Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
Over the next couple of weeks there will be plenty of live music events, some free, some family friendly, but all promise to be tons of fun. Let’s start with the Hueneme Beach Festival which falls over the weekend of July 12 and 13 at Hueneme Beach Park. No admission, but tickets can be purchased for the carnival rides and of course there will be plenty of food vendors and local artists’ displays along with live music. On Saturday there will be several local high school marching bands, InStone, Red Hot Cholo Peppers and Corazon de Mana. On Sunday, they’ll have a couple of tribute bands, Smooth Sounds of Santana and Kings of Queen, along with Banda La Veneosa and Halcones del Bajio.
The following week, starting midweek and running through Sunday, July 20, it’s Heritage Days in Old Towne Camarillo. Same deal: free admission, but you can purchase carnival ride tickets. The first few days offer up DJs, but on Friday you can catch John Surge and the Haymakers, and Just Dave Band. On Saturday it’s Hindsite, SkaDaddyz, D.on Darox & the Melody Joy Bakers, Heavy Rotation and the Brandon Ragan Project. Then finally on Sunday, you can catch Full Clip, Alejandro Medina, Mariachi Los Toreros, and Maclovia.
D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers on Fat Tuesday 2025
Over at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, Surfers Point Live, the Tequila & Taco Music Festival will be held over the weekend of July 19 and 20 with Lil’ Kim, the Queen Bee, headlining on Saturday. Also performing, Adelaide Pilar and La Marcha. On Sunday, it’s Vilma Diaz Y La Sonora and Smooth Sounds of Santana. Tickets available at TequilaAndTacoMusicFesival.com.
Music Under the Stars at Olivas Adobe kicks off this Summer’s series of Friday night concerts with 4 Lads from Liverpool on July 12, and Dark Desert Highway on July 19. Both nights are sold out. By the way, all shows are sold out except August 23 with Conjunto Oye, who promise to deliver high-energy danceable Latin music with Cuban rhythms and Puerto Rican flair.
Quick Notes: Ventura Music Festival’s Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert with Barrelhouse Wailers on Friday, July 25 is sold out plus the venue has changed to the Ventura College Performing Arts Center; The Boatyard Pub at the Ventura Harbor has wrapped up their remodeling upgrades and live music is back; Lowered Expectations will play the Downtown Ventura Summer Concert Series on Thursday, July 10 (6-8 pm) at California and Main; this year’s Bowlvolution Tiki Summer Bowl Out at Harley’s Camarillo Bowling will be held on Saturday, July 12, with Stagger & Fall, The Afraid, Toledo Panic and The Disappointments playing in the bar;
and Plan B Winery has Déjà vu (acoustic) playing the music of Crosby,Stills, Nash & Young on Sunday, July 20.
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.
