Ventura Music Scene 2/21/23 – 3/5/23

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
artwork
The rescheduled River Bottom Sessions’ Inaugural Bluegrass Festival is set for Saturday, March 2, noon to 7 pm, at Las Palmas de Ojai with performances by Tarantula Banjo, Ellie Rollins Band, The Van Allen Twins and Chris Murphy, and headlining the event is Mark Masson’s Jam Grass and Moonsville. Tickets can be found on EventBrite.

Jon Gindick has put together an acoustic blues night at Greater Goods in Meiners Oaks with fellow musicians, Ralph Carter, RJ Mischo, Bill Flores, TD Lind and Vaughn Montgomery. The show starts at 7 pm with donations accepted at the door.

Punk rockers John Doe and Exene are back at it taking X out on the road with a date at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Sunday, March 24. It worth mentioning that Doe and Exene will be the special guests for the Psychedelic Furs when they play the Ventura Theater on Tuesday, May 14.

Ventura Music Hall has several great acts coming up in the next two weeks including The White Buffalo on Thursday February 22; Health, an American noise rock/industrial band on Saturday March 2; and East LA legends, Los Lobos, on Sunday, March 3.

Taking a break from playing huge arenas and festivals this past year including two shows at Crypto.com Arena in LA this month and with more tour dates continuing through June in Europe, Danny Carrey, drummer for Tool, returns for a spirited night of jazz playing with The Doug Webb Group. If you’re a fan of Tool, or just enjoy some pretty hardcore jazz, then do yourself a favor and secure tickets now for Saturday, March 30 at TheGrapeVentura.com.

You might want to snag your tickets for Forever Motown returning to the Rubicon with six performances June 6 – June 9. Performers include members of the Marvelettes, the Temptations, The Spinners and more. Find out more at RubiconTheatre.org.

Quick Notes: Limon y Sal has In Stone upstairs every Sunday afternoon 1-4 pm; Duke’s Beach Grill is offering up live music early Saturday evenings with Mark Cross on February 24 and The Zepp Heads on March 2; Margarita Villa in the Ventura Harbor is back to live music on the weekend starting Saturday February 24 with 805 Crosscut; a Tribute to Leonard Bernstein, American Songbook will be held at the Ojai Underground on Sunday February 25; Shawn Jones has a vinyl release party for his latest offering, “In my Blood,” at the Grape on Friday, March 1;
Tierra Rejada Golf Club in Moorpark has more live music with 805 Social Club on Friday, February 23, and Recharged on Saturday March 2; and 311 has two dates at the Majestic Ventura Theater on Tuesday, March 5, and Wednesday March 6 with Sitting on Stacy to warm up the crowd.

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 11/2 – 11/15/22

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

Good Kids artworkIt didn’t surprise me at all when I heard that several members from Army of Freshmen had taken on a new project, an album for children, called Good Kids. It features 14 high-spirited, multi-genre songs that speak to children. If you know the band, then you know what quirky high energy fun-loving free spirits they are, so this totally makes sense!

A few factors help mold the project, the most important one being that

Army members

they are parents themselves, but then the pandemic hit and it was the perfect time to fill in all that free time they now had on their hands. To accompany the release of Good Kids on November 4, will be a new web series of the same name offering four-minute episodes hosted by a different band member interviewing a “real” good kid, as well as comical vignettes of the band taking on the subject themselves from sports to going to school to starting a band. Way to go boys!

Expect frivolity, over-the-top theatrics and just an awesome stage show when punk legends Gogol Bordello hit the stage at the Ventura Theater on Saturday, November 5; and then Canadian indie pop duo, Tegan and Sara (twin sisters) play the Majestic on Friday, November 11.

Meanwhile just a few miles away on Thompson Blvd, this is the Ventura Music Hall line up for the next two weeks:
Sammy Johnson on Thursday, November 3
Tai Verdes on Wednesday, November 9
The Longest Johns with Shane Alexander opening on Thursday, November 10
Big Head Todd and the Monsters on Friday, November 11
The Sinseers on Saturday, November 12
Flamingosis & Blockhead on Sunday, November 13
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore with the Guilty Ones on Tuesday, November 15

anchor and bear artworkI’m looking forward to the new release from Anchor & Bear. You can see them perform “No More Nights on the Roof” at Topa Topa Brewing, downtown Ventura on Friday, November 11, with Looking West opening the show. By the way, if you haven’t been to this Topa Topa Brewing location in a while, you need to check it out. They cleared out the back room where they use to have their brewing equipment and now they have a spot for live bands, open mics and screenings. I’m hoping this will become consistent listening room for artists to perform.

Quick Notes: Danny Carey of Tool returns to the Grape with the Doug Webb Group on Thursday, November 3; Poseidon Brewing’s First Friday is offering up the CocoKnots with a Hawaiian vibe on November 4; the final free Ojai Pops Concert Series show of the season will be Sunday, November 6, at 3:30 pm at Libbey Bowl with Larktown & Friends; Jodi Farrell’s live performers’ workshop at Namba will be on Sunday November 6 (donations appreciated); Michael Falcone does a tribute to Sinatra on Thursday, November 10 at the Manhattan in Camarillo; David Franz album release party will be at the new Feros Ferio Winery in Ojai on Saturday, November 12; local singer/songwriter, Krystal Park, performs a set at Surfers Point Café on Sunday, November 13 (1 pm); and tickets are on sale via eventbrite for Dr. Know & Stalag 13 at the Oceanview Pavilion in Port Hueneme for Saturday, January 7, 2023;

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 Photos – September 2022

Winchesters Grill & Saloon – September 30
Debbie Davies w/ special guest Teresa James
Debbie Davis and Teresa James

Majestic Ventura Theater – September 29
Max & Iggor Cavalera (photo credit: Christopher Sucameli)
Max and Iggor Cavalera

Max and Igor

The Garage – September 24, 2022
Cole Gallagher & the Lesser Saints
Cole Gallagher

Cole Gallagher full band

Ventura Music Hall – September 24, 2022
Sun Room – (photo credit: Christopher Sucameli)
Sun Room

The Grape – September 24, 2022
RJ Root
RJ Root

Ventura Music Hall – September 16, 2022
Allen Stone
Allen Stone

Ventura Music Hall – September 16, 2022
Josh Damigo & Rob Deez (credit: selfie)Selfie of Josh Damigo and Rob Deez

Josh Damigo

A Taste of Local – September 11, 2022
Spencer the Gardener
Spencer Barantz
The Rose Valley Thorns, special guest Danny McGaw
Rose Valley Thorns

Dan Grimm w/ Jp Hesser
Dan Grimm

Namba – September 10, 2022
Dirty Cello
Photo of Dirty Cello at Namba

The Grape – September 3, 2022
Doug Webb group featuring Danny Carey of Toolphoto of Doug Webb Group featuring Danny Carey

Ventura Music Hall – August 3, 2022
Cubensis – (photo credit: Christopher Sucameli)
photo of CubensisOjai Underground Exchange – September 3, 2022
Little Days – (photo credit: Christopher Sucameli)
photo of Little Days

Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 8/24/22 – 9/6/22

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

The Ojai Pops Concert Series co-sponsored by the City of Ojai kicked off Sunday, August 21, and if you missed it, no worries, there will be four more chances to catch another one of their community concerts at Libbey Bowl. All concerts are free and start at 3:30 pm:
August 28: Tuxedo Junction Jazz Band
September 25: 805 Brass and Los Padres Sound Horn Quartet
October 23: Ojai Pops Orchestra w/ vocalists Miriam Dance & Sophie Holt
November 6: Larktown & Friends, featuring Lark Cobb (vocals) and Todd Temanson (banjo)

The Hueneme Beach Festival falls over the weekend of August 27 and 28 (1 – 6 pm) and is absolutely free to attend with live music both days:
Saturday, August 27: New Orleans Suspects, Twisted Gypsy, Taylor Sackson, CRV, Morie & the Heavy Hitters, Olivia Willhite.
Sunday, August 28: Nth Power, Phantom Blues Band, Beebs & her Money Makers, the Cousins, Sade, Juano & Friends, Hand Me Down Band.

Spencer Mackenzie’s is once again uniting two events into one with the world’s largest cornhole tournament called The Throwdown during the day and then once the sun (starts) to go down, it’s live music with A.D.D. on Friday; Sunny Ledfurd, and Mandex on Saturday; then starting at 2 pm on Sunday, it’s Morie & the Heavy Hitters followed up with a set by Rey Fresco. Click here for tickets.

The 34th Anniversary show for Chick Singer Night will be held on Saturday, September 10 with Martha V, Diana Bacon, Olivia Mucha, Kerri Climer and Vanise Terry. Chick Singer Night is held at Studio B in Oxnard. Tickets are $25 through EventBrite.com.

There are several shows coming up at the Namba Performing Arts Space on Oak, downtown Ventura:
Esteban Ramirez on September 3
Dirty Cello on September 10
Iona Fyfe on September 11
Tommy McManus on September 18

Along with Hawaiian hula dancers, frisbee dog demonstrations, food trucks and more, the Aloha Beach Festival will offer up some live musical entertainment from Warren Takahashi and Friends, Free Love Project 805, Jacob Marquez and the Good Vibes, Morie & the Heavy Hitters, Jill Martini and the Shrunken Heads, Keyth & the Universouls, Heavy Rotation, the Question and Rising Son. This free family friendly event will be held at promenade park along Surfer’s Point here in Ventura on Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4. This year’s beneficiary will be the Merito Foundation.

New shows added at the Ventura Theater:
Max & Iggor Cavalera – September 29
Alkaline Trio – October 21

New shows added at Ventura Music Hall
Protoje, Jesse Royal, Lila Ike – Oct 1
Bad Suns – Oct 5
Dirty Honey, Dorothy, Mac Saturn – Oct 6
Knuckle Puck – Oct 22
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore with the guilty Ones – November 15
The Rare Occasions, Hot Freaks – December 4

High Street Arts Center (HighStreetArtsCenter.com) in Moorpark has a number of tribute shows lined up called the 2022 Legends Series:
Chicago Tribute Experience (Chicago) – August 26
Raymond Michael tribute to King of Rock and Roll (Elvis) – August 27
The Heart of Rock & Roll (Huey Lewis & the News) – September 2
Fortunate Son (Credence Clearwater Revival – September 3

poster for eventThe Grape in Ventura has a couple of dates I want to ensure you know. First off, you can read my Q&A with Derek Sherinian, and then catch one or both shows when Sherinian and Simon Philips with band perform on Monday, August 29. Additional monster players for the night are Ric Fierabracci on bass and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal on guitar. Tickets are available on EventBrite.
Then it’s always one of the hottest tickets in town to catch Tool’s Danny Carey when he drums for the Doug Webb Group which also features Jamie Klime on guitar, Jimmy Earl on bass and Mitch Forman on keys. Tickets are also available on EventBrite for this Saturday, September 3 show.

Quick Notes: just added to the music stage for Taste of Local on Sunday, September 11 is Spencer the Gardener; Billy Idol plays the Ventura Theater Thursday, August 25; the next Singer/songwriter showcase dinner event at Pierano’s is set for Thursday, August 25 with Dylan Brehm, Lainey Brown, Olivia Mucha, Jodi Farrell and Aaron Burch; Colbie Caillat is at the Thousand Oaks Civic Auditorium, Friday, August 26; Fantastic Diamond plays Cantara on Saturday, August 27; the final Music Under the Stars is Saturday, August 27 with Lisa Haley & the Zydekats (sold out); Elvis Costello plays the Thousand Oaks Civic Auditorium on Sunday, August 28; Switchfoot is at the Ventura Music Hall on Sunday, August 28; Nathan McEuen plays the Ojai Underground on Friday, September 2; and Starship, featuring Mickey Thomas, is at the Libbey Bowl on Sunday, September 4.

The latest episode of VenturaRockSpot is live featuring Looking West. The young trio out of Ventura have been making their mark on the music scene playing such venues as, Topa Topa Brewing in Ventura, Rock & Roll Pizza in Camarillo, even Surf Rodeo last month. You can catch them live when they play MadeWest Brewing on Saturday, August 27.

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 Photos – April 2022

Ventura Music Hall – April 17, 2022
Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives (Photo credit: Kelly Zirbes)

Tony’s Pizzeria – April 16, 2022
Caliente Band (Photo credit: Rodney Medina)

Ojai House Concert – April 16, 2022
Sonic Butterfly meets Star Goes Nova

Sonic Butterfly and Star Goes Nova

The Grape – April 8, 2022
The Doug Webb Group:
Doug Webb- saxophone
Danny Carey- drums
Jamie Kime- guitar
Mitchel Forman- keys
Jimmy Earl- bass

Skull and Roses – April 8 – 10, 2022|
Photo Credit: John Murchison

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 4/25 – 5/8

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

It’s out with the old and in with the new, but not just quite yet. Before their final week of jazz music in their current location, Squashed Grapes played host to none other than Michael McDonald, yes that Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers and a brilliant solo career which has spanned more than 45 years. The intimate, by-invite-only setting was held Sunday, April 22. What can I say? I love this town.

And speaking of their final week, Adam and Josh of Squashed Grapes have a stellar lineup of jazz before closing their doors while they work on the new location on Main street next to Yolanda’s. Wednesday, June 25 it’s Hans Ottsen Quartet with special guest Jacob Scesney; on Thursday it’s The Ray Mehlbaum Quartet; on then finally on Friday, Doug Webb returns with drummer Danny Carey (TOOL) for a huge sendoff party.

The Ventura County Blues Festival will be held this year at the Studio Channel Islands on Saturday, April 28 with Earl Thomas, John Nemeth, Deb Ryder, Alan Wright Band, and Sandy Scott & Blues to the Bone. There will be an after party with Crooked Eye Tommy at El Rey Cantina in Camarillo.

Jeffrey Willerth, is the new director of Namba and he plans to utilize the facility at 47 South Oak Street for what is called the “Music Speaks” series. The first installment will be held on May 5 with Conjunto Tenocelomeh, a band rooted in the Son Jarocho Mexican folk music of Veracruz. Also this month, they’ll have CG Ryche, an amazing percussionist, brilliant showman and filmmaker who will perform and share his inspiring story focused on the importance of ‘perseverance’ as it relates to musicians; Duane Tudahl, author of “Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions 1983-1984” who will explain how he got his hands on the daily recording reports from the Studios Prince visited; and Tim Wickham, a Ventura local with boundless appreciation for Hammond Organs will bring a few of his prized Hammonds and play in a trio in a historical salute to this renown musical instrument. For tickets and information go to NambaArts.com

And finally, if you haven’t already done so, don’t make any out-of-town vacation plans over the weekend of July 14th and 15th; in fact, plan for a “Staycation” for this year’s Surf Rodeo. JD Drury has started to announce the music lineup and I’m super jazzed to learn that not only will Shwayze and The Untouchables be on the bill, but the Long Beach Dub Allstars will be headlining (group features former members of Sublime). I understand a lot more bands will be added over the next month or so but we know that Highway Starr, Kyle Smith, Rising Son, Yachtley Crew, Zepp Heads and of course Raging Arb and the Redheads will be on the bill.

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 Photos – March 2017

Squashed Grapes – March 25, 2017
Denny Seiwell (Founding member Paul McCartney & Wings)


The Patio at Player’s Casino – March 25, 2017
Natalie Gellman


Amigo’s – March 24, 2017
Bad Leaf (Photo: Louis Olachea)


Squashed Grapes – March 18, 2017
Doug Webb Group featuring Danny Carey (TOOL) playing Johnny Be Goode tribute to Chuck Berry who passed away earlier that day at age 90.

Doug Webb Group featuring Danny Carey (TOOL) with Jacob Scesney


Discovery – March 17, 2017
50 Sticks of Dynamite
50 Sticks of Dynamite


The Tavern – March 15, 2017
Witchstone (Photo: Louis Olachea) #MetalWednesday

The Tavern – March 15, 2017
Spell (Photo: Louis Olachea)  #MetalWednesday


St Patrick’s Day Parade – Downtown Ventura
Squashed Grapes Parade Band
RJ Root, Trey O’Toole (Pulse Drumming), Dirk Shumaker (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy), Karen Parkhouse (Barrelhouse Wailers) Pam Baumgardner (VenturaRocks.com) Drue Drew & Andrew Conchelos (Barrelhouse Wailers).


St Patrick’s Day Parade – Downtown Ventura
Diana Boydstun5, RJ Root, Pam Baumgardner
Diana, RJ & Pam photo


Majestic Ventura Theater – March 7, 2017
Social Distortion

Ventura Music Photos: October 2016

Grapes and Hops – October 30,2016
Paul Mars Black
Paul Mars Black


Majestic Ventura Theater – October 19, 2016
Yellowcard – The Final World Tour
Yellowcard


Duke’s – October 16, 2016
Rin Kon Kiki – Photo Credit Kim from Pulse Drumming
Rin Kon Kiki


Majestic Ventura Theater – October 8, 2016
Frost and Fire II – Cirith Ungol
Cirith UngolCirith UngolCirith Ungol


Squashed Grapes – October 8, 2016
The Doug Webb Group featuring Danny Carey from TOOL
The Doug Webb Group


Majestic Ventura Theater – October 4, 2016
Jackson Browne – photo credit Albert Munoz
Jackson Browne

Ventura Music Photos: November 2015

Amigo’s Surf Cantina – November 28, 2015
With the Dive Bar Messiahs REPRESENTING!
DBM


Ventura Beach Club – Novembre 28, 2015
Raging Arb and the Redheads & Spencer the Gardener


Majestic Ventura Theater – November 22, 2015
Everclear
Everclear


Squashed Grapes – November 14, 2015
The Doug Webb Group
151114_SG_DougWebbDoug Webb (horns) has recorded with the likes of Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Clarke, Quincy Jones, and dozens of others. He played with the house band for the Dennis Miller Show and continues to tour witht he Doc Severinsen orchestera. He’s recorded music for hundreds of TV shows and movies such as Mysitc River and Million Dollar Baby including the saxophone of Lisa in the The Simpsons.
Jimmy Earl (bass) has performed nightly on Jimmy Kimmel Live since 2003. He’s worked with Chick Corea, Robben Ford, and dozens of other artists.
Steve Fister (guitar) has performed and recorded with the likes of Bon Jovi, Lita Ford, Pat Travers, Joe Satriani and more.
Danny Carey (drums) from Tool. Enough said.
But this past week Webb brought in Mike Garson who has played with the Smashing Pumpkins, NiN, and David Bowie to name a few. You know the piano on Young Americans by Bowie? That’s Garson.
The night was electrifying to say the least.


The Hong Kong Inn – November 8, 2015
Ashford Gordon Blues Jam
1108_HongKong_Ashford

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

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
“Blues to jazz and all points in between”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

Ashford Gordon and Glade Rasmussen at the Hong Kong Inn's Blues Jam Sunday.

Ashford Gordon and Glade Rasmussen at the Hong Kong Inn’s Blues Jam Sunday.

The Hong Kong Inn has started hosting a monthly Blues Jam Session on what will be the first Sunday of the month. The kick-off session was on Sunday November 8 with Ashford Gordon supported by Ray Jaurique, Glade Rasmussen and Chris Jensen. All players of all skill levels are welcome to sit in during the second set.

Having signed a distribution deal with Mesa Blue Moon Records last month, Nathan McEuen has been pulling out all the stops, touring more aggressively and will be making a stop at Salzer’s Records on Friday, November 13.  Get out and support Nathan who will have Jesse Olema and special guests with him, but more importantly, pick up a copy of his latest release, “Side by Side”.

Our good friend Dan Grimm with his brand of California Flip-Floppy-Tonkiness returns to the Wine Rack for a gig on Friday, November 20; there’s no denying Grimm’s love for Ventura when he sings original material such as “Two Trees” or “Ventucky.” Meanwhile, Mike Cregan continues his Monday night residency and Frank Barajas and Doug Johnson have taken over Tuesday nights.

The Channel Cities Jazz Club will feature Clyde Reaslinger Big Band on November 15 at the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club in the Channel Islands Harbor. The proceeds will be split between CCJC’s Jazz Camp Scholarship fund and the Pacific Corinthian Youth Foundation. Besides giving musicians of all ages a forum to perform and share jazz, the club’s mission is to build bonds between generations and to enhance musical educational opportunities for youth.

Doug Webb returns to Squashed Grapes with not only Steve Fister, Jimmy Earl and Danny Carey of Tool, but added to the mix this time will be Mike Garson on Piano. Garson has worked with the likes of David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins and No Doubt. This promises to be the epitome of the expression, “Off the Hook.” Tickets are on sale for Saturday, November 14 at Squashed Grapes; downbeat is 7 pm.

I’ll admit I’m a tad giddy with anticipation for a several shows coming up at the Majestic Ventura Theater.  There’s Pepper on November 21, Everclear’s 20th Anniversary of Sparkle and Fade on November 22 and Sublime with Rome on November 27.  By the way, Rebelution returns for two shows in March, don’t miss out and get your tickets soon as they always sell out.

And finally, local musician Gary Best has invited everyone out for an afternoon of Los Dudes at Grapes and Hops on Sunday, November 15 before he goes in for heart surgery.  He’s been taking care of the body and getting healthy, and we love and support him in all those endeavors.

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