The Other Marin

IMG_3193Marin County is known for a number of things: German automobiles cluttering its roads, George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch and the stereotypical affluent California lifestyle in general. It’s also rolling hills and, miles from anything, the town of Nicasio, home to a church, a little league field, a volunteer fire department and the venerable Rancho Nicasio. The roadhouse was built in 1941, a year after the 1867-vintage Nicasio Hotel burned.

Rancho Nicasio encompasses a general store, post office, restaurant and bar. Most importantly to some, it’s a world-class music venue. Summertime is BBQ on the Lawn time. The stage abutting the rear of the building looks out to a big backyard. You can bring your own low-back chair to stake out a spot on the grass, or take seats on chairs set up on the back of the lawn, or reserve a picnic table in the rear next to the horseshoe pits. They fire up the grill and open the portable bar, so you can enjoy food and beverages while music washes over you. The weather transitions from a sunny and hot afternoon to cool ocean breezes with the approaching evening. When the music moves you, there is room to dance on a deck at the side of the stage.

Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel

Asleep at the Wheel, Paul Thorn, Pablo Cruise annually headline sold-out shows. Regulars or semi-regulars include the subdudes, Marcia Ball and Elvin Bishop. There is no better way to enjoy music and mingle with a diverse crowd of friendly people than at a backyard concert in rural Marin.

The backyard shows began after husband and wife Bob Brown and Angela Strehli purchased Rancho Nicasio in 1998. Brown had been decades in the music business, managing Pablo Cruise and Huey Lewis & the News. Strehli is a Texas-born blues singer who gained fame with Stevie Ray Vaughn. The roadhouse also features year-round dinner shows inside.

Over the years the Brown-Strehli operation has attracted more people. The low-back chair rule has become harder to enforce. More shows sell out, thus making necessary advance planning. The recent hiring of well-known chef Ron Siegel to upgrade the dinner menu signals a major change. Siegel’s resume includes the legendary French Laundry and the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton. Rancho Nicasio already served meals better than most music venues. Will the upscaling of the dining – and prices – affect the music experience? Can they attract affluent Marin foodies and still keep their music-loving base?

Here’s Angela:

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