Special Benefit Concert for the San Diego Troubadour

I saw Berkley Hart Selis Twang in May 2015 in a big church hall in Encinitas, and they blew me away. Having followed each of them in the decade since, I know they’ve all continued to grow musically, so I have super high expectations for their upcoming reunion show. Their longtime friend, collaborator, and unindicted co-conspirator Tim Flannery will fill out the bill. Jeff Berkley pulled the lineup together after chatting with Liz Abbott of the Troubadour, and all ticket sales will go to support San Diego’s favorite online music magazine. A benefit! Eve Selis is coming in from Nashville, the musicians are doing what they do best; Pilgrim Church is donating the facility, and Folk Heritage volunteers are doing the legwork, so you get a very special show, and the Troubadour gets some coinage help weather these lean times. Plus, the band gets an excuse to get up on stage together. Win-win-win!

The Troubadour
The Troubadour has been serving the San Diego music community for 24 years, providing an important network for local musicians, reporting on releases, upcoming events, music history, and culture. It takes a huge amount of work, a lot of it done on a volunteer basis, but there are definitely expenses. The magazine went online-only during COVID, and advertising income is down.

Liz Abbott, publisher of the San Diego Troubadour.

Liz is editor-in-chief, managing (and paying) a stable of a dozen writers, a handful of photographers, a graphic designer (Chuck Schiele), and a webmaster (Justin Beach at SiteAssemble.com). Cathryn Beeks has revitalized the photo page; Carina Wheatley keeps the event calendar up to date. Nena Anderson has recently helped with a revamping of the site design, with Phase 1 complete, and Phase 2 awaiting funding. High on the list of pending work are adding live links to the calendar and bringing the complete archives online.

At the show there will be a table where you can buy merch from the artists as well as Troubadour shirts, CDs, and posters, or you can just drop something in the tip jar.

The Show
Since you’re reading this magazine, you’re most likely familiar with the players, if not the ensemble. They were established mainstays of the local (and touring) scene for years, best known in their duo configurations (Jeff + Calman, Eve + Marc), when they joined forces in the early twenty-teens. That collaboration resulted in some fine shows, a European tour, and a highly praised album BHST (review). A few years later they spun back into their more nimble duo orbits, but the gravitational pull was strong enough it didn’t take a whole lot of prodding to get them together again for this one-off engagement.

These folks are real pros; they’re good with words, and are good sports to boot. I sent them each four questions, and I’m not ashamed to admit I let them write the article for me! Read all about it below.

1. What’s a good memory of your time with BHST?
2. What should people know about what you’ve been up to lately?
3. What should people expect in June’s reunion show?
4. Any thoughts to share on the Troubadour magazine?

Jeff Berkley

Jeff Berkley is a preëminent San Diego bandleader, guitarist, percussionist, singer, songwriter, producer, jokester, and winner of awards for all of the above (except the jokes).

Memory. The road trips were amazingly fun. We [Berkley Hart] toured England as opener for the Eve Selis Band. They invited us and we jumped on their bus and tagged along. The road is so inspiring for friendships and songs. The four of us decided to get together back in the states and work on some songs! That led to a record and another tour of England, this time as BHST!

Lately. BHST hasn’t played together for a couple years. We love to do these types of reunions for a great cause!

Berkeley Hart have played gigs and put out a couple songs and videos. Won an award or two and have been having fun.

I’ve put out two records with my band [Jeff Berkley and the Banned] and a couple of solo records. One of which, called A Buffalo Trace will be out in late August! I’ve got a really fun, new band called THE BASTARDS. You should look out for as well. That’s with Shawn Rohlf and Tim Flannery.

Reunion show. I suspect we’ll do the tunes we wrote together! 

Troubadour. I’m extremely grateful for the Troubadour magazine. To everyone involved who have left us and to Liz and Kent who continue to give their blood, sweat, and souls to this thing. The Troubadour is so important to all of us. They’re the only ones telling our story!

Calman Hart

Calman Hart is one of the finest songwriters around; he blends his voice beautifully and adds color with his tasty harmonica lines.

Memory. My favorite memories of BHST are the writing sessions. We would get together at Marc’s house, open a bottle of wine, and try to write songs. I say “try” because there were many times when all we did was laugh.  But other times, we came up with some great songs that I’m proud to be a part of. I can’t wait to play them again at the concert in June.

Lately. Lately I spend my time enjoying my family and my new grandchild, and playing with Berkley Hart. (Rest assured, although we don’t play as often as we used to, Berkley Hart is alive and well!)

Reunion show. The June show will be a blast, for sure! You can be guaranteed that we’ll be having as much fun on stage as the folks in the audience.

Troubadour.  Without the Troubadour (which is the same age as Berkley Hart) there would be a huge void in the San Diego music scene. It gives voice and life to music that would otherwise be drowned out by big touring acts. We need it!

Eve Selis. Photo by Dennis Andersen.

Eve Selis is one of the most expressive performers around and always a crowd-pleaser. We don’t see her in town nearly enough!

Memory. There are so many great shows over the years that we’ve done together, especially on tour in England. Berkley Hart have always been such good friends and it was wonderful for Marc and I to introduce them to our fans there. People still ask about them and wonder when BHST is coming back.

Lately. I moved to Nashville with my family in 2020 during the pandemic. It was a challenging time to move but a good time to finish writing for my latest release, Dark Sky Blue. I’m getting ready to go back to England to play these new songs. It will be the first time touring there without Marc or any of my band.

Reunion show. Our BHST reunion show will be filled with delicious harmonies and lots of wonderful stories. We have a lot of fun on stage, and it will be good to play these songs together again!!

Troubadour. The Troubadour magazine is so aptly named. It has been here in San Diego supporting local original music and bringing together a community of singer songwriters and musicians for decades! Liz Abbott is so supportive. Anytime she is at a show, you know it’s gonna be a good evening. It feels good to support Liz and the Troubadour magazine this way. I’m grateful to be included in the community of musicians who love the Troubadour!

Marc Twang (Intravaia). Photo by Dennis Andersen.

Marc Twang (Marc Intravaia) is a master of the guitar as well as arranging and songwriting. Not one who needs the center-stage spotlight, this concert is a great vehicle to show off his talents.

Memory. Our 2014 tour in England was fantastic from the first date to the last. The audience loved what they described as our California harmonies.

Lately. Back to the Garden was Buffalo Springfield and Poco founder Richie Furay’s backing band from 2021-2024. Back to the Garden has also been playing Story Concerts. The next one is the music of CSNY on June 8th at the Belly Up.

Reunion show. Lots of Jeff jokes and great harmonies.

Troubadour. Thank you, Troubadour, for keeping San Diego up to date on all the amazing local talent!

Tim Flannery

Tim Flannery, aka Johnny Strayhorse, aka The Flan, is a dynamic performer who has worked with all these folks before. Tim is the nominal “opening act,” but who knows what extracurricular collaborations could arise? He checked in with us from an undisclosed Central Coast hideout. “My relationship with BHST has been first and foremost just great friends whom I met in like 1995. I was hanging out at Java Joe’s and learning lots by watching them, performing with them, doing shows with all of them, and writing a few tunes together. Over the years we’ve traveled and done shows together, recorded on each other’s records, but their generosity and friendship has been what keeps me showing up. I’m very honored to open the show with them because when the four of them play and sing together it’s magic, like family ‘blood’ harmonies. Sometimes they hit harmonies and the sympathetic harmonies show up. Honored, and I can’t wait!”

I can’t wait either, and suggest you don’t wait to buy tickets, because seating will be limited and you don’t want to miss this! It might be ten years before we see this lineup again. Or it might be never.

Troubadour Benefit Concert with Berkley Hart Selis Twang; Tim Flannery opens. Sunday, June 15, 4pm. Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 2020 Chestnut Ave., Carlsbad. Admission: $30 General; $20 for San Diego Folk Heritage Members. Tickets: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/berkley-hart-selis-twang-pilgrim-united-church-of-christ-tickets/14315333?REFERRAL_ID=twfeature