Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
When St. Patrick’s Day falls mid-week (Monday – Thursday), it’s a bit of a gamble on where to go to celebrate if you want live music. And whether you’re a true-blue Irish person honoring the patron saint of Ireland, or you just love wearing a kilt and drinking green beer there will be plenty to do. The Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade traditionally kicks off festivities the Saturday before (or on) St. Patrick’s day, so this year it rolls down Main Street (Lincoln to Fir) on March 14, four days before the official holiday. Some venues have parties on Saturday, others on Sunday and even a limited number of venues including the Boatyard Pub on St Patrick’s Day. But if you’ve never made it out for the parade, do yourself a favor and gather up friends and family and support this family-friendly event which begins at 10 am. This year’s theme is “Catch the Leprechaun Spirit” and honors former Ventura Mayor and four-term Councilmember, Brian Brennan as Grand Marshall.
The highly popular post-parade party at the Grape hosts the Two Trees Jazz Project on Saturday (2 pm). The punker crowd competes with the Grape with a show (same time) at Vaquero y Mar with Preachers & Pornstars, Yeah Right, All-a-Blue, SRA, Pito Paqueet and Ro Sham Bo. Then at 3 pm it’s the Pipes at Winchesters. Meanwhile, don’t be surprised if a band of bagpipers appear for short sets of Irish tunes throughout the area (including Dargan’s with their line around the block) from either the Gold Coast Bagpipes, A Pint of Irish, or the Ventura City Firefighters Pipes and Drums who will gladly pose for a selfie photo op with you.
The Ojai Libbey Bowl has updated their website promoting their music line up: the Psychedelic Furs on May 31, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers on June 18, Dawes & Friends on June 26, Grateful Shred on August 1, Gipsy Kings on August 12, Ani DiFranco (where has she been???) on Friday August 14, Cat Power on August 18, Kamasi Washington on September 12, and two shows with Big Thief on September 19 and 20 with the first night already sold out. Find out more at LibbeyBowl.org.
Quick Notes: the 311 show at the Ventura is Wednesday, March 4, is sold out; renowned cellist, Ian Maksin’s Songs of the Vagabond Cello performs at the Ojai Art Center on Saturday, March 7; Matterform plays at the Saloon’s Artist’s Brew on Wednesday, March 11; the Botanical Gardens hosts musical guests, A Pint of Irish on Sunday March 15 from 11 – 12:30 pm; the Monday Club dance party with Hot Roux is Monday, March 16, at the Masonic Center in Ventura; and Ozomatli was been added to the Ventura Music Hall line up for Saturday, March 21.
Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows that you would like help publicizing? Please send all information, short or long, to Pam@VenturaRocks.com. For updated music listings daily, visit www.VenturaRocks.com.