Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
It’s the final week of the Ventura County Fair and where in all other places in Southern California are complaining of the high temperatures, we have the best sea breeze keeping temps down here in Ventura for the fair. At press time, there remained one final Grandstand concert which is country music star Nate Smith for Wednesday, August 5. But rest assured there will still be plenty of live music on all the different stages throughout the fairgrounds including the one at Surf Rodeo’s Golden Pony Speakeasy, the Pacifico Stage, Garden Stage and the Seabreeze Stage.
Namba Arts is offering an intimate evening of songs, stories, craft and connection with In The Round, showcasing seven Southern California singer/songwriters such as Art Podell, Severin Browne, Tracy Newman, Ken Holme, John Zipperer and more. Tickets for the Saturday, August 8 show are available through the venue’s website, NambaArts.com.
Rock the Collection Summer Concert Series continues with free concerts every other Wednesday. This month it’s DSB tribute to Journey on August 12 and Twisted Gypsy’s tribute to Fleetwood Mac on August 26.
As a part of their Ventura Live! 2026 series, The Rubicon has added two shows for Friday, Sept 4 and a matinee for Saturday, Sept 5 of the Folk Legacy Trio featuring lifetime Grammy winners and a member of the Banjo Hall of Fame, George Grove and Rick Dougherty of the Kingston Trio and Jerry Siggins from the Diamonds. The trio is revered as the “living library” of the 60s folk era and will feature music by the Weavers, the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary plus more iconic artists. Find out more at Rubicontheatre.org.
It’s been great weather with great shows this month at Ojai’s Libbey Bowl. Still to come this month, Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes on August 12, Ani DiFranco on August 14, The Movement with Pepper on August 16 and Cat Power August 18.
Mark your calendar for this year’s cornhole tournament, The Throw Down, from Spencer Mackenzie’s. It will run the weekend of August 22 and 23 with live bands such as Pato Banton, Just a Girl, Mandex, Camo Cali and more as well as the return of New Liberty!
Quick Notes: tickets for Keanu Reeve’s band, Dogstar are on sale now for their show at Ventura Theater, Friday, September 25 as well as for Alan Thornhill and Martin Young at Feros Ferio Winery for Sunday August 23; Shawn Jones and Shane Alexander return to Namba Arts for an intimate night of singer/songwriter music on Friday, August 7; The Saloon has Busty Bojangles and the Nevi Band for a honky-tonk night on Friday, August 7; and the 805 Day Fest, Sewer Sessions, will be held at San Souci on Saturday, August 8, with a slew of bands playing from noon until closing.
Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows that you would like help publicizing? Please send all information, short or long, to Pam@VenturaRocks.com. For updated music listings daily, visit www.VenturaRocks.com.