Veronica Swift live — Veronica Swift is joined on stage with her all-Star trio at the Side Door at the Palladium Theater

What a fantastic show last night at the Palladium Side Door in St. Pete with Veronica Swift. It was one of those rare nights when everything comes together—the intimacy of the room, the precision of her vocals, the chemistry of her trio, and a thrilling mix of what she calls “transgenre” music: a fearless style that fuses jazz, rock, cabaret, and more.

Swift has an incredibly versatile voice. The award-winning vocalist can move effortlessly from jazz to rock to operatic passages, sometimes within the same song. She captivates with her scatting, creating an energy in the room that feels like it comes from an old soul.

Throughout the show, she shared pieces of her life story—growing up in a showbiz family, studying at the University of Miami, and launching a jazz career focused on the American Songbook. That path took her around the world, but she eventually realized something was missing. Since then, she met her partner, drummer Brian Viglione, and embraced her “freak flag,” giving herself permission to weave different musical genres together into a style she can truly call her own.

Her stage presence and genre-bending approach constantly surprise. She opens with classic jazz standards before shifting gears into folk territory with Simon & Garfunkel’s America. The most mind-bending moment of the night is a mashup of Led Zeppelin's Going to California with Herbie Hancock's quintessential modal jazz piece Maiden Voyage. It’s an unexpected fusion that blends Hancock’s syncopated modal rhythms with Swift’s personal story of finding a new home in the Golden State.

Each member of her trio is a master in his own right. Pianist Mathis Picard, a French-Malagasy pianist, composer, producer, and bandleader, brings dazzling technique and creativity. Drummer Brian Viglione, best known for his work with The Dresden Dolls and Violent Femmes, proves just as comfortable navigating the jazz world. Bassist and composer Ben Tiberio has long been a staple of the New York jazz scene and provides the group’s deep musical backbone.

Swift’s newest album, Home, was released in 2024. If you get the opportunity to see her live or pick up her music, do it—you won’t regret it.

Thanks for the unforgettable night, Veronica and Side Door.

Veronica Swift’s Jazzy, Genre Bending Show is a Smash!

Loud, Lit, and Unapologetically Ybor: The Sant’ Yago Knight Parade