Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 10/6/21 – 10/19/21

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

Randy Parsons has left the building? Randy packed up the prime space he had occupied upstairs since 2014 overlooking Main and Chestnut for Parsons Guitars (past clients include Jimmy Page, Jack White, Sammy Hagar and others), it was where he created state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind guitars, and where he provided luthier workshops for those who wanted to learn how to build their own guitar which included students such as Ventura’s own Gary Best.

I asked Randy for any final words and he told me, “I really loved Ventura, it’s a special place, the people are all pretty damn cool, although I’m still convinced the whole city is some type of witness protection program.”

I thought about it, and I can’t disagree! Though totally talented and incredibly nice, I always admired his love for cats; there’s just something about a man who adores the feline species. Randy and wife have landed in Kansas where they bought a castle looking church moving on to their next adventure.

Colin Bailey and Pam BaumgardnerAnd speaking of next adventures, Colin Bailey has also left the building, he passed away peacefully at his home in Port Hueneme at age 87. I met Colin when I saw him first perform at Squashed Grapes in 2015 with the Frank Potenza Trio. Adam and Josh from the Grape told me to look up Colin’s background which I did and I was just floored. This man had not only worked with Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Joe Pass and dozens more, he not only recorded on more than 100 jazz albums, he not only continued to give drum workshops including those at Pulse Drumming here in Ventura, but he was the drummer on the Charlie Brown Christmas special, a cartoon special that will always take me back to my childhood!

For some reason, there are so many special events falling on the same day, Saturday, October 9; I’ve listed them here along with websites to find out more:

  1. Topa Mountain Music 2021 Benefit Concert headlining is The White Buffalo with sets from Lee Koch Band, Bryan Titus Trio, Will Breman Band and more at the Libbey Bowl. Go to TopaMountainMusic.org for more information and tickets.
  2. Surf ‘n’ Suds at San Buenaventura State Beach, where it’s more about the beer than music, but it’s always a good time. Performing will be Jacob Marquez and the Good Vibes, Mestizo and DJ Hecktik. For tickets go to SurfBeerFest.com.
  3. SteckleStock 2021 at Steckle Park in Santa Paula features a full day of live music from Premonition, Sisterook, Charles Law Band, No Biggee, Tommy Foytek Band and Whiskey Business. You can find more on this via Facebook on Premonition’s page.
  4. Surfers Point Live has a full day of Reggae, 2 – 10 pm at the Ventura Fairgrounds featuring Sublime with Rome, the Dirty Heads, Rey Fresco, Local Love Project and Hirie. Find out more at SurfersPointLive.com.

Quick Notes: Congratulations to Suzanne & Ian McFayden (50 Sticks of Dynamite, Duncan and the Dragonslayers) for tying the knot; tickets are on sale for the Ventura Winter Wine Walk for December 11 sometimes called the event of the season if not the year for downtown Ventura (CBFProductions.com); Cadillac Zack presents the Delgado Brothers at Cantara Cellars on Friday, October 8 and the legendary band Canned Heat plays Thursday, October 14 (call Zack at 323-377-5291 for tickets); Ojai Pops Orchestra has a free show at the Libbey Bowl on Sunday, October 10; Ventura Theater shows include Social Distortion October 6 (rescheduled for Monday, October 11), Pennywise with Dead Kennedys on October 7, Pennywise with Strung Out of October 8, and Elefante, Inspector on October 15; Queen Nation plays a free show at the Collection at Riverpark in Oxnard on Wednesday, October 13 at 6:30 pm; and Phil Salazar & the Kin Folk play the Ojai Underground Exchange on Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16.

VenturaRocks.com is undergoing changes. I’ve invested in a new calendar app which doesn’t seem to be saving me much time, but I can load items way in advance which should help in the long run. The look and feel is evolving and for the time being, I’m covering all of Ventura County.

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 Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 8/11/21 – 8/24/21

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

With more and more people getting out for live music coupled with the unpredictability of the Coronavirus mutating, I would not think less of you for wearing a mask or two whether you’re vaccinated or not, indoors or out…just sayin’.

You might consider checking out Caffrodite Community Collective which has been holding a monthly dinner & music event on the third Friday of the month. This month the guest artist will be TD Lind, an Americana Blues musician and composer on August 20 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. The price of admission is only $10 but does not include meals and/or drinks, the organic menu will be by Chef Christine. Caffrodite Community Collective is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which celebrates the art of community and community arts. Their mission and vision are a sustainable, supporting and welcoming space for the community to meet, create, and collaborate. All proceeds go to supporting the space and the mission. Caffrodite is located at 1987 E. Main Street in Ventura.

It’s very cool that Cadillac Zack has selected Ventura as one of four venues to host his shows weekly. For us here in Ventura County, shows are held at Cantara Cellars in Camarillo on Fridays (other venues include Malainey’s Grill in Long Beach, Maui Sugar Mill Saloon in Tarzana and either Matt Denny’s Alehouse in Arcadia or Der Wolf in Pasadena). As for Cantara, they do a great job with food catered in along with their wine selection held in their wine barrel “cellar” with decent acoustics. The prices aren’t bad either, front row at a table runs $50 but other tables are only $20/$25 per seat. Some shows have higher ticket prices, but still, you get incredible value for your money. Do not contact Cantera for tickets, Cadillac Zack does it all via text at (323) 377-5291. Still to come this month, The Atomic 44’s (formerly The 44’s) on August 13, Paule Cerra on August 20 and Lionel Young on August 27. For more information and more details on obtaining tickets go to CadillacZackPresents.com.

Quick Notes: Tickets are now on sale for the Ojai Music Festival which runs September 16-19 this year; Nardcore Tuesday nights continue at Rock & Roll Pizza in Camarillo with Stalag 13 & the Bonedrivers on August 17 and the Hell Toupees with the Deveros on August 24; Tuesdays Bluesdays continue at the Harbor with Jerry McWorter, Ed Berghoff and Shawn Jones at Copa Cubana; Will Breman from the Voice returns to Grapes and Hops on Saturday afternoon, August 14; Dr. Madd Vibe (Fishbone) & the Missing Links play Mrs. Olson’s on Saturday, August 14 and Rock & Roll Pizza in Simi Valley on Sunday, August 15; The English Beat plays Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Friday, August 13; and two amazing Harmonica players, RJ MIscho & TJ Norton, play Namba on Saturday, August 21.

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 Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/30/21 – 7/13/21

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

I love a good night of live music, but every now and then you leave a venue with such a smile ingrained on your face that the muscles truly ache, but it feels so right. Such was the case when I caught one of Cadillac Zack Presents shows at Cantara Cellars this past week. This one featured Jimmy Vivino, band leader for the Conan O’Brien Show.

Jimmy Vivino

Jimmy Vivino
Photo Credit: Seth Brandes

I knew the music would be stellar, but I still was not prepared for what would unfold. For starters, you could tell Vivino was just as anxious for a great night of live music; this was his first live performance since the pandemic hit. When told by the sound man he needed one more minute before starting, Vivino quipped to the audience, I’ve waited 15 months to play, I guess I can wait one more minute. Vivino would continue to talk to us audience members

Fito de la Parra

Fito de la Parra
Photo credit: Seth Brandes

treating us like friends he hadn’t been able to hang out with for so long. The band was super tight with drummer Vince Fossett, bass player Rick Reed and uber talented Anders LaSource aka Sugarmill Slim on harp. And as much as I loved the blues classics they played, for me it was the classic rock tunes including “Are you Experience” by Hendrix and “Midnight Rambler” by the Stones that cemented that smile on my face. And while all that was fabulous including a killer guest performance by Debbie Davies, it was the unannounced appearance of Fito de la Parra, drummer for Canned Heat that made this night so extraordinarily cool. Imagine sitting there listening to killer renditions of “On the Road Again,” “Going up the Country” and “Let’s Work Together” with the original drummer of this iconic group when you realize, this man was not only at the Monterey Pop Festival, but he was at freakin’ Woodstock!! I’ll be smiling for quite some time.

Quick Notes: Peirano’s has been approved for a full liquor license; Made West Brewing is back up with live music on most Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; Pato Banton & the Now Generation play Mrs. Olson’s on July 1; Sick Boy returns to the Sewer on July 2; Tuesdays night Nardcore Nights continue at Rock & Roll Pizza in Camarillo with Free Love Project and No Remorse on July 6, and iDecline with Devil’s Daughter on July 13; Ventura Jazz Orchestra w/ Donna Greene perform at Poinsettia Pavilion on July 9; Cadillac Zack presents Guitar Shorty at Cantara Cellars on July 9; Rachel Flowers with Hans Ottsen and Adam Clark will be at Namba on July 10; Oceanview Pavilion Performing Arts Theatre by the Beach tribute bands Smooth Sounds of Santana on July 10 ($2 cover); Tommy Marsh will be back in town for a couple of dates as Crooked Eye Tommy, first at Grapes & Hops on July 9 and then at Winchesters on July 11; Surfer’s Point Live just announced Scotty McCreery and Rodney Atkins for July 30, Sublime with Rome and Dirty Heads play October 9; and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real perform at the Ventura Theater on September 9.

Interview with Wyatt Hull of Hy Brasil

Pam Baumgardner: How did the pandemic affect you as an artist?

Wyatt Hull: The pandemic mostly changed the way I was making music at the time. I went from working songs out live in a studio with a band to recording in my kid’s nursery and emailing tracks back and forth to others.

So, you were productive during this time?

Wyatt: It was a roller coaster. At times I did absolutely nothing creatively, using the pandemic as an excuse, and then the pandemic and political unrest would inspire me at other times to write five songs in a week.

What’s your latest project.

Wyatt: There are a few. Tyrantula put out a pandemic single called “FUN,” Gypsy Death Star has an EP that is essentially ready for release, and I’m currently working on a new record with my Hy Brasil bandmate Nik Gonzalez for a project that we are yet to release the name of.

Who have you been working with on these projects?

Wyatt: Nik and I are currently working with producer Jonathan DeBaun on this new project. We record everything at our homes and email mixes back and forth until completion.

How about plans to market and get the word out?

Wyatt: At the moment we are choosing which management we want to go with for this new endeavor so that ball will be in their court we hope.

How is it you ended up providing songs for the Casamigos ad campaign (Casamigos is a tequila company co-founded by George Clooney)?

Wyatt: The director of the Casamigos video campaign asked me to write some music for the ads but they didn’t give me much time. This being said the songs were all written and recorded with local Ventura friends on the spot in one night live at the Captain’s Quarters Studio here in town.

What’s next for you?

Wyatt: Next for me is focusing on getting this new record completed and unleashed to the world as it showcases a new and heavier sound for Nik and I lyrically and musically. A lot of it reflects the insanity that was 2020 so the sooner we can release it the better.

You can find out more about Hyatt’s projects on Facebook.

Don’t forget to tune into the Pam Baumgardner Music Hour on KPPQ-LP out of CAPS Media for music highlighting artists out of the 805 and artists who come to the 805 to play including the new music from Ray Jaurique, Scott Detweiler, Dylan Garica and Jason Brock. I think I’ll have to drop in a Canned Heat tune this next week as well.

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 Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/16/21 – 6/29/21

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

artwork

I really thought I was clever lining up local artists for a short Q&A the past year because frankly, there was very little to write about regarding our music scene other than a lack of a music scene, but that got old fast. So, the Q&A’s were fun and interesting as I caught up with such local artists as Dan Grimm, Tommy Marsh, Will Breman, Natalie Gelman, Chulz Torrez, Guy Martin, Christine Law and so many more. We heard about how they had been holding up during the pandemic and what they had been up to and what new music they had been working on lately. (They’re all archived by the way on VenturaRocks.com) Well I had one lined up for this issue, but I got burned, and he missed the deadline, so lucky for me, we actually have a music scene starting to come back to life for me to write about now!

In my last column I mentioned how it looked like the days of Concerts in your Car were numbered and I was right, Nelly was the last show on Saturday, June 12. I was severely disappointed that Vanilla Ice with Tag Team #WhoopThereItIs was taken off their calendar, that is until I opened an email from CBF Productions and found they’ve been rescheduled to perform here in town after all. CBF Productions are the good folks who brought you Concerts in Your Car, California Beer Festival, Winter Wine Walk, and yes, the Tequila and Taco Music Festival where you can now see both Vanilla Ice and Tag Team #WhoopThereItIs over the weekend of July 24. Last year of course was cancelled due to the pandemic and previous years it was held at Plaza Park, but this year the festival will be held at Surfer’s Point at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. I’ll be honest, it will be good to walk on solid ground (as opposed to the park) after a tasting or two of tequila, and definitely after one of those fiery margaritas they have for sell. Saturday it’s the two hip-hop/rap artists, and then Sunday features tribute to Selena & Latina artists. Tickets on sale now at TequilaAndTacoMusicFestival.com.

Adam and Josh have been slowly but surely getting their new jazz club, the Grape, ready to open their doors to the general public, and the timing couldn’t be better as the county continues to reopen and allow businesses to get back to…business. I just spoke to Josh and he told me they’re looking at the second week in July. YES, FINALLY!! Now you may have seen a post on social media about a show at the Grape on July 8, but that will be a live-stream featuring Karl Hunter, Hans Ottsen, Guil Juliao and Adam Clark (Adam’s back in town for a mere week or so). Adam and Josh are working on dates for Mike Garson’s return, and I hear Doug Webb and Danny Carey are eager to play the new joint as soon as they can. The new jazz house will definitely be a feather in the cap of Ventura’s music scene, and I for one can barely wait to check it out.

Cadillac Zack has landed a new venue for his blues shows at Cantara Cellars in Camarillo. It’s recommended to get your tickets in advance so you don’t miss out when shows sell out. You can do so by calling or texting (323) 377-5291. Tickets range from $20 to $35 with all shows starting at 8 pm; doors open at 7. Currently the line-up includes Jimmy Vivino, bandleader for the Conan O’Brien show on Friday, June 25; Guitar Shorty, blues legend and Hendrix’s step-brother, on Friday, July 9; Laith Al-Saadi, brilliant guitarist and finalist on NBC’s The Voice on Friday, July 16; and Josh Smith, famed modern blues guitar genius on Friday, July 23. August dates include Chris Cain, the Atomic 44’s (formerly The 44’s), Paule Cerra and Lionel Young.

Quick Notes: Winchester’s is hosting “Burning Mask Ventura” on Sunday June 27 from 1 pm to 7 pm with live music from Two’s Company, the Bomb and Spencer the Gardener; there’s actual live music at Bombay’s on Saturday, June 26 starting at 5 pm with the Swizzlers, Vonettes and Fish Fry; catch Tuesday Blues Day evenings at Copa Cubana featuring Jerry McWorter, Ed Berghoff and Shawn Jones this month; Franck L. Goldwasser has a date at Namba on Saturday, June 19; and finally, are you’re missing a little Nardcore? Well Rock & Roll Pizza in Camarillo will be hosting Tuesday night Nardcore nights starting June 22 with Out of Trust and the Robot Uprising.

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.