Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 8/10/22 – 8/23/22

Posted on August 8, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.comAugust is in full swing and with it a whole lotta live music in and around Ventura County. The Ventura County Fair is in its second week of its 10-day run and the final Grandstand Stage concert is Wednesday, August 10, with Cheap Trick. That being said, the Station Stage will continue to rock with local favorites through Sunday, August 14. Be sure to check out VenturaRocks.com photo gallery for band photos taken at the Fair this season.

Chick Singer Night just announced their newest City Chapter Director is Ventura’s own Jodi Farrell. Jodi has been an integral part of Ventura’s music scene for so many years fronting the Front Street Prophets, performing with TreCoustics, and now with Jim Rankin as a duo. So many performers have been tutored and mentored via Jodi Farrell’s Music Studio and before that when she taught at Ventura Community College. She teaches voice, guitar and piano for all skill levels. She’s received many awards along the way including the 2016 Mayor’s Art Award for Arts Educator. Congratulations Jodi, this is so well deserved!!

Cadillac Zack presents 1960’s blues & rock legends Canned Heat at Cantara Cellars in Camarillo, on Thursday, August 18. If your memory is straining to remember, let me help you out. They had hits such as “Let’s Work Together,” “On the Road Again,” and “Going Up the Country.” They played the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and had a headlining slot at the original Woodstock. Trust me when I say, you won’t want to miss this amazing night of live music with Delta by the Beach opening. Just text Zack for ticket information at (323) 377-5291. I was very sad to hear about the passing of pop icon, Olivia Newton-John. Her music instantly brings back memories, and I can’t even count how many times I watched “Grease,” but I think I will always remember her generosity and love when she performed here in Ventura, February of 2018, for the Thomas Fire Benefit. What a sweet being, and what a tremendous loss. Poseidon Brewing will be celebrating their 8th anniversary over the weekend of 8/12-8/14 with Vanise Terry Band, The Dynasties, Morrison Drive and Let’s be Frank performing. To satisfy your need for live country music, there’s Boots and Brews on Saturday August 20 with Cole Swindell, Eddie Montgomery an Raelynn. Surfer’s Point Live at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. Get your tickets at BootsAndBrews.com.

I admit that I absolutely love the different community sponsored music events such as Music Under the Stars at Olivas Adobe whose shows are all sold out for the rest of the season, but rest assured there are a number of free events nearby including the Heritage Square Summer Concert Series in Oxnard with The British Beat on Friday, August 12 6 – 8:30pm and Caliente 805 on Friday August 19; the Summer Concert Series at Constitution Park in Camarillo will have Country Nation on Saturday, August 27 from 7 -9 pm; and the Collection in Oxnard has DSB (tribute to Journey) on Wednesday, August 10 6 – 8:30 pm.

And though they’re not live music events, the Ojai Film Society is offering free screenings of a couple of music related movies at the Libbey Bowl. First the documentary, “Summer of Soul” on Friday, August 12, and then “Yesterday” which features the Beatles reimagined when a phenomena hits during a blackout and wipes out most people’s memories of the Beatles, this one screens on Friday, August 26. Though free, you’ll need to RSVP through Eventbrite.

Emmy winning artist, Camara Kambon (for his score in the HBO film, “Sonny Liston” the Mysterious Life and Death of a Champion”) performs at Namba with Javier Vergara on tenor sax, Adam Cohen on bass and Chris Blondal on drums. Tickets are only $20 for this intimate show on Friday, August 12.

New shows added at the Ventura Theater:
Silversun Pickups Sunday, October 2
Marcus Mumford Tuesday, October 4
Gogol Bordello on Saturday, November 5
The Wrecks on Saturday, November 19

New shows at Ventura Music Hall
Too Many Zooz, September 29
Ocean All, October 7
The Slackers, December 9
Squirrel Nut Zippers, December 17
Hirie, February 22

New shows at Libbey Bowl:
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite on September 30
Ben Harper on October 6

Mark on your calendars for upcoming events: the Hueneme Beach Festival the last weekend of August, and the return of the Aloha Beach Festival along at Promenade Park (Surfer’s Point) the following weekend, September 3 and 4. What’s also so very nice is that both of these events are free!! I’ll have more in the next issue of the Ventura Breeze.

Quick Notes: Tommy Foytek’s Variety Show continues on Wednesday nights at the Lookout Bar & Grill in Oxnard; reggae Sundays continue at Café Fiore through the end of summer; Glenn Bennett has a Thursday afternoon residency at the Copa Cubana; Mustangs of the West play the Ojai Underground on Thursday, August 11; Katie Shorey has a Disco Nite at Cantara on Friday, August 12; Romper plays at date at the Deer Lodge on Friday, August 12; Barrelhouse Wailers play Strey Cellars in Oxnard on Friday, August 19; the legendary Three Dog Night play Libbey Bowl on Friday, August 19; and Pato Banton plays Mrs. Olson’s on Saturday, August 20.

And then finally, Taste of Local returns this year on Sunday, September 11 presented by Totally Local VC Agricultural Education Foundation. I was thrill when Kat Merrick reached out and invited VenturaRocks to host the music stage where the Rose Valley Thorns will be just one of the acts performing. You can find out more about this wonderful event at TotallyLocalVC.com and I hope to see you there!

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 Music Scene Column 7/27/22 – 8/9/2022

Posted on July 27, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene by Pam Baumgardner VenturaRocks.com Pam@VenturaRocks.com

The traditional free concert to the community once again opens the Ventura Music Festival (VMF) in Mission Park and this year it features Adaawe. The international women of voice and drum perform a global fusion of African rhythm, thrilling harmony, and world soul to uplift the spirt, celebrate diversity, and unite humanity. Low-back chairs are allowed, but honestly, I’m thinking we’ll be up and dancing for most of their performance which starts at 5:30 pm. Why not make it a family event and bring a blanket, picnic dinner while enjoying the sounds of Adaawe.

Following the Wednesday free performance, there will be six ticketed VMF performances held at the Ventura College Performing Arts Theater over the next two weekends featuring We Banjo 3, Django Festival Allstars, Sean Chen, the Moanin’ Frogs, Veronica Swift and The Crossing. To secure tickets, go to VenturaMusicFestival.org.

The Ventura County Fair returns this summer with a fine line up of musical entertainment both on the Station Stage featuring local artists, and the Grandstand Stage featuring national touring acts. It’s such a treat knowing all shows are included in the price of admission.

By the way, did you know the fair is free for those five and younger and for those 100 or older? For the rest of us, it’s only $15 for adults; $10 kids 6-12; seniors 65 and older $10. Check out VenturaRocks.com for the Station Stage lineup.

Here is the Grandstand Stage list of acts:
Wednesday, 8/3: Martina McBride
Thursday, 8/4: KC & the Sunshine Band
Friday, 8/5: The All-American Rejects
Saturday, 8/6: Blue Oyster Cult
Sunday, 8/7: Dia de la Familia concert
Monday, 8/8: The Beach Boys
Tuesday, 8/9: Clay Walker
Wednesday, 8/10: Cheap Trick

New shows added for the Majestic Ventura Theater include Marcus Mumford and Danielle Ponder on Tuesday, October 4, GWAR on Saturday, October 8; Black Flag on Saturday, October 29, Gogol Bordello on Saturday, November 5, and Tegan and Sara on Friday, November 11.

The Hueneme Beach Festival falls over the last weekend of August (27- 28; 11 – 7 pm) with free admission. Do note that parking is $10 but BikeVentura will be hosting a free bike valet, so if you can, ride your bike there. There will be music on two stages featuring New Orleans Suspects, Twisted Gypsy, Taylor Sackson, CRV, Marachi Camarillo, Oliva Willhite, and Morie & the Heavy Hitters on Saturday. And then on Sunday, it’s Nth Power, Beebs & Money Makers, the Phantom Blues Band, Sade, the Hand me Down Band, Juano & Friends, and the Cousins.

Spencer Mackenzie Throwdown Cornhole Festival will be held at Surfer’s Point Live (Ventura Fairgrounds parking lot) over the last weekend of August. The acts scheduled to perform this year are Sunny Ledfurd, Mandex, A.D.D., Rey Fresco and Morie & the Heavy Hitters. This is a ticketed event at $25 a day, or $40 for 3-day pass.

The New West Symphony announced their 2022/2023 Masterpiece Series Season recently where performances will be held Saturday evenings at the Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center and with Sunday matinees in Camarillo at the Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center. It all kicks off with their Winter Spectacular starring Sam Harris in December 2022 and will run through next November 2023 with a production of “Beethoven to Brubeck.” You can download their brochure at NewWestSymphony.org.

If you enjoy the punk end of the music spectrum, then you won’t want to miss NardFest on August 6, at the Oceanview Pavilion Performing Arts Theater in Port Hueneme. Bands on the bill include Head Heat, Ill Repute, Stalag 13, Dr. Know, False Confession, iDecline, Civil Conflict, Romper and Boilerman. The event runs 3 – 11 pm; tickets are only $20.

The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy benefit concert runs two days July 30-31 from 2-9 pm at the Libbey Bowl featuring Grateful Shred headlining both days. Leading up to the main act: Saturday, Cayucas, Gifted & Blessed, Chuck & Luisa, Barbarelle and on Sunday, Nate Mercereau, Carlos Nino, Dan Horne, Service Human, Shelley Burgon, Melody Bird and Barbarelle. Ticket information can be found at OLVC.org/shred.

Quick Notes: Vincenzo Giammanco, CEO and founder of Boots and Brews confirmed there will in fact be two Boots and Brews for Ventura this year with Cole Swindell on August 20 and Tim McGraw on October 14 (tickets for both are on sale at BootsAndBrews.com); Tony’s Pizzaria continues with the Thursday free reggae shows with Morie & the Heavy Hitters on Thursday, July 28; Myst plays the Heritage Square Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 29 and it’s Soul Machine on Friday, August 5; Jerry’s Middle Finger plays the Ventura Music Hall on Friday, July 19; Hip Hop Mindset at the Oceanview Pavilion Performing Arts Theater on Saturday, July 30; Pedals & Pints Brewing Company and Tarantula Hill Brewing Company in Thousand Oaks are presenting the inaugural Down the Rabbit Hole Festival of Music and Beer on Saturday, July 30; Donna Lynn Caskey will open for the Dennis and Laura Show at Namba on Saturday, July 30; Poseidon Brewing will be celebrating their 8th anniversary over the weekend of 8/12-8/14; it’s Third Eye Blind at the Ventura Theater on Saturday, August 6; and finally, the Oxnard Salsa Festival is postponed for yet another year (fingers crossed for 2023).

Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 7/13 – 7/26

Posted on July 11, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

This is it! After a pandemic time-out, Surf Rodeo returns to Ventura over the weekend of July 15 – July 17 at the Ventura pier with music on the southside and surf competitions on the northside at Surfer’s Point. The festivities not only include a surfing contest featuring pros and locals, the bikini cowgirl and cowboy competition and cornhole tournament, but if you ask me (which is why you’re most likely reading my column), it’s all about the live music. It will be live bands galore over three days on several stages; it’s practically non-stop, start to finish with over 40 bands scheduled! The headliners for each day are The Green, Hirie and Rob Leines on Friday, Ozomatli, Badfish, The Aggrolites & Bob Log III on Saturday, and Yachtley Crew and Highway Starr on Sunday. For a more complete music listing and to secure your tickets, go to SurfRodeo.org.

By the way, on July 16-17, Gritty In Pink will be performing at Surf Rodeo and they’ll be hosting their own stage block that will feature their top artists such as Chastity Ashley or known as Neon Pony, Alicia Vigil, Kiki Wong (Vigil of War), Stundriver, Shiragirl, DJ Vashonda Sherra, Xtine Reckless and many more. Gritty in Pink said this festival in particular is very special to Shiragirl, because the Ventura community has been so supportive of Shiragirl since the debut of the Shiragirl Stage during the days of the Warped Tour. So, this feels like a full circle moment for them being able to build upon what they started on the Warped Tour by bringing the Gritty In Pink stage to Surf Rodeo!

Meanwhile for something a little tamer, Camarillo Old Town Heritage Days Midsummer Block Party also runs the same weekend July 14 – 17. Though you’ll need to purchase carnival ride tickets, there is no admission to the event which means the music is free!

Friday, July 15
6-10 pm – Acoustic DNA

Saturday, July16
Noon – 2 – Mariachi
2-4 pm – Full Clip
4-5 pm Rising Elijah
5-6 pm Bobby Hart & Old Town Boys
6-7:30 pm Mini Driver
8 – 10 pm Foster Campbell & Friends

Sunday, July 17
Noon – 2 pm The Martinez Bros with Ruben Estrada
2-4 pm Shaky Feelin’
4-6 pm Free Love Project

Poseidon Brewing has their Summer Saturday Music Series from 4-7 pm (unless otherwise listed):

July 16 – Zeke Berkley
July 23 – Steve and Sally Williams
July 30 – Mitch Bradford
August 6 – Muleskinner Revival
August 13 – The Dynasties (1-3 pm)
August 13 – Morrison Drive (4:30 – 7 pm)
August 20 – Cary Park
August 27 – Chris Murphy
September 3 – Dean & Lisa

The 2022 Heritage Square Summer Concert Season is underway in Oxnard on Friday evenings 6 – 8:30 pm. Individual seats are available for purchase day of show for $10 on a first come basis, or you can take your own blanket or low back lawn chairs seats for free unreserved seating.
Upcoming concerts:

7/15: The Impulse Band
7/22: Los Cool Arrows
7/29: Myst
8/5: Soul Machine
8/12: The British Beat
8/19: Caliente 805

Pedals & Pints Brewing Company and Tarantula Hill Brewing Company in Thousand Oaks are presenting the inaugural Down the Rabbit Hole Festival of Music and Beer on Saturday, July 30 from 11 am to 11 pm and it will feature 10 bands between the two breweries. Tickets are $60 for both venues, which includes your first beer at both locations, and a free shuttle between the two. Bands on the bill are Robert Jon & the Wreck, Beaux Gris Gris & the Apocalypse, Shaky Feelin’, Jacob Marquez & the Good Vibes, a Dustland Fairytail, OPM, Weekend Celebrity, Garrett Lee Robinson, Those Animals and Better off Blonde.

New shows added for the Majestic Ventura Theater include Concerts 4 Causes – Metal Help for Mental Help featuring Bone Maggot, Disrupted Euphoria, Sinsation and more on Saturday, July 23; Panteon Rococo on September 20; Lagwagon, Strung Out and SACK on October 6; and the Front Bottoms on October 9.

I was looking over the Boots & Brews Country Music Festival webpage and it shows Ventura is listed for August 20 with Cole Swindell, Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, and Raelynn. But then they list Tim McGraw on October 14 and when you take a look, it’s a second Boots & Brews for Ventura which also features Michael Ray and Bailey Zimmerman. Hmmm, interesting; I hope it’s not a mistake. I hadn’t heard back on my inquiry for clarification as of press time. UPDATE: THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED!!!

Quick Notes: All Music Under the Stars summer concerts at Olivas Adobe are sold out; the Ojai Band plays a free concert at Libbey Bowl on Wednesday, July 13; jazz musician, Luis Munoz, will have his final show at Namba on Saturday, 7/16, before he moves out of state; there’s a Numbskull show with Subhumans, Generacion Suicida, and Head cut at Gigi’s on Saturday, July 23; Katie Shorey does ladies of the 80s at Cantara on Saturday, July 23; and don’t forget that the Ventura Music Festival runs July 29-31 & August 5-7.

Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 6/29/22 – 7/12/22

Posted on June 29, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

I am amped up and happy to see the Ventura County Fair has announced their 2022 Grandstand Stage entertainment line up finally! The fair has always tried to “spread the love” by offering diverse genres for their attendees. You can’t just do rock, or country, or pop meaning you can’t please all the people all the time, but they do their best to offer a wide range of musical entertainment:

Wednesday, 8/3: Martina McBride
Thursday, 8/4: KC & the Sunshine Band
Friday, 8/5: The All-American Rejects
Saturday, 8/6: Blue Oyster Cult
Sunday, 8/7: Dia de la Familia concert
Monday, 8/8: The Beach Boys
Tuesday, 8/9: Clay Walker
Wednesday, 8/10: Cheap Trick

All concerts are included in the price of admission and start at 7:30 pm, except for Sunday which starts at 3 pm. I can’t help but hope Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) will return to play with the Beach Boys again, and I’ll be honest, my heart stopped ever so briefly when I saw that Cheap Trick would be playing; they were a huge part of the soundtrack to my high school days.

I love sharing cool news. The all-new Ventura Music Hall has committed to donating one dollar per ticket sold to community non-profits which means, they’re hoping to donate up to $40,000 annually! Their first donation of $10,000 was presented to the Ventura Music Festival during the venue’s ribbon cutting ceremony on June 16. Susan Scott, Ventura Music Festival’s Executive Director was quoted as saying, “Having a new live music venue in Ventura is a good thing and the Ventura Music Festival is delighted to be the first beneficiary of their unique grant awards to Ventura nonprofits.” I under stand their next recipient will be the Boys & Girls Club of Ventura.

The Tequila & Taco Festival will be held on July 9 – July 10 at Surfer’s Point Live at the Ventura County Fairgrounds parking lot. Along with one of my favorite libations, the event features live music with Sugar Ray, Adelaide and Smooth Sounds of Santana on Saturday, and then Bone Thugs n Harmony, la Sonora Dinamita, and Sambada on Sunday. For ticket information, go to TequilaAndTacoMusicFestival.com.

The Seabridge Summer Concert Series kicks off on Saturday, July 2, with Vinyl Gypsies, Jayden Secor, In Stone, Jazz on the Rocks and Brandon Ragan Project. The free event runs noon – 8 pm at the Seabridge Amphitheater located at 1185 Victoria Ave. in Oxnard below the Fishermen’s Catch.

Libbey Bowl’s website has been updated which now lists all the great concerts for the summer. If you’ve never taken in a show there, do yourself a favor, select a concert and go for it. It’s such a relaxing space surrounded by oak trees, and after 5 pm the temperatures drop to a comfortable level where a light sweater may or may not be necessary by the time the show is over. Their annual free Independence Day concert will be held on Sunday, July 3 at 6 pm, but all other ticketed events begin at 5 pm with opening acts and the headliners usually by 7 pm. Here’s just a few shows lined up:
Friday, July 8: Stephen Pearcy (Ratt)
Saturday, July 16: Oingo Boing former Members
Sunday, July 17: ABC
Friday, July 22: the Zombies with Rooney
Saturday, July 30: Grateful Shred (Ojai Valley Land Conservancy benefit)
Sunday, July 31: Grateful Shred (Ojai Valley Land Conservancy benefit)

Other Libbey Bowl concerts coming up include Three Dog Night, Michael Feinstein, Air Supply, Bruce Hornsby, Richie Kotzen, Blood Sweat and Tear, Starship with Mickey Thomas and more.

It looks like Pedals & Pints Brewing Company and Tarantula Hill Brewing Company in Thousand Oaks are presenting the inaugural Down the Rabbit Hole Festival of Music and Beer on Saturday, July 30 from 11 am to 11 pm and it will feature 10 bands between the two breweries. Tickets are $60 for both venues, which includes your first beer at both locations, and a free shuttle between the two. Bands on the bill are Robert Jon & the Wreck, Beaux Gris Gris & the Apocalypse, Shaky Feelin’, Jacob Marquez & the Good Vibes, a Dustland Fairytail, OPM, Weekend Celebrity, Garrett Lee Robinson, Those Animals and Better off Blonde.

Congratulations to John and the crew at Leashless Brewing on their 5th anniversary. John has been consistently offering a place for people to enjoy live music Thursday through Sunday while providing their certified organic beers. To celebrate, they’ll be offering up three days of epic local reggae starting with Jacob Marquez and the Good Vibes on Friday, July 8, on Saturday, July 9, it’s Heavy Rotation, and then on Sunday, July 10, Levi acoustic.

This 4th of July, the City of Ventura brings back the downtown Street Fair along with the Pushem-Pullem parade which starts at 10 am. This is the only parade I’ve seen, where there are more people in the parade than viewers. Participants are invited to bring their bikes, scooters, strollers and wagons as long as they’re not motorized; it’s quite charming. The theme this year is “2022: Red, White & Blue!” Afterwards, the street fair typically offers a number of bands playing throughout downtown from 10 am – 4 pm.

Quick Notes: Jodi Farrell’s next singer/songwriters’ dinner event at Pierano’s is Wednesday, June 29 with Dylan Brehm, Marina Miller, Emma Wright, Tamara Varney, Jodi Farrell, Luke Hannington, Ella Robles and Aaron Burch; your last chance to catch Luis Munoz before he leaves California will be on July 16 at Namba; Mario Calire is on the road with Jewel this summer and their first week out had the band performing on Late Night with Seth Meyers (Monday 6/13); Surf Rodeo runs July 15 – 17 on the southside of the Ventura pier, get tickets at SurfRodeo.org; the 27th season of the Ventura Music Festival runs July 29 through August 7; and the November 25 show with AFI at the Majestic Ventura Theater is sold out.

Ventura Music Photos – June 2022

Posted on June 19, 2022 by venturarocks

Winchesters Grill & Saloon – June 16, 2022
The Pipes (photo credit: Richard Bedrosian)

Ventura Music Hall – June 13, 2022
Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/15/22 – 6/28/22

Posted on June 14, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

Summer officially arrives with the summer solstice on June 21 and with it a whole lot of special events involving music. From Surf Rodeo to Tequila & Taco Festival, from Conejo Valley Days to the Ventura County Fair, this summer promises to make up for lost time when we missed out on special events during the pandemic and then last year’s slow and cautious return to just getting out and about.

Conejo Valley Days will run from June 16 – June 18 with Mike Scully and the Weary Travelers, Psychedelic Summer, Fat Daddy Special and other bands performing throughout the weekend; this one ends with a John Denver sing along with Rick Shuler on Sunday. For all the band schedules, and ticket and parking information, go to ConejoValleyDays.us.

Surf Rodeo runs July 15 – July 17 with over 40 bands including Ozomatli, the Aggrolites, the Green, Rey Fresco, Aquadolls, Yachtley Crew and of course Raging Arb and the Redheads. For the complete lineup and the lowdown on tickets, go to SurfRodeo.org.

The Tequila & Taco Festival will be held on July 9 – July 10 and will have Sugar Ray, Bone Thugs n Harmony, Adelaide, and more on the big stage. This event will be held at Surfers Point Live in the parking lot at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. For ticket information, go to TequilaAndTacoMusicFestival.com.

The Ventura County Fair runs August 3 – August 14 and I have to say that this has got to be the latest the fair has ever released their Grandstand concert schedule, I’m told artists’ management won’t authorize the publicizing of their bands until later this month…so standby. VenturaRocks.com will post as soon as the lineup is announced otherwise, I will report it in the next issue of the Breeze.

The 2022 Rock the Collection concert series features four dates with family friendly tribute bands: July 27 it’s Twisted Gypsy (Fleetwood Mac), August 10 they have DSB (Journey), September 28 it’s the Long Run (Eagles) and October 19 they wrap it up with Bruno and the Hooligans (Bruno Mars Tribute). The free Wednesday night concerts run 6:30 – 8:30 pm; be sure to bring beach chairs and blankets to sit on.

I just saw that tickets have gone on sale for a two-day benefit for the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy at Libbey Bowl featuring full days of music both capped off with a full three hour set by Grateful Shred on July 30 and 31. You can find out more at OVLC.org.

If reggae is your thing, then you’ll want to be downtown Ventura for Reggae Sundays at Café Fiore 5 pm – 9 pm. The series is now running through September 4 and will feature such bands as Urban Dread, Babylon Rockers, JanGala Roots and Free Love Project.

Speaking of which, tickets are on sale for the September 10th Roots 805 Jam in Port Hueneme at the Oceanview Pavilion. Bands on the bill include Tomorrows Bad Seeds, Kyle Smith, Jacob Marquez and the Good Vibes, Synrgy and more. Tickets available on EventBrite starting at $30 for general admission.

Lonesome Traveler: Generations is currently running at The Rubicon Theatre through June 26. This musical event features multiple generations of artists who come together to celebrate the unifying power of song. The concerts feature the dynamic vocals and awe-inspiring instrumental talents of Lifetime Grammy Award-winners George Grove (formerly with The Kingston Trio for more than 40 years), Rick Dougherty (formerly with both The Kingston Trio and The Limeliters), and Jerry Siggins (best known as the lead singer of The Diamonds). These legendary performers are joined onstage by favorite folk and gospel singer/musicians from Lonesome Traveler and I Dig Rock ‘n Roll Music, along with fresh young artists new to Rubicon audiences. Lonesome Traveler: Generations tickets are available at RubiconTheatre.org.

The Billy Howerdel of a Perfect Circle date got postponed to Sunday, July 24 at the Ventura Music Hall due to immigration issues; tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date. I thought I’d highlight just a few of the venue’s upcoming shows which include Jerry’s Middle Finger on July 29, Aaron Lewis and the Statelines on August 25, Switchfoot on August 28, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds on September 7. I’ve seen Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds play several times here in Ventura at different Hi Hat Entertainment blues shows, so it will be great to see him belt out such tunes as “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap it Up” when they play. Wilson was nominated for Best Traditional Blues album for his solo album, Take Me Back this year. Be sure to bookmark VenturaMusicHall.com to keep in the loop on all their shows.

Quick Notes: the Legendary Wailers play Ojai Libbey Bowl on Thursday, June 16 and Gov’t Mule on Sunday, June 19; Dan Grimm plays the Vine on Friday, June 17; Area 51 will have folks dancing at the 34th Ojai Wine Festival on Saturday, June 18; Shay Moulder plays Anna’s Cider in Santa Paula on Saturday, June 25; Punk show at Gigi’s on Saturday, June 25 with iDecline, SRA, Romper and more; and tickets are on sale for Black Flag at the Ventura Theater for Saturday, October 29.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/1/22 – 6/14/22

Posted on May 31, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

The Ojai Blues Fest at the Ojai Art Center returns on Saturday, June 4. It’s always a treat when Tommy Marsh returns to town after picking up and leaving us for Tennessee to build a Nashville audience. Trust me when I say, the talent will not disappoint! Tickets are available on EventBrite.com. Here’s the current time lineup:

1:30 – Milo Sledge
2:00 – Crooked Eye Tommy
3:30 – Chuck Strong & SRBQ
4:30 – Ray Jaurique & the Uptown Brothers
5:30 – Sandy Haley Band
6:30 – Guy Martin
8:00 – All-star Jam Session

The 75th anniversary of the Ojai Music Festival runs June 9 – June 12 at the Libbey Bowl. Tickets for each event run between $20 and $150; but on Sunday, June 12, all are invited to two free events at Libbey Park. The first, Dance in the Park, features the dance duo Julia Eichten and Bret Easterling, celebrating tenderness, togetherness, and fierce joy; and then that afternoon, Rome is Falling is a high-energy new telling where song, spoken word, and driving music come together to contextualize the action with audience engagement and the performance of a local children’s choir. For more details on all performances and to secure your tickets, go to OjaiFestival.org.

The Glass Animals concert at the Ventura Theater wasn’t announced until 9 am on Wednesday, May 18 and tickets went on sale that day at noon which promptly sold out for their show the following Wednesday, May 25, at the Ventura Theater…which by the way was fabulous.

Future shows on sale now for the Ventura Theater include Third Eye Blind for Saturday, August 6, Billy Idol on Thursday, August 25, Hollie Cook (from all-female punk/reggae band, the Slits) on Saturday, September 24, Black Flag on Saturday, October 29, and AFI on Friday, November 25. If you don’t want to miss out, you’ll want to keep your eye on their calendar as you never know when new dates will pop up (such as the Glass Animals).

Heading around the corner and down the block (or two) to the all-new Ventura Music Hall, I’m happy to report that I’ve secured tickets for the Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs show for Sunday, June 12. Come on!!! He co-wrote so many hits with Tom Petty (Refugee, Here Comes My Girl, Runnin’ Down a Dream), you know it’s going to rock!! New dates added recently include Guttermouth on Sunday, July 3 (happy to say local bands False Confession and Romper will open), Memphis May Fire out of Texas plays Tuesday, July 19 and Jerry’s Middle Finger will bring in the “Deadheads” when they play Friday, July 29.

Over on Main Street, midtown Ventura, the Grape has Casey Abrams, former American Idol contestant and current member of Postmodern Jukebox, returning for a show on Saturday, June 4, then the venue will go into overdrive when they open on Sunday and Monday (traditionally closed) for two special concerts. Firstly, on June 5, it’s Dreamland band, a Joni Mitchell tribute, featuring Kimberly Ford on vocals and guitar and then on Monday, June 6, the Dave Weckl/Tom Kennedy Projects with their high energy jazz fusion. Weckl was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2000. Tickets are available for these shows at TheGrapeVentura.com.

The Toni Jannotta Jazz Trio plays Peirano’s on the Terrazza Friday, June 3, with Terry Simcik on guitar and Tom Etchart on bass. Toni then leaves for Europe to sing in the Langtoun Jazz Festival in Kirkcaldy, Scotland.

Here’s a fun, or not-so-fun fact: all reserved tables and special ramadas for all concerts are sold out for Music Under the Stars this summer. Tickets still available for general admission include Identity Theft on July 23, Rhythm Krewe on August 6 and Lisa Haley & the Zdekats on August 27, all other shows totally sold out. You can either purchase tickets at Ventura City Hall or over the phone (805) 658-4726.

Quick Notes: just announced, Uncle Cracker will perform at BBQ Fest 2022 at Surfer’s Point Live (Ventura Fairgrounds) on Saturday, June 11; Surfers Point Café will hold a grand opening celebration on Saturday, June 11, featuring the loveable CocoKnots and their tropical blend of music with a sprinkling of pop & jazz classics from 1 -4 pm; Cadillac Zack presents Aki Kumar, Bollywood blues, at Namba on Friday, June 10; Iain Matthews and Steve Postell (founding members of British folk rock bands) play the Ojai Underground Friday, June 3; Mack and D start up their Thursday evening residency at 1901; Tickets are on sale for the Hip Hop edition of Sunday Funday with Flo Rida and Lil Jon at Surfer’s Point Live (Ventura Fairgrounds parking lot); and Mick Stover (bassist Dive Bar Messiahs, Gentlemen’s Blues Club) has started a new 80s dance cover band called ’80 Reasons 2 Dance, you can catch them at Margarita Villa on July 9.

The Pam Baumgardner Music Hour continues to support and play local artist out of the 805, as well as artists who come here to play. Mary Z Wilson continues to be a great asset talking about the history of Americana here in town; she’ll be sharing music from Donna Lynn Caskey, Merlin Snider and Cyrus Clarke on the next episode, (#162) which runs 5/31 – 6/12 and airs Tuesdays and Fridays at 5:00 pm and Sundays at noon. Tune into KPPQ-LP at 104.1 FM here in Ventura, or listen via the MyTuner radio app on your smart device, or online at CapsMedia.org/Radio.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 5/18 – 5/31

Posted on May 17, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

25 years in business is quite the milestone, so congratulations go out to the crew at Winchester’s Grill and Saloon in downtown Ventura! You’ll want to be on hand when they celebrate with live music in their covered parking lot on Saturday, May 21 from 1 to 8 pm featuring CRV, the Brandon Ragan Project and Ray Jaurique & the Uptown Brothers. There will be drink specials, giveaways and as usual, no cover charge!

Heading to the other end of downtown Ventura on Main Street, you’ll find a special singer/songwriter dinner event when Peirano’s and Jodi Farrell team up on Thursday, May 26. Artists on the bill include Michael Henszey, Karyn 805, Dylan Brehm, Luke Hannington, Ella Robles, Aaron Burch, Oliva Mucha and Caroline Lloyd. Reservations are strongly encouraged via Peiranosmarket.com.

There are a couple of country music events coming up the next two weeks, first it’s the KHAY Fest with Josh Turner, Dylan Scott and Tenille Arts on Sunday, May 22 at the Ventura Fairgrounds and then on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, it’s the Gold Coast Country Music Festival with Richie McDonald (Lonestar), Heidi Newfield (Trick Pony), Heath Wright (Ricochet), Coffey Anderson, Wade Hayes, Jamie O’Neal and a whole bunch more; this one is being held at the Camarillo Airport. You can find more info at GCCFest.com.

Dreamland is back post pandemic featuring Kimberly Ford celebrating the music of Joni Mitchell. The seven-piece band will make a stop at the Grape here in Ventura for a special performance on Sunday, June 5. Modeled on Mitchell’s mid-1970’s band with Tom Scott and the L.A. Express, Dreamland features Lee Rollag, guitar and violin; Tom Buckner, saxophone; Tom Etchart, bass; Dave Hunt, drums; George Friedenthal, keyboards, piano and melodica; and Sven Holcomb, backup vocals, guitars and percussion.

Another special event at the Grape features NYChillharmonic. This 18-piece progressive-rock orchestra is a female fronted band where their music fuses multiple genres including rock, pop and jazz. Having played multiple jazz festivals including Montreal, Melbourne, Buenos Aires, and Tokyo to name a few, you won’t want to miss this two-time “Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award” winners when they play this intimate venue here in town on Friday, May 27.

Quick Notes: Tickets are already on sale for Billy Idol on August 25 for the Ventura Theater; the Happy Face Music Festival out in Simi Valley is worth the trip for Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs, Sam Morrow, Hardcastle and Kelly’s Lot on Saturday, May 28; Christine Law’s Star Goes Nova project releases a new CD on May 19; Stellar Ruins is holding an album release party on Saturday, May 28 at Sans Souci; and Moorpark’s High Street Arts Center’s production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music runs June 3 – July 3.

Just added (5/17) at the Ventura Theater, Glass Animals for Wednesday, May 25.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 5/4 – 5/17

Posted on May 4, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

There are a number of special events lined up as the weather gets warmer and most of these events will be held outdoors including KHAY Fest on Sunday, May 22, at Surfer’s Point Live (Ventura Fairgrounds) with Josh Turner, Dylan Scott and Tenille Arts. You can find all the ticket information at on the CBFProductions.com website.

Winchesters Grill on Main Street in downtown Ventura is celebrating their 25th anniversary with an outdoor party featuring live music from CRV, Brandon Ragan Project and Ray Jaurique & the Uptown Brothers. The fun starts at 1 pm and goes all day Saturday, May 21.

Ozomatli has been added to the Surf Rodeo music lineup along with Bob Log III, the Aquadolls, Sitting on Stacy, Hirie, Sik Sik Sicks, Death Lens, Badfish, Yachtley Crew, and more. It will be great to hit the sand once again for a weekend of great music, surf competitions, the cornhole tournament, and some serious people watching. Tickets are on sale for July 15 – 17 at SurfRodeo.org.

The Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival has been rebranded as the Happy Face Music Festival and it still falls over the Memorial Day weekend on May 28. Headlining will be Mike Campbell the Dirty Knobs along with performances from Sam Morrow, Hardcastle and Kelly’s Lot. Get ticket information at HappyFaceMusicFest.com.

Tickets went on sale May 1st for the 27th season of the Ventura Music Festival which will run July 29 – 31 and August 5 -7. All the performances will be held at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center except for the popular free concert at Mission Park on Wednesday, July 27. This year it will feature Adaawe, an all -female acoustic, vocal and drumming band performing a contemporary world-fusion mix which will be fun for the whole family. Be sure to bring blanket or low-chair for comfortable seating. You can find more information on all performances at VenturaMusicFestival.org.

Quick Notes: A Bar Called Country has cancelled all live bands and opting once again for DJs; the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club’s 1st annual Harmonica Festival for May 15 has already sold out; Tony’s Pizzaria is firing up their Sunday Funday Beach Parties live music 3-6 and their reggae Thursdays start on Cinco de Mayo with Forbidden Fruit; Don Randi and Quest (Wrecking Crew) is back for repeat performance at the Grape, Saturday, May 7; Caffrodite monthly dinner & music features Déjà vu Too on Friday, May 13; X plays the Ventura Music Hall on May 11; and 311 plays the Majestic Ventura Theater on Thursday, May 12.

Finally, it is with a heavy heart that I send out my sincerest condolences to the Ventura jazz community as we mourn the passing of local artist, Hans Ottsen. His grace, talent, and sweet soul will be forever missed.

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 4/20/22 – 5/3/22

Posted on April 20, 2022 by venturarocks

Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com

The historic Olivas Adobe will once again host Music Under the Stars on Friday nights from July 9 – August 27. There are a number of tribute bands such as Savor, tribute to Santana on July 16, Dark Desert Highway, tribute to the Eagles on August 13 and 4 Lads from Liverpool, tribute to the Beatles on August 20. Tickets are only $20, and an extra $25 to reserve a table. Tickets go on sale May 2 at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/MUS.

Ojai Music Festival’s 2022 season has been announced and will run June 9 to June 12. For scheduled performances and ticket information, go to OjaiFestival.org.
Ventura Music Hall will be launching their Friday night Golden Hour series featuring mostly local tribute bands from May 13 through June 24. Lined up are Twisted Gypsy, Sgt. Pepper, Black Crystal Wolf Kids, Ridin’ the Storm Out and Doin’ Time.

There will be a Ukrainian Relief benefit brunch featuring live music by The Cover Girls & Friends, Breaking Bored, and Misunderstood at the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club on Sunday, May 1. All proceeds going to the Ukrainian relief charity of your choice. For more information and to reserve your spot, call Rosa Carbajal at (805) 827-2306.

Salzer’s Records will host a Meet and Greet with Think: X on Saturday, April 23 featuring bandmates Norwood Fisher (Fishbone), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), Scott Page (Pink Floyd), and Kenny Olson (Kid Rock) who will be stopping by on Record Store Day to promote Think: X, An Exploration of the Music of Pink Floyd. Think: X performs at Oceanview Production Studios in Port Hueneme later that evening.

Rock-n the Streets is free and happening on Saturday, April 23 at Casa Agria Specialty Ales located at 701 N. Del Norte Blvd in Oxnard with performances by Omega Nova, Stellar Ruins, NoSilence, Sunjelly, Crawdads and the Panes.

Just a few shows lining up at Libbey Bowl include the Musical Box performs Genesis on May 22, Stephen Pearcy of Ratt on July 8, Former members of Oingo Boing on July 16, ABC on July 17, the Zombies on July 22, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers on August 5, Mark Farner’s American Band acoustic show on August 6 and Michael Feinstein on August 27.

Quick Notes: The Twist on Main hosts Muse on Main: a benefit concert for Musicians on a Mission on Saturday, April 23 with Dr. T and the Blues Criminals; Tom Scott (the Blues Brothers, LA Express) plays the Grape on Friday, April 29; Kyle Smith is back in town with full band at the Six Chow House on Friday, April 29; Agent Orange plays Gigi’s on Friday, April 29; and new music out: Rain Perry’s a White Album, Shaky Feelin’ Brand New Day and Night Demon’s Year of the Demon (2020 singles compilation).

Ventura Rocks

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Category Archives: Ventura Rocks

Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 8/10/22 – 8/23/22

Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 7/27/22 – 8/9/2022

Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 7/13 – 7/26

Ventura Rocks Music Scene Column 6/29/22 – 7/12/22

Ventura Music Photos – June 2022

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/15/22 – 6/28/22

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 6/1/22 – 6/14/22

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 5/18 – 5/31

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 5/4 – 5/17

Ventura Rocks in the Ventura Breeze 4/20/22 – 5/3/22