VenturaRocks.com 10th Anniversary


Holy Moly, can you believe it?  It’s been ten years since launching VenturaRocks.com and as you probably realize, a lot has changed over the years; for instance, venues come and go (Zoey’s, The Good Bar, Watermark, Peirano’s, Amigo’s, The Wine Rack…) as well as musicians moving out and moving to our area. It’s a fluid state supporting an eclectic mix of music which is available on most any night of the week.

I started VenturaRocks.com to help out during economic tough times in 2009.  Our mission statement has changed very little:

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.
We want to inspire people to get out and support Ventura’s music scene.
We promise never to charge the venues or the artist to be listed on VenturaRocks.com.

And we have never once charged any Ventura venue to be listed, nor have we charged any artist who plays here, but a year ago, the decision was made to expand our listings to neighboring cities and for a very small fee have allowed venues outside Ventura to be listed for only $10 a week.  Many thanks to Topa Mountain Winery in Ojai (first to join us), as well as The Shores, and 1901 Speakeasy in Oxnard for being on board. And, for the past few years we’ve offered advertising opportunities on our homepage for additional coverage (a link for costs can be found at bottom of homepage).  We are not a non-profit; in fact, for almost six years VenturaRocks.com was solely a goodwill effort to help out whereby we covered all costs associated with the website.

Because of its popularity, I’ve been asked over the years to work on other projects such as producing half-hour Ventura Rocks shows on CAPS Media where local bands had the chance to play original music; I am the Music Scene columnist for The Ventura Breeze newspaper, I produce an hour-long radio show featuring mostly local artists on KPPQ-LP, and I just partnered with GWC Productions producing VenturaRockSpot highlighting local artists Q&A.

I’m proud of what VenturaRocks.com has accomplished over the years.  Supporting Ventura’s music scene has been a pleasure and though I’ve thought about quitting on several occasions, I still get up every single morning and upload today’s music before heading off to my day job at 7 am.

But I have to warn, I am sincerely tired of badgering venues for their music.  So if you don’t see a venue listed, and you know they have music, it is only because they won’t take the time to let me know, but trust me, I ask. Do with that what you may. Can you tell my patience is wearing thin?

This is how I look at it:  collectively, all the venues in Ventura (and now surrounding cities) contribute to this music scene. It is bigger than one bar or venue, yet they get to reap the benefits when people get inspired to go out and support live music. Am I right?  Isn’t it the best when you can go venue to venue and hear jazz, then rock, then indie-folk, and whatever ever else is available?  Those are my favorite nights.

If you’re wondering what you can do to help, send me information on events you think we might be missing.  Is a venue now offering music?  Let me know.  But most of all, get out, rally the troops and support.  Remember, there are three elements to making this music scene, the venues, the artists and us music lovers. It’s like I always say, “Together, we make Ventura Rock!”

I love you man!
Pam Baumgardner
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

 

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 3/27 – 4/9

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

I love and respect the passion that is the Deadhead and Ventura has more than our fair share of them as The Grateful Dead performed no less than 11 shows here between 1982 and 1987. Returning to the fairgrounds for the third year is the Skull & Roses festival celebrating The Grateful Dead with bands playing all day Friday through Sunday, April 5 – 7 at Seaside Park at the Ventura Fairgrounds. Just a handful of the bands will be Cubensis, Stu Allen & Mars Hotel, Oteil & Friends, Melvin Seals & JGB and a dozen or so more bands. And while Seaside Park does not allow overnight parking, SkullandRoses.com reports camping is allowed in original Lot C by the Beach, and they go on to say, and I quote, that this is, “One of the most potent deadhead power spots on planet earth.” Who knew!

The Ventura Theater has a number of concerts over the next two weeks including All that Remains and Attila on Thursday, March 28, The Offspring performs an acoustic show on Thursday April 4 with Johnny Two Bags opening, but in between, they’ll be helping to raise money for a good cause, with Rockin’ for Autisum featuring local bands on Saturday, March 30 with Fallen Saints, Hologram Empire, The Rays and Raised on Vinyl. It’s only a $10 cover, but I’m sure they’ll accept more.

It’s always a great outing for the entire family when the Ventura County Concert Band puts on shows at the Ventura High School Auditorium. Their next one falls on Sunday, March 31 with “March Madness” beginning at 3 pm and as always, it’s absolutely free to the community.

Quick Notes: Smokey & Friends Monday night residency continues at Copa Cubana, the Jerry McWorter Trio plays Tuesdays; Drug Apts out of Sacramento play The Tavern on Wednesday, March 27, with Sweet Reaper and Gunpowder Empires; it’s rockabilly fun with Bad Luck Gamblers, The Cursed Bastards and Three on a Match at Red Cove on Friday, March 29; both Aaron Orbit and Owen Bucey will perform individual sets of original music at Oak & Main on Saturday, March 30; ramping up for Skull & Roses will be Jerry’s Middle Finger at Discovery on Sunday, March 31 (they also perform at Skull & Roses); Jen Leigh is the featured guest for the Session with Tommy Marsh on Thursday, April 4 at Grapes and Hops; recording artist Gary Swan will be Gypsy Blues Band’s special guest on Thursday, April 4 at the Blue Room in the Ventura Harbor; Yachtley Crew returns to Ventura for a date at Discovery on Saturday, April 6; and if you love the Glam Rock, don’t miss Dolls, The Midnight Devils and others at Red Cove on Saturday, April 6.

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. For updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 3/13/19 – 3/26/19

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

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of VenturaRocks.com. I launched the website on March 17 because…well because it was ready to roll out, no other reason. But it’s great to celebrate on a day where most everyone is happy to be out enjoying live music. So, let’s get to what’s going on music-wise for St. Patrick’s Day this year.

Dargan’s will have live music throughout the day with Irish bagpipers and such; the Brian Faith Band plays the Blue Agave; Kenny Devoe at the Boatyard Pub; Brandon Ragan Project at Copa Cubana; Shawn Jones at Grapes and Hops; along with Lauren Tannenbaum, bag pipers will make an appearance at The Shores (Oxnard); Bleeding Harp plays a special show at the VFW Hall; and as always, it’s a special treat when the Ventura Fire Department Band makes their scheduled appearances on St. Patrick’s Day starting at Social Tap at noon, then the Boat Yard Pub at 1:15, Made West at 2, Garman’s Pub (Santa Paula) at 3:30, Rincon Brewery at 4:45 and wrapping up the day with a downtown crawl at 6 pm.

The Grape has another special event I want to make you aware of, they’ll be presenting an artist out of New York City, Nir Felder, on Thursday, March 14 at the Hong Kong Inn. Felder is currently one of the hottest guitarists of the New York City jazz scene, not only are we lucky to have him play for us in Ventura, but the day before you can catch him on Ellen DeGeneres show.

Quick Notes: Margarita Villa in the Harbor is ramping up their live music again as the weather warms up; Naughty Pine out of Washington bring their brand of reggae to The Garage on Wednesday, March 13; the annual “Let’s Go Out!” ARC event with The Vonettes, and Seth Pettersen & Friends will be at Bombay’s Saturday March 16 from 5-8 pm; MisUnderstood rocks Food Truck Friday at the mall on Friday, March 15; a new duo, Heckel & Jeckel featuring Jerry Breiner and Divebar Steve (Kramer), play Winchesters on Friday, March 15; Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions) plays the Ventura Theater on Sunday, March 24; and finally the next artist to be featured on VenturaRockSpot will be Karen 805, you can find the video interview on VenturaRocks.com mid-March.

By the way, I’d like to invite you to tune in for the Pam Baumgardner Music Hour airing on KPPQ-LP at 104.1 FM, or online at www.CapsMedia.org/Radio, or using the MyTuner app (for your phone). I play local and independent artists in and around the 805 as well as artists who come here to play. The show airs Tuesdays at 5 with rebroadcasts Friday at 5 and Sundays at noon. Oh! And don’t forget to tell a friend!

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. For updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Ventura Music Photos – March 2019

The Blue Room – March 28, 2019
Gypsy Blues Band w/ special guest Jimmy Calire


Grapes and Hops – March 6, 2019
The Swillys w/ special guest Jon Gindick


Ventura Theater – March 2, 2019
Pennywise
Pennywise