The concert ticket says doors open at 8 p.m. You get to the Palladium Ballroom a little late, pay to park your car in the lot and walk to the entrance – just in time for the opening act, you assume. A paper sign at the box office bears bad news: Doors now open at 9, and the band you're there to see doesn't start until after 10. No wonder there were so many people sitting in parked cars in the lot, scrolling on their iPods or texting away on their phones. Now what?

FILE 2005/Staff photo

Absinthe Lounge offers a full bar of beer, wine and liquor, as well as free Wi-Fi.

Lucky for you, this neighborhood has plenty of ways to kill some time, whether your final destination is the Palladium Ballroom, Gilley's Dallas or Poor David's Pub. And you won't even have to pay to park a second time. Just proceed toward the large building with a neon sign reading South Side on Lamar.

Once the home of the Sears catalog and distribution center, this massive warehouse was converted into lofts years ago. A handful of businesses moved in, too, and they're open to the public as well as to South Side's residents. To enter these restaurants and clubs, head to Belleview Street, an alleylike side street at the north end of the building. Though the venues are technically in the basement, there are street-level signs that direct you to the correct doors.

Want a fancy coffee drink and free Wi-Fi? Check out Opening Bell Coffee. In addition to all the standard coffee and tea drinks, this cozy coffeehouse also has a small beer and wine selection, pastries and a few sandwiches and soups. The atmosphere is as impressive as the menu. There are also live music or spoken-word performances almost every night of the week.

If a chilled-out coffeehouse vibe is too calm for your night on the town, try Absinthe Lounge. This "bohemian salon" has a full bar of beer, wine and liquor, including, yes, absinthe (though the version served here doesn't contain the wormwood that earned the liqueur its infamous reputation). There's free Wi-Fi but no televisions. Most nights feature entertainment, including live jazz, hip-hop DJs and poker games.

Texas Caribbean Foods also has live entertainment. On Thursday and Friday nights, DJ Urban Mellow spins reggae. The DJ returns on Saturday to spin more reggae, along with neo-soul and hip-hop, during the restaurant's open-mike spoken-word performances. Go early to try the Caribbean cuisine, such as jerk chicken wings and Jamaican beef patties. The restaurant is BYOB, so plan ahead if you want to drink.

Across Lamar Street from South Side is Amuse, a restaurant that specializes in playful dishes such as peanut butter and jelly lollipops, s'more fondue and gourmet funnel cakes. The menu also includes hummus, salmon, gnocchi, burgers and salads. There are also a creative cocktail menu and a patio for dining and drinking. The fanciest option in this area, Amuse offers several dishes in the $15-to-$20 range. But if you're short on time and cash, just have a drink and a dessert.

Staying at the Palladium complex is also an option. Besides hosting concerts in its ballroom and a smaller venue upstairs called the Loft, the Palladium now has a restaurant. Located downstairs to the left of the front doors, the Studio Bar and Grill is in the space that once was Nellies, a sports bar that was partly owned by former Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson. The Studio keeps some of that sports bar vibe. There are about a dozen flat-screen televisions in the room. But during a recent lunch, they were tuned to CNN and VH1 Classic instead of sports channels. Concert photos and music-inspired art have replaced the jerseys and sports memorabilia.

Don't expect to find peanut butter and jelly lollipops on the Studio's menu. The two-page menu stays within the bar food genre with offerings such as cheese fries, burgers and chicken strips. The food's better than the canned-cheese nachos you'd find at most concert venues, and the portions are huge and the prices are low, especially considering the location. At lunch, two of us spent less than $25 for two drinks, an appetizer and two entrees. With half the food left over, we should have just ordered two appetizers or split a starter and one entree. There are also a full bar and free Wi-Fi to help pass the time.

Rock 'n' roll may run on its own schedule, but with so many options nearby, you don't have to sit in the parking lot waiting for rock o'clock.ANGELS & AIRWAVES, MEG & DIA, THE COLOR FRED Feb. 1 at 7 in the ballroom. $25 advance, $27 day of show. Ticketmaster.

BAND OF HORSES Feb. 2 in the ballroom. Doors at 7:30. $17. Ticketmaster.

FROM THE JAM, HUGH CORNWELL Feb. 15 in the ballroom. Doors at 7:30. $25. Ticketmaster.

QUEENSR{Yuml}CHE Feb. 16 in the ballroom. Doors at 7. $45 advance, $47.50 day of show. Ticketmaster.

BLACK LIPS, QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT Feb. 24 in the loft. Doors at 8:30. $15. Ticketmaster.

JUSTICE, DIPLO, DJ MEHDI and others March 4 in the ballroom. Doors at 7:30. $22 advance, $25 day of show. Ticketmaster.

THE CRIBS March 12 in the loft. Doors at 8:30. $12. Ticketmaster.

CARIBOU March 28 in the loft. Doors at 8:30. $10. Ticketmaster.

MINISTRY, MESHUGGAH April 17 in the ballroom. Doors at 7. $40. Ticketmaster.

JOE JACKSON April 29 at 8 in the ballroom. Doors at 7. On sale today at 10. $45. Ticketmaster.

Pulling it all together

PALLADIUM BALLROOM AND ITS LOFT 1135 S. Lamar St. www.thepalladiumballroom.com. www.theloftdallas.com.

STUDIO BAR & GRILL 1135 S. Lamar St. 214-928-9844. Open during all concerts at Palladium and the Loft, as well as Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight, Mondays through Thursdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fridays 11 a.m. to midnight, Saturdays 2 p.m. to midnight. www.studiobaronlamar.com.

AMUSE 1326 S. Lamar St. 214-428-7300. Hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m., Fridays 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 11 p.m., Saturdays 5 to 11 p.m. www.amusedallas.com.

SOUTH SIDE ON LAMAR All the venues below are in the building at 1409 S. Lamar St. (at Belleview Street).

• Opening Bell Coffee: 214-565-0383. Hours: Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays 7 a.m. to midnight, Saturdays 9 a.m. to midnight. www.openingbellcoffee.com.

• Absinthe Lounge: 214-941-9338. Hours: Mondays through Fridays from

4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. www.absinthelounge.net.

• Texas Caribbean Foods: 214-485-7040. Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays noon to 11 p.m., Sundays noon to 6 p.m. www.texascaribbeanfoods.net.