Ventura Music Scene 5/31/23 – 6/13/23

Posted on May 29, 2023 by venturarocks

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

The Wild Oaks Country Music Festival is Saturday, June 3, with Craig Morgan, Cam, Chayce Beckham, Justin Honsinger, Chris Johnson and the Hollywood Hillbillies. This one will be held at Conejo Creek Park South in Thousand Oaks and it’s presented by the Rotary Club of Westlake Village with 100% of net proceeds going to support non-profit organizations locally and globally including the U.S. Military Veterans, First Responders, Human Trafficking, and community needs. Advance tickets available at WildOaksCMF.com.
The Ojai Blues Fest returns to the Ojai Art Center for a day of blues and roots music on Saturday, June 3, featuring Shawn Jones, Celso Salim & Darryl Carriere, Chuck Strong, TD Lind & the Aviators, Smokey & Friends, and the Brothers Marsh. Tickets may, or may not still be available the day of the show, so it’s encouraged to secure your tickets via EventBrite.com.
Ojai Music Festival takes place June 8 – June 11 at a couple of different venues, but mostly the Libbey Bowl. A number of events are free and a number of ticketed events are already sold out. The best way to plot your week is to visit the official website at OjaiFestival.org and again, don’t expect tickets to be available the day of, purchase your tickets now.

The Ventura County Concert Band will perform a free concert at the Ventura High School Auditorium on Sunday, June 4 at 3 pm offering “pop” tunes including selections from Stevie Wonder, Henry Mancini, The Beatles, Aladdin and more.

New dates at our local venues: Bob Marley’s son, Julian Marley, has been added to the Libbey Bowl’s concert line up for June 16 with the Bad Seeds opening; Daughtry was also added for Sunday, September 17. Speaking of Bob Marley, the Original Wailers will play the Ventura Music Hall on Wednesday, October 11 and Sun Room was added for November 19 at Majestic Ventura Theater.

All Kinds Studios continues to provide live music to all ages in a sober space in Zander Alley downtown Ventura. Saturday, June 3, they have The Illegal Aliens out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with How to Live with Robots, and Spaceyy. If you’d like to keep up on their schedule, it’s best to follow them on Instagram.

Quick Notes:
Leashless Brewing will be trying out singer/songwriter open mics with the first one Thursday, June 1; Michael Henszey will perform in support of his new EP release of Fly Away at Namba on Saturday, June 3; Shane Alexander, Renee & Jeremy, and Kat Sophia play Ojai Greater Goods on Sunday, June 4; The Local Love Project fundraiser is Sunday, June 6 with Kelly’s Lot, Scott Detweiler and Bobby Hart at the Portside Ventura Harbor Clubhouse; Michael Falcone does Sinatra at the Manhattan in Camarillo on Thursday, June 8; and there will be a Burch Studios Showcase at the Ventura Theater on Saturday, June 10.

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 5/3/23 – 5/16/23

Posted on May 3, 2023 by venturarocks

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

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.

And 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.

The 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.

Ventura Music Scene 11/16/22 – 11/29/22

Posted on November 20, 2022 by venturarocks

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

Looking ahead, the event of the season is coming up on Saturday, December 3. Of course, I’m speaking about the annual Winter Wine Walk & Holiday Street Fair downtown Ventura. I’ve attended several of these throughout the years, and it’s always a treat to be in one place at the same time with thousands of people celebrating the season. There are several different levels to be involved from just visiting all the vendors from one end of downtown to the other as you check off items on your Christmas shopping list, to walking to all the different participating venues whilst sipping your beverage, to hanging out in the VIP gardens (where you’re find the best pours and food), to dancing at Main and California while a snowfall transforms downtown into a winter wonderland. No charge to hang out for the Street Fair and music at California and Main, but you’ll want to secure your tickets for the wine walk at VenturaWinterWineWalk.com.

If you’ve never sat in a music hall listening to a full orchestra performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Ode to Joy, then do yourself a favor, and kickstart the season with the New West Symphony. There will be two shows, one on Saturday, November 19, at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, and one the following day at Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center in Camarillo. The program includes Meri Sakhi Ki Avaaz, My Sister’s Voice. For ticket availability, go to NewWestSymphony.org.

Majestic Ventura Theater Upcoming Shows
The Wrecks – 11/19/22
AFI – 11/25/22 (Sold Out)
Beach House – 12/7/22 (Sold Out)
Circle Jerks, TSOL – 12/30/22
Jerry Cantrell – 2/21/23
Eric Johnson – 2/22/23

Ventura Music Hall
The Purple Ones – 1/6/23
Steely Dead – 1/20/23
Cut Chemist – 1/26/23
The Wood Brothers – 2/2/23
Mat Kearney – 2/11/23
Alborosie – 2/19/23
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore rescheduled for 2/23/23

Congratulations to two-time Grammy-award winner Rhiannon Giddens who will become the music director for the 77th Ojai Music Festival in June next year. She recently won the Grammy for Best Folk Album for They’re Calling Me Home with Francesco Turrisi.

Quick Notes: Barrelhouse Wailers are in the studio on Ojai at Carbonite Sound; Brendon Willing James performs at the Deer Lodge with special guest Omar Velasco on Thursday, November 17; There will be live music at Bombay Bar and Grill, on Saturday, November 19 with Olivia Willhite at 5 pm); Numbskull Productions bring Wormwitch, and Bewitcher to town for a gig at Gigi’s Cocktails on Saturday, November 19; Wrecking Crew member, Don Randi & Quest returns for a date at the Grape on Saturday, November 19; AFI show at Ventura theater on Friday, Acoustic DNA play a Friendsgiving show at the Twist on Wednesday, November 23; November 25 is sold out; Janelle & Andrew play Surfers Point Café on Sunday, November 27; and Ventura Theater’s annual sing along will be held on December 11 (admission is one new unwrapped toy).

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/1/22 – 6/14/22

Posted on May 31, 2022 by venturarocks

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

The Ojai Blues Fest at the Ojai Art Center returns on Saturday, June 4. It’s always a treat when Tommy Marsh returns to town after picking up and leaving us for Tennessee to build a Nashville audience. Trust me when I say, the talent will not disappoint! Tickets are available on EventBrite.com. Here’s the current time lineup:

1:30 – Milo Sledge
2:00 – Crooked Eye Tommy
3:30 – Chuck Strong & SRBQ
4:30 – Ray Jaurique & the Uptown Brothers
5:30 – Sandy Haley Band
6:30 – Guy Martin
8:00 – All-star Jam Session

The 75th anniversary of the Ojai Music Festival runs June 9 – June 12 at the Libbey Bowl. Tickets for each event run between $20 and $150; but on Sunday, June 12, all are invited to two free events at Libbey Park. The first, Dance in the Park, features the dance duo Julia Eichten and Bret Easterling, celebrating tenderness, togetherness, and fierce joy; and then that afternoon, Rome is Falling is a high-energy new telling where song, spoken word, and driving music come together to contextualize the action with audience engagement and the performance of a local children’s choir. For more details on all performances and to secure your tickets, go to OjaiFestival.org.

The Glass Animals concert at the Ventura Theater wasn’t announced until 9 am on Wednesday, May 18 and tickets went on sale that day at noon which promptly sold out for their show the following Wednesday, May 25, at the Ventura Theater…which by the way was fabulous.

Future shows on sale now for the Ventura Theater include Third Eye Blind for Saturday, August 6, Billy Idol on Thursday, August 25, Hollie Cook (from all-female punk/reggae band, the Slits) on Saturday, September 24, Black Flag on Saturday, October 29, and AFI on Friday, November 25. If you don’t want to miss out, you’ll want to keep your eye on their calendar as you never know when new dates will pop up (such as the Glass Animals).

Heading around the corner and down the block (or two) to the all-new Ventura Music Hall, I’m happy to report that I’ve secured tickets for the Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs show for Sunday, June 12. Come on!!! He co-wrote so many hits with Tom Petty (Refugee, Here Comes My Girl, Runnin’ Down a Dream), you know it’s going to rock!! New dates added recently include Guttermouth on Sunday, July 3 (happy to say local bands False Confession and Romper will open), Memphis May Fire out of Texas plays Tuesday, July 19 and Jerry’s Middle Finger will bring in the “Deadheads” when they play Friday, July 29.

Over on Main Street, midtown Ventura, the Grape has Casey Abrams, former American Idol contestant and current member of Postmodern Jukebox, returning for a show on Saturday, June 4, then the venue will go into overdrive when they open on Sunday and Monday (traditionally closed) for two special concerts. Firstly, on June 5, it’s Dreamland band, a Joni Mitchell tribute, featuring Kimberly Ford on vocals and guitar and then on Monday, June 6, the Dave Weckl/Tom Kennedy Projects with their high energy jazz fusion. Weckl was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2000. Tickets are available for these shows at TheGrapeVentura.com.

The Toni Jannotta Jazz Trio plays Peirano’s on the Terrazza Friday, June 3, with Terry Simcik on guitar and Tom Etchart on bass. Toni then leaves for Europe to sing in the Langtoun Jazz Festival in Kirkcaldy, Scotland.

Here’s a fun, or not-so-fun fact: all reserved tables and special ramadas for all concerts are sold out for Music Under the Stars this summer. Tickets still available for general admission include Identity Theft on July 23, Rhythm Krewe on August 6 and Lisa Haley & the Zdekats on August 27, all other shows totally sold out. You can either purchase tickets at Ventura City Hall or over the phone (805) 658-4726.

Quick Notes: just announced, Uncle Cracker will perform at BBQ Fest 2022 at Surfer’s Point Live (Ventura Fairgrounds) on Saturday, June 11; Surfers Point Café will hold a grand opening celebration on Saturday, June 11, featuring the loveable CocoKnots and their tropical blend of music with a sprinkling of pop & jazz classics from 1 -4 pm; Cadillac Zack presents Aki Kumar, Bollywood blues, at Namba on Friday, June 10; Iain Matthews and Steve Postell (founding members of British folk rock bands) play the Ojai Underground Friday, June 3; Mack and D start up their Thursday evening residency at 1901; Tickets are on sale for the Hip Hop edition of Sunday Funday with Flo Rida and Lil Jon at Surfer’s Point Live (Ventura Fairgrounds parking lot); and Mick Stover (bassist Dive Bar Messiahs, Gentlemen’s Blues Club) has started a new 80s dance cover band called ’80 Reasons 2 Dance, you can catch them at Margarita Villa on July 9.

The Pam Baumgardner Music Hour continues to support and play local artist out of the 805, as well as artists who come here to play. Mary Z Wilson continues to be a great asset talking about the history of Americana here in town; she’ll be sharing music from Donna Lynn Caskey, Merlin Snider and Cyrus Clarke on the next episode, (#162) which runs 5/31 – 6/12 and airs Tuesdays and Fridays at 5:00 pm and Sundays at noon. Tune into KPPQ-LP at 104.1 FM here in Ventura, or listen via the MyTuner radio app on your smart device, or online at CapsMedia.org/Radio.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 4/20/22 – 5/3/22

Posted on April 20, 2022 by venturarocks

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

The historic Olivas Adobe will once again host Music Under the Stars on Friday nights from July 9 – August 27. There are a number of tribute bands such as Savor, tribute to Santana on July 16, Dark Desert Highway, tribute to the Eagles on August 13 and 4 Lads from Liverpool, tribute to the Beatles on August 20. Tickets are only $20, and an extra $25 to reserve a table. Tickets go on sale May 2 at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/MUS.

Ojai Music Festival’s 2022 season has been announced and will run June 9 to June 12. For scheduled performances and ticket information, go to OjaiFestival.org.
Ventura Music Hall will be launching their Friday night Golden Hour series featuring mostly local tribute bands from May 13 through June 24. Lined up are Twisted Gypsy, Sgt. Pepper, Black Crystal Wolf Kids, Ridin’ the Storm Out and Doin’ Time.

There will be a Ukrainian Relief benefit brunch featuring live music by The Cover Girls & Friends, Breaking Bored, and Misunderstood at the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club on Sunday, May 1. All proceeds going to the Ukrainian relief charity of your choice. For more information and to reserve your spot, call Rosa Carbajal at (805) 827-2306.

Salzer’s Records will host a Meet and Greet with Think: X on Saturday, April 23 featuring bandmates Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), Scott Page (Pink Floyd), and Kenny Olson (Kid Rock) who will be stopping by on Record Store Day to promote Think: X, An Exploration of the Music of Pink Floyd. Think: X performs at Oceanview Production Studios in Port Hueneme later that evening.

Rock-n the Streets is free and happening on Saturday, April 23 at Casa Agria Specialty Ales located at 701 N. Del Norte Blvd in Oxnard with performances by Omega Nova, Stellar Ruins, NoSilence, Sunjelly, Crawdads and the Panes.

Just a few shows lining up at Libbey Bowl include the Musical Box performs Genesis on May 22, Stephen Pearcy of Ratt on July 8, Former members of Oingo Boing on July 16, ABC on July 17, the Zombies on July 22, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers on August 5, Mark Farner’s American Band acoustic show on August 6 and Michael Feinstein on August 27.

Quick Notes: The Twist on Main hosts Muse on Main: a benefit concert for Musicians on a Mission on Saturday, April 23 with Dr. T and the Blues Criminals; Tom Scott (the Blues Brothers, LA Express) plays the Grape on Friday, April 29; Kyle Smith is back in town with full band at the Six Chow House on Friday, April 29; Agent Orange plays Gigi’s on Friday, April 29; and new music out: Rain Perry’s a White Album, Shaky Feelin’ Brand New Day and Night Demon’s Year of the Demon (2020 singles compilation).

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 8/25/21 – 9/7/21

Posted on August 24, 2021 by venturarocks

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

Just when you think we’re out of the woods, the mask mandate is back; embrace it. While you and I may be vaccinated others are not. No need to get angry, no need to stress, just do what is right for the greater good and let’s put this pandemic behind us as soon as we can. And just another aside, no need to shame those who choose not to get vaccinated. They already know they’re wrong. JUST KIDDING!!! Both sides can still contract Covid, and both sides can still spread it, but it’s been proven that the vaccinated are less at risk for being hospitalized.

While we’re on the subject, a quick shout out and kudos going out to venues/restaurants who boldly close due to Covid cases amongst some of their staff. It’s the responsible thing to do, and if they investigate and see where improvements can be made to secure a safer environment for both staff and customers, even better.

I have great news! In the former Oak and Main location (and before that Rookees), The Six Chow House is now open and plans on offering music Thursday through Sunday. According to their Instagram account (thesixventura), they’ll be specializing in farm to table cuisine and mixology cocktails. It’s gorgeous and I hope it proves to be another feather in the cap of Ventura’s music scene.

The Spencer Makenzie’s 12th Annual End of Summer Block Party runs august 27-29 this year at Surfer’s Point Live (Ventura Fairgrounds parking lot at the corner of Harbor Blvd and Figueroa). The main event is the Throw Down Cornhole Tournament all three days and it turns out this is the largest cash cornhole tournament in the world. To keep the party going, both Friday and Saturday will feature live music (see listings). To secure tickets and to find out more go to www.SurfersPointLive.com.

Hueneme Beach Festival is a free event with music over the weekend of August 28 and 29 featuring a number of heavy hitters including Fausto Cuevas y La Moderna (tours with Stevie Wonder), Ozomatli, and Think:X which features Scott Page (Pink Floyd, Supertramp), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), Kenny Olson (Kidd Rock & Norwood Fisher (Fishboone). See HuenemeBeachFestival.org for dates, times and parking information.

Congratulations to Gary & Karen on Four Brix 10-year anniversary. They’ll be celebrating over the weekend of September 3 starting with Inna Rude Mood on Friday evening, then Dean Delorenzo & Lisa Meegan Trio on Saturday afternoon with The Brix Brothers keeping the party going on Sunday at Noon.

Quick Notes: Tickets are now on sale for the Ojai Music Festival which runs September 16-19 this year; the Collection has schedule monthly concerts in their field with Yachtley Crew this month on Wednesday, August 25; Alan Parsons Live Project plays Libbey Bowl on Saturday, August 28; and the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club’s monthly “Bubbly, Brunch & Latin Jazz” series features Oscar Hernandez’s Alma Libre on Sunday, August 29.

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

Posted on August 15, 2021 by venturarocks

Ventura Music 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.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 7/28/21 – 8/10/21

Posted on July 27, 2021 by venturarocks

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

You know the music scene is alive when large venue events sell out; such was the case for the Tequila and Tacos Music Festival over the weekend of July 24 & 25 with Vanilla Ice, Tag Team and Ozomatli performing. I will concede, the beverage of choice may have been the driving force behind the ticket sales, but the stage was rockin’ and that’s always a cool thing. Next up for Surfer’s Point Live (Fairgrounds’ parking lot), Scotty McCreery & Rodney Atkins on Friday, July 30, and then the Spencer Makenzie’s Throw Down Cornhole & Music Festival over the weekend of August 27-29 with Mandex, Dave Rea & the Acoustic DNA and three tribute bands covering the music of AC/DC, Journey & Guns & Roses. For more details and ticket information, go to SurfersPointLive.com.

I’m also happy to see the Ventura Theater lining up shows and the first one is one you should seriously think about seeing. Not only is Lukas Nelson son to Willie, but he collaborated with Bradley Cooper on A Star is Born, and his band IS the band in the movie. The band’s brand of Country Rock is a fun vibe and the talent is stellar, so you won’t want to miss Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real on Thursday, September 9.
More show at Ventura Theater:

The End of Summer Lockdown Tour – Friday, September 10
Mon Laferte – Wednesday September 22
Drakeo the Ruler – Friday October 1
Black Label Society: Doom Trooping over North America tour – Saturday, October 2
Yung Bleu – Tuesday, October 5
Pennywise w/ Dead Kennedys – Thursday, October 7
Pennywise w/ Strung Out – Friday, October 8 (sold out)
Elefante, Inspector – Friday, October 15
The Struts – Tuesday, November 2
GWAR – Tuesday, November 23
The Dead South – Tuesday, December 7
The Slackers – Friday, December 10

The Hueneme Beach Festival falls over the weekend of August 28 and 29, and I was looking over their impressive line-up of artists performing both days and was delighted to find out this one is also free to the public. Saturday features LAW, Fausto Cuevas y La Moderna, and Ozomatli, then on Sunday it’s Diggin Dirt, Arise Roots and Think:EXP. I love that the organizers put so much thought into their lineup, and so, just in case you didn’t know, a little bit about a few of the acts performing:

Fausto Cuevas is that caliber of musician that tours with Stevie Wonder’s band, most recently the 2014-2016 during the Key of Life world tour, though he’s performed previously with Stevie Wonder at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and at the 25th Anniversary of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden in 2009. The man is that good, and the grooves he lays down are immediately infectious so prepare to dance.

Ozomatli performed a few years ago during the Ventura Music Festival and more recently in July at the Tequila and Tacos Music Festival at Surfer’s Point Live. The six-piece band plays primarily Latin, hip hop and rock music and has quite the following, and again, prepare to dance.

Think:EXP is a supergroup with members Scott Page who has worked with Pink Floyd, Supertramp and Toto, Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction & Porno for Pyros, Kenny Olson of Kidd Rock and Norwood Fisher of Fishbone. The website, www.thinkesp.co describes the group, “Think:EXP strives to revolutionize the entertainment industry by bridging the gap between the human spirit and technological innovation with one-of-a-kind live, immersive concert experiences.” That certainly piques my interest!

Quick Notes: Tickets are now on sale for the Ojai Music Festival; The Garage on the east end of town took advantage of the pandemic downtime and now has a new look; Spencer the Gardener will return to Winchesters on Sunday, August 8 with their brand of fiesta party music; and Nardcore Tuesday nights continue at Rock & Roll Pizza in Camarillo with Bootleg Brigade and Last Point on August 3, and Sick Boy on August 10.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/7 – 6/20

Posted on June 6, 2017 by venturarocks

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

The Ojai Music Festival is underway taking over several venues and running June 8 – June 11. You’ll need tickets for most events, but there are several free concerts throughout the week. You can get information at OjaiFestival.org.

Rene Ponce gave me the lowdown on Goodnight Kiss when they recently played at Ollie’s Duck and Dive in Malibu. He told me they’ve played there several times, but this last time Kid Rock was in the crowd and accepted the band’s invitation to join them for a couple of tunes. How cool is that? The guys return to Ventura on June 17th when they open for Brothers Fortune at Bombay’s.

The Ventura Beach Club has been booked on Saturday, June 17th by Stay True and ideal Music Collective hoping to alleviate those “No-Warped-Tour-Again-This-Year-Blues” by lining up bands and DJs indoors and out. On the bill includes Split Second, Love Thing, Yearbooks, No Advisory, Two Brothers and Pretty Well. If you love punk, ska, emo & pop, you won’t want to miss this one.

Ones to Watch Productions (O2W) have announced that Grammy Award winning artist Lucinda Williams will be headlining this year’s Topa Topa Folk Fest at the Libbey Bowl in October. Leading up to the event, O2W will be hosting a folk fest showcase on June 17 at Topa Mountain Winery featuring Justine Bennett, Tim Curran, The Brambles and Shane Alexander. Get more information on all their events at TopaTopaFolkFest.com.

Quick notes: You can get your tickets for Roadshow Revival with Los Lobos headlining on Saturday, July 1 at Discovery at RoadShowRevival.com; The Wine Rack is rebranding itself as Vintura Tasting Room & Wine Rack; the Boatyard Café is undergoing some upgrades and I understand renaming itself as the Boatyard Pub; Alastair Greene is heading out to jam at the Chicago Blues Fest on June 10; Shawn Jones returns from Europe and will be at Grapes and Hops on Saturday, June 17; and finally don’t miss Alex Nestor when she plays at Café Fiore, on Friday, June 16, she opened Sunday (May 28) at the Simi Valley Cajun and Blues fest.

And finally, I’ve officially made a name change for my radio show on CAPS Media’s KPPQ-LP, 104.1 FM. I seriously thought about calling it Pam on the Rocks, but out of respect to Rodney Bingenheimer (Rodney on the Roq), I opted against it; and because I can’t use Ventura Rocks, my third chose, and apparent final choice is: The 805 Music Scene with Pam Baumgardner. The name alone encompasses more than Ventura, even more than Ventura County which is good. I still play indie artists from outside our area who have caught my ear, and I spin tunes from bands who have come here to play. Tune in and support local music Tuesdays and Fridays 5-6 pm.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/10 – 6/23

Posted on June 8, 2015 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
Classical to Reggae
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

Paul Chapman of UFO touring with Killer Bee

We had a few heavy hitters play through the last few weeks including Paul Chapman of UFO who has been touring with Killer Bee, they played The Tavern on June 3, and Grammy winning songwriter Jeff Silbar (“Wind Beneath your Wings”) at W20 at the Watermark for their Thursday night Guitar Pull. By the way, I looked it up and found that a “Guitar Pull” is a southern tradition where a small group of musicians sit around and take turns playing songs on a guitar. You’re welcome!

I’m getting super pumped up for Roadshow Revival: A Tribute to the music of Johnny Cash. The event has moved to Mission Park downtown and will cover two days, June 27 and 28th. Both days are jam packed with National touring acts including the Reverend Horton Heat, Billy Joe Shaver and John Doe of “X”, but both days will also include plenty of local bands such as Medicine Hat, The Vonettes, 50 Sticks of Dynamite, and Big River (yep, they’re back!). Tickets can be bought at www.RoadshowRevival.com.

9 Mile Skid will play at Bombay’s on Sunday, June 14, to kick off the Grateful Dead 50th anniversary, Ventura style that is. And you won’t want to miss the The NaVaNaX CD release party also at Bombay’s on Friday, June 19; this show promises to be off the freakin’ hook!

The Ventura Jazz Orchestra will have a concert at the Poinsettia Pavillion on Friday, June 12th with appearances by Donna Greene, Smitty West and Remington Graham. Aaron Carter’s rescheduled show will be at Discovery on Friday, June 19. Café Fiore is once again offering Reggae on Sundays.

The 69th Ojai Music Festival runs June 10-14. They have music lined up throughout the week, some events start at Sunrise, others late night (10:30 pm) at Libbey Bowl, and several of the concerts are free to the public all held throughout Ojai. Piquing my interest is the Saturday, June 13, free concert at the Ojai Valley School where world renowned artists (including Glenn Kotche of Wilco) will play the music of Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Nirvana and Led Zeppelin all on cello, electric bass and percussions. See www.OjaiFestival.org for information on all concerts, artists and pricing.

Surf ‘N’ Suds beer festival with a surf twist featuring over 50 breweries will also offer live music from Rising Son, After the Smoke and Crosscut. This event is held at the Ventura Harbor Saturday, June 13.

And finally, Ventura Music Week? It’s been postponed. I’ll get you details when I hear anything. It might happen during the Fall.

If 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 .

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Tag Archives: Ojai Music Festival

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