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 1/24/24 – 2/6/24

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
artwork
There’s already a lot going on for 2024, so let’s get right to it. You should consider treating yourself to an intimate show with singer/songwriter, Nathan McEuen, on Friday, January 26, at the Ojai Underground. I became a fan when he had a week-night residency at Amigo’s several years ago, and I’ve played his original music on my radio show at Caps Media in the past. He’s a sweetheart of a guy and uber talented coming from a musical family including his brother, Jonathan, and father John McEuen of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band fame.

Namba Performing Arts will be hosting their 2024 Winter Gala, a celebration of the diverse tapestry of talent in our community as well as to honor their late founde, Julia Campbell Namba. Featured performers include Grammy Award winning jazz pianist, Greg Karukas and Mexico City based singer/songwriter, Maya Burns. While I’m happy to report this one is sold out, that doesn’t mean you can’t still help keep Namba going by making a donation, large or small, to NambaArts.com.

On Friday, February 2, The Deer Lodge hosts British singer/songwriter, Pete Molinari, but also on the bill will be Robin Taylor Zander. Now if this name sounds familiar and you’re a fan of classic rock, well it should; his dad, Robin Zander, is founding member of Cheap Trick with whom he’s been touring with the past few years. I caught Cheap Trick in 2022 at the Ventura County Fair where it was a treat to see father and son on the same stage.

The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts will host a Women’s Voices Concert on Sunday afternoon, January 28, featuring Grammy nominee Janet Robin, national radio chart topper Rebecca Folsom; International Singer-Songwriter Associate (ISSA) Entertainer of the Year Charu Suri; poet & NYT Bestseller Katie Hendricks; and #1 iTunes top Singer/Songwriter, Kris Angelis.

Tickets are on sale now for 311 at the Ventura Theater for Tuesday, March 5 and recently added to Ventura Music Hall are Los Lobos for Sunday, March 3, Guttermouth with Buck-O-Nine on Thursday April 18 and Steel Pulse for Friday, April 19.

Quick Notes: Julian Marley and the Uprising play the Ventura Music Hall on Wednesday, January 24; a special Sunday afternoon birthday bash will be held on January 28 at the Garage with Bloody Mary Morning in the mix starting at 3 pm; The Trivle Omdobble play Topa Topa Brewing on Sunday January 28; Jesse Harris and his band with special guest Katie Skene will play Cantara Cellars on Friday, February 2; Phil Salazar and Tom Corbett play the Ojai Underground on Saturday, February 3; and the Old-Time Country Bluegrass Gospel Music Association standing monthly gig at the Poinsettia Pavilion falls on Sunday, February 4;

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 7/26/23 – 8/8/23

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.comartworkI’m happy to report Ventura survived the X Games. You’d think by some of the social media posts that the city was going to be shut down with gridlock and overtaken by outsiders. The traffic was no worse than it is for the fair (which opens August 2), in fact, it was better. Great traffic control and I was amongst those who chose to ride their bikes. Though the “live music” turned out to be DJs (not live in my book), I loved watching the competitions, and well…just being a part of this fantastic event! Plus, Tony Hawk was hanging out after the event downtown. Well done, Ventura!!

Now they’ll be tearing down all that was built up for the X Games, and the Ventura County Fair will run August 2 – 13 with eight free concerts: Midland, Patti Labelle, Collective Soul, Ashanti, Dia de la Familia, Trace Adkins, 38 Special and Tesla. Of course, outside the grandstand arena, live music abounds on a couple of different stages featuring lots of your favorite local bands including Shaky Feelin’, Operation 90s, Sean Wiggins & Lone Goat, and more.

Ventura Music Hall has added a number of shows several of which piqued my interest. First off, Keanu Reeves is back at it and touring with Dogstar making a stop here in town on Saturday, August 26 (already sold out!) with what is being called the “Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees” tour which is the name of their next release which lands on all platforms October 6. Next on my personal list, The Struts on December 6, and then Black Flag on January 14. It’s interesting that past Black Flag lead singer, Henry Rollins, will be there November 7 with a “Good to See You” spoken-word sit-down show.

Harbor View Park 2023 Concerts by the Sea series continues with shows 4-6 pm on Saturday afternoons. Nautical Thrust plays July 29 and Ray Jaurique and the Uptown Brothers on August 5. This one is located at 3850 Harbor Blvd. in Oxnard, where you’re welcomed to bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs.

The Grape continues to bring stellar jazz musicians to town. Earlier this month Poncho Sanchez played two sold out shows. Coming up soon they have Max Haymer who has won 2nd place at the Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition and the Great American Jazz Piano Competition in Jacksonville Florida.  Ronnie Foster returns with a promoting is first record in 36 years; you’ve most likely heard his soulful playing, whether from his standout performance on “Summer Soft” from Stevie Wonder’s 1976 masterwork Songs In The Key Of Life, best-selling George Benson albums including Breezin’, or A Tribe Called Quest’s classic hip-hop track “Electric Relaxation.”  And no stranger to Grape patrons, Doug Webb returns with Danny Carey of Tool for a special Sunday evening performance on August 6.

Quick Notes: Perla Batalla plays a sold out show at the Ojai Underground on Friday, July 28; Andrew DeVries plays Surfers Point Café on Saturday July 29; Dreamland, a celebration of Joni Mitchell featuring Kimberly Ford will be at the Grape on July 29. Libbey Bowl concerts include Which One’s Pink on Saturday, August 5, and Chris Isaak on Sunday, August 7; Friday evening Heritage Square Summer Concert Series continues with Los Xiquenos on July 28 and The Reunion on August 7; Rey Fresco plays the Deer Lodge on Saturday, August 5; the Saturday evening Music Under the Stars at the Historic Olivas Adobe will host the K-Tell All-Stars on July 29, and Louie Cruz Beltran on August 5; and the Red Hot Cholo Peppers play Copper Blues on Saturday, August 5.

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.

Ventura Music Scene 3/8/23 – 3/21/23

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

If the recent English Beat show at the Ventura Music Hall got your motor running for more ska, then you’re in luck! The 805 Ska Festival will be held at Oceanview Pavilion Performing Arts theater in Port Hueneme on March 18 with 8 Kalacas (Skacore from Orange County), Chencha Berrinches, Los Waraperos and more. This all ages show is $35 in advance (Eventbrite) or $40 at the door.

I have good news and bad news: The good news, The Violent Femmes will perform their 1983 debut album in its entirety at the Ventura Music Hall on Saturday, May 6; the bad news, it’s already sold out. BUT WAIT!!!  A second show has been added for May 5.

There are a number of local artists holding CD/Album release parties including: Night Demon who will play a special show at Bombay’s on Thursday, March 16 with opening act Romper; Tommy Quayle will perform at Namba Performing Arts in support of his new release, Awakenings, on Saturday, March 18, and Karyn 805 will release her third recording, Gratitude, at Winchester’s on March 31. Meanwhile, Medicine Hat just released their new single, “She Comes and She Goes” and Anchor and Bear are back in the studio, so looking forward to new music from them.

With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Friday this year, most venues are offering up Irish music and Irish specials to entice you into their doors. If you’d like something a little tamer, but a feast for the senses, then consider Phil Salazar and the Kin Folk at Namba Arts Studio. Phil is a legend around these parts being a fiddle champ and having played with legends such as Bob Weir. Joining him will be Tom Corbett on mandolin and guitar, Bill Knopf on banjo, Rick Borella on bass and Bill flores on everything else including steel guitar, and accordion. The program will include several genres such as rock, blues, country, jazz pop, bluegrass and of course traditional Irish.

Mark your calendars now: Joe Nichols has been added to the bill for Boots & Brews on May 7th; Ventura Theater just added Angel for a show on April 26, Angel has been rockin’ since the mid 70s; the Ventura Spring Wine Walk and Street Fair falls on Saturday, April 1; tickets for the Canned Heat show at Cantara on March 31 can be secured by contacting Cadillac Zack at (323) 377-5291; and the Guitar and Whiskey Club will open for Quiet Riot at the world famous Whiskey A-Go-Go on Saturday, March 25.

Quick Notes: Cool Hand Ukes play Saturday mornings at Harbor Cove Café; pianist Natasha Kislenko and Friends perform at the Ojai Art Center on Sunday, March 12; Los Lobos plays the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Sunday, March 12; Tony’s Pizzaria is offering live music again with the Stoneflys on Thursday, March 16, and Old School on Sunday, March 19; and finally, Barrelhouse Wailers will get you dancing at the House of Dance on Sunday, March 19.

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 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 Music Photos – November 2022

The Victorian House (Formerly The Tavern, A Bar Called Country) – November 29, 2022
Jayden Secor
Jayden Secor

Topa Topa Brewing – November 11, 2022
Anchor and Bear (album release party)
Anchor and Bear

Ventura Music Hall – November 10, 2022
Shane Alexander (photo: Ariel Sri)Shane Alexander

Majestic Ventura Theater – November 5, 2022
Gogol Bordello (photo: Chris Jensen)
Gogol Bordello

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 Scene Column 9/21/22 – 10/4/22

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

It’s not that I hate being the bearer of bad news that summer is officially over as we usher in fall, that’s because fall isn’t so bad for us here in Ventura. The autumnal equinox is September 22 and as far as I’m concerned, the weather is perfect for taking in live music; but let’s be honest, the weather is always perfect for taking in live music!

Banana festival logo

The Port of Hueneme hosts the 2022 Banana Festival on Saturday, September 24, with live music from Teka Penteriche (Brazilian Bossa), Justo Almario and his Afro Colombian Jazz Ensemble, Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps with her special brand of Texas blues rock, Richardo Lemvoy Makina Loca, with Victor Vega and the Bomb capping off the day. There is no admission and parking is free for this one at 105 E Port Hueneme Road from 10 am to 6 pm.Pier into the future logoOne of my favorite nights out is also a fundraiser for a great cause, Pier Under the Stars. This ticketed event raises money to help preserve our Ventura Pier providing emergency funds when big waves do their inevitable damage to the pilings. The non-profit is called Pier into the Future and the evening helps to keep their vision alive. From 5-8 pm on Saturday, October 1 on the beachfront promenade next to the north side of the pier, the outdoor event features food, wine, and other beverages from local merchants. The live musical entertainment this year will be from Mid Life Crisis, so plan to dance “under the stars” as well.

It’s an early start to Oktoberfest over the weekend at September 24 at Enegren Brewing in Moorpark features live festive German music. There will also be a stein hoisting competition, axe throwing, vendors marketplace, petting zoo and more! Sounds like fun for all ages; I even spotted a mention of this one on KTLA weekend news.

Marty Van Loan and Jeff Evans are at it again with the release of their CD from the Mini Bar Project. They’ll perform new songs and old favorites in a rare live performance at the Santa Paula Theater Center on October 1.

Rudder room logoCongratulations to the one of the original dive-bars in the county, the Rudder Room, as they celebrate their 60th anniversary on Saturday, September 24, with Teresa Russell performing 1-5 pm.

Ojai Valley Brewing logoNot quite a 60-year milestone, but it’s a milestone none-the-less as Ojai Valley Brewery celebrates their 1-year anniversary with what they’re calling Croptober Fest 2022, which also falls on Saturday, September 24. Reggae reigns from 5-10 from Cornerstone, Morie & the Heavy Hitters and Jacob & the Good Vibes. This one is a ticketed event and will help to benefit the Humane Society of Ventura County.

And my favorite jazz spot, the Grape, will also celebrate their one-year anniversary on Saturday, October 1 with the return of Casey Abrams.

New shows at Ventura Music Hall
Kabaka Pyramid with Jordant on October 13
Tai Verdes on November 9
Thee Sinseers & the Altons with Rudy de Anda on November 12
Skeggs on March 6, 2023

Mark your calendar (more details next issue) for Surf n Suds (October 8), the Highland Seaside Highland Games (October 8-9) and Boots and Brews with Tim McGraw (October 14).

Quick Notes:
Billy Vera and the Beaters play the Grape on Thursday, September 22; teen band out of Camarillo, No Idea, play El Rey Cantina on Sunday, September 25; Wednesday, September 28, is the next free Rock the Collection concert with Eagles tribute band, the Long Run; Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhite play the Libbey Bowl on Friday, September 30; Fido the band play Leashless Brewing on Saturday, October 1; and the Fatty Vegan hosts a Numbskull Productions show with Powerhouse and End Days on Sunday, October 2 (ticketweb.com).

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.