Ventura Music Photos – May 2023

Tony’s Pizzeria – May 27, 2023
Spencer the Gardener
photo of Spencer the Gardener

Burch Studios – May 18, 2023
Noah Berberea of Brother Earl & the Cousins (video tapping)Photo of Noah Berberea

.Paak House 23 – May 12, 2023
Smokey Robinson (@paakhouse)
Smokey Robinson

.Paak House 23 – May 12, 2023
Anderson .Paak & Smokey Robinson (@paakhouse)Smokey

Boots & Brews Music Festival – May 7, 2023
Chris Young (Photos: Tatiana Vasilyev, @tativphotogallery)
photo of Chris Young

photo of Chris Young

Boots & Brews Music Festival – May 7, 2023
Joe Nichols (Photos: Tatiana Vasilyev)photo of Joe Nichols

photo of Joe Nichols

The Grape – May 6, 2023
Phoenyx Big Band
photo Phoenyx Big Band

Libbey Bowl – May 6, 2023
Beth Hart (w/ Jon Nichols)
photo Beth Hart

photo Beth Hart and Jon Nichols

Ventura Music Hall – May 5, 2023
Violent Femmes
photo Violent Femmes

photo Violent Femmes

Ventura Music Scene 5/3/23 – 5/16/23

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

As of press time, the 2023 Ventura County Fair had not announced their entertainment yet, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t entertainment to be had at the fairgrounds in the meantime. First off, Surfer’s Point Live will host Boots & Brews in the parking lot with headliners Chris Young and Joe Nichols on Sunday May 7.

artworkAnd then…Anderson .Paak announced on April 25 that .Paak House 23 will be held at the fairgrounds on Friday, May 12. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, .Paak, aka Brandon Paak Anderson, grew up in Oxnard and attended Foothill Technology High School. Two of his albums were named Oxnard and Ventura, both produced by Dr. Dre, the latter earned him a Grammy for Best R&B Album. The fact that .Paak could hold this event anywhere, but chose Ventura, speaks volumes about this talented homegrown artist. Find out more about .Paak House and the Brandon Anderson Foundation at PaakHouse.org.

photo of Beth HartThe new season kicks off at Libbey Bowl with Beth Hart on Saturday, May 6 performing an intimate pared down show. Her back stories are entertaining enough, but I’m sure she’ll be really putting it out there without a full band backing her up.

And speaking of Libbey Bowl, the Ojai Music Festival dates include several concerts at Libbey Bowl. The festival runs Thursday June 8 through Sunday, June 11, with Rhiannon Giddens, Music Director, at the helm. I noticed at least one event has already sold out, so don’t wait until the last minute to try to snag a ticket. Find out more at OjaiFestival.org.

Bombay Bar and Grill will host a celebration of life in honor of Chris Husted who passed away last month. Chris was so a great guy, so well respected throughout the music scene. He had been doing sound on the road with Yachtley Crew recently. Friends will gather on Saturday May 13 from 2-8 with music from Shawn Jones, Guy Martin, Brion Shearer, Aaron Orbit, Rising Son, Yachtley Crew and more. 20% of the sales will go to the Chris Husted fund.

Quick Notes: Rey Fresco plays Tony’s Pizzeria Thursday, May 4; The Knotty G’s from South Carolina make a stop at Surfers Point Café on Sunday, May 7; there’s a free show featuring Old-Timey Country Bluegrass at Poinsettia Pavilion on Sunday, May 7; an in store meet & greet with Ohgeesy will be held at Salzers on Wednesday, May 10; it’s all about the punk rock on Friday, May 12 when Youth Brigade, Stalag 13, False Confession, The Afraid and Crucial Thought play the Oceanview Pavilion; Julie Christensen will perform an intimate show at the Ojai Underground on Saturday, May 13; and new dates added to the Ventura Music Hall calendar include Grateful Shred on June 15, Save Ferris on July 29, and Powerman 5000 on October 20.

Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Please send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Ventura Music Scene 3/22/23 – 4/4/23

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

We have a couple of music festivals lined up over the next week or two taking us from one end of the spectrum to the other, specifically punk to country, and from one end of town to the other, meaning, Ventura to Simi Valley. First, it’s Punk in the Park on Saturday, May 25 with Pennywise, Suicidal Tendancies, Strung Out, Fear, manic Hispanic and more at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, and then its Round Up Music Festival on Saturday, April 1, with Sawyer Brown, Aaron Goodvin, Justin Honsinger and more at Rancho Susana Park. Both of these are ticketed events.

I have more good news and more bad news: The good news, The Violent Femmes added a second performance of their 1983 debut album in its entirety at the Ventura Music Hall on Friday, May 5; the bad news, it’s already sold out too.

Actor Danny Trejo launched a label a few years ago to help emerging artists, and now he has a compilation album dropping March 24, “Trejo’s Music Presents, Souldiez are Forever Volume I” with tracks from Cota & the Vibes, Pepe Marquez, Tarah New, Amoraa, Raquel and more…but hang on! Trejo’s Music Concert Series will make a stop at the Fillmore Towne Theater on Saturday, March 25 with live performances from those same artists and it’s hosted by Jimmy Reyes & Danny Trejo. Tickets available through Event Brite.

The official Libbey Bowl website hasn’t quite gotten around to posting upcoming events, but a couple of ticket outlets are already promoting and selling tickets for a number of them including: Beth Hart (solo) on May 6, Oingo Boingo (former members) on May 7, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on May 20, the rescheduled Judy Collins & Sophie B Hawkins on June 3, Missing Persons on June 3, Gin Blossoms on July 1, and Lyle Lovette on July 7. Beware: all ticket outlets do not charge the same, so shop around, I found tickets on Ticket Center, StubHub and Axs.

The Grape logoThe Grape never disappoints. I’m loving the new venue location, its décor, full bar, staff, and stellar entertainment. If you haven’t yet done so, I highly recommend getting on their weekly email list where they highlight upcoming shows. Case in point, they wrote, “Ever heard of a working musician named Paul McCartney? Well, he won’t be able to make it, but this Wednesday (March 22) Denny Seiwell of Paul McCartney and Wings will be taking the stage with John Chiodini on guitar and Carey Frank on B3 Organ. I’m talking world class musicianship on out humble little stage in Ventura California. Life is good.”

Spring Winter Wine Walk & Vendor Fair is Saturday, April 1, downtown Ventura. The wine walk is a ticketed event, but everything else is free to take part of at this event.

Quick Notes: Reggae Thursday nights continue at Tony’s Pizzaria with Morie & the Heavy Hitters on March 23; Decent Criminal plays Gigi’s on Sunday, March 26 (tickets at TicketWeb); Alyse Korn and Robert Kyle CD release performance will be held at Beatrice Wood Center in Ojai on Sunday, March 26; Roman’s Weirdos, Birdbrain and Professional Americans play El Rey Cantina in Camarillo on Sunday, March 26; Cadillac Zack brings Canned Heat to Cantara Cellars on Friday, March 31; and Duane Betts (son of Dickey Betts of the Alman Brothers Band) plays the Ventura Music Hall on Sunday, April 2.

Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Please send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.