Iconic Boardwalk music venue rides again with sold out opening night

The neon sign is shining bright once again in Orangevale as The Boardwalk has risen back to life. After what looked to be a permanent closure back in January, the iconic venue to the Sacramento County music scene reopened Friday night to a sold-out crowd. The revival comes thanks to the new energetic owners of the legendary music venue, who are no strangers to the local community. Derek Clark and Sara Green, who also own the local Palm Brewing Company, are the masterminds behind the comeback that music fans and bands alike have been waiting for."I've always wanted to have some type of venue. I love my brewing company and what we do with it but I just wanted to be able to expand on that and have some type of venue," said Clark, who opened Palm Tree Brewing in 2018, which will continue to operate separately at its location further down the road on Hazel Avenue. "This was one of those once-in-a-lifetime deals. The Boardwalk has had such a large footprint since 1987 and is an important part of the Sacramento community." After a 35-year run that included a series of temporary closures surrounding statewide health restrictions in 2020 and 2021, the Boardwalk made its emotional announcement that it was throwing in the towel for good in January and the lights went dark at 9426 Greenback Lane.The iconic local club was known for helping shape the Sacramento county music scene in the 1980s and 1990s. It wasn't uncommon on Friday and Saturday nights for patrons to be lined up several hundred feet waiting for the doors to open. More than three decades ago, Mark Earl purchased the famed music venue and was known for transforming what was labeled as a failing bar into one of the region's most well-known music venues. Many top names have made appearances on the Boardwalk stage, including Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Tommy Lee and Maroon 5. That success continued through the years up until Earl lost a hard-fought battle with cancer in November 2020. Following his passing, his wife, Sandy Silk-Earl, sought to find a buyer for the facility that would keep it a music venue. She also moved forward in an effort to keep the music alive herself, along with the dedicated staff that has helped the business continue through the years, until that perfect buyer came along. Battling cancer herself, Silk-Earl's attempt was faced with many challenges. At the top of the list was the pandemic, followed by dwindling crowds and the financial hardships that followed, forcing her to call it quits on what was truly a labor of love. Silk-Earl originally met her late husband at the venue. She knew how much he loved music and the Sacramento music scene. After making the tough decision to call it quits, Silk-Earl had noted that she hoped to eventually find someone who would buy it and keep it a music venue, just as Mark would have wanted. Now, that wish has come true as the Boardwalk reopens with many new amenities, along with many of the traditions it's long known for. "We are keeping it original. We are going to carry on the legacy of The Boardwalk," said Clark. "The Boardwalk is back to what it was with a little Palm Tree Brewing flair to the front of the house."One change is the venue is open as a restaurant seven days a week as "Palm Tree at the Boardwalk. They serve Polynesian and American food as well as a variety of unique spirits. On Thursday nights, they offer "Front the Band Karaoke," which is much like traditional karaoke, only participants perform on stage with a full band that knows a large catalog of popular songs. The cost to participate is $5, which funds the band for their time. Friday and Saturday nights will be designated for full lineups for live music.For information on upcoming bands or to learn how to get booked as a band, The Boardwalk's website is the go-to resource at www.rocktheboardwalk.com.