use my ear plugs cause the sound level was perfect. Definitely a plus. It was easy to get into the venue. No wait to order beverages and plenty of bathroom options. We had seats in the balcony and other than walking up a lot of steps...the seats were just okay cause my view was a little obstructed by the railing in front of me. Luckily we didn't have people sitting in the row in front of us so we could've moved. We were in a row of 3 and again it was just the two of us so we had plenty of room. Everyone we interacted with was very nice. Looking forward to coming back! read more

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I attended The Killers concert in June at Palace theatre, which was my first time at the venue. Entrance was easy and quick. The venue is smaller but honestly a great size for a more intimate concert. There is a lower level and an upper balcony area. The lower level has a bar which has various beers, seltzers, and mixed drinks. I hope I'm lucky enough to attend a concert here again in the future. read more

Palace Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I really like the Palace, it's one of my favorite venues in the Cities. I love having the option to sit in the balcony (yes, I'm old), or to dance down in GA. They have a ton of bars, including one upstairs for the balcony, & at least 2 bathrooms, which is super nice for a busy show. I appreciate that they also have quite a few folks outside taking tickets, checking IDs, etc., so the line goes quickly. The service inside is great as well! We saw a punk show, & the security worked harder than anyone I've ever seen, but they looked like they were having a blast along with the crowd/crowd surfers who kept them so busy. The sound levels there have always been about what I'd expect: they're not blast-your-ears-out loud, but you definitely don't forget you're at a live show. The light setup is always really cool, too! This venue is great, I would highly recommend it if you're on the fence about a show :) read more

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Great venue. Sound was fabulous and loved being on the floor. Good service at the bar. Love the distressed and old time feel of the theatre. 2nd or 3rd time I've seen a show there. I've never been to a show where the artist and the whole band led us out of the theater at the end of the show while singing "You are my sunshine". It was pretty epic!! So close to Jon Batiste I could have touched him. read more

Palace Theatre - Jon Batiste stage - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I had an amazing time at the Palace Theater when I came to see my favorite psychedelic rock group. It was my first concert in years, and it did not disappoint. The venue is really cool--somewhere between industrial and classic/formal. The show was great, and the bar was amazing--they had my favorite zero-proof beer. Love! Reasonable prices for the show and coat check, and they had high-quality earplugs available for sensitive souls like myself (Howard Leight). Convenient location as well. read more

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Came here on Small Business Saturday afternoon for the Holiday Market and I'm so glad I did. On a winters day, it was the perfect way to kickoff the holiday season while supporting local. I stumbled across this event by chance and decided to check it out, funny enough, I've walked past this venue many times on my way to Candyland around the corner that I never realized it was still open, and how beautiful it is inside. The Palace Theatre is larger than it looks from the outside and has a charming historic feel inside. The vendor setup was great, and I loved how it was spread throughout, and how we could go up to the balcony too. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks were available for purchase at the main bar and the upstairs bar. Entry fee was FREE to get into the market, yayyy added bonus. Parking was easy even with the construction around and a small inexpensive fee. I left with a few goodies, some lovely conversations with local vendors, and a cherished time with my Mom. Highly recommend checking out the Palace Theatre. read more

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My first time attending a concert at the Palace Theatre was 10/28/24 to see Vince Staples. The doors opened at 730. Show started right on time at 830. He went on at 930 & it ended around 1045. Needless to say it was probably the first on time concert I've ever been to. We opted for seats in the upper level. The view was great. Chairs were tight leg room wise but otherwise fine. I love smaller, intimate venues so this one was for sure a good pick for this tour. The bathrooms were decently clean. They were located downstairs in the basement or upstairs. They had bars on every level. Drinks were priced about the same as bars around the area $13-15. There's ramps or a ton of metered street parking. Meters are only enforced until 10pm. I paid less than $5 for 3.5 hrs. read more

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We had such a fun concert experience here. The staff was friendly and helpful and the sound quality was good. I would definitely come back for more shows. read more

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The event was well organized and even though the line was long they got everyone in a very timely manner. The merch line for the band did seem to have an awkward location and finding the end was a little difficult but overall it ended up being a quick experience! read more

Palace Theatre - Outside palace theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Just saw The Jayhawks here Located in downtown St. Paul it's surrounded by some really awesome restaurants. Kind of a traditional theater with a lot of standing room seating. This wasn't very comfortable but I guess you get what you pay for. Otherwise, I had no complaints. I was able to see the show very well and it has a nice classical feel inside. read more

Palace Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Great music venue! We loved the vibe of this place instantly. We were in town December 16, 2023 for the Jayhawks, a sold out show. Now in our late 40s we wished we had seats- three hours of standing for good music was a little tough. Also very little clearing of emergency paths and walkways. Very hard to move with such a full crowd. Loved the show and the venue is good! Next time we will get a seat! read more

I don't like this theater for its lack of (none) seats, overall poor ventilation and just a no from me. 1. Outside It is located in the best part of Saint Paul downtown and 2. Inside It's standing room, I can see why this kind of venue is needed, such as for rock concerts etc Okay eateries nearby. But the overall place was just not my scene and people selling and smoking marijuana during and after the show was too bad, the smell was horrible and no one was doing anything to stop it. Totally hated that and my clothes reeked of it as if I smoked. Absolutely ruined the concert experience for me read more

Been to probably 25+ shows here in the last few years and it's definitely my top favorite venues in the cities. Great views and sound. I love the view from the balcony. Epic ambiance. Lights are always on point. They take care of their customers and do a great job running events. Theatre royalty for sure. read more

The Palace is one of my favorite concert venues in St Paul. It's tucked away down a walking street, which, in tandem with its old-school marquee, makes for adorable pre-concert selfies. The interior offers a lovely antique charm and there's really not a bad seat in the house. With many bartenders available, it's pretty easy to get a beverage. I just wish the bathrooms weren't all the way downstairs, which is a bit inconvenient. read more

Palace Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

I've been here a few times, and it's one of our favorite venues in the area. It's downtown St.Paul so lots of options for parking. We got seats two of the times, and the live sound is absolutely amazing! Me being short is also a disadvantage, so being able to see any where here is great. It's maintained well, has security, and the bathrooms are clean. read more

Palace Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Unprofessional staff at the door of questionable maturity. Seemed to enjoy giving me a hard time and then making me walk around him. The seats are very tight and no leg room. They need to add video monitors up high for the balcony audience. Once others stand in front of you there is no view of the stage. You may end up standing all evening. Overall, not as well managed as places such as the Armory or Uptown Theater. These venues have professional staff. read more

Overall really nice place to see a show! Only complaint is the audio gets so loud at times it feels a bit over modulated. read more

Palace Theatre - Atmosphere at Palace Theatre. - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Always love going to concerts or shows at the Palace Theather! Great historic theater in downtown St. Paul. Lots of restaurants/bars around if you want to eat/drink beforehand. The staff is always friendly and efficient at getting people in the doors. Bars on both levels. I have never had an issue with my view at any seat. They have GA on the main level and then seating in the balcony. Great sound. Overall, top marks for a music venue! read more

I saw Liz Phair and was pleasantly surprised by the venue. Looks like it's being renovated but a cool video overall and worth the extra $ to sit in the balcony if you don't want to stand for two hours during a show. Nice staff and a couple of bars to get drinks. read more

This is a really cool venue to visit. The place itself is pretty big and spacious on the inside. You can choose the general admission standing room or spend more to be on the second floor with seating. Both floors have excellent views and sounds. The second floor is kinda cool because you're looking down at the artist but you aren't too far away. Standing is sometimes risky because it can get jam packed. There's also the chance of a large, tall person standing right in your view. The lines here aren't bad and you don't have to wait long for a drink or the bathroom. The bathrooms are also clean! I have never had issues here and appreciate this venue and the shows they put on. read more

Every show I've seen here has been nice. The merch layout is a bit odd by the exits but the venue is nice and a pretty good mid sized spot

I went to see Soul Coughing on 9/24/24 at the palace theatre. The tickets originally were for the 1st ave club itself, which is a good venue. The show venue was changed sometime after i purchased the tickets to the palace. Upon entering about 30 minutes after doors opened, i used a restroom, bought 2 drinks (44$!#!) and tried to get on the main floor. I was stuck at the bottom of the stairs on floor 1, the GA floor was already SO PACKED you could not get into it at all. I spent a few minutes trying, and started getting trampled by people trying to pack in, as even more people came to the stairs to try to get in, also stuck on the stairs. Now i was being kettled between an unmovable crowd of a CLEARLY OVERSOLD GA floor, and folks funneling in the small stairway. I ended up spending 2 hours of a show by the fucking restroom unable to see the show at all. It was not a show. It was a HEAR. I tried going to the upper floors, where there was ample seating still available, but was told my ticket was GA and i wos not permitted. I had a brief conversation with the doorman on the 2nd floor, who confirmed for me "Yeah, they just pack em in. I don't think its safe but if they say it is we do it." For content, this isn't my first concert. I've been going to shows and festivals and even woodstock 99, for many years. 100's of shows. This was my single worse experience at a show in my entire life. My Girlfriend was there with me, and starting to cry out of sheer frustration. This was a band we have loved and followed for over 20 years, and this is the experience we had at the palace. I was a refund, and to never go to this place again. read more

Decrepit place packed with unsafe numbers of people. Extremely limited seating and sightlines. The bar servers were nice. Won't be back.

So let me start by saying that the concert I went to was amazing. It was Miguel. The concert itself was amazing. The sound was fantastic but I'm not aure who to attribute that to...Miguel and his crew or the venue. The sound was very clear and full and the bass was pretty great. Security was pretty good. They kicked out some kids who were drinking underage and overall they were vigilant without being overbearing. Overall the venue itself wasnt bad. I like that I can see the history and age of it but it looks a little too run down. Like almost to the point where I'm suspect. The bathrooms were updates and nice. I didnt go upstairs to the balcony (I had floor tickets) so I cant attest to that. I wasnt impressed but ill go back for another concert. read more

Palace Theatre - Miguel in concert. - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The Palace Theatre is my least favorite venue in the Twin Cities. Every time I go, the sound is awful! It just sounds like you're listening a rock show in a tin can. The staff can be very hit or miss as well. During the last (and I won't be coming back) show, Big Thief that we saw the staff was super aggressive about checking guests' vaccination cards and enforcing masks. Let me be clear: I am in full support of venues checking vaccine status and asking people to wear masks, but you don't have to be a jerk about it. My female friend tried to walk through the entrance while putting on her mask, and this tall male staff member (a bro if you ask me) literally put his hands on her chest and pushed her back. That is simply unacceptable. My friend reported it to management and they said they'd reprimand that staff member (let's hope they did). read more

I had a blast at the Palace. It's an older building that's had some renovations to make it a stellar concert venue. I had GA tickets to the HAIM show, which meant I was on the floor. The sound was phenomenal and the interior has a nice vintage theater vibe. Bathroom cleanliness could use some work, but apart from that drink lines were short and it appears that from up in the balconies area the view would be great. This may become one of my favorite venues. read more

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This is a good venue for a show. Historic and quaint. It's a bit crusty and could use some interior renovations. It the sound was good and you could see the stage from pretty much anywhere. read more

Hands-down my new favorite venue. It's like First Ave all juiced up! Great views from damn near everywhere, plenty of bars, good sized restrooms, and the sound system is great even from the very top balcony. I love that there are THREE levels of balconies and [at least at the show I was at] all the seats were GA. Which is perfect for someone like me who likes to be down in the action but my hips start wearing down fast and I need somewhere to sit lest the rest of my night is ruined. The interior reminds me of First Ave in that it's still pretty dark and cave-y (in a good way) but there are still beautiful remnants of what The Palace once was - - now a gorgeous intentionally-decrepid castle. lovelovelove! Can't wait to see Slowdive here! read more

Palace Theatre - View from the VERY top - Performing Arts Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The Palace has quickly been creeping up my list of preferred venues in the Twin Cities. The theatre is still pretty new to the Twin Cities, having just opened this past spring after renovations and years spent vacant. The end result is a comfortable and modern theatre that still preserves a worn in feel. I have had floor GA tickets to the all the shows I have been to thus far and that's my preferred way to go, though the balcony seating doesn't look like a bad option either. Sightlines are generally good from most locations on the floor. Drink lines are usually short, coat check is easily accessible and overall the sound is pretty great - if this is how First Ave plans to expand their empire I have no complaints. read more

This venue is so fun because of its old inferior and makes it super fun to see bands here! This spot is different then other venues because there are 'levels' to the GA floor. It is actually great to see bands because you have the opportunity to actually see the band in a large GA section. The bar is also huge which makes it super easy to get a drink and not stand in line for a long time. I have been here for multiple sold out shows and have not had to wait a long time for drinks or bathrooms which is a HUGE perk of this venue. They also do a fantastic job of bringing in a wide variety of music so everyone is able to stop in and enjoy! read more

I absolutely love this place- I think it's the best music venue in the Twin Cities on par with First Avenue, except it's it's a wonderfully different beast. 1st Ave is young, dirty and grimy with the best sound system and multiple rooms and all the magical things real music people know matters most. Palace Theater is like designing the best sounding, standing room only posh, pristine petal of pure bliss gone gold whereas First Ave is like - bitch, we got Purple Rain and Prince history here! read more

The venue was ok and I made sure to note the exits right away since we were at a sold out show and had GA seats. The line to get into the theater curved around the corner but moved quickly. My main issue is with the security at the entrance. My husband was pat down, I was not...we watched the people before us and we noticed they quickly checked the bags people had and did a quick pat down on the men. This could be a huge security concern. With the way the world is today you just never know and I truly think they need to adjust the initial security appropriately. I have to say though, the bartender that we ordered from was awesome. We hope to check out more shows at the theater in the near future!! read more

Tonight we had tickets for Chevelle. As my wife and I were entry we were joking around with each other, and she called me a name in response to something I said to her. The person on the otherside of me accused her of calling him a name. Since I was between her and the person, the person said she was looking right at him, therefore she was accused of directing it at him. He then asked for her ID and said we were not going to be let in to see the show. I asked to see his credentials or ID and asked to see the manager. He would not give his name, or ID, and said he was "one" of the managers! We asked to see someone else of authority and he refused. Your staff is very unprofessional, they have no ID, nothing distinguishing them from the crowd. It was his perception that the comment was directed at him!! A baseless accusation and I'm out $100. I will be sharing my experience on social media and with all my friends, and will not waste my money on tickets at your theater again. Terrible customer service! read more

they didnt accept my friend's VERY REAL driver's license as real, and thus she got enormous Xs on the back of her hands. i am irate with the management of this venue, given that they didn't have a proper system for identifying whether someone is 21 (which my friend is). it's not the employees' fault, but rather the responsibility of this venue to validate the legitimacy of one's identification. AVOID AT ALL COSTS read more

OK, the music was great, generally everything was fine, but the lighting is SO BAD. They need to know. It's been like this for years. This is just how do their lighting. I don't understand why they don't fix it. They have all these spotlights right on the stage that they blast the audience with. It's completely blinding. There are long stretches of songs where you have no choice but to just close your eyes. Even when you're not being completely, utterly blinded by light, it's still so bright most of the time that you can't see the band at all. You can kind of make out the shape of a person playing guitar, but nothing else. You go to a concert to hear and see the band. The lights are so bad, you don't get to see them much. Mostly just in between songs and at the very beginning of songs. The song starts and you can see and it's great, and then BOOM - 10 seconds in - the spotlights are back on, blinding the entire sitting audience. It's probably fine for the people standing at the bottom. Everyone else is just on blast. It's really simple - stop shining spotlights directly into the audience's eyes. It's really awful. I wouldn't say it ruined the show, but it made it a lot worse for no reason. read more

The arrival of any new music venue in the metro is always an exciting thing, but I think this one was particularly exciting to me since I love old buildings. The Palace was really very cool, and I'm looking forward to many more shows to come. First the cool factor -- the old building is just cool. I found myself looking all around at the arches, at the balconies, at the ceiling. Everywhere there was just cool architecture and unfinished design. With the modern lighting installed throughout it was visually a really fun place to see a show. And the old school sign outside of the place is just cool. Second, the sound was good for a place that big that is largely made of concrete. No audio issues. Lighting, staff, bar, beer selection were all very good to passable. No problems to report. Finally, one thing I liked was that on the floor, there are a few kind of tiers, and each tier is slightly elevated and has its own front railing. So if you're short like me, there are a couple of opportunities to find a place to park where you can be a little protected or have a clear line of sight, if such things are important to you. Our first experience at the Palace was good -- I'm looking forward to returning for more shows soon. read more

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The Palace Theatre is a cool venue with a decent attempt at "amazing" for an opening night. I went to see Atmosphere along with a number of excellent hip-hop headliners including dem Atlas and Sims. First, the positives: - The decor is very cool for a restored theater. Instead of meticulously restoring the old look, they opted to tear out the wallpaper and leave the unfinished paint on the ceilings and walls. The original plaster wasn't retouched, either. In fact, parts of it have been cut out completely to leave exposed metal ceilings, particularly on the upper floors. - The event was well-staffed with lots of folks interested in welcoming you and keeping the event safe. Some drinks were dropped (or thrown), and security was on top of it. Through-ways were kept clear as well. - There are lots of bars. This isn't apparent right away since the downstairs bar lines can get longer, but if you go upstairs, there are bars that have shorter or no lines. - Sight lines are better than Minneapolis mainstay First Ave. The seats on the main floor, if there are any, were out for this show. The floor is somewhat slanted or terraced (I didn't see it without the crowd), and so generally one can stand anywhere with an ok view. Now, the cons: - Security and ticket-taking was slow. There were two LONG lines to get in. They moved quickly, but we weren't ready to spend an extra 10-15 minutes in the cold and had to rely on hoods and pockets in our coats. - Coat check ran out of room very quickly. $3 seems steep until you realize you might not get a spot. We held our coats for the show after being told they were out of space while in line 10 feet away. - There's only one main way from the door to the floor, and the crowd can get to shoving when it's bad. - There is a step on the main level at the back behind the soundboard that I stood on, and I was bummed to have peoples' drinks or hands touch my head every once in a while. Overall, I like the venue, and I enjoyed the show. I'm excited to see the progress made in fine tweaking it into a competitive venue in Saint Paul. read more

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This new venue in St. Paul Minnesota is a gem! She is located on a quiet street with easy entrance, security is light, views are incredible and there isn't a bad seat in the house. For the particular show I went to, everything was GA except for the louge section. The main floor was standing room only which is great wide open space then an elevated bar area above main dance floor and then beautiful stadium seating upstairs. They put a lot of effort into the flow of the place, its super easy to get a drink, bathrooms are accessible and clean, the sound is fantastic and fun place to see a show. Well done St. Paul! read more