Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 1/26/22 – 2/8/22

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

Though the sign wasn’t up the last time I drove past, the construction continues on the Ventura Music Hall (where Discovery was formerly located on Thompson Blvd). More and more shows are being added to their roster, many of which are indie bands, but several are more well known such as Flogging Molly, Gary Numan, and country/bluegrass legend Marty Stuart. At press time, the first show continues to be G. Love & the Juice on March 22. Keep in the loop and bookmark their website VenturaMusicHall.com.

I had to take a double take at the new festival making the circuit with a date coming up in early spring for Ventura, it’s called the Punk in Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival landing at the Ventura Fairgrounds on March 27. As the website states, the festival is created from the mind and livers of NOFX’s front man Fat Mike and craft beer fanatic/festival promoter Cameron Collins. Ventura’s date features NOFX, Pennywise, Face to Face, Lagwagon, Ill Repute, Dr. Know, the Last Gang and more. Get more information and purchase your tickets at PunkInDrublicFest.com.

I’m so proud of the Grape bringing such talent to Ventura. Case in point, on Thursday, January 27, it’s Brian Charette Trio; Charette was the winner of the 2014 Downbeat Critics’ Poll “Rising Star: Organ” award and 2015 Hot House Magazine’s “Fan’s Decision Jazz Award for Best Organist”. Last year he placed 3rd in the 2021 Downbeat Critic’s Poll. Rounding out the trio will be Joel Taylor on drums, and Doug Webb on sax.

The Circle Jerks pulled the plug on their 2021 tour, but they’ve rescheduled dates for 2022. You can catch them at the Ventura Theater on Sunday, February 20 with all tickets previously purchased being honored. Don’t forget the Ventura Theater requires a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of the event, OR proof of vaccination for entry. Masks are also required when not actively eating or drinking; and as a gentle reminder per the Ventura Theater’s website, no moshing is allowed.

Quick Notes: Twist on Main is temporarily closed for upgrades, but reopening early February; Michael Feinstein plays the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Saturday, February 5; SuperDuperKyle returns to Ventura Theater Friday, March 18; and the Young Ones showcase features up and coming talent at the Vine on Monday evenings with Beckett & the Rebels playing January 31.

And finally, congratulations to Tommy Quayle on the release of his latest record Awakenings. It was recorded over the past two years during the pandemic. JP Hesser co-produced, mixed and recorded most of the cuts. You can hear the title single on my radio show, the Pam Baumgardner Music Hour on KPPQ-LP at 104.1 FM, or listen online at CAPSMedia.org/radio. The program runs Tuesdays and Fridays at 5 and Sundays at noon.

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 1/12/22 – 1/25/22

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

The winner of the first BlackCouch Studios Music Showdown was announced this week! The friendly competition between 16 musicians here in Ventura was the brainchild of Jerry McWorter (Hi-Hat Entertainment) and Guy Martin (BlackCouch Studios). They placed sixteen names in three different hats (8 guitarists, four bass players, four drummers) then arbitrarily put together four bands by pulling names out of the hat. The members showed up without knowing who their bandmates were, nor the song they were to record. They were given three hours to record their rendition of Midnight Rambler. The winner of the first round (group 1 & group 2) and the winner of the second round (group 3 & group 4) went head to head on YouTube with viewers voting for their favorite rendition without knowing who the players were. I want to thank both Guy and Jerry for being on my radio show and for letting me play the winner on the Pam Baumgardner Music Hour this week. The winning group was #2 with winning musicians Ray Jaurique, Joe Baugh, Hank Van Sickel and Chris Jenson. Speaking from the heart, I loved every single rendition and as we discussed on my radio show, this project was great for the heart and soul of Ventura’s music scene. I’m looking forward to the next installment of the BlackCouch Studios Music Showdown!

The Tavern at 211 E. Santa Clara Street in Ventura has switched gears and as the first of the year are now called A Bar Called Country where they’ll be offering line dancing every Sunday at 5. The live music I’ve found so far includes Hard Rooster, Brother Earl and the Cousins and Dan Hitchcock on Thursday, January 13, and Medicine Hat with the full band on Fri January 14.

According to their official website, Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen’s project, Smith/Kotzen’s very first live date in the US is schedule for the Ventura Theater on January 15. Smith is best known as one of the main guitarists for Iron Maiden and Kotzen from the Winery Dogs, as well as having worked with both Mr. Big and Poison. Also playing the theater this month the Stuts on January 23 and Subtronics on January 27.

Quick Notes: The Bank of America Performing Arts Center in TO has REO Speedwagon on January 12, and David Foster on January 19; Kruelty, a band marketed as Tokyo disgusting music, plays with Apparition, Slowbleed and Upon Stone at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Friday, January 14; The Sewer has a special Sunday Psycho Sunday event on January 16 with Frenetic Trio from Brazil, joining the bill, The Cursed Bastards; and Kelly’s Lot’s performance at Namba has been rescheduled to March 26, but still on the books are Franck Goldwasser aka Paris Slim on January 15 and Dreamland, music of Joni Mitchell featuring Kimberly Ford on January 22.

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.