Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze – 8/31-9/13

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
Help for Budding Artists
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

©highwaystarz

©highwaystarz

Big help from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy for our local schools! That’s $42,500 in funding to Ventura Unified School District earmarked to enhance existing visual and performing arts programs. The funds were made possible through the BBVD concert last April celebrating the City of Ventura’s 150th anniversary.  I’m looking forward to seeing new upcoming artist having the chance to flourish as a result of the band’s generosity.

Local singer, Eric Harrington, recently played at Squashed Grapes to a packed house. Few knew there was a chance that drummer Vinnie Colaiuta might show up, and show up he did for the final songs of the night. Harrington told me, “What an amazing night it was, and to end it with Vinnie sitting in was just incredible, he’s just a delightful man!”  Trey O’Toole from Pulse Drumming told me that Colaiuta had been working in a session all day and was afraid he might not make it, but luckily for the house, he did.

Speaking of Pulse Drumming and Squashed Grapes, watch for the Alvino Bennett (currently working with Dave Mason) drum clinic on September 10; he’ll be joined afterwards at the Grape for an awesome jam including musicians George Hawkins, Jr. on bass and vocals (Kenny Loggins & Jim Messina), Jonathan McEuen on guitar and vocals (Dwight Yoakum, NGDB, Dave Mason), Geo Evans on guitar (Cheryl Lynn, Euge Groove) and TJ, Teddy Jack Russell on guitar and vocals (Leon Russell).

Bombay’s 32nd End of Summer Party hits Ventura over the first weekend of September with three stages (including one outdoors with sand and a mechanical bull).  Look for musical acts all weekend long including performances from Mandex, Highway Starr, Dirty Rice, Uproots, Shakey Feelin’ and A.D.D to name but a few.

The first ever Oxnard Jazz Festival lands at Oxnard Beach on Saturday, September 10, offering a diverse mix of Jazz, Latin, Soul, Blues and R&B with Tom Brown, Nick Colionne, Howard Hewett, O’Bryan, Quatrosound and Poncho Sanchez. You can get ticket information and more on this special event at OxnardJazzFestival.com.

Alternative/Country rockers, Porter & the Bluebonnet will be swinging through town from Austin, TX, with a showcase at Sans Souci on Friday, September 9. They’ll be on the same bill as The Jelly.

The Ventura Theater has been packing in the shows for the rest of the year. You’ll want to review their line up so you don’t miss any acts such as Jackson Browne, Pennywise, Echo & the Bunnymen, Steve Vai, Good Charlotte, Yellowcard, Ben Folds, Garbage, The Common Kings, Dwight Yoakum and more! Plus, you have the Nardcore show on September 10, and Frost and Fire with the return of Cirith Ungol on October 8.  Details at VenturaTheater.net.

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.

World Premiere: The Bet

August 16, 2016
By Pam Baumgardner

The-Bet_Marquee_001

Well the guys pulled it off!  Not only did they write and co-produce their first feature length film, but they held a red carpet event at the Regal Cinema at LA Live in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.  In attendance stars of The Bet, Alex Klein, Brian Allen, Amanda Clayton, Michael Consiglio and more including director Ryan Ederer.

Congratulations to Army of Freshmen members, Chris Jay and Aaron Goldberg on their raunchy comedy (not for the faint of heart), The Bet.

DSC_0082

Many thanks to photographer, Cliff Montgomery for stepping in for VenturaRocks.com who was out of town that week. I take one vacation, and Chris has one red carpet screening, what are the odds they’d be on the same week????

Final note…as a supporter of Ventura’s music scene, and supporter of Chris and Aaron’s first film, and because they asked for help, I’d like to thank them for the opportunity to be one of the extras in the film, but more than that, thanks for the shout out in the credits!  MY NAME IS IN THE FREAKIN’ CREDITS!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching The Bet.  I laughed, I blushed, I rolled by eyes shaking my head (boys will be boys), while loving all the Ventura locations used in the film.
Raunchy: yes
Funny: yes
Worthy: Yes!

Don’t be a putz, support Chris and Aaron and buy your very own copy today!!!

I bought mine from Amazon, but it’s available on iTunes, FandangoNow, Google Play, Vudu, and more.

Interview with Chris Jay on The Bet
The Bet Official Website
The Bet Facebook Page

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze – 8/17 – 8/30

Ventura MusVentura Breeze logoic Scene
“Idols, Icons and more…”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

Karen Eden with Olivia Newton-John at W20 at the Watermark, Thursday, August 4, 2016.

Karen Eden with Olivia Newton-John at W20 at the Watermark, Thursday, August 4, 2016.

With the Ventura County Fair behind us leaving us with many cool memories of so many amazing concerts, I would be remissed if I didn’t share one slightly monumental event that took place on Tuesday afternoon. One of our musical treasures we claim as our own is Jimmy Calire who you can find playing here in town with several different bands. I once wrote about stories Calire shared with me when his band Raven played in New York City and Jimi Hendrix would join in on the jam and I even once read that Janis Joplin tried to hire him at one point. Calire also toured with America in the seventies, so it was really cool when America played at the fair and invited Jimmy to join them for their final song, their most iconic tune, “Horse with No Name”. I had to ask Jimmy about it and he modestly told me, “Joining them on the song was great, but just catching up backstage was even better.”

Another anecdotal story I must share with you involves another local artist whom you can find singing her Aussie heart out most weeks here in town, of course I’m speaking of Karen Eden. Mark Hartley of the Watermark specifically had Eden booked for Thursday, August 4, in order to surprise her with one of Eden’s idols. Karen told me, “I was half way through a song when Hartley gave me a mischievous look and out from behind him stepped none other than Olivia Newton-John!” Karen of course immediately recognized her and smiled a huge grin. She told me, “I can’t believe I kept singing!” After the song Karen went up to Olivia and gave her a big hug. Karen got to tell her how she grew up listening to, learning from and loving her. Karen confessed, “She was so lovely; it was a treat of a lifetime for me.” It also turned out that Karen’s guitarist that evening, Cary Park, had played on one of Olivia’s albums back in the 90s. What a night!

And just so you know Mark Hartley, Dave Grohl is my favorite idol. Just sayin’.

Music Under the Stars continues Saturday nights throughout the summer at the historic Olivas Adobe with music from the Shari Puorto Band (Rock ‘n’ Blues) on August 20 and Savor (Santana tribute band) on August 27 which is already sold out.

And finally Spencer Makenzie’s Cornhole Tournament has been growing exponentially gaining recognition as the West Coast’s biggest cornhole/bean bag tournament and though their main focus is the contest, they’re also continuing their End of Summer party with a free concert Saturday, August 27, featuring Mandex. Show starts at 6 with Andre, then Brothers Fortune and the headliners at 8.
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.

Ventura Music Photos: August 2016

Made West Brewery – August 28, 2016
Lee Koch
Lee Koch Band


Amigo’s – August 28, 2016
Karen Eden Trio
Karen Eden Trio


Bank of Books – August 27, 2016
RJ Mischo – photo credit: Evelyn Kelly Johnson
RJ Mischo & Band


Saloon BBQ Co. – August 18, 2016
Dead Country Gentlemen – photo credit: Wendell Ward
Dead Country Gentlemen

 


Squashed Grapes – August 18, 2016
Eric Harrington 
Eric Harrington


Ventura County Fair – August 9, 2016
America – Photo credit: Felix Cortez
America


Grapes and Hops – August 6, 2016
Bryan Titus
Bryan Titus

 


Ventura County Fair – August 6, 2016
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind

 


Ventura County Fair – August 5, 2016
Old Dominion
Old Dominion



Ventura County Fair – August 4, 2016
Styx
Tommy Shaw of Styx


W20 at the Watermark – August 4, 2016
Karen Eden with Olivia Newton-John
Karen and Olivia