The Palace Theater in Albany, NY

I couldn't believe what I'd been missing. In all the years I've lived here, I had never been to The Palace Theater [19 Clinton Ave @ North Pearl]. That is clearly my loss. The Palace has been refurbished and the work shows ... it is an absolutely stunning venue. Besides the ornate decor, the sight lines are incredible. Best I could tell, every seat in the house was a great one.

In the 60's and 70's, all the major acts played at The Palace. With around 2,500 seats, it was the largest performance theatre in the area. Now it seems most musical acts play arenas with capacity for 20,000 people or more. That increases the chance you'll get a seat, and the act's bottom line, but the intimacy provided by a smaller place is lost.

There's a happening night life scene within walking distance of the theater. Lots of restaurants and bars located adjacent to one another, encouraging folks to hop from one place to the next with live music in several of them. The area reminded me of the West End in Dallas and Sixth Street in Austin. Weather permitting, there is additional seating and standing space on the sidewalks so patrons can mix and mingle. On a Friday night before a show at the Palace things can be quite busy. The crowd appeared to be mostly 30 to 50 year old professionals. If this sounds at all appealing, it is definitely worth checking out!