Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/20 – 7/3

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

It’s hard to believe this will be the final full cross-country Vans WARPED Tour before they celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2019, this according to the founder of the festival, Kevin Lyman. There are no final details on what next year will bring, but scaled back dates is definitely part of the plan. All that being said, this year, the tour once again stops in Ventura with a full line up of bands on Sunday, June 24, at the Ventura Fairgrounds. With over six stages and bands playing continuously throughout the day, you’ll need a game plan once your inside, but you won’t want to miss Simple Plan, Reel Big Fish and the Used. This year the tour will also include a stage for local artists such as Ill Repute, Stalag 13, and The Velveteen Band. General admission is $45 and tickets should still be available the day of the show; doors open at 11 AM.

You won’t want to miss the Summer benefit concert Paws for the Cause, where we salute and honor Ventura K9 police officers. This special event will be held at Poinsettia Pavilion on June 30 from 11 am to 3 pm. The concert features Alex Nester, Mark Masson and Coso Live. Admission is $25 with kids under 10 free; and by the way, it’s family fun for all your dogs too!

Namba has launched a new series, “NambaYouth” that opens its doors to 18 years and under talent of all art forms. O.K. Service kicks off the series on Friday, June 22, featuring four Moorpark High School recent graduates playing modern Jazz. Namba is downtown at 47 S. Oak Street. Doors open at 7 with tickets $10-$20.

Quick notes: Ray Jaurique and the Uptown Brothers open for Los Lobos on Friday, June 22, at Libbey Bowl; Max Fite plays the Garage on June 22; the Out Run the Sun Festival featuring loads of Electronica music will be at the Golden China on June 23; The Rose Valley Thorns bring their style of Bluegrass to Made West Brewing on Sunday, June 24; The 10th annual Maximum Bob’s Memorial Open Mic is Tuesday, June 26 at Golden China; Lume out of Chicago will be at The Tavern on Tuesday, June 26; The White Buffalo returns to the Ventura Theater on Friday, June 29; Katchafire from New Zealand play two nights at Discovery, June 29 and June 30; Medicine Hat will be at Pizza Chief on the Eastside during the lunch time hour on Sunday July 1; Jane Doe & Co. with traditional Country will be at The Red Cove on Sunday afternoon, July 1 and finally the Star Lounge will have live music on Tuesday night, July 3 (Wednesday is Independence Day), with CRV and special guest Ruben Duarte.

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 6/6 – 6/19

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

Ventura’s music scene is a giant eclectic mix of music, everything from punk to jazz and all points in between, so we really are lucky to have so many genres of music available to us. One of my favorite events every year comes from higher brow end of the musical spectrum, The Ventura Music Festival. This year’s schedule ranges from the big band sound of “little orchestra” Pink Martini from Portland, Oregon, to lively Latin music with Jarabe Mexicano. Perla Batalla returns with Frida Kahlo’s “Blue House”, John Jorgenson Quintet will offer Gypsy Jazz, there will be traditional chamber music from Trio Celeste directed by Ventura Music Festival Artistic Director Nuvi Mehta and so much more including the traditional Tea & Trumpets brass quintet. Showtimes, tickets and locations are listed on the event’s official website www.VenturaMusicFestival.org. Yeah, I know the Ventura Music Festival isn’t until July, but most events will sell out so don’t wait to purchase tickets.

Local artist, Rachel Flowers will give a performance before a screening of the documentary featuring Flowers, “Hearing is Believing” at the Museum of Ventura County on Friday, June 8th; there will be a post-screening discussion.

Before Shelby embarks on returning to school and focusing her energy on getting her Music Therapy degree, she’s holding what may be one of the last Songbird Serenades, at least for a while. The June 15th installment will feature Jamie Drake, Shelby Figueroa and Brendan Willing James at Ventura Vineyard Church.

Sorry to report that both Wicked’s Brew and Cork have closed their doors. If you’ve never heard of one or the other, that’s a shame. My biggest word of advice to venues that offer music is you have to promote, promote, promote! You have to budget for it, and you should use all free resources available to you including social media, and keeping The Breeze, other newspapers and VenturaRocks.com updated on your music.

Quick notes: Reggae has returned to the Tree House Lounge at Café Fiore on Sundays; Lovataraxx from France plays The Garage on Thursday, June 7; Former Scorpions guitarist, Uli Jon Roth returns to the Ventura Theater, Sunday, June 10; The Mighty Cash Cats celebrate their ten-year anniversary with a show at Bombay’s on Sunday, June 10; MJ Déjà vu, a tribute to Michael Jackson will be at Discovery on Saturday, June 16; D.on Darox & the Melody Joy Bakers play El Rey Cantina on Saturday, June 16.

Finally, Ticketfly suffered a cyber-attack and as a result, most of the websites they support were down including the Ventura Theater and for a time, Discovery. There currently hasn’t been any mention of credit card information being compromised, but stolen information included customers’ names, addresses, emails and phone numbers of nearly 26 million user accounts.

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.