Ventura Music Scene 2/8/23 – 2/21/23

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

On Saturday, February 18, several venues will be participating in this year’s Country Bar Crawl. The festivities start at 4 pm (3:30 check-in) at Blue Agave on Santa Clara with Lousy Little Gods out of Huntington Beach, then the crawl moves to the second stop up on Main Street at the Star Lounge at 5 pm with Mike Scully and the Weary Travelers; then head down to the next block to the Twist on Main at 6 pm for Mark Masson (Shaky Feelin’); the crawl then moves down Main Street to Winchesters Grill & Saloon at 7 for Lacie Mae, and the final stop will be Limon y Sal rooftop bar for DJ Dusty Saddle. As far as I can tell, the $25 price of admission gets you your choice of colored cup (red you’re in a committed relationship; blue you’re single) and guarantees entry to each venue where you’ll be offered food and drink specials. For more information, go to CountryBarCrawl.com and specifically choose Ventura.

Noel Paul Stookey returns to Ventura for two dates at the Rubicon Theater on Saturday February 18 and a matinee performance on Sunday, February 19. Entitled, “Home Again: Noel Paul Stookey,” this five-time Grammy Award winning artist (Paul of Peter Paul and Mary), will share stories and perform standards as well as songs from his latest release, “Fazz: Now and Then.” Find out more and get your tickets before they sell out at RubiconTheatre.org.

Namba Arts listening room will host Poi Rogers featuring Carolyn Sills and Gerard Egan on Thursday, February 9, Mary Scholz on Friday, February 17, followed up with Modes of Jazz featuring Chuck Manning on sax, Lyman Mederios on bass, Theo Saunders on piano and Dean Thomas on drums on Saturday, February 18. Tickets for all three shows can be found at NambaArts.com.

Camerata Pacifica performs at the Museum of Ventura County on Sunday, February 12 performing Brahms (Clarinet Quintet, Op. 115), Schnittke (Prelude in Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich) and Prokofiev (Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 80).

And just in case you’re in the dancing mood, there will be two nights dedicated to dance music with special themes at the Ventura Music Hall; first on Friday, February 10, it’s all Disco, then on Saturday, February 18, it’s New Wave music from the 80s. But if you’re all about live music, then the dance floor should also be hoppin’ with the English Beat on Friday, February 17.

Quick Notes: Set aside Saturday, June 3, for the Ojai Blues Fest at the Ojai Art Center, the first artist announcement has Shawn Jones performing; Perla Batalla has two dates at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts on Friday February 10 and Saturday, February 11; All Kinds Studios in Zander Alley on Main Street downtown Ventura has Drowse, Two Brothers, Ian Macphee, Lanayha, VTB on Saturday, February 18; It’s a great night of punk music at the Oceanview pavilion in Port Hueneme on Saturday, February 18 with Guttermouth, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Stalag 13, iDecline and Out of Trust; The House of Dance features the Phoenyx Big Band on Sunday afternoon, February 19; and finally it’s sure to be a hoot and a half celebrating Fat Tuesday with D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers at Rabalais’ in Santa Paula on February 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 4/24 – 5/7

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

It’s always a treat when Noel Paul Stookey from the iconic folk trio, Peter, Paul & Mary, performs at the Rubicon Theatre.  Stookey brings his dry wit and love of humankind in a show called “In These Times” on Sunday, April 28. His appearances always sell out, and this one did as well, so I’m happy to report there will be a second concert on Monday, April 29. I wonder what he’ll talk about.  Hmmm.

The local crew from Army of Freshmen have new music available this month, it’s an EP called “At the End of the Day” featuring acoustic tunes. That one drops April 26; the next day, they’ll perform “unplugged” up in Goleta at The Imperial sharing the stage with Nerf Herder.

Eco Fest not only provides over 80 exhibitors, green education ideas with helpful tips, and children’s activities, but they also offer great music throughout the day. This year they’ll have two stages of music with D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers, Ventucky String Band, Anchor & Bear, Shay Moulder, the Midtones and more.  The annual event will be held at Plaza Park (Santa Clara and Chestnut) on April 27 from 10 am to 4 pm.  Eco Fest is free to the pubic with a bike valet available for those doing their part to reduce their carbon footprint.

Gigi’s will be hosting a couple of shows featuring bands from out of the area.  First on Monday, April 29, it’s Radio Active (Tokyo, Japan), The Wankys (Leicester, UK), Eel (Pittsburgh, PA) and No Divide (Santa Barbara); and then on Friday, May 3, they’ll have MOB 47 (Sweden), along with Phobia, Wichaven and Zoloa. I’m glad to see promoters taking advantage of this space again for live music.

Quick Notes: Amber Olive of Amber & Smoke has a new side gig with the band Mini Driver; Margarita Villa has live music every weekend now, Friday through Sunday; Ray Jaurique and friends play The Blue Room on Wednesdays in the Harbor; Show Me the Body from New York play with Enemy on Thursday, April 25, at the Tavern; Norman Baker out of Seattle plays Namba on Friday, April 26; playing the Sewer for the first time, it’s The Guitar & Whiskey Club on Saturday, April 27; The Popravinas perform Saturday, May 4, at Dargans; Club 805 hosts The Darkside (Cosplay) on May 4; and Robin Trower plays the Ventura Theater on Sunday, May 5.

Congratulations to Adam and Josh for getting the Planning Commissions unanimous approval during their public hearing April 10.  It was a standing room only crowd with so many people speaking in support of opening The Grape Jazz Club.  Now, a little construction upgrades and hopefully the next time I write about the Grape will be to give their opening date.  Well done boys!

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.  For updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.