Music & Dance
Brother Yusef at Valhalla Tahoe
Boathouse Theatre at Valhalla
1 Valhalla Rd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150June 3
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
June 4 @ 4:07 am
Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 7:30 pm, Brother Yusef in the Boathouse Theatre at Valhalla Tahoe.
Brother Yusef: Fattback Blues—Raw, Gritty, Unstoppable.
Brother Yusef is a self-taught powerhouse—a master solo guitarist and a vocalist whose passion cuts deep. For over thirty years, he has forged a sound all his own: Fattback Blues, a rich fusion of Delta, Chicago, and Texas blues, driven by the relentless stomp of Louisiana rhythm. His music is raw, real, and as deep as the genre itself.
Armed with just a guitar, his right-hand thumb hammers out a percussive bass groove while his fingers carve out rhythm and lead, creating the drive of a full band. Blending the fire of traditional fingerpicking and slide guitar with the punch of urban blues, rock, and funk, he pours every ounce of himself into every note, turning the blues into something both primal and electrifying.
Born in Bakersfield, California, in 1963, Brother Yusef moved with his family to South Central Los Angeles at age four before settling in Altadena, California, in 1969. His first connection to music came through the thunderous energy of Holiness Church services in Bakersfield. The pounding drums, wailing electric guitars, and soul-shaking voices both terrified and thrilled him. Church wasn’t a quiet place of worship—it was alive, it was raw, it was a celebration. That spirit of deep, uninhibited expression would later find its way into his music.
Another defining moment came when he saw the Jackson 5 perform on television. But his focus wasn’t on Michael—it was on Tito and Jermaine, standing cool, commanding their guitars. Something clicked. That was it. The seed was planted.
At 19, he picked up a guitar and never looked back. He immersed himself in blues, jazz, reggae, funk, and rock, searching for his voice. But the blues wasn’t just a genre—it was home. He came to see it the way his ancestors did: as survival, healing, and freedom.
From backwoods juke joints to the fiery emotion of a sanctified church, from festival stages to street corners, Brother Yusef delivers a blues experience that is felt as much as it is heard. His deep-pocket fingerpicking and searing slide guitar churn out a sound that’s as gritty as a Mississippi Delta back road and as fresh as a city street performance. A true one-man band, he stomps, chugs, and testifies with every note, pouring heart and fire into his music.
If you can stand still while he plays, check your pulse—because this blues is alive, and it refuses to be ignored.
More information on the Boathouse at Valhalla
The Tallac Historic Site is located 2 miles past the intersection of Highway 50 and Highway 89, just past Camp Richardson, on the lake side of Highway 89. Please turn right on the street with the sign “Valhalla.” If the gate is locked or the 73-space parking lot is full, feel free to park along Hwy 89 outside the entrance. There is a large dirt lot just past the Valhalla Tahoe sign. Overnight parking is not allowed inside the gate. Cars can be left overnight outside the gate in the dirt lot at the owner’s own risk.
We encourage carpooling, bike riding, and good old-fashioned walking. Parking is allowed in designated 73 spaces only. There is also a large public parking lot for the Tallac Historic Site on Heritage Way, one street West of Valhalla Road, that is open in late May or early October.
- There are ~225 yards between the parking lot and the Boathouse Theater. Please wear comfortable shoes and allow time for the walk. A site host can bring a golf cart around for accessibility issues if scheduled ahead of time.
Food & Beverage:
- Light snacks, popcorn, and beer and wine are available for sale at our concessions.
- Outside food and beverages are not allowed in the Boathouse Theater.
- Outside alcohol is not allowed in the reserved table section/beer garden at outdoor events.
If you have a handicapped sticker, placard or plate there are several handicapped designated spaces. If you have questions or require assistance, please call or email us at least 24 hours in advance.
Phone: (530) 541-4975
Email: info@valhallatahoe.com
Whether you are dashing up to Lake Tahoe for a quick weekend getaway, camping out or renting a cabin for a week, or you live in the region, the Valhalla Art, Music & Theatre Festival at the Heller “Valhalla” Estate hosts northern California and northern Nevada’s premier and most eclectic arts festival, featuring entertainment for literally everyone. Valhalla, a hidden Lake Tahoe treasure, is located on the Lake’s southwest shore, three miles from South Lake Tahoe’s many hotels and restaurants, and is within walking and biking distance to several campgrounds, including Fallen Lake Campground and Camp Richardson.
The Valhalla Art, Music & Theatre Festival, is a total departure from the showroom and amphitheater shows offered by the casinos. The Festival offers a diverse array of entertainment from family-friendly musical and dramatic theatre to concerts with music from all genres, internationally touring artists, and the very best in local and regional acts, comedy improv, fine art shows and workshops, and children’s art and drama camps.
Valhalla Art, Music & Theatre Festival concerts and productions will take place in one of Valhalla’s three grand historic venues—the Grand Hall, with its massive 20-foot tall stone fireplace and walk-in hearth; the Grand Lawn, lush green grass that flows out from the Great Hall; and the restored Boathouse Theatre, a stunningly unique arced space that was restored in the late 1980s with the support and vision of the famed Dr. Leo Buscaglia that seats 164.
The Heller “Valhalla” Estate is one property on the Tallac Historic Site, a group of historic estates built in the late 1800s and early 1900s by wealthy West Coast timber barons and captains of industry as summer homes. Now owned by the United States Forest Service, the Pope, Baldwin, and Valhalla properties are operated by local nonprofit organizations and are preserved and restored to create a stretch of Lake Tahoe shoreline frozen in time. Visitors enjoy interpretive features, restored buildings, museums, and wonderful beaches. It is located next door to Camp Richardson, one of Tahoe’s longest operating resorts with a small hotel, cabins, campground, a general store, ice cream parlor, and the popular Grove Restaurant on the water. Valhalla is a quiet haven for exploration, picnicking, beach time, and the best arts and entertainment offered in the Tahoe Basin.
Lodging in Lake Tahoe
