Tag Archives: Ventura Rocks

VenturaRocks.com 4th Anniversay

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newVRWell, it’s been four years since we launched VenturaRocks.com and we couldn’t be happier.  We want to thank you for your support and encouragement.When we launched VenturaRocks.com we had a goal in mind and we’ve stated it on more than one occasion:  “Our Mission is to help stimulate the economy in our favorite city in the whole wide world by promoting venues who offer music and to the artists who live in and around Ventura as well as those who travel here to play.”

That still holds true today.  But there was more to this goal and it seemed too lofty to put down in words, but as it is coming true, we might as well come out in the open and express want we’re really trying to acheive.  We want Ventura to be a music community where artist thrive in an environment that supports them.  As a result, our artists are making a living, the venues are prospering, people are happy because they have music in their lives. It’s all a win-win scenario.  Ventura is on the cusp of being the next Austin, Texas.  This town has so much incredible talent that it’s a reality that is no longer so far fetched.

We’re here to help get the word out.  Not only do we update our official website twice weekly, but we update our website calendar and Facebook page daily.   EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!  We make it a point to get out several times a week and support our musicians and venues ourselves, we check in, we take pictures, in other words, we walk the talk.

People have come to depend on VenturaRocks.com to determine how they’ll be spending their evening out on a date or out with friends. That’s awesome! And we love when people share our pages and recommend us to their friends.  Getting the word out about VenturaRocks.com helps to support our goal, which we think is your goal too.

And of course people always want to know how do we make money.  We have “day” jobs.

Eve and myself have not made a dime off of VenturaRocks.com to date.  We have NEVER asked for anything for free including concert tickets, or to get in to see an artist with a cover charge.  We have paid our way.  We go out and support our venues, we buy our dinners, we take our own pictures, we pay our own way and we are not indebted to anyone.But there is going to be a way to help support our efforts in the very near future.  We are going to start providing some banner ads on our website, and we are going to start selling VenturaRocks.com t-shirts and other items.

But know this, we will never ever charge the venues or artists for what we already do.  If a venue wants to buy a banner ad to go above and beyond what we already offer, that’s great! But we will always provide the service we’ve been doing for them as long as we can keep this going.

VenturaRocks.com is not a non-profit.  To date, it’s been nothing but a goodwill effort to help.  Seeing the music scene gradually change has been the greatest compensation.  But more needs to be done.

So what is needed and wanted? We need people to fill up the venues. To drop a buck or two. Make it worth our while! We’re starting to see this town come to life and people out enjoying some of our most incredible assets, our musicians.

And like I said before, we’re going to start offering banner ads (hair salons, tire shops, taxi cab services, venues outside of Ventura) and selling shirts and other items.  If you like to support our efforts, we will welcome your help.

We love this town, we love our musicians and artists, we love our venues, and we love that we’re making this happen.

VENTURA really does ROCK!!!

Love you guys!

Pam
VenturaRocks.com

The Shoemaker Brothers at Bombay’s 2/15/13

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Loving the Shoemakers:  Samuel, Daniel, Nate and Gabriel at Bombay’s Bar & Grill.  Great way to start the evening.  Burgers, Beer & The Shoemakers downtown Ventura, CA.

Ventura’s Jazz Renaissance

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Kudos to our venues for embracing jazz!  Jazz-bnw
Ever since California 66 went out of business, there hasn’t been a solid jazz scene here in Ventura.  It’s been way too long.   Since CA 66, you’d see from time to time jazz trios pop up at Wine venues or at the Pierpont Inn and definitely at Sidecar, but we have too much talent here in Ventura to have an occasional gig at a random venue.  But now, we do have a jazz renaissance occurring.  Squashed Grapes has been heavily supporting jazz, and of all places, Amigos has come on board.  Jazz is becoming more common and we’re delighted to see over the past six months that Zoey’s, W20, and now Bombay’s are taking this unique American art form for a test drive.

And as this renaissance is occurring it’s quite interesting to see our local talent collaborating and restructuring their lineup.  It not unusual to have guest players sit in, or to feature musicians from L.A. or from other parts of the country or world.  At this point, I would normally list off local musicians, but I know I will leave some off, and so I won’t.  But know that you guys kick ass. Yea, I know it’s jazz…but you really do ROCK!

And to be frank, jazz is completely therapeutic. To sit in a lovely environment, with friends, sipping a glass of nice wine while listening to extraordinary musicianship…well, it takes you to a different place.  And sometimes you’ll be so connected to the players as the band will be working on a particular piece that the room becomes a part of the process and they become engrossed and their instantaneous feedback of appreciation with applause and cheering after a solo, well, it’s just amazing…yea, there’s definitely passion with jazz.

And whether it’s Avant-garde jazz, Nu jazz, Latin jazz, or traditional jazz, we know it’s an acquired taste.  And so we hope that our venues will continue to support this art form as patrons become accustom to where they can DEPEND on jazz.  Because as the saying goes, “Build it and they will come.”

We invite you out to support our jazz scene.  See you there!

Pam

Royalush at Billy O’s 1/28/13

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Royalush wrapping up their month long residency at Billy O’s on Monday, January 28, 2013.  The guys rocked the joint!  Check out their official website.

 

Zoey’s Love Notes 1/19/13

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A VERY special evening of song from some of Zoey’s favorites. Out of love for what they do, these talented artists gathered together on this one night to thank Zoey’s for providing an environment of community, family, collaboration and creativity. A truly magical evening for those in attendance as well as for the artists who shared the stage in support of Zoey’s.

The Gypsy Blues Room 1/10/13

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Hi Hat Entertainment’s opening night of The Gypsy Blues Room at Peirano’s on Main Street.  The night was a complete success with amazing musicians.  Looking forward to a long successful run.

Totally Local VC & Surf Brewery Jam at Bombays 1/6/13

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Totally Local VC & Surf Brewery pulled it off again with yet another amazing jam session hosted by 50 Sticks of Dynamite at Bombay Bar and Grill.

Ventura Jazz Collective at Amigos 1/3/13

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The Ventura Jazz Collective played their first of what we hope is many gigs to come at Amigos.  Band featured Pablo Plasencia on bass, Garrett Miller on drums, Franklin Murphy on keyboards and Patrick Martin on Saxophone.

 

Totally Local VC & Surf Brewery Jam at Amigos 12/02/12

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Great time at Amigos on Main Street, Downtown Ventura as Totally Local VC & Surf Brewery host their year end jam.  Musicians and fans alike had a great time!  The Bobby Hart Band led the jam all afternoon.

quid pro quo for VenturaRocks.com?

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I was talking with Kat Merrick recently about an event coming up soon for Ventura. She was already talking with the promoters and working on helping to get the word out about the event and making sure they agree in return to place her business, Totally Local VC on their posters. She’s an awesome businesswoman. I love her! She then told them they should do the same for VenturaRocks.com even though she knew we’d be happy to promote it anyways.

VenturaRocks.com Logo

This idea of asking for something in return is a new one for VenturaRocks.com, but it makes sense no?
Does it cost anymore to place our logo on promo for events? No.
Are we keeping our word to never charge the Artists or the Venues to be on our site? Yes
Will it help get the word out about VenturaRocks.com when you do so? Yes.
Is putting VenturaRocks.com on promo a goodwill effort? Yes.
Is there an exchange – logo for free promo? Yes
Will getting the word out that VenturaRocks.com exists help the event? Yes/No.

And that’s something to think about. The more bands, venues, and promoters help spread the word about VenturaRocks.com, the more people will check in and find out what is happening. As a result, we hope to get more people out supporting music in our town. It may not be for your event at hand, they’re reading about the event already, but think in futures.

We believe it’s a Win-Win situation, no?  Or clearly, it’s quid pro quo (something given or received for something else).

I’ve often thought it odd that we get so little thanks from the folks we help promote. The bands and venues are the best at acknowledging us, but rarely do we get any feedback from promoters who stage shows at the Fairgrounds, or the Ventura Theater, or at Mission Park. We see thanks to others, but not for us. That being said, we remind ourselves that we’re not in it for the thanks. We’re not in it for the free tickets. We’re not in it for free stuff at all! We’re in it to help our music-related community.

We want to help boom the music scene in Ventura, and the more people who know about VenturaRocks.com, the better! In fact, even if you’re not an artist, you don’t have a venue, or you’re not a promoter, but you’re a music lover like us, it would be in everyone’s best interested to help spread the word as well.Tell a friend or two about us!

So in the future, we may request our logo be placed on promo posters and items, but even if you say, “NO WAY” you can still trust us to get the word out, that Ventura Rocks!!!