Paramount Music Palace The Charleston

From the late 1970s to early 1990s, a restaurant on Indy's east sided thrilled audiences of several generations with a unique approach of family entertainment. Families, dates, school and church groups alike would stand in line for hours to be seated in a huge room, dine on delicious pizza, and then out of nowhere, majestic music would boom and from a platform, an organist would appear behind what was known as The Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ. New comers, and regulars alike would be in awe of the massive sound, and how not only the organist (either Donna Parker, Ken Double or Bill Valask) would perform wonderful melodies, but, also played the percussion and other sundry sound effects that were NOT populated by a computer or any thing electronic. It was done by the basic flip of a switch and sending a current to the selected instrument. I hope you enjoy this piece of Indy history

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Paramount
• Music
• Palace
• Charleston
• dance
• pipe
• organ
• donna
• parker
• Bill Valask
• Indianapolis
• Indiana
• pizza

[fluteplayerIN]

Anyone know where the organ is now?

[JonasClark]

There were two Music Palaces: Cardinal in Fort Wayne and Paramount in Indy; the former with a 4manual 40rank in a bizarre metallic blue and gold, the latter with a 4/42 Modernistic aka "Waterfall" console shown here. That - this - organ ended up at Roaring 20s Pizza & Pipes in Florida. Having recently closed, there's no telling where it'll go... It was originally a 20-rank organ in Oakland, CA's Paramount Theatre. A large pizza & pipes type spot is still going in Mesa, AZ called Organ Stop.

[craiges2002]

Incredible! Wish I could have had the chance to experience it!