The Gruber Family Band (GBF) motored 500 miles from their homes in Northern California to perform at the Slovene Hall in Fontana on the weekend of May 24th. The Saturday attendance was energetic, but disappointingly light. On Sunday the place was jam-packed and the crowd tore the roof off. The event drew a dozen newbies …
Gruber Family Band In Fontana
Memorial Day Weekend Read More »
On the weekend of May 17 the Polka Family Band played to a packed house at the Sons of Italy Hall in Fontana, California. Hank Guzevich, leader of the band, grew up in Southern California, where he made his polka debut in 1978. Promoter Gene Swick opened up the dance with a trip down memory …
On Sunday, May 4 we had two really great options: Polka Power California was performing for the Polka Booster Club at the Eagle’s Hall in Sacramento and the Gruber Family Band was performing at the Maifest in Oakland at the Naturfreunde. And there was a Maifest going on at the Sacramento Turn Verein, which was …
Polka Power California performed for the Polka Booster Club at the Eagle’s Hall in Sacramento on April 13. For no known reason the attendance was light, in contrast to the dance in March which was standing room only. The club likes to do theme dances. March was St. Paddy’s day, so folk were decked out …
On the weekend of April 4th, the Turn Verein in Sacramento staged a beer fest replete with German music, schuhplattler, German choir, a rock ‘n roll band, dancing, and lots of beer and food. The German club was founded in 1854 as a gymnastics club, which the name implies. In 1950-1960 I belonged to the …
Bockbierfest In Sacramento
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The Steve Drzewicki Band from Michigan made their second appearance at the Sons of Italy Hall in Fontana, California the weekend of March 29. They wowed us the first time they played there last year and they wowed us again. They are a fantastic Polish band, mixing in a bunch of Buck Owens music (Buck …
Polka Power California performed for the Polka Booster Club at the Eagle’s Hall in Sacramento on March 9. The place was jam-packed with folk, including Gene Swick from San Diego, who was in town with Joe Lengyel and Marla Carney. They came for the graduation ceremony for Marla’s daughter (Registered Nurse) and, lucky for us, …
The Buffalo Touch ushered in March with a weekend of foot-stomping polkas at the Pulaski Club in Phoenix, Arizona. Dave and Princess Bonczkiewicz kicked off the weekend with a fantastic brunch for the band, family, and friends. All of the locals brought dishes – absolutely scrumptious. A desert storm paused just in time, allowing us …
Jeff Mleczko and the Dyna Brass polka band from Michigan would have played for free in Fontana, California the weekend of February 22. The toasty 70 degree weather was quite a contrast to the subzero weather in Michigan. After they thawed out, they opened the dance with one of their honky style polkas which brought …
The 23rd annual Southwest Polka Party was held in Las Vegas at the Orleans Hotel Casino February 11-13. Bands played in two ballrooms. The Mardi Gras Ballroom is the larger of the two with capacity for over 800 people offering a Master dance floor. Ray Sands, Julie Lee, and the Softones rotated from 1pm to …
