Ventura Mus
ic Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
It’s the final weeks of the year with a handful of holiday shows and a whole lot of New Year’s Eve parties, so let’s get right to it.
On Thursday, December 19, Buena High School hosts their 7th annual Not-So-Silent-Night benefit concert in the Library Media Center. The following day, Friday, December 20, the Ventura Theater presents their 8th annual Holiday Sing-along featuring Disney hits and holidays tunes with the price of admission a new unwrapped child’s toy or pet supplies.
Topa Mountain Winery has three events lined up starting on Friday evening at 7 pm with an Ojai holiday concert featuring Smitty & Julia and Friends; then they’re back to their regularly scheduled afternoon live music 3-5 on Saturday with Patricia Avis Family Christmas and Sunday featuring the Hopeful Quartet Holiday Jazz ensemble.
Along with the final weeks of the musical “Forever Plaid” Plaid Tidings” at the Rubicon, there will be a Tiny Tots Holiday Concert featuring the Broadway Juniors on Saturday, December 21, at 10 am.
While we’re still on the subject of Christmas and music, I’d like to give one final plug for “the Local Love Project Holiday Album, The Spirit of Giving” which features over a dozen artists out of the 805 including Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Charles Law and Jagged, Towse, Boom Duo and more. The proceeds from the sales stay in the community going to the Local Love Project which helps those who have been affected by a disaster here in the 805. It’s available at CD Baby, Amazon, and locally at most every record store in town. It is the perfect stocking stuffer!
Now on to New Year’s Eve parties starting with live music: FIDO plays until 9 pm with an east coast style NYE party at Leashless Brewing; the Brandon Ragan Project will keep you dancing at the Copa Cubana in the Ventura Harbor; it’s 80’s Invasion at the Crown Plaza at the top of the harbor overlooking the ocean and our fair city; the Shores in Oxnard has Teresa Russell & Friends; Grapes and Hops has the Diane Miller Band; the Self Righteous Brothers play Café Fiore; it’s an all-white party (meaning wear white) at Cantina 31 with Instone; Blues Bullet will keep it lively at Winchesters; it’s classic rock with Arockalypse Now at the Star Lounge; Yachtley Crew with their yacht rock will keep it festive at Discovery while Mandex will keep you rockin’ at Oak and Main downtown.
Venues with DJs and full party plans include Bombay’s, Paddy’s, El Rey Cantina, the Tavern, the Garage, the Keynote Lounge and Sans Souci. There will be cover charges most everywhere and some will sell out, so I highly recommend calling and making reservations now, and don’t forget to arrange for a safe ride home!
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.
