Live Music

Henfling’s to Reopen in Ben Lomond – A Neighborhood Hub Embraced

Julie Horner 4 Comments

New owners, Erin Maye Zimmer and Josh Miller invite you to the new Henflings of Ben Lomond

The local scoop from Josh – word on the street with Julie Horner
We’re working through the final stages of the liquor license with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and making sure our neighbors are comfortable. It’s our goal to distinguish ourselves from previous owners and really run it with some integrity and make sure that it serves the community. We feel it’s a really important hub for Ben Lomond. This is where everybody comes together and supports each other. It’s the life of the town, and one of the big reasons why we love Ben Lomond as much as we do. To have it dead…it’s eerie. Everyone’s kind of on edge. “When are you going to open?”
We’re definitely anxious to give that date but we also need to tread lightly. It’s not set by us, it’s set by the ABC and the State. We’ve done all the health inspections – we haven’t gotten the final word – and we’re waiting for some new equipment to finalize behind the bar – but we want to make sure we have everything dialed in for the inspector. There were a couple of things he wanted to see get done, but he was very excited with what he saw so far.
It’s good to see things get a little TLC. And little by little it’s coming along.
It’s still Henflings – we did not want to take that away. We’ve repaired or replaced everything but the kitchen sink. Everything has gotten a thorough scrub-down. More than one. It was playing 99 layers of filth on the wall – we were takin’ em down and passing ‘em around – I tell ya, it was nasty. We have all new equipment behind the bar: Ice machine, dishwasher, commercial freezer. We’re actually waiting on another new sink. We’re re-doing all the lines, got all new taps coming in. We’ll still have the eight beers on tap that we had before, but we’ll also have IPA and ciders – Erin’s more knowledgeable about what’s popular at the moment.
We’re likely going to do a soft opening to get all the kinks worked out. We have a new point of sale system, and we’ll want to make sure everything’s functional there. We’ve got employees coming back and some who are new.
The kitchen has all new equipment. It will surpass the old taco stand reputation in a big way. If anyone asks, I’m a chemist…I’m just pitching in. Everything that doesn’t have to be done by a contractor, we’ve done by hand. The floors are all new. We’re waiting for new lighting, especially around the bar area and the stage. It’s all been dialed in by Mountain Service Company, making sure that the venue doesn’t bleed energy.
The bathrooms are nice and sturdy now, both men’s and women’s got a complete overhaul with doors that actually close and a sleek vintage appeal. The fire department did some work on the electrical – they had to replace breakers for safety reasons. The ceilings are scrubbed and stained, and we saved many of the dollar bills that were stuck up on the ceiling…we wanted to retain part of the history. The lucky few – the ones that popped – got their dollars photocopied into new framed art in the bathrooms. You can’t actually use the copies of the bucks to buy beer, but the art is a nod to the old days at Henflings.
We’ll have live music, mostly on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we’ll have big acts then. We’re trying to cut back on the during-the-week stuff to make it more inviting and less a burden on the local community. Barry Tanner is helping set the standard. We want people to feel invited when they’re coming here, and a lot of that has to do with the atmosphere and the environment and the respect people pay to the environment.
We are starting a brand new business. Erin has been behind the bar for years. I made up a 30-page business plan and the community stood up and said, “These are the right people.” Henflings is owned by the Ben Lomond fire station and we’re looking to remedy the lack of information about the history of Henflings. According to legend, the building was originally located up Love Creek and was relocated in 1949 to its current location in Ben Lomond. It’s a legendary venue with a storied past.
And we have amazing plans for the back deck area.
We’re hoping to open by the end of November, once the neighborhood and the County are satisfied. We’ve weatherproofed the windows and we’ll be dropping some sound-dampening curtains that go down after 10:00 pm. We’ll have a good solution for any local noise concerns. The marquis is being relocated out of the western window, and the liquor licence is pending – we’re just about ready. We’re using every hot second that we’ve got while we’re closed to make sure we do as much as we can to the place, because it’s not going to close again if we have anything to say about it.
Every day, every hour we have – we have a 4-year old – everything we’ve got is going into this place right now. This is the one chance we’ve got. We want to make a strong impression when this place opens.
Love Henfling’s again on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HenflingsBarNGrill

Copyright November 18, 2018, Julie Horner

More about Henfling’s of Ben Lomond

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Music has always been a part of the roadhouse culture, personifying the spirit of freedom and independence. Our very own Santa Cruz Mountains provide a glimpse into the classic roadhouse culture at Henflings Roadhouse Tavern in Ben Lomond. For many, Henflings epitomizes the history and tradition of Ben Lomond. In the 1950s Henflings Tavern moved from its original location on Love Creek Road to its current site off Highway 9 next to the Ben Lomond fire station. The name is the family name of the original owner. The land is still owned by the Henfling family, but the tavern is not run by them.
For more than six decades, locals and visitors alike have frequented this favorite watering hole. Henflings plays host to everyone from the Ghost Mountain Riders to the saltiest of locals, and is a historic notch on any band’s live music belt.
“For anyone who hasn’t experienced Henfling’s, it’s an unusual recipe in itself. Imagine a lively roadhouse setting, with a rough-hewn bar and rough-hewn bar patrons. Add a nice little seating/dance area and a perfectly presentable stage. Top this all off with an astounding mix of Americana music, legendary blues and slack-key guitar, jumping jazz and sweet acoustic ballads. Now stir in a spicy medley of top-line acts from all over the world. Not only is there not a bad seat in the house, there’s hardly a bad inch in the house. The unusual setting makes for musical events that are uniquely intimate.” – Ann Parker

Camp Krem – Camping Unlimited – Anticipates the Arrival of Summer Revelers with Fifth Annual Do-It-Ourselves Festival April 28-30, 2017

Julie Horner

By Julie Horner

As antidote to the dark and wet, rustic Jon Lucchese Center stands on a sandy plateau in full sun biding over a sweeping panorama of forest and blue sky. The air, soft and moistly fragrant with oak and bay, is gratefully languid after an eternity of torrential rain, mud, and cabin fever. It is peacefully still, the only sounds being the rush of nearby Peavine Creek and the roaring press of silence. Founded in 1957 by special needs educator, Alex Krem, Sr., Boulder Creek’s family run campground created especially for “giving exceptional people the opportunity to be themselves,” welcomes the coming of spring and “new worlds of discovery, adventure, and friendship.” Summer, says camp manager Christina Krem, “is rowdy” with campers of all ages eager to embark on outdoor educational experiences that will help them build lifelong relationships with nature.

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In addition to sprucing things up for the anticipated 500 or so adults and young people with disabilities who will revel on this mountaintop over the course of the spring and summer, the staff at Camp Krem is also about to do it up for Do-It-Ourselves, the fifth annual DIO Festival, a reliably sold-out weekend music experience which brings world-class up-and-coming talent to Boulder Creek for three days in late April. DIO Fest is one of the groups outside of regular summer camp programs who responsibly rent the facility; the intention is to present an intimate festival vibe while giving back to the community.

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The connection between Camp Krem and the DIO Fest goes back to when DIO Fest co-founder, Jon Labeaud and his wife, Andrea, worked as camp counselors. And in part because of that relationship, Christina says, the team that puts on DIO Fest has given back to the Camping Unlimited community by donating a portion of festival proceeds to the camp’s musicology program, with monies going directly to the salary of the on-staff music therapist. And the team of volunteers who set up and tear down lend their energy every year to improving existing infrastructure; Christina noted specifically the addition of a permanent roof on the amphitheater and new and reinforced structural stage elements inside Jon Lucchese Center. These are performance areas that campers use during the rest of the season for the talent show, a highlight of the camping experience, which helps develop a sense of individual self-worth, while being built-in fun.

Part of the ethic of giving back includes the opportunity for musicians, dancers, and artists of all kinds to volunteer their time at Camp Krem to help inspire and delight. Several musicians who have performed at DIO Fest have returned at later dates to share their music, Christina said, including Kendra McKinley, Big Bear, McCoy Tyler Band, and Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra. Local talent is very much invited to come share what they do best. Whether by volunteering time or by making a monetary gift, “donations are hugely appreciated.”

Come explore Camp Krem, meet the staff, and tour the facilities at their open house, Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | 102 Brook Lane, Boulder Creek | 831- 338 – 3210 | www.campingunlimited.org

Get tickets for the Do-It-Ourselves Festival: www.facebook.com/DoItOurselves/

Copyright 2017 Julie Horner

Camp Krem – Camping Unlimited – Anticipates the Arrival of Summer Revelers with Fifth Annual Do-It-Ourselves Festival April 28-30, 2017

Julie Horner

krem1

By Julie Horner

As antidote to the dark and wet, rustic Jon Lucchese Center stands on a sandy plateau in full sun biding over a sweeping panorama of forest and blue sky. The air, soft and moistly fragrant with oak and bay, is gratefully languid after an eternity of torrential rain, mud, and cabin fever. It is peacefully still, the only sounds being the rush of nearby Peavine Creek and the roaring press of silence. Founded in 1957 by special needs educator, Alex Krem, Sr., Boulder Creek’s family run campground created especially for “giving exceptional people the opportunity to be themselves,” welcomes the coming of spring and “new worlds of discovery, adventure, and friendship.” Summer, says camp manager Christina Krem, “is rowdy” with campers of all ages eager to embark on outdoor educational experiences that will help them build lifelong relationships with nature.

In addition to sprucing things up for the anticipated 500 or so adults and young people with disabilities who will revel on this mountaintop over the course of the spring and summer, the staff at Camp Krem is also about to do it up for Do-It-Ourselves, the fifth annual DIO Festival, a reliably sold-out weekend music experience which brings world-class up-and-coming talent to Boulder Creek for three days in late April. DIO Fest is one of the groups outside of regular summer camp programs who responsibly rent the facility; the intention is to present an intimate festival vibe while giving back to the community.

The connection between Camp Krem and the DIO Fest goes back to when DIO Fest co-founder, Jon Labeaud and his wife, Andrea, worked as camp counselors. And in part because of that relationship, Christina says, the team that puts on DIO Fest has given back to the Camping Unlimited community by donating a portion of festival proceeds to the camp’s musicology program, with monies going directly to the salary of the on-staff music therapist. And the team of volunteers who set up and tear down lend their energy every year to improving existing infrastructure; Christina noted specifically the addition of a permanent roof on the amphitheater and new and reinforced structural stage elements inside Jon Lucchese Center. These are performance areas that campers use during the rest of the season for the talent show, a highlight of the camping experience, which helps develop a sense of individual self-worth, while being built-in fun.

Part of the ethic of giving back includes the opportunity for musicians, dancers, and artists of all kinds to volunteer their time at Camp Krem to help inspire and delight. Several musicians who have performed at DIO Fest have returned at later dates to share their music, Christina said, including Kendra McKinley, Big Bear, McCoy Tyler Band, and Marty O’Reilly & the Old Soul Orchestra. Local talent is very much invited to come share what they do best. Whether by volunteering time or by making a monetary gift, “donations are hugely appreciated.”

Come explore Camp Krem, meet the staff, and tour the facilities at their open house, Saturday, May 13, 2017 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | 102 Brook Lane, Boulder Creek | 831- 338 – 3210 | http://www.campingunlimited.org

Fully Fledged – KBCZ 90.1 Boulder Creek Community Radio

Julie Horner
The only thing missing is the moose…
By Julie Horner
From the window overlooking the bustling intersection of this one-stop small mountain town, a constant stream of people and cars kaleidoscope past in a blur of sound and color. Afternoon sun brightens newly painted walls, the space clean, comfortably spare, and cozy yet with plenty of wiggle room to work the imagination. Sheltered within the KBCZ’s freshly functional broadcast digs, music mingles with the muted sounds of life at full speed.
For a moment it feels like “Chris in the Morning,” the fictional DJ from the make-believe Alaska radio station KBHR (“K-Bear”) from Northern Exposure, the TV series that aired in the early 90s. At some point that ubiquitous moose will wobble past the window.
KBCZ is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-commercial educational (NCE) live broadcast and cloud streaming radio station committed to serving the local community. Programming pulls from local expertise, boasting a team of 25 DJs producing original content that includes music, local history, art, agriculture, lifestyle, weather, emergency information, safety issues, community events, and the local economy. KBCZ is operated by the Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District, which holds the FCC license and pays music industry fees. The station is sustained financially through donations, fundraising, and local business underwriting.
Program Manager, Tina Davey, has been with the project since the beginning, about three years. Well known on the Central Coast as a professional voiceover artist, when the opportunity arose to help start a community radio station, she jumped on it. She went to the initial meetings when Tim Welch was spearheading the early effort and together with a growing team of local talent, has been instrumental in bringing the station “out of the closet” and fully fledged to the well-intentioned but underused Boulder Creek Visitor Center located in the Burl Business Center at 13200 Highway 9, Suite A, adjacent to Boulder Creek Pizza & Pub.
Initially the station shared space with the Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin above Jenna Sue’s. They eventually moved to a converted closet in the BC Rec building, all the while growing the station’s music archives, building the on-air team, and gaining support throughout the community with periodic fundraisers like Flicks in the Sticks (an outdoor family movie night held at Junction Park), themed dances, and outdoor festivals.
The station went online late in 2016 with their first regular live broadcast – the KBCZ Morning Show – at Barry Tanner’s Boulder Creek Music Works in the former post office building. Then the Visitor Center became available and in January, 2017, station devotees, Leslie and Matt Buchanan began remodeling the interior from the ground up, completely transforming the space into a fully functional DJ booth and reception area. Tina Davey said of their first officially dedicated public broadcasting space, “We were in the closet for over a year. We’re just thrilled to be here…like we’re in the Taj Mahal!”
Tina says KBCZ is actively looking for community members who would like to program their own shows. Prior DJ experience is always welcome but is not a prerequisite, and training on the computer-based broadcast program is provided. “We are also looking for grant writers and members to be on an advisory board; we already have two people from KSCO who are helping.”
The goal, Tina says, is to fill all the empty DJ slots with NCE content…cars, cooking, kids sports (they’re planning to approach student talent at SLVHS), and other ideas from community members. “The radio station is going to explode this year. We need people who want to be engineers, work the software, talk, and interview. We need more people – just everybody!”
As KBCZ gears up for their April 22 fundraiser – a 60s inspired time machine dance and silent auction at BC Rec’s newly acquired Bear Creek Country Club – Tina and her team are soaking in the excitement of the new broadcast space at the Visitor Center. “We’ve wanted this space for a long time…we finally got it. Now we’re going to be visible.”
Listener supported radio for the San Lorenzo Valley, local original programming at 90.1 FM and streaming online. http://kbcz.org/ | www.facebook.com/BCRadioNow
Copyright 2017 Julie Horner
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Get Out Productions Presents: Ike Reilly with the Coffis Brothers

Julie Horner
Live seated concert tonight at the I.O.O.F Boulder Creek. Tickets at the door or at Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ev…
Doors: 6:30 PM Show 7:30 PM 18+ $20.00

Live Music Local – Get Out Productions

By Julie Horner & Traci-lin Buntz
Standing under a dripping awning in front of Loch Dog Business Center in downtown Boulder Creek, I met up with Traci-lin Buntz, founder of Get Out Productions, to talk about how Boulder Creek has become a steaming hot hub for talent. Her new event production company, based in the Santa Cruz Mountains, will bring live music to Boulder Creek and all of San Lorenzo Valley. “I want to expand the range of opportunities for music fans in our area to see live music without having to make the drive to SF or even to Santa Cruz.”
“I was promoting shows under Blackbird Presents and working over the hill at Club Fox and the Kuumbwa in Santa Cruz, and even though these are beautiful venues, I want to spend the time and effort to bring music to my own community.” A recent success added fuel to the fire. “I organized the Homegrown at the Hayloft event at the newly renovated Odd Fellows Hall in Boulder Creek in May of 2016. With the support of the community and our local sponsors, the show sold out and was a success in raising money for a friend fighting cancer.”
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Ike Reilly

She has already started partnering with a variety of local entities to host more events in innovative venues throughout the valley. “Our first project is a series of live events called Music in the Mountains, which will kick off with a launch party/concert on February 22 at the I.O.O.F. I am excited to host our first official Get Out Productions event here and show off this beautiful historic building in the heart of our downtown.” Her goal is to have one concert per quarter in various venues in Boulder Creek. “The frequency and success of the events will depend on the support we receive from our community…if people buy tickets, the series will continue to grow.” She adds that she’s already received enthusiastic backing from Boulder Creek Business Association, Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District, Santa Cruz Mountain Bulletin, New Leaf Market, BC Pizza, and more.
With a background in theater and a passion for sharing her love of live music with others, Traci-lin’s vision for Get Out Productions aims to attract nationally touring artists on their way between LA and SF in addition to supporting home-grown music. “There’s so much local talent in our mountains.”
Get Out Productions presents Ike Reilly with The Coffis Brothers on Wednesday, February 22, 2017. On Facebook: www.facebook.com/getoutprods/
Copyright 2017 Julie Horner

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Tending Toward the Bluesy – Damdave and the Left-Hand Band

Julie Horner

By Julie Horner

Looking out from the “fishbowl” at the Boulder Creek Brewery Outpost, heads close together in comfortable familiarity in the late afternoon light, Dave Gillett and I sipped our “usual” and went to town reminiscing about spirited times in old haunts around the San Lorenzo Valley. Known affectionately as “Damdave,” he is front-man singer-songwriter and guitar player for the Boulder Creek-based Americana group, Damdave and the Left-Hand Band.

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Asked how he got the name “Damdave,” he explained how he had arrived in Brookdale – some 20 or more years ago – and started a folk jam at the Brookdale Lodge. He was just up from Santa Monica. “I was working for a health club in LA – had short hair and looked straight – one of my supervisors said, ‘You know, Dave, you seem like someone who might enjoy the Santa Cruz area.’” So he moved up and found a 1906 cabin in the mountains within walking distance of the Lodge.

One night he put his kids in bed and went over to check it out. “I didn’t drink at the time,” but he wound up earning his PhD hanging out in the bar. He remembers one of the bartenders, “Jenny Gilbert – Penthouse pretty – the owner’s daughter.” At one point someone asked his name. When he said, “David,” someone else at the bar shouted, “Not another damn Dave!”

Tuesday nights at the Brookdale Lodge were the slowest. “You had a couple of guys from the bar and we formed Damdave’s Odd-Ass Instrument Jam on Tuesday nights from ‘98-ish to 2008 or so,” Dave said. The Tuesday night jam was the forerunner of the Brookdale Bluegrass Festival. Eric Burman came to Dave’s jams and they decided after a time, “’Hey this would be a great place for a festival’…and it took off.” March 2000 was first year of the festival, he recalls, and featured a precursor to a band called the Waybacks, Faux Renwah, and the late yodeling lady, Lolita. “She was a great yodeler – played at the Lodge in its heyday – give her a couple of drinks and “Oh, goddam!”

Now Dave’s a Boulder Creek townie. “It’s a nice little town. I’ve written five songs about this town, I Love These Mountains, Bear Creek Road…there are more.” He’s also written three Brookdale songs, among them, Brookdale’s Burning and Highway 9, a takeoff on the old song Highway 55 co-written with Eric Burman. “She always walks alone, neither flesh and neither bone, ooooo!! There’s some really good lyrics. Eric always made it a 20-minute long instrumental thing with audience participation.”

For a while he was Damdave and the Hot Damn Band. The name change reflects the distinction that Dave plays left-handed. Along with Graham MacFarlane (standup bass), “Mando” Mike Reynolds (vocals, mandolin), and occasionally “Joebro” Adams (any of whom may or may not also play left-handed), the guys will entertain you with “a mix of dysfunctional bluegrass, country, blues, soul, and a healthy dose of Damdave originals.”

“I’m not bluegrass, I don’t want a bluegrass band,” he says. His sound is Americana tending toward the bluesy. “I’ve always been a blues kind of guy.” He was raised in Ann Arbor, between Detroit and Chicago. “My voice is kind of gravelly, I grew up with Bob Seger. I like Gregg Allman…I like all kinds of music. I was thinking about this not too long ago. When I listen to people singing, when I listen to blues or Motown, the way they sing a song, the emphasis is on the words and music together. I want to develop my voice and my songs to be able to express the parts of the music I want to express…with an honesty in my voice.”

Damdave and the Left-Hand Band play every Tuesday at the Boulder Creek Brewery Outpost and every few weeks at Casa Nostra in Ben Lomond. Watch for a GoFundMe campaign for Dave’s upcoming CD. Online: damdave.brookdalebluegrass.com | www.facebook.com/damdave.gillett

Copyright 2017 Julie Horner

Remembering Larry Hosford

Julie Horner

By Christa Taylor

In 1974, I was gifted with a career that changed my life: The ability to play whatever music I wanted on a very cool and unusual radio station, KLRB, located in downtown Carmel. It was a magical time in my life, and the beginnings of a musical format that was later entitled, “Americana.”

As all new-to-the-job radio DJs were required to do at some time, I was on the air late one night and happened to be gazing at one of the most beautiful record album covers I’d ever seen, by a guy I’d heard lived somewhere in the area – Santa Cruz, I thought. It was by Larry Hosford and the album was called “AKA Lorenzo.” I was playing an especially sweet song from it that reached a special place in my heart, and when the song ended, I opened the mic and said, “Larry Hosford, wherever you are, I love you.” Then the phone rang. Guess who?

Larry invited me to meet him at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz the next day, and thus began a friendship that lasted many years. I was impressed by his talent and attended a great number of his shows, even became roommates with the bass player in his backup band at the time, Fly by Night. Those were fun days, filled with the best music and nightlife, in one of the best places in the nation to enjoy this lifestyle.

Some of my favorite memories took place post-concerts at the Catalyst, when Larry and a bunch of folks would go hang out at what was then the office of Yeah Productions, owned by our old friend, Bruce Mason, who has also left us. We would stay up way too late enjoying the late night ambience from the porch of the Dr.Miller Building where Larry and I loved to sing our favorite song to those on the street, “Your Sweet and Shiny Eyes,” by Bonnie Raitt. We’d change the lyrics to say, “Drinkin’ salty margaritas with Lorenzo” instead of “Fernando,” as the song actually goes. Sweet memories.

We had the opportunity last summer to reminisce about these days and the other good times we had over the years while at the Redwood Mountain Faire. Larry was able to play a bit on stage with his good friends, Ken Kraft, Bob O’Neill, and Harpin’ Johnny. Although Larry was in his wheelchair, he still made the music and the audience happy with his ever-present style. I was touched. I knew somehow that it would be my last visit with my old friend, Lorenzo. May you be raisin’ a ruckus in Heaven, Lo. Thank you for all the great music you gave this world…we will never forget you.

Legendary singer-songwriter and Salinas native, Larry Hosford, passed away Saturday, November 23, 2016 at the age of 73. A concert in Larry’s honor was held at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center on Sunday, January 22 at 2:00 pm. Christa Taylor is a retired KFAT DJ and music enthusiast who now lives in Aptos, CA.

Copyright 2017 Julie Horner