Ventura Music Scene 9/2/26 – 9/15/26

Posted on August 30, 2026 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

The 16th Aloha Beach Festival falls over the weekend of September 5 – 6 at Promenade Park in Ventura (along the coastline by the fairgrounds). This free event offers live music from Kainoa Tiger Aloha 805, Rising Son, Ska Daddyz, Morie & the Heavy Hitters, Jacob & the Good Vibes and more. Expect lots of hula dancers, pro Frisbee dog demonstrations, and an amazing sense of our beach community where the spirit of the festival is to help support local non-profits. This year proceeds support Flow Surf Academy.The Oxnard Jazz Festival returns this year after a late-breaking cancellation last year. And while “jazz” may be in the title of the event, other genres of music (blues, soul, R&B, Latin) will be offered over the weekend of September 10 – 13 at College Park in Oxnard. For full line-up, special events and ticket information, go to OxnardJazzFestival.com. Some of the highlights include ConFunkShun, Loose Ends, Louie Cruz Beltran, Andrea Lisa, Sister Nancy and more.

The three-day Ojai Fall Fest will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church where the parking and admission are free! Of course, ride tickets are available for purchase. There will be plenty of live music with a mix of genres from 90s Babiez, False Puppet, Jayden Secor, Strange Hotels and more. This one runs September 11-13.

Experience the California Car Culture at the Ventura Nationals which returns to the Ventura County Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 5. Along with all the hot rods on display, live music will be hopping with Deke Dickerson, Blue Ribbon Boys Voodoo Five, Big Sandy & his Fly Rite boys, and more which are included in the price of admission. See more at VenturaNationals.com.

Looking ahead, don’t forget Boots & Brews is September 20. For details go to BootsAndBrews.com. Covering more in the next issue of the Breeze.

Quick Notes: The Ventura Harbor Village will host Yacht Rock bands on Thursday evenings through September; Steve and Sally Williams will play Muni Wine on Friday, September 4; Art City Gallery’s monthly art event features Michelle Rosenblum, Henry Steward, Nick Bridgman and Eaton Young on Friday, September 4; Café Fiore wraps up their reggae summer Sunday evening concerts with Keith G & the Drift Rites on September 6; Zepliv and Mojo Rising play a free show at the Crowne Plaza on Sunday, September 6; the final Rock the Collection concert is Wednesday September 9 with That’s What I like, a Bruno Mars tribute band;
Another Brick in the Staircase returns to KJ’s on Friday, September 11; Tony’s Pizzeria end of summer blowout is Saturday, September 12 with Arena (Duran Duran tribute band), Superfreak and the M80s; and an Amy Winehouse tribute band, Valerie, plays the Ventura Music Hall on Saturday, September 12.

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.

Ventura Music Scene 8/19/26 – 9/1/26

Posted on August 16, 2026 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

School is already back in session and Labor Day is just around the corner, meanwhile on the live music front: The Throw Down Cornhole Festival which now includes MMA fight night, axe throwing and two days of live music (Friday features DJs) will be held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds August 21 – 23. Many thanks to John Karayan and Spencer Makenzie’s for making this the largest cornhole festival in the world. Saturday’s music features Mandex, Camo Cali and the return of New Liberty. Sunday’s headliner is Pato Banton, along with Just a Girl, Kiona Tiger and the 805 Band, Morie and the Heavy Hitters and Nautical Thrust. Find the link for more information at SpencerMakenzies.com.

The Rubicon Theatre Company’s annual concerts series currently includes The Folk Legacy for September 4-5, Mike Beck, The Ponies for September 10 and Brush Arbor for September 11.

Mark your calendar now for the Aloha Beach Festival which falls over the weekend of September 5 – 6 at Promenade Park in Ventura. With any luck at all, the website will show their entertainment line up by the next issue of the Breeze.

Another upcoming event to note is the Oxnard Jazz Festival to be held September 10-13 at College Park in Oxnard. For line-up and tickets go to OxnardJazzFestival.com.

The city of Ojai has been fortunate to be the home of the Ojai Pops Orchestra which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary offering free concerts to the community. This year all proceeds received by donations will be used for music scholarships for music students in need. Their first concert be held on Sunday, August 30 at the Libbey Bowl.

Quick Notes: The September 20th Boot & Brews Country Music Festival has added Rodney Atkins to the lineup; Nathan McEuen will hold an album release party/show for his most recent project, “Time To Go Home” at the Ojai Arts Center on Friday, August 21; Rock the Collection free summer concert on Wednesday, August 26, with Twisted Gypsy’s tribute to Fleetwood Mac; Jimmy Dale & Surf Trio (Dale is the son of surf pop legend Dick Dale) will perform at Mrs. Olson’s on Friday, August 21 with Par Avion and Hana and the Sisters; The final summer concert at Heritage Square will be held on August 21 with Los Cools Arrows; Music Under the Stars wraps for their final concerts at the historic Olivas Adobe has the Wilbury Super Group on Saturday, August 22 and Stone Soul on August 29; Grammy-nominated and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Beth Nielsen Chapman performs at the Ojai Underground on Saturday, August 29; and finally, Doug Webb’s All-Star group returns to the Grape featuring Danny Carey of Tool on Saturday, August 29.

Ventura Music Scene 8/5/2026 – 8/18/2026

Posted on August 3, 2026 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

It’s the final week of the Ventura County Fair and where in all other places in Southern California are complaining of the high temperatures, we have the best sea breeze keeping temps down here in Ventura for the fair. At press time, there remained one final Grandstand concert which is country music star Nate Smith for Wednesday, August 5. But rest assured there will still be plenty of live music on all the different stages throughout the fairgrounds including the one at Surf Rodeo’s Golden Pony Speakeasy, the Pacifico Stage, Garden Stage and the Seabreeze Stage.

Namba Arts is offering an intimate evening of songs, stories, craft and connection with In The Round, showcasing seven Southern California singer/songwriters such as Art Podell, Severin Browne, Tracy Newman, Ken Holme, John Zipperer and more. Tickets for the Saturday, August 8 show are available through the venue’s website, NambaArts.com.

Rock the Collection Summer Concert Series continues with free concerts every other Wednesday. This month it’s DSB tribute to Journey on August 12 and Twisted Gypsy’s tribute to Fleetwood Mac on August 26.

As a part of their Ventura Live! 2026 series, The Rubicon has added two shows for Friday, Sept 4 and a matinee for Saturday, Sept 5 of the Folk Legacy Trio featuring lifetime Grammy winners and a member of the Banjo Hall of Fame, George Grove and Rick Dougherty of the Kingston Trio and Jerry Siggins from the Diamonds. The trio is revered as the “living library” of the 60s folk era and will feature music by the Weavers, the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary plus more iconic artists. Find out more at Rubicontheatre.org.

It’s been great weather with great shows this month at Ojai’s Libbey Bowl. Still to come this month, Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes on August 12, Ani DiFranco on August 14, The Movement with Pepper on August 16 and Cat Power August 18.

Mark your calendar for this year’s cornhole tournament, The Throw Down, from Spencer Mackenzie’s. It will run the weekend of August 22 and 23 with live bands such as Pato Banton, Just a Girl, Mandex, Camo Cali and more as well as the return of New Liberty!

Quick Notes: tickets for Keanu Reeve’s band, Dogstar are on sale now for their show at Ventura Theater, Friday, September 25 as well as for Alan Thornhill and Martin Young at Feros Ferio Winery for Sunday August 23; Shawn Jones and Shane Alexander return to Namba Arts for an intimate night of singer/songwriter music on Friday, August 7; The Saloon has Busty Bojangles and the Nevi Band for a honky-tonk night on Friday, August 7; and the 805 Day Fest, Sewer Sessions, will be held at San Souci on Saturday, August 8, with a slew of bands playing from noon until closing.

Ventura Rocks

Yeah it Does!

Monthly Archives: August 2026

Ventura Music Scene 9/2/26 – 9/15/26

Ventura Music Scene 8/19/26 – 9/1/26

Ventura Music Scene 8/5/2026 – 8/18/2026