Filling the space for music lovers

RIGA - Stockholm Circus, Rockefeller Oslo, Tallinn Rock Cafe - those are just a few important stepping stones for middle-sized music gigs in the Baltics and Scandinavia. Here in Riga, we have waited for a while for our chance to fit into this boutique musical voyage. Palladium Riga will now operate different musical shows with James Blunt as a pioneer opening season in autumn 2011. It will be his second visit to Riga, following his show in 2009.

The history of Palladium started back in 1913, when a movie theater, instead of the apartment building, was established, and hosted its events until the early 1990s. A big night club was also planned there, but, unfortunately, things had stopped to run by that time.

Girts Majors, one of the idea’s inventors and the Positivus Festival director, explains that the historical interior was kept as much as possible due to current working processes. The other value of Palladium is its round shape; therefore it offers a unique atmosphere in terms of Riga club life.

“We are happy to say that the first show at the Palladium is supported by James Blunt, although the conception and meaning of this place is to curate medium-sized young bands,” explains Majors. He also says that Riga does not have many possibilities to surprise fans with an unusual shape of a concert hall, but here, in the Palladium, a couple of balcony rows will be also available.

“The last, but not least, news features Anna Calvi as Palladium visitor on October 15, soon after her show in the Stockholm club Debaser Slussen,” says Liga Andzane, Positivus PR manager. She is quite an extraordinary singer in the UK. Despite her fragile look, Calvi manages to express herself through a dark and even gothic voice. Just after the release of her debut album, she was heard on BBC Sound of 2011 and has worked with such artists as Nick Cave and Brian Eno during the CD’s release.

The Palladium is considered to be a new stopping point in the Baltic countries. Tallinn Rock Cafe has shown their first results even sooner, by hosting such artists as White Lies, Crystal Castles and Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, who will perform there in August. Helen Sildna, the manager of Tallinn Music Week, says that being a part of the international network is always good and important. She also notes that it is important to have an overview of the European music scene; that means careful work for media and promoters. This also includes best offers for future artists in terms of their fees and, most important, provides a full understanding of Riga as the same music-friendly city as any other point of their tour schedules.