Live from The Boardwalk Stage with Derek Clark and Mikey Muscatello is your all-access pass to Sacramento’s legendary music venue. Recorded at the venue, we dig into The Boardwalk’s wild history, and pull back the curtain on what it takes to keep an independent venue alive in today’s music industry.
📅 New episodes twice a month.
Knowing everything we know now, would we still buy The Boardwalk?
That's the question that sends this conversation in a lot of directions.
Derek talks openly about the mistakes he made rebuilding The Boardwalk, what he would have done differently, how difficult it is to preserve the history of a venue while still running a business that can survive today, and why the answer is somehow still yes.
We also get into one of the biggest disconnects between bands and venues: draw.
Putting your band's name on a flyer doesn't automatically put people in the room. Selling tickets, creating demand, promoting shows and giving people a reason to care are all part of building something.
Then there's the other side of it.
Tribute bands. Rising costs. Online criticism. People wanting The Boardwalk to operate exactly the way it did decades ago. The pressure to keep ticket prices reasonable while paying staff, production, insurance, artists and everything else nobody sees when they walk through the door.
Most importantly, we talk about why any of this is still worth doing.
Because live music matters.
Small stages matter.
And The Boardwalk is still here.
Tickets, upcoming shows and more:
rocktheboardwalk.com
Booking / inquiries:
Booking@rocktheboardwalk.com (mailto:info@rocktheboardwalk.com)
16 Sept 2026
A New Era for The Boardwalk | Ep 21
The Boardwalk Podcast is back and plenty changed while we were gone.
Derek and Mikey break down the work that went into transforming The Boardwalk’s outdoor patio, the return of Thursday-night karaoke, the shows that exceeded expectations, and the mistakes that taught the team what needs to happen next.
They also address the brutally hot Lynch Mob show, explain why some concert bookings simply don’t make financial sense, and have an honest conversation about why artists must help promote their own shows. Plus, Derek shares what finally feels different after three years of owning one of the Sacramento area’s most historic live music venues.
It’s an honest look at the progress, growing pains, questionable decisions and future of The Boardwalk in Orangevale.
See upcoming shows and get tickets at RockTheBoardwalk.com.
10 Jun 2026
The Boardwalk Summer Rebrand
This episode closes out Season One of Between Two Palms with Derek and Mikey reflecting on the first year of the show and the current state of The Boardwalk.
The conversation starts with the closing of iconic local and music venues, then shifts into what it takes to keep a place like The Boardwalk alive. Derek talks openly about the financial pressure, the learning curve, music licensing, and the challenge of booking shows in a tough economy.
Mikey pushes the idea that The Boardwalk needs to become more than just a place where people check who is playing. The goal is to create a consistent experience where people know they can show up Thursday through Sunday and have a great time, whether it is rock, country, metal, line dancing, acoustic music, or a bigger national act.
The episode also highlights Freedom Weekend, the upcoming patio improvements, the need for vendor partnerships and sponsored nights, and the long-term vision of making The Boardwalk cool again.
Season One ends with a possible summer break and a clear direction for Season Two: growth, focus, and rebuilding The Boardwalk one smart move at a time.
Get tickets to a show or play a show go to RockTheBoardwalk.com
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
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