The Garage – April 24, 2016
The Rouse – SPRP (Sunday Punk Rock Party 1st anniversary)
The Lower Echelon
Squashed Grapes – April 16, 2016
D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers
Grapes and Hops – April 9, 2016
Shawn Jones with Mario Calire & Sam Bolle
Bombay Bar and Grill – April 6, 2016
Tommy Marsh with Dennis Jones
Tommy Marsh, Shawn Jones and Dennis Jones
Plan B Winery – March 26, 2016
Kelly’s Lot
Majestic Ventura Theater – March 10, 2016
Darren Block (opening for Uli Jon Roth) – photo credit: Sarah Gigliotti.
Ventura Mus
ic Scene
“Ventura Rockin’ 150 Years!!!”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
The Barrelhouse Wailers performing at City’s 150th anniversary picnic.
Photo credit: Marie Gregorio-Oviedo
Ventura certainly rocks, and it’s been officially rocking for 150 years as of April 2, 2016. In honor of its major milestone, The City is celebrating with a free family fair and picnic at Plaza Park. Along with carnival games, activity booths, races and contests, an historic treasure hunt and a truly affordable old fashioned-barbecue, there will be live music with The Swilly’s, Ventura Jazz Orchestra Sextet featuring the vocal stylings of Donna Greene, The Barrelhouse Wailers and the Mighty Cash Cats.
And then, in conjunction with celebrating The City’s 150th anniversary, Ventura Education Partnerships will feature a concert with hometown heroes, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mission Park. Tickets range from $25 and up to benefit music and arts in our schools.
Robert Ramirez and Michelle Votrian just returned from SxSW (annual music festival and conference in Austin, TX), so I asked Ramirez what made them decide to make the trek and he told me, “With friends out there, we just needed a show. Then we were invited to perform at Leeann Atherton’s Full Moon Barndance which is considered by the locals, the unofficial close to SxSW and a tradition, with non-stop music and food for 8 hours; it’s the place to be on Sunday. Every artist and band that played was a working band, some from Austin, some touring and some from Europe and Australia. Except us!”
The other evening, I dropped into Squashed Grapes to catch Mark Schulman’s set; he had put on an inspirational drum clinic in conjunction with Pulse Drumming before the show. Schulman is currently Cher’s drummer and has toured with Pink and others. He brought with him Eva Gardner on bass (Pink, Mars Volta, Cher) and Julian Coryell (Alanis Morissette, Carole King, Jewel) on guitar and vocals. The house was rockin’ a tad bit more than usual and I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it! In April, make plans to catch the return of Doug Webb with Danny Carrey of TOOL on April 2, drummer Joey Heredia (Stevie Wonder, Sheila E, Sergio Mendez) on April 16, Sandra Booker (Harry Connick Jr is quoted as saying, “her voice was made for jazz.) on April 23 and Frank Potenza and Friends return on April 30.
And staying with jazz for just a bit, the California Jazz & Wine Fest will be held on April 17th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village with the Tom Scott Quintet, Doug Webb Group and several of our local musicians including the Barrelhouse Wailers.
There will be a benefit concert for the Mare Louise Foundation on April 9 at Sandbox Coffeehouse featuring local artists, Marianne Turner, Xocoyotzin Moraza and Devin Johnson.
And finally for rap fans, don’t miss Tyler the Creator at the Ventura Theater on April 2.
Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.
March, 2016
50 Sticks of Dynamite
Ventura Music Scene
“Ventura Continues to Rock!”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
For no other reason other than the website was ready to roll out, VenturaRocks.com was launched seven years ago on St. Patrick’s Day. We started out as a comprehensive calendar of music listings for Ventura, but quickly branched out by further covering Ventura’s music scene with photo galleries, interviews, and reviews. Then Sheldon Brown asked me to write a music column for the Ventura Breeze which I’ve been doing for a little over two years now; and most recently, CAPS Media invited me to host a music program on their cable channel which has turned out to be a whole lot of fun. Watch out for the next episode to air soon featuring 50 Sticks of Dynamite. It’s been a blast and I’m looking forward to another year serving Ventura’s music community at www.VenturaRocks.com.
There are a number of fundraisers coming up that I hope you’ll consider supporting. On Saturday, March 19, there will be a benefit concert at Bombay Bar and Grill for The Turning Point Foundation. After the devastating loss of Diego Hinojosa last Fall, Diego’s family and friends wanted to make sure others are aware of mental health resources available at this non-profit facility. Scheduled to perform between noon and 7 pm are Xoco Moraza & Tomas Herrera, Jackass, Crooked Eye Tommy, The Hymen Blasters, Legalizer, After the Smoke and Rey Fresco. Suggested donation is $20 for adults and $10 for kids.
The following afternoon, March 20 at Discovery, the annual Key to the Highway fundraiser will be held starting at 3 pm with a full line up stellar musicians including Guy Martin, Hoo Doo Hounds, 50 Sticks of Dynamite, Kelly’s Lot, Brian McCann, Steve and Sally Williams, Jon Gindick and more including the recipient of this year’s fundraising efforts, Ashford Gordon who is battling prostate cancer. The evening will end with an all-inclusive jam hosted by Doug Johnson. Tickets are only $10.
Surf Rodeo has started announcing their band line up for this year’s summer event and I was pleased as punch to hear Dave Wakeling and the English Beat will be on the line up. Surf Rodeo will once again take over Pierpont Beach on Seaward from Pierpont Blvd to the ocean the weekend of July 16th and 17th.
The Rubberneck Lions announced a Taiwan tour which caught my attention. I asked drummer Jaison Pearce Henderson about why they were heading to Taiwan, and he told me, “We have some Silver Strand friends who have moved to Taiwan and have made it easier to independently plan and fund a tour there. We were selected to play Taiwan’s huge Spring Scream Festival and the rest of the shows we booked around it.”
Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.
Ventura Music Scene
“Ventura Rocks!”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
winchester Rebels opening for Puddle of Mudd at Discovery
I’m looking forward to the Puddle of Mudd show coming up at Discovery on Saturday, March 5, word has it former bass player Michael Anthony and restaurateur of Now Ventura will sit in for a few songs. Let’s hope singer Wes Scantlin is on his best behavior and keeps it together and keeps it live. To kick off the evening, one of my favorite Santa Barbara rock bands, The Winchester Rebels will warm up the house so be sure to get there early enough to catch both acts.
You know the party will be off the hook at Bombays when Hy Brasil performs while celebrating their bass player, Shawn Echevarria’s birthday on Friday, March 11. The Pullmen will open with a special performance from San Diego’s Mrkts.
Rebulation returns to Ventura for back to back shows at the Majestic Ventura Theater on March 12 and 13. Why two nights? Because they always pack ‘em in!
The 10th annual Ventura Music Festival Jazz Competition takes place at the Pierpont Inn on Sunday, March 13 at 1 pm. Get out and support up and coming young jazz musicians. This event is free to the public.
Tickets have been selling briskly for the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy fundraiser concert in conjunction with the 150th anniversary celebration of the City of Ventura. All proceeds support art and music programs for Ventura’s Unified school district students. Be sure to secure your tickets and help keep music in our schools. Go to CelebrateVentura.org for more information on how to get your tickets online. They’re also available at VSUD school sites.
Hi Hat Entertainment brings back the Forty Fours to the Ventura Beach Club on Friday, March 11 featuring Johnny Main, Mike Hightower and Jason Lozano. The band features killer Blues-Rock-Roots music sure to keep the dance floor filled to capacity.
Ventura’s punk scene continues to thrive, The Dickies, Ill Repute show at the Garage sold out. More shows have been popping up between The Garage, The Red Cove, Sans Souci and Bombay’s. You can get the low down at VenturaRocks.com which has you covered Punk to Jazz.
Speaking of which, VenturaRocks.com celebrates its anniversary this month servicing the music community in Ventura for the past seven years; it is the best online resource for keeping up on where to find live music.
Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.
Ventura Music Scene
“It’s the Dude!”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
Jeff Bridges at Discovery February 28, 2016
Ventura’s music community is not only comprised of talented artists, but the people who support live music are just as important to the scene. When we lost Chris Pinger of the band Malice Thoughts, his friends quickly pulled together a fundraiser to help Pinger’s family with the cost of his funeral. The fundraising event will be held at Bombay’s on Saturday, February 20, with a silent auction and other ways to make a donation. Bands on the bill include his former bandmates in Malice Thoughts, The Kane Gang, Grim, The NaVaNaX, and Civil Conflict. Chris lost his life while being driven by a drunk driver, a somber reminder to all of us to not drink and drive, to not get in the car with someone else who has been drinking, and to think ahead about alternative ways of getting home safely.
You won’t want to miss an evening of music and conversation with Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges February 28 at Discovery. Seriously, how can you pass up an evening with “The Dude” and in a bowling alley no less?
Jerry Vivino, the bandleader for the Conan O’Brien Show returns to the Squashed Grapes Saturday, February 20.
Saturday, February 27 at the Garage on the east end of town will play host to one rockin’ punk show featuring The Dickies with Ill Repute and Mothers of Dissension. You should remember the Dickies, “Stuck in a Pagoda with Tricia Toyota” and other quirky punk tunes.
If swing is your thing, then you’ll want to dress up and be a part of the Speakeasy Swing Dance with The Barrelhouse Wailers on Saturday, February 20 at the Ventura Beach Club. The event will kick off with swing dance lessons with Kim Clever and David Frutos at 8 pm and then the band follows 9 to midnight.
Dan Grimm’s song, “Peachy Keen” was played on the “New Girl” show staring Zooey Deschanel this month.
Joy Burnworth who has been playing a number of gigs here in Ventura the past few months including one at Grapes and Hops recently received the fantastic news that she’s the new lead singer for Jefferson Starship starting initially as a first sub for Cathy Richerdson who had apparently quit the band last year.
Congratulations to Ventura County Blues Society’s Delgado Brothers for winning the Memphis challenge. The band took the top prize this past month beating out 250 other bands from all over the world. Last year our very own Crooked Eye Tommy made it to the semifinals.
And speaking of Crooked Eye Tommy, the newest episode of Ventura Rocks on CAPS Media is now airing featuring Crooked Eye Tommy. There’s a link to the show on VenturaRocks.com as well as being on the schedule this month on CAPS Media.
Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.
Tales From the Gingerbread House
Casey Abrams
Review by Pam Baumgardner
February 8, 2016
Full disclosure: I love Casey Abrams, but then millions of Americans fell in love with him as he made it to the top six of season ten on American Idol a couple of years ago.
Full disclosure: I’ve only tuned in once and only saw the last ten minutes of the last episode of the first season of American Idol.
So how did I come to know Casey? It was when the owners of Squashed Grapes told me a year and a half ago that they had booked him and that I should search Google and YouTube for The Gingerbread Band. I saw just one, and I got it. I understood what the fuss was all about.
Casey played the Grape that summer night to a sold out house via word of mouth and it quickly made my Top Ten shows of all time. He’s just too freakin’ cool!! Fast forward to the present time and Casey is now offering his second release, an EP entitled, “Tales from the Gingerbread House.” It’s a mix of five eclectic tunes including one featuring fellow American Idol alumni, Haley Reinhart.
Casey had a hand in writing all songs and I was delighted to see the uber talented Jacob Scesney, who you can find sitting in with local bands around town when he’s not out on the road, covered the sax work on four out of five songs even getting a shout out on “Cougar Town”.
The EP opens with “Cougartown” and an interesting introduction from actor, Eric Avari; it’s a song about Casey’s love for the older woman. Casey makes himself vulnerable with “Just One More Time (These Eyes)” confessing his love while throwing in some funky scat moves. “Caught” is more energetic, upbeat, even danceable, and as sexy as all the previous songs may be, they don’t compare to the duet between Abrams and Haley Reinhart on “Never Knew What Love Can Do” as the two break it out and get right down and dirty.
But I have to say my favorite is the final cut called “Shining a Light” which is a contrast to the jazzier and funkier previous tunes on the EP. Typically I spend a lot of time with the music I plan to write about, and I know I’m ready to write when I start humming a song, or singing along, but with “Shining a Light” I literally could not get it out of my head. I can totally hear this on popular radio, in movies, TV shows…it’s just so catchy and contagious and if there were no other songs, it’s totally worth the price of the CD.
Knowing that Casey was self-taught on over 11 musical instruments, and by ear, I came to the realization at Squashed Grapes that Casey not only writes and plays music really well, but that he actually is music. I’m looking to great things to come from Mr. Abrams, the world is wide open to him.
1. Cougartown – (Casey Abrams/Rune Westberg)
2. Just One More Time (These Eyes) – (Casey Abrams)
3. Caught – (Casey Abrams/Victoria Horn “Lady V”/Rob Kleiner)
4. Never Knew What Love Can Do – (Casey Abrams/Bobby Hamrick)
5. Shining A Light – (Casey Abrams/Andrew Rose)
http://www.iamcaseyabrams.com/
After hours at Squashed Grapes 7/26/14
Ventura Music Scene
“Rockin’ February ”
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
Photo credit: Cliff Montgomery
I was delighted to see that Ian Moore made a stop at Bombay’s for his current tour with the Lossy Coils Wednesday, January 27th. We added Moore to our playlist back when I was Program Director of KXBS alternative rock radio in the 90s. Moore told me he’s been self-managing for the past 12 years, but has three records done and ready for release the first one called “Strange Days”. Moore told me, “It’s a departure from what I have been doing for the last few years. It is funkier, and lyrically heavier, leaning in on rhythm.”
Voices – Women in the Round was held at Bell Arts Factory on Saturday, January 30. I spoke with Jim Rice of Bell Arts who told me the night was just perfect. It was one of those events where the audience is totally engaged and the performances were heart wrenchingly beautiful. The range of music from Bach to Otis Redding to original pieces by Andrea Landin, Donna Lynn Caskey, Kate Bokoles, Maliah Pena and Mare Louise were extremely well received. Rice told me they’re looking at having this be a regular series hopefully monthly before too long.
A last minute addition to the February calendar for Squashed Grapes is coming up on Tuesday, February 9 featuring members from the world famous Post Modern Jukebox. This will also be the last opportunity to see them for a while before they set out on tour across the pond. Christina Gatti’s amazing vocals will front the band which includes one of our very own Jacob Scesney who also tours with PMJ.
Expect an upbeat funky time when The Main Squeeze plays Discovery on Saturday, February 6. The band is produced by Randy Jackson well known American Idol judge. Discovery has also been offering a Starlight Swing night on Wednesdays with swing dance lessons and live music.
Front Street takes over the Sewer with some down low dirty gypsy blues on Friday, February 12 with two equally unique and fun bands, The Front Street Knuckle Draggers and D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers.
The Hong Kong Inn will host the 2016 Cash Bash honoring the man in black’s birthday with The Mighty Cash Cats, Jade Hendrix and Joe Billingiere. The festivities kick off Sunday, February 14 at 4 pm with no cover charge.
The Wine Rack has upped their entertainment by offering live music seven days a week.
And finally, the newest episode of Ventura Rocks on CAPS Media is now airing featuring Crooked Eye Tommy; you can get the schedule of when it airs next at www.capsmedia.org.
Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Send all information short or long to Pam@VenturaRocks.com, and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.