The Palladium Niteclub facts for kids

The Palladium Niteclub was a popular nightclub in Christchurch, New Zealand. It opened in 1986 and was named after the famous Palladium in New York City.

The Palladium was special because it was the first nightclub in Christchurch to have a full laser light show. It was also the biggest club in the city, able to hold about 800 people. Because it was so large, many international music acts visited the Palladium. For example, the band Simple Minds spent an evening there after their show in Christchurch in 1986.

The Palladium's Story

The Palladium had a special sound system designed just for it. This system worked well for the entire time the club was open. Unlike many other clubs, the Palladium was open seven nights a week. It was a very busy place for music and dancing.

Music and DJs

The first main DJs at the Palladium were Shane Darren and Dwight Caldwell. They played music from 1986 to 1989. The first band to play there regularly was Big Game Hunters. They performed four nights a week until 1989.

The Palladium was a place where many of Christchurch's best bands and DJs performed. Bands would play short 30-minute sets of popular dance music. Then, a resident DJ would play a mix of electronic dance music, like house music, and popular songs from the charts. The type of music played at the Palladium changed over time to keep up with what people wanted to hear. For example, in 1992, DJ Adam Ward often played popular Hip Hop songs.

The DJs at the club used special equipment to play music. They used Technics 1200 turntables for many years. In the mid-1990s, they also started using early Pioneer CDJ 500 CD players.

Changes and Closing

Around 1996, the way nightclubs operated started to change. The Palladium decided to stop having a regular band, Shaka Groove. Instead, they focused only on their resident DJs, Rob Munro and Brent Silby. This change made the club even more popular for a while.

Later, in 1997, the club got new management. This led to new DJs taking over. In February 2000, the Palladium changed its name to Illusions for a short time. However, it eventually closed down.

The Palladium Niteclub was located on Chancery Lane, which is a small street near Cathedral Square in the city center. After the big 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the entire area where the club stood was taken down. This made space for a new Convention Centre Precinct.

People Who Made the Palladium Special

Many talented people worked at the Palladium. Here are some of the main DJs and lighting technicians who helped make the club famous.

Resident DJs

• Shane Darren (1986–1989)
• Dwight Cardwell (1986–1991)
• Brent Watson (1985–1989)
• Ian Avery aka Birdman (1990–1992)
• Glen Edmondson (1991–1992)
• Andy Green (1992)
• Adam Ward Dj-A (1992–1994)
• Carl aka Beefy C (1994–1995)
• Greg Campbell (1995–1996)
• Rob Munro aka theRobsta (1995 – September 1997)
• Brent Silby aka Maestro B (1995 – September 1997)
• Dale (September 1997 – February 2000 Palladium, February 2000 – April 2001 Illusions)

Resident Lighting Technicians

• Brent Watson (1985–1989)
• Jason Akehurst (1994-1997)

Resident Bands

• Big Game Hunters (1986–1988)
  • Band members: Tracey Birnie (Vocals), Steve Ward (Drums) Craig Becconsall (Bass) David Rudder (Guitar) Ken Wells (keys), Phil Allen (Keys) Nick Buchanan (Drums).
• Metro (1988)
• The Pop Mechanix (1988)
• Big Trouble (1988–1989)
  • Band members: Peter "Rooda" Warren, Paul "Ace" Mason, and Paul Scott
• Big Sky (1989–1990)
• Fahrenheit (1990–1991)
• Tango Palace (1991–1992)
• Divine Thing (1992–1994)
  • Band members: Greg Sneddon (vocals), Greg Mannering (bass, vocals), Steve Andrews (guitar), Tom Berteis (drums)
• Juicy Jam (1994)
  • Band members: Tracey Birnie (Vocals), Leslie Birnie (Vocals), Brother H (Vocals)
• Shaka Groove (1995–1997)
  • Band members: Pearl Runga (Vocals), Brother H (Vocals),Trudi Wilson (Vocals), Chris Muangututia (Vocals), Andrew McMillan (Keyboards/Programming)