Between Two Palms

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...

Derek’s back from Portugal and immediately gets pulled into one of the most misunderstood topics in the live music industry: radius clauses and how they impact concert venues, ticket sales, touring bands, and independent promoters. What starts as a travel recap from Portugal quickly turns into an inside look at the real business of live music, including Ticketmaster and Live Nation’s monopoly prob...

On this episode of Between 2 Palms, Derek and Mikey get into the real reasons venue policies exist at The Boardwalk, from moshing and crowd safety to minors at all-ages shows, weed rules, alcohol laws, and the headaches that come with running a live room in the real world. Derek also talks about the hate mail, the balancing act between letting people have fun and keeping the venue open, and why so...

Derek and Mikey go live from The Boardwalk stage in Orangevale to drop huge news: Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters are kicking off their tour in an intimate, 200‑person room right here in the Sacramento area. They break down how the deal came together, the risk of spending tens of thousands on a major act, why this show will feel more like a private party than an arena nosebleed, and how the...

Inside the Ticketmaster Monopoly On this episode of Between 2 Palms, Derek and Mikey pull the curtain back on Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and how their “partnership” turned into an illegal monopoly that’s choking out independent venues across the country. From ghost companies scalping their own tickets to 200-mile radius clauses that block bands from playing rooms like the Boardwalk, Derek explains...

What makes more money... all ages shows or 21+ nights? The answer isn’t what you think. In this episode of Between 2 Palms , Derek and Mikey pull back the curtain on how small venues actually survive. From bar sales vs ticket sales to why some Saturdays go 21+ and others don’t, they break down the real math behind concert programming. They also get into: • A national touring artist throwing a back...

Everyone says “support local music.” Very few people understand what that actually means. In this episode of Between 2 Palms , Derek Clark and Mikey pull the curtain back on the realities of running a live music venue and building a sustainable local scene. They talk openly about Free Fridays, booking decisions, why pay-to-play hurts everyone, and what bands need to do if they want more than a 20-...

Booking shows isn’t just answering emails and filling dates and in this episode of Between 2 Palms , Derek breaks down exactly why. From the real cost of opening the doors, to why “pay-to-play” is usually a misunderstanding, to what venues actually need from bands in 2026, this episode pulls back the curtain on live music booking. Derek and Mikey talk partnerships, marketing responsibility, oversa...

End-of-year reflections, real talk, and hard lessons from behind the curtain. In this episode of Between 2 Palms , Derek Clark and Mikey Muscatello close out 2025 with an honest, wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to run an independent live music venue without losing your mind, your money, or your values. Derek breaks down lessons learned from a year of wins, losses, sold-out s...

In this episode of Between 2 Palms , Derek Clark and Mikey Muscatello deliver a full, transparent breakdown of what’s happening at The Boardwalk , one of Sacramento’s longest-running independent music venues. Derek addresses online complaints directly, from ticket pricing and bar costs to band quality and the lingering stigma of the old Boardwalk, and explains the real economics behind running a m...

This week, Derek and Mikey break down one of the most important parts of venue life: the bad nights. From promoter misfires and accountability issues to bands melting down on stage, they dig into what really causes a show to flop and how all sides can avoid disaster. Derek shares behind-the-scenes stories about tough nights, surprise sellouts, national acts coming through, and the mindset it takes...

Derek and Mikey break down what really sets The Boardwalk apart for local bands — from how to get booked to what artists actually receive when they play here. They walk through everything from building a proper EPK and using social media wisely to the marketing support, professional sound, and full multi-camera recording setup that make The Boardwalk a rare kind of venue. If you’re a local musicia...

Live from The Boardwalk Stage — Derek and Mikey pull back the curtain on what it really takes to run an independent music venue. From financial risks and booking headaches to artist expectations and passion-driven purpose, this episode dives deep into what keeps the lights on and the amps loud at one of Sacramento’s most iconic stages. Derek opens up about the realities of concert economics, why T...

Live from The Boardwalk Stage, Derek Clark and Mikey Muscatello sit between two palms and dive deep into what it really takes to run a legendary local venue. Derek opens up about battling COVID, his incredible staff who kept the ship afloat, and how passion—not profit—keeps The Boardwalk alive. They get brutally honest about ticket fatigue, lazy marketing, and the harsh economics of live music—bre...

Live from The Boardwalk Stage! Derek and Mikey dive deep into the state of live music. This week, Derek admits something you rarely hear from a venue owner: “I was wrong.” From rising costs and ticket scams to corporate monopolies squeezing out small venues, this episode pulls back the curtain on what’s really happening in the independent concert world. Derek shares eye-opening stats from the Nati...

A local band blasted The Boardwalk online for “not paying,” but the truth wasn’t what they thought. In this episode of Between Two Palms , Derek and Mikey lay out exactly what went down, why promoters and communication matter, and why posting your frustrations on social media only hurts your band. We dig into how ticket sales really work, the difference between pay-to-play and partnerships, and ho...

This audio-only episode of Between Two Palms with Derek & Mikey dives into what really sets The Boardwalk apart in Sacramento’s music scene. It’s not just a stage—it’s food, service, seating, and a vibe you don’t get anywhere else. Derek and Mikey talk about why rock and metal thrive here, how the venue fights the “old dive bar” stigma, and the vision to make every night feel like more than ju...

In this raw and real episode of Between Two Palms , Derek and Mikey dive deep into what it really takes to run and rebuild a legendary venue like The Boardwalk . From post-COVID struggles and the chokehold of Live Nation, to online trolls, bad Yelp reviews, and the constant grind of staying independent, nothing’s off the table. They set the record straight on everything from “there’s no AC” compla...

In this episode of Between 2 Palms , Derek Clark sits down with producer and host Mikey Muscatello to uncover decades of stories behind The Boardwalk. From its origins as a country-western bar to becoming the hard rock hub of Northern California. Highlights include: How The Boardwalk went from “Williams Place” in 1955 to today’s multi-genre performance venue. Legendary acts that cut their teeth he...

Welcome to the very first episode of Live from the Boardwalk Stage: Between Two Palms with Derek Clark , a backstage pass to one of Sacramento’s most iconic music venues. In this premiere, Derek opens up about why he bought The Boardwalk, the power of live music, and the mission that drives it all. You’ll hear the venue’s history (8,500+ shows and counting), how The Boardwalk gives back through th...