Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
Wednesday, April 29, music and social activism will go hand in hand for Denim Day at Bombay’s with the Local Love Project. Denim Day is a global statement in response to a 1992 Italian Supreme Court ruling which overturned a sexual assault conviction because the survivor wore “tight jeans.” You’re invited to wear your favorite pair of jeans in solidarity as we take a visible stand against victim-blaming at 5 pm, followed with the amazing music by Kelly’s Lot at Bombay Bar and Grill.
Music Under the Stars concert tickets go on sale Tuesday, May 12, at noon. This outdoor summer music series held at the historic Olivas Adobe typically sell out fast with the City of Ventura typically favoring tribute bands though there is one original music show featuring rockabilly. Here now, your choices: July 11 it’s My Generation (tribute to the 60s); July 18, Dark Desert Highway (Eagles tribute); July 25, Fortunate Son (Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute); August 1, Smooth Sounds of Santana (Carlos Santana tribute); August 8, Pretzel Logic (Steely Dan tribute); August 15, Joe Finkle & the 7/10 Splits (original rockabilly); August 22, Wilbury Super Group (Traveling Wilburys tribute); and August 29, Stone Soul (Motown). All the information for tickets can be found at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/1738/Music-Under-the-Stars.
Brushing up on my Spanish, AI tells me “Palomazo” refers to an informal jam session or musical gathering commonly associated with genres like salsa or mariachi. With that information under your belt, the Palomazo Music Series and Music Fest will kick off on May 1 with three (nonconsecutive) Friday night concerts followed by the Music Festival on Saturday, June 13. First, it’s the Mexican Standoff (Mexamericana with a punk twist) on Friday, May 1; then Carlos y Charles (Musica Nortena) on Friday May 15, followed by LaOX (Latin & NOLA grooves) on May 29. The Palomazo Music Fest has a great eclectic line-up of live bands including Spaghetti Cumbia (psychedelic cumbia-rock), The Almighty Majestics (vintage rock & soul), Los Cool Arrows (cumbia & rock en Espanol), and Conjunto Zacamandu (Son Jarocho).
All events to be held at Heritage Square in Oxnard. You can secure advance tickets: https://puebloandco.com/collections/palomazo-music-2026.
The Ventura Music Festival lineup will be announced May 8 (https://www.venturamusicfestival.org/). Do note early bird ticket sales start May 12 with standard ticket window on June 1. More details in the next issue of the Ventura Breeze.
Quick Notes: Ventura Music Hall added Black Flag for October 22; Bloody Mary Morning and Looking West at Tony’s Pizzeria on Saturday, May 2; Omar Velasco will be at the Deer Lodge on Friday, May 8; Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps at Studio Channel Islands on Saturday, May 9; and an all-female Dead tribute band, Grateful Dames, play the Crowne Plaza on Sunday, May 10.
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.