Canned Heat | Ventura Rocks

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

Randy Parsons has left the building? Randy packed up the prime space he had occupied upstairs since 2014 overlooking Main and Chestnut for Parsons Guitars (past clients include Jimmy Page, Jack White, Sammy Hagar and others), it was where he created state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind guitars, and where he provided luthier workshops for those who wanted to learn how to build their own guitar which included students such as Ventura’s own Gary Best.

I asked Randy for any final words and he told me, “I really loved Ventura, it’s a special place, the people are all pretty damn cool, although I’m still convinced the whole city is some type of witness protection program.”

I thought about it, and I can’t disagree! Though totally talented and incredibly nice, I always admired his love for cats; there’s just something about a man who adores the feline species. Randy and wife have landed in Kansas where they bought a castle looking church moving on to their next adventure.

And speaking of next adventures, Colin Bailey has also left the building, he passed away peacefully at his home in Port Hueneme at age 87. I met Colin when I saw him first perform at Squashed Grapes in 2015 with the Frank Potenza Trio. Adam and Josh from the Grape told me to look up Colin’s background which I did and I was just floored. This man had not only worked with Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Joe Pass and dozens more, he not only recorded on more than 100 jazz albums, he not only continued to give drum workshops including those at Pulse Drumming here in Ventura, but he was the drummer on the Charlie Brown Christmas special, a cartoon special that will always take me back to my childhood!

For some reason, there are so many special events falling on the same day, Saturday, October 9; I’ve listed them here along with websites to find out more:

Topa Mountain Music 2021 Benefit Concert headlining is The White Buffalo with sets from Lee Koch Band, Bryan Titus Trio, Will Breman Band and more at the Libbey Bowl. Go to TopaMountainMusic.org for more information and tickets.
Surf ‘n’ Suds at San Buenaventura State Beach, where it’s more about the beer than music, but it’s always a good time. Performing will be Jacob Marquez and the Good Vibes, Mestizo and DJ Hecktik. For tickets go to SurfBeerFest.com.
SteckleStock 2021 at Steckle Park in Santa Paula features a full day of live music from Premonition, Sisterook, Charles Law Band, No Biggee, Tommy Foytek Band and Whiskey Business. You can find more on this via Facebook on Premonition’s page.
Surfers Point Live has a full day of Reggae, 2 – 10 pm at the Ventura Fairgrounds featuring Sublime with Rome, the Dirty Heads, Rey Fresco, Local Love Project and Hirie. Find out more at SurfersPointLive.com.

Quick Notes: Congratulations to Suzanne & Ian McFayden (50 Sticks of Dynamite, Duncan and the Dragonslayers) for tying the knot; tickets are on sale for the Ventura Winter Wine Walk for December 11 sometimes called the event of the season if not the year for downtown Ventura (CBFProductions.com); Cadillac Zack presents the Delgado Brothers at Cantara Cellars on Friday, October 8 and the legendary band Canned Heat plays Thursday, October 14 (call Zack at 323-377-5291 for tickets); Ojai Pops Orchestra has a free show at the Libbey Bowl on Sunday, October 10; Ventura Theater shows include Social Distortion October 6 (rescheduled for Monday, October 11), Pennywise with Dead Kennedys on October 7, Pennywise with Strung Out of October 8, and Elefante, Inspector on October 15; Queen Nation plays a free show at the Collection at Riverpark in Oxnard on Wednesday, October 13 at 6:30 pm; and Phil Salazar & the Kin Folk play the Ojai Underground Exchange on Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16.

VenturaRocks.com is undergoing changes. I’ve invested in a new calendar app which doesn’t seem to be saving me much time, but I can load items way in advance which should help in the long run. The look and feel is evolving and for the time being, I’m covering all of Ventura County.

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Tag Archives: Canned Heat

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