Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 8/29 – 9/11

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

School is back in session, summer is drawing to an end, and yet, Ventura continues to rock! It doesn’t matter what time of year it is in our beachside community, you can always count on an abundance of live music to keep things lively!!

Much love to Discovery these days for the bands they’ve been pulling in. Yes, I love our local bands playing, but that being said, I also love seeing bands like The Original Wailers and Ozomatli (9/7), Blind Melon (9/8) and Gin Blossoms (9/11) play this smaller venue where you can not only get a great meal, but you can get up and close and see these amazing national artists play. I was personally thrilled to see Gin Blossoms on the bill. I caught up with the band’s lead singer, Robin Wilson, who told me about their new album, Mixed Reality, and not only did he tell me it’s been receiving fantastic and positive response both from critics and fans, he also said it’s certainly the band’s best work in the past twenty-five years. Now that’s saying a lot! You can hear more from Robin on The Pam Baumgardner Music Hour which airs on KPPQ-LP 104.1 FM, and online at www.CapsMedia.org/Radio Tuesdays and Fridays at 5 and Sunday at noon.

Rock on the Dock returns to the Ventura Harbor kicking off their unique way to stage concerts with the bands playing on a floating dock, Saturday, September 1 featuring The Bomb, and then it’s Sean Wiggins and Lone Goat on Saturday, September 8. Concerts run 3-6 pm.

The Aloha Festival is back this year and falls over the Labor Day weekend at Promenade Park. No cover, so get out and enjoy the music with performances from Bombafiya, The Question, Rising Son, After the Smoke and Kyle Smith.

The Ventura Nationals cruise into town at the Ventura Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 1 with musical performances from Gamblers Mark, Blazing Haley, Lance Lipinski and the Lovers, Abby Girl and the Real Deal, and Hard Six.

Quick notes: The Rubicon Theater is running the musical, “I Dig Rock and Roll Music for the next couple of weeks; Hat Hat Entertainment at the Hong Kong Inn has Lenny Goldsmith and The New Old Band on Friday, August 31, and Chris Duarte on Friday, September 7; Music Under the Stars wraps up their season Saturday, September 1, with Janeen Puente and her Latin Orchestra; Labor of Love, big band dance, will be held at Poinsettia Pavilion on Friday, September 7, with the Ventura Jazz Orchestra featuring Donna Greene; and Camerata Pacifica will perform Beethoven, Haydn & Brahms at the Museum of Ventura county on Sunday September 9.

And just one final note, Bombay has their annual Beach party over Labor Day; however, no advance listing of bands was submitted for publication. My apologies.

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 8/15 – 8/28

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

And the summer music keeps warming up with several more events this month. First let’s take a look at Beachside Pride 2018 on Saturday, August 18, at Promenade Park. There will be special events from Friday to Saturday but the main event will be held Saturday with music from Lauren Ruth Ward and Echo V and entertainment from drag legends Jackie Beat and Sherry Vine. General admission is $5-$10. By the way, Paddy’s will be hosting a post Pride party that evening.

Spencer Mackenzie’s Throw Down tournament continues to grow with the pot increasing every year. One of the highlights over the weekend is their End of Summer Block Party with a free live concert 6-10 pm on Saturday, August 18. This year they’ll have Johnny and the Love Handles, A.D.D. and Mandex.

The 2018 Wild & Scenic Film Festival is being held outdoors at the Ventura County Credit Union at 2575 Vista Del Mar where you’re invited to bring low-back chairs for the outdoor screening along with performances from Bill Jones & J.Peter Boles, and Midlife Crisis. This one benefits Ventura Land Trust. Get information at www.VenturaLandTrust.org.

Don’t miss the Spazmatics when they perform at the 38th annual Wings Over Camarillo Air and Car Festival on Saturday, August 18th (5-7 pm). This ultimate 80’s cover band will be family friendly and is included in the price of admission. www.WingsOverCamarillo.com.

I have a couple of upcoming events to mark on the calendar, first it’s the California Beer Festival which will be celebrating their ten-year anniversary with two days of suds and music September 15 and 16 at Plaza Park. Just announced for Saturday’s Boots and Brews Country Music Festival are Montgomery Gentry, Deana Carter, Sundance Head (Winner of NBC’s The Voice), Arnie Newman Band and Alexandria Corn. Then on Sunday you won’t want to miss Tone Loc and Sir Mix-a-Lot. Get ticket information at www.CaliforniaBeerFestival.com/Ventura.

And then it’s the 25th Anniversary of Bowlful of Blues which returns to Ojai on Saturday, September 22, with The Selwyn Birchwood Band, Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps, James Harman, Carl Sonny Leyland and Hot Roux. Tickets on sale at www.Bowlfulofblues.org. Post press announcement: Harman had to cancel, the Kwan Telifaro Project will play instead.

Quick notes: Grady Records Refuge has an in store performance on Wednesday, August 15 with The Sheen from Bellingham, WA, Uranium Orchard, Rob Magill and Daniel Masiel; Toy Shop Ghost will perform “art plunk” at Namba on Friday, August 17; Samonky sings Sinatra at the Rubicon on Sunday, August 19; in the house at the Ventura Theater will be Otep on Saturday, August 18, Gavin DeGraw and Phillip Phillips on Sunday, August 19, Ski Mask the Slump God on the 22nd, and Bone Thugs N Harmony on the 25th; Hickoids play Red Cove on Thursday, August 23; and Alan Thornhill and Martin Young play Topa Mountain Winery on Sunday August 19 (3 pm).

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 8/1 – 8/14

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

The Ventura County Fair is finally here!! And unlike so many other fairs around the country, the grandstand stage concerts are included in the price of admission, which you have to admit is very cool. While opening day is Wednesday, August 1, the grandstand stage concerts don’t start until Thursday, August 2 with UB40 featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey; then it’s Plain White T’s on Friday, August 3; LeAnn Rimes on Saturday, August 4; the first Sunday is Dia de la Familia starting at 3 pm with Alfredo Olivas, Ulices Chaidez and Lorenzo de Monteclaro; Sublime with Rome play Monday, August 6; two shows on Tuesday, August 7, first it’s The 5th Dimension at 1 pm, then Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons at 7:30; Boyz II Men play Wednesday, August 8; it’s Hunter Hayes on Thursday, August 9; and wrapping up the concerts on Friday, August 10, it’s Creedence Clearwater Revisited. The final two days of the fair will be a professional cowboy rodeo in the arena.

Don’t forget along with the Grandstand stage touring artists, rock out to local bands playing the Sea Breeze stage including Aaron Pax Taylor, The Rockin’ Henrys, Hard Six, Doc Rodgers Band and more. There are specials prices on several days so be sure to check out the fair’s official website (www.VenturaCountyFair.org) to map out which days you want to attend and whether you need to arrive before a certain time or not.

Meanwhile, the 38th annual Wings Over Camarillo Air and Car Festival not only features hot rides (ground and airborne), but this year will include a performance by the ultimate 80’s cover band, The Spazmatics on Saturday, August 18th. This family friendly event runs over the course of the weekend with the airshow noon to 7, the concert is scheduled 5-7 pm, and the gates open at 9 am. Find ticket information at www.WingsOverCamarillo.com.

Quick notes: Beach House Fish and Beach House Tacos are back to offering live music on most Fridays and Saturdays; enjoy an evening of Beatles covers with Doc Ventura and Earth Immigrant on Thursday, August 2 at Vintura at the Wine Rack; The Vonettes and The Right Amount of Wrong play an early show at Bombay’s on Saturday, August 4; a couple worthy tribute bands play Discovery, Blink 180True on Saturday, August 4 and Erotic City (Prince) on Saturday August 11; Kelly’s Lot returns to Four Brix on Friday, August 3; Grant Langston & the Supermodels are rescheduled at the Hong Kong Inn on Friday, August 10; Rainbow Kitten Surprise rock the Ventura Theater on Friday, August 10; Crooked Eye Tommy joins forces with Charles Law for an afternoon gig at Winchester’s on Sunday, August 12; and finally, congratulations to Charleen Morla of Dirty Rice for tying the knot last month!

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.