Palace Is Once Again a Happenin’ Place

The floor is filled with disco dancers. The atmosphere is hot, loud and electrifying. In the smoky-blue, throbbing haze, sliced with knives of colored light and dappled with gold reflected from the revolving mirrored ball overhead, nubile young Madonnas bump and grind away with equally agile, yuppie-type men. Lounging at the bar, you might spot a couple of Prince look-alikes, just looking for fun. Swank older members of the jet set come too, to watch the dancers, tap their feet and jingle their gold chains.

I mean, this is a happenin’ place--to the max, man.

Owner Denis Lidtke is proud of his Palace. The debonair Hollywood businessman purchased the La-La Land landmark in 1978 when the building, formerly the Hollywood Playhouse--during whose long and glorious heyday hosted the likes of Lawrence Welk, Jerry Lewis, Fanny Brice, Milton Berle and Jimmy Durante--had fallen into disuse and was slated for demolition. Making the old building into a major nightclub was a labor of love.

After years of careful planning, redesigning and renovation--and about $8 million--the 60-year-old building was reopened in October, 1982. Today, the Palace is one of the hottest spots in town, for dancing, concert-going and just plain hanging out, literally and figuratively.

The Palace boasts an enormous central stage, replete with laser show, giant video monitors and huge dance floor; four bars, two restaurants and an opulent downstairs women’s room voted “best bathroom in the country” by the L.A. Weekly. A quiet jazz piano bar and two large lounge areas, upstairs and down, provide places where one can sit and watch the seemingly endless stream of trendy members of the opposite sex--which is what a lot of people do.

Legendary Performers

Lidtke, formerly a successful graphics designer with the record industry, put together his own booking agency, stage and light crews. The acts at the Palace are already legendary: Ry Cooder, Tina Turner, Laurie Anderson, Greg Allman, the Blasters and James Brown--to name a few. And after the shows, there is dancing for those who wish to stay late.

Security at the Palace is surprisingly low-key: no neckless thugs waddling around making people nervous. Average-looking black-belts in chic mufti with headsets wander the neoclassical corridors discreetly, keeping an eye on goings-on. This is no easy task, considering that the Palace is visited by about 20,000 guests a week.

Yes, the Palace is a class act, at least by Hollywood standards. The interior decor is kitsch ‘n’ glitzy New Wave. The house menu is sumptuous, featuring things like strips of filet mignon with delicious sauces. The music loud and positively up-to-date.

There is a cover charge, and drinks are a little on the dear side ($3.25 for a beer; $2.75 for a glass of wine), but for people who really like to dance the contemporary disco scene or hear their favorite musicians perform in a relatively intimate and very comfortable house, it’s just the place.

While often closed Mondays and some weekday afternoons for private parties, the Palace has an ongoing concert schedule most Wednesday and Thursday nights. Fridays and Saturdays are dance nights--and you’d better believe they go all out for that.

The Palace, 1735 N. Vine St., Hollywood. Open 7:30 p.m.-3 or 4 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Weekday hours vary. Information: (213) 462-7362 or (213) 462-6031.