The Grape – March 30, 2024
Doug Webb Group with Danny Carey (TOOL)
Margarita Villa – March 9, 2024
Mick Stover’s Blues Band
Majestic Ventura Theater – October 17, 2023
The Offspring (photos: Kevin Scott Rehak)
The Grape – October 16, 2023
Doug Webb Quartet feat. Jacob Scensney (photos: Seth Brandes)
Boots and Brews – October 15, 2023
Jon Pardi (photos: Tatiana Vasilyev, @tativphotogallery)
Boots and Brews – October 15, 2023
Michael Jay (photo: Tatiana Vasilyev)
Boots and Brews – October 15, 2023
Niko Moon (photo: Tatiana Vasilyev)
Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
Independence Day falls on a Tuesday this year with live music being offered at several venues including Ojai Valley Brewing with Blues Bullet immediately following the city’s annual parade downtown; Raging Arb and the Redheads along with the return of Jackass will rock Bombay’s during the afternoon (2-5); you’ll find the Corsican Brothers at Winchesters from 6-9; and Los Amigos play Margarita Villa in the Harbor from 7 to 10 pm. If you plan your day just right, you could possibly cover all venues and still see the fireworks show at Ventura College.
Ventura Music Hall added a few dates to take note of including this year’s American Idol winner, Iam Tongi on July 22, Then, there’s the Kottonmouth Kings who play August 18, and another show I wouldn’t want you to miss is Henry Rollins on November 7; it’s his “Good to See You,” spoken word tour which is a seated event.
If you’re in the mood for aggressive rock/punk, then you won’t want to miss Nardfest over the weekend of July 7 and 8 at the Oceanview Pavilion in Port Hueneme. Both days feature some of the greatest bands coming out of the Nardcore scene with Hirax, Downpresser, Dr. Know, Section H8, False Confession, Total Resistance, Burning Dog, Romper and Boilerman playing on Saturday; then it’s JFA, Stalag 13, Punk Rock Karaoke, Grim, iDecline, Crucial Thought, Char-Man, No Remorse, The Robot Uprising and Indignants on Sunday. This is an all ages show with tickets through EventBrite, or pay no fees at the venue’s box office.
Libbey Bowl concerts over the next two weeks include The Long Run (Eagles tribute) on Friday, June 30, Gin Blossoms on Saturday, July 1, Toad the Wet Sprocket on Wednesday, July 5; Lyle Lovett & his Large Band on Friday July 7, and the Smithereens with Marshall Crenshaw and Dishwalla on Saturday, July 8.
There’s a new music studio called Creativity Through Music at Portside Ventura where they plan to offer ticketed events for a smaller intimate audience. Their first concert on Sunday, July 2 features Nicole Taylor, soprano and Natsha Marin on piano. Songs being performed will by Brahms, Rachmaninov, R. Strauss, Chausson and Hahn. You can find tickets on EventBrite.
Quick Notes: The Brite Room in Camarillo is offering an “adult” open mic on Wednesday, June 28; The Doug Webb Group will perform a special tribute to John Coltrane on Saturday, July 1 at the Grape; Heritage Square Summer Concert Series has the Brandon Ragan Project on Friday, July 7; Music Under the Stars kicks off the summer concert series with British Beat on Saturday, July 8 at the Olivas Adobe; Leashless Brewing celebrates their 6th anniversary with Morie & the Heavy Hitters and Kat Hall on Saturday, July 8; And Tommy Quayle returns for another night of his original music at Namba on Saturday, July 8.
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
The Ojai Pops Concert Series co-sponsored by the City of Ojai kicked off Sunday, August 21, and if you missed it, no worries, there will be four more chances to catch another one of their community concerts at Libbey Bowl. All concerts are free and start at 3:30 pm:
August 28: Tuxedo Junction Jazz Band
September 25: 805 Brass and Los Padres Sound Horn Quartet
October 23: Ojai Pops Orchestra w/ vocalists Miriam Dance & Sophie Holt
November 6: Larktown & Friends, featuring Lark Cobb (vocals) and Todd Temanson (banjo)
The Hueneme Beach Festival falls over the weekend of August 27 and 28 (1 – 6 pm) and is absolutely free to attend with live music both days:
Saturday, August 27: New Orleans Suspects, Twisted Gypsy, Taylor Sackson, CRV, Morie & the Heavy Hitters, Olivia Willhite.
Sunday, August 28: Nth Power, Phantom Blues Band, Beebs & her Money Makers, the Cousins, Sade, Juano & Friends, Hand Me Down Band.
Spencer Mackenzie’s is once again uniting two events into one with the world’s largest cornhole tournament called The Throwdown during the day and then once the sun (starts) to go down, it’s live music with A.D.D. on Friday; Sunny Ledfurd, and Mandex on Saturday; then starting at 2 pm on Sunday, it’s Morie & the Heavy Hitters followed up with a set by Rey Fresco. Click here for tickets.
The 34th Anniversary show for Chick Singer Night will be held on Saturday, September 10 with Martha V, Diana Bacon, Olivia Mucha, Kerri Climer and Vanise Terry. Chick Singer Night is held at Studio B in Oxnard. Tickets are $25 through EventBrite.com.
There are several shows coming up at the Namba Performing Arts Space on Oak, downtown Ventura:
Esteban Ramirez on September 3
Dirty Cello on September 10
Iona Fyfe on September 11
Tommy McManus on September 18
Along with Hawaiian hula dancers, frisbee dog demonstrations, food trucks and more, the Aloha Beach Festival will offer up some live musical entertainment from Warren Takahashi and Friends, Free Love Project 805, Jacob Marquez and the Good Vibes, Morie & the Heavy Hitters, Jill Martini and the Shrunken Heads, Keyth & the Universouls, Heavy Rotation, the Question and Rising Son. This free family friendly event will be held at promenade park along Surfer’s Point here in Ventura on Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4. This year’s beneficiary will be the Merito Foundation.
New shows added at the Ventura Theater:
Max & Iggor Cavalera – September 29
Alkaline Trio – October 21
New shows added at Ventura Music Hall
Protoje, Jesse Royal, Lila Ike – Oct 1
Bad Suns – Oct 5
Dirty Honey, Dorothy, Mac Saturn – Oct 6
Knuckle Puck – Oct 22
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore with the guilty Ones – November 15
The Rare Occasions, Hot Freaks – December 4
High Street Arts Center (HighStreetArtsCenter.com) in Moorpark has a number of tribute shows lined up called the 2022 Legends Series:
Chicago Tribute Experience (Chicago) – August 26
Raymond Michael tribute to King of Rock and Roll (Elvis) – August 27
The Heart of Rock & Roll (Huey Lewis & the News) – September 2
Fortunate Son (Credence Clearwater Revival – September 3
The Grape in Ventura has a couple of dates I want to ensure you know. First off, you can read my Q&A with Derek Sherinian, and then catch one or both shows when Sherinian and Simon Philips with band perform on Monday, August 29. Additional monster players for the night are Ric Fierabracci on bass and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal on guitar. Tickets are available on EventBrite.
Then it’s always one of the hottest tickets in town to catch Tool’s Danny Carey when he drums for the Doug Webb Group which also features Jamie Klime on guitar, Jimmy Earl on bass and Mitch Forman on keys. Tickets are also available on EventBrite for this Saturday, September 3 show.
Quick Notes: just added to the music stage for Taste of Local on Sunday, September 11 is Spencer the Gardener; Billy Idol plays the Ventura Theater Thursday, August 25; the next Singer/songwriter showcase dinner event at Pierano’s is set for Thursday, August 25 with Dylan Brehm, Lainey Brown, Olivia Mucha, Jodi Farrell and Aaron Burch; Colbie Caillat is at the Thousand Oaks Civic Auditorium, Friday, August 26; Fantastic Diamond plays Cantara on Saturday, August 27; the final Music Under the Stars is Saturday, August 27 with Lisa Haley & the Zydekats (sold out); Elvis Costello plays the Thousand Oaks Civic Auditorium on Sunday, August 28; Switchfoot is at the Ventura Music Hall on Sunday, August 28; Nathan McEuen plays the Ojai Underground on Friday, September 2; and Starship, featuring Mickey Thomas, is at the Libbey Bowl on Sunday, September 4.
The latest episode of VenturaRockSpot is live featuring Looking West. The young trio out of Ventura have been making their mark on the music scene playing such venues as, Topa Topa Brewing in Ventura, Rock & Roll Pizza in Camarillo, even Surf Rodeo last month. You can catch them live when they play MadeWest Brewing on Saturday, August 27.
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 Hall – August 28, 2022
Switchfoot – (Photo credit: Christopher Sucameli)
The Grape – August 22, 2022
Jacob Scesney and the Doug Webb Quartet (Photo credit: Christopher Sucameli)
Singer/Songwriter Night at Peirano’s – August 25, 2022
Aaron Burch, Dylan Brehm, Jodi Farrell, Olivia Mucha and Lainey Brown
Ventura County Fair – August 10, 2022
Cheap Trick
Ventura County Fair – August 9, 2022
Clay Walker
Ventura County Fair – August 6, 2022
Blue Oyster Cult
Ventura County Fair – August 5, 2022
The All-American Rejects
Ventura Music Hall – April 17, 2022
Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives (Photo credit: Kelly Zirbes)
Tony’s Pizzeria – April 16, 2022
Caliente Band (Photo credit: Rodney Medina)
Ojai House Concert – April 16, 2022
Sonic Butterfly meets Star Goes Nova
The Grape – April 8, 2022
The Doug Webb Group:
Doug Webb- saxophone
Danny Carey- drums
Jamie Kime- guitar
Mitchel Forman- keys
Jimmy Earl- bass
Skull and Roses – April 8 – 10, 2022|
Photo Credit: John Murchison
Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
It’s out with the old and in with the new, but not just quite yet. Before their final week of jazz music in their current location, Squashed Grapes played host to none other than Michael McDonald, yes that Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers and a brilliant solo career which has spanned more than 45 years. The intimate, by-invite-only setting was held Sunday, April 22. What can I say? I love this town.
And speaking of their final week, Adam and Josh of Squashed Grapes have a stellar lineup of jazz before closing their doors while they work on the new location on Main street next to Yolanda’s. Wednesday, June 25 it’s Hans Ottsen Quartet with special guest Jacob Scesney; on Thursday it’s The Ray Mehlbaum Quartet; on then finally on Friday, Doug Webb returns with drummer Danny Carey (TOOL) for a huge sendoff party.
The Ventura County Blues Festival will be held this year at the Studio Channel Islands on Saturday, April 28 with Earl Thomas, John Nemeth, Deb Ryder, Alan Wright Band, and Sandy Scott & Blues to the Bone. There will be an after party with Crooked Eye Tommy at El Rey Cantina in Camarillo.
Jeffrey Willerth, is the new director of Namba and he plans to utilize the facility at 47 South Oak Street for what is called the “Music Speaks” series. The first installment will be held on May 5 with Conjunto Tenocelomeh, a band rooted in the Son Jarocho Mexican folk music of Veracruz. Also this month, they’ll have CG Ryche, an amazing percussionist, brilliant showman and filmmaker who will perform and share his inspiring story focused on the importance of ‘perseverance’ as it relates to musicians; Duane Tudahl, author of “Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions 1983-1984” who will explain how he got his hands on the daily recording reports from the Studios Prince visited; and Tim Wickham, a Ventura local with boundless appreciation for Hammond Organs will bring a few of his prized Hammonds and play in a trio in a historical salute to this renown musical instrument. For tickets and information go to NambaArts.com
And finally, if you haven’t already done so, don’t make any out-of-town vacation plans over the weekend of July 14th and 15th; in fact, plan for a “Staycation” for this year’s Surf Rodeo. JD Drury has started to announce the music lineup and I’m super jazzed to learn that not only will Shwayze and The Untouchables be on the bill, but the Long Beach Dub Allstars will be headlining (group features former members of Sublime). I understand a lot more bands will be added over the next month or so but we know that Highway Starr, Kyle Smith, Rising Son, Yachtley Crew, Zepp Heads and of course Raging Arb and the Redheads will be on the bill.
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
YAY!!! It’s time for Surf Rodeo with two days of fun in the sun at the beach and featuring not only a surf competition, but cool bands playing on two stages over the weekend of July 15th and 16th. There will be tons of music featuring artists like Rey Fresco, Thee Commons, Stoneflys, 50 Sticks of Dynamite, Bird Brain, The Rouse, Honey Owl, Mariachi El Bronx, and Super Duper Kyle who will be performing on Sunday (he’s been selling out shows in Chicago, Detroit, etc…). Be sure to swing by the VenturaRocks.com and Ventura Breeze booth on Seaward while you’re out having fun and say hello!
You won’t want to miss Women in the Round, “Voices”, at the Bell Arts Factory on Saturday, July 15 with performances from Andrea Landin, Michelle Rosenblum (aka Melody Bird), Donna Lynn Caskey, Shelby Figueroa and Amber Bassett. Show starts at 7 and it would be awesome of you to make a donation at the door to support their efforts.
Throwing Oxnard some love, the Collection at River park is offering free summer concerts on Thursday nights beginning with Dirty Rice on July 6 followed by Led Zepagain on the 13th, and Southbound and Company on July 22.
Congratulations to Jan for opening her third restaurant (she also owns Prime here in Ventura), this one is right smack dab in the middle of downtown Ventura at 391 E. Main Street. She named it Casa Bella and will be providing live music three nights a week: Tuesdays with Adam Tunney and “Rat Pack” type music, Encore on Fridays with R&B Motown sound, and cool jazz on Saturdays with Ricky Williams. All music is expected to get underway by 7 pm.
If you’re a TOOL fan, then you know the band just wrapped up a tour (yeah, no new album yet) which means drummer Danny Carey has some extra time on his hands so he’ll be once again joining the Doug Webb Group at Squashed Grapes when they play on Saturday, July 8. Be sure to secure tickets at (805) 643-7300.(Show cancelled 7/5/17)
Quick notes: The Queens of the Stone Age concert at the Ventura Theater has been canceled, Kelly’s Lot is opening for Junior Brown at the Canyon Club on July 9, Music Under the Stars kicks off their summer concert season July 15 at Olivas Adobe with WhosNext; Tim Curran and The Brambles will be at Beach House Tacos on the Ventura Pier, Sunday, July 16 4-7 pm; and finally the 2017 Ventura Music Festival kicks off their “An American Season” featuring 23 performances this year including Perla Batalla’s tribute to Leonard Cohen on Friday, July 21, and Simply Three on Saturday July 22 at Ventura College Performing Arts Center, all of their events and ticket information can be found at VenturaMusicFestival.org.
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.
Squashed Grapes – March 25, 2017
Denny Seiwell (Founding member Paul McCartney & Wings)
The Patio at Player’s Casino – March 25, 2017
Natalie Gellman
Amigo’s – March 24, 2017
Bad Leaf (Photo: Louis Olachea)
Squashed Grapes – March 18, 2017
Doug Webb Group featuring Danny Carey (TOOL) playing Johnny Be Goode tribute to Chuck Berry who passed away earlier that day at age 90.
Doug Webb Group featuring Danny Carey (TOOL) with Jacob Scesney
Discovery – March 17, 2017
50 Sticks of Dynamite
The Tavern – March 15, 2017
Witchstone (Photo: Louis Olachea) #MetalWednesday
The Tavern – March 15, 2017
Spell (Photo: Louis Olachea) #MetalWednesday
St Patrick’s Day Parade – Downtown Ventura
Squashed Grapes Parade Band
RJ Root, Trey O’Toole (Pulse Drumming), Dirk Shumaker (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy), Karen Parkhouse (Barrelhouse Wailers) Pam Baumgardner (VenturaRocks.com) Drue Drew & Andrew Conchelos (Barrelhouse Wailers).
St Patrick’s Day Parade – Downtown Ventura
Diana Boydstun5, RJ Root, Pam Baumgardner
Majestic Ventura Theater – March 7, 2017
Social Distortion
Grapes and Hops – October 30,2016
Paul Mars Black
Majestic Ventura Theater – October 19, 2016
Yellowcard – The Final World Tour
Duke’s – October 16, 2016
Rin Kon Kiki – Photo Credit Kim from Pulse Drumming
Majestic Ventura Theater – October 8, 2016
Frost and Fire II – Cirith Ungol
Squashed Grapes – October 8, 2016
The Doug Webb Group featuring Danny Carey from TOOL
Majestic Ventura Theater – October 4, 2016
Jackson Browne – photo credit Albert Munoz