Show Palace
The Show Palace was a live rock music venue located at 9005 W Highway 98 near Blue Angel Parkway. It was owned by Fred "Sport" Suttles, and first managed by Ken Bookout, then by Mary Ham. In the 1970s the location was dba The Brass Rail, and since June 3, 1980, a country music venue known as the Corral Lounge, it opened in the spring of 1985 with the intentions to "save rock and roll in Pensacola". After the recent closings of Franco's Lounge, Franco's All-Nite Affair, and Jere's Rock and Roll Showcase, there were no large capacity (more than 150 guests), free standing, live entertainment rock clubs in town. It's staff was made up of mostly former employees of the aforementioned establishments.
Several of the more well-known names that performed there were Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Byrds Tribute (with original drummer Michael Clarke, but without Roger McGuinn, et al), Nantucket, Jimmy Hall, Jason Bonham, Zebra, and 'Star Search' finalists Jailbait. Local heavy metal band Iscariot (formerly known as Slasher), touring band PG-13 and then-current radio artists Phantom, Rocker and Slick also performed there.
After a little more than a year in business, the Show Palace closed in the summer of 1986.