Tag Archives: Ojai Pops Orchestra

Ventura Music Scene 8/19/26 – 9/1/26

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Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
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School is already back in session and Labor Day is just around the corner, meanwhile on the live music front: The Throw Down Cornhole Festival which now includes MMA fight night, axe throwing and two days of live music (Friday features DJs) will be held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds August 21 – 23. Many thanks to John Karayan and Spencer Makenzie’s for making this the largest cornhole festival in the world. Saturday’s music features Mandex, Camo Cali and the return of New Liberty. Sunday’s headliner is Pato Banton, along with Just a Girl, Kiona Tiger and the 805 Band, Morie and the Heavy Hitters and Nautical Thrust. Find the link for more information at SpencerMakenzies.com.

The Rubicon Theatre Company’s annual concerts series currently includes The Folk Legacy for September 4-5, Mike Beck, The Ponies for September 10 and Brush Arbor for September 11.

Mark your calendar now for the Aloha Beach Festival which falls over the weekend of September 5 – 6 at Promenade Park in Ventura. With any luck at all, the website will show their entertainment line up by the next issue of the Breeze.

Another upcoming event to note is the Oxnard Jazz Festival to be held September 10-13 at College Park in Oxnard. For line-up and tickets go to OxnardJazzFestival.com.

The city of Ojai has been fortunate to be the home of the Ojai Pops Orchestra which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary offering free concerts to the community. This year all proceeds received by donations will be used for music scholarships for music students in need. Their first concert be held on Sunday, August 30 at the Libbey Bowl.

Quick Notes: The September 20th Boot & Brews Country Music Festival has added Rodney Atkins to the lineup; Nathan McEuen will hold an album release party/show for his most recent project, “Time To Go Home” at the Ojai Arts Center on Friday, August 21; Rock the Collection free summer concert on Wednesday, August 26, with Twisted Gypsy’s tribute to Fleetwood Mac; Jimmy Dale & Surf Trio (Dale is the son of surf pop legend Dick Dale) will perform at Mrs. Olson’s on Friday, August 21 with Par Avion and Hana and the Sisters; The final summer concert at Heritage Square will be held on August 21 with Los Cools Arrows; Music Under the Stars wraps for their final concerts at the historic Olivas Adobe has the Wilbury Super Group on Saturday, August 22 and Stone Soul on August 29; Grammy-nominated and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Beth Nielsen Chapman performs at the Ojai Underground on Saturday, August 29; and finally, Doug Webb’s All-Star group returns to the Grape featuring Danny Carey of Tool on Saturday, August 29.

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.

Ventura Music Scene 8/21/24 – 9/3/24

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

The Throw Down Cornhole Tournament and Music Festival will be held August 23 – 25 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. What started as a cornhole competition out in front of Spencer Makenzie’s has turned into the world’s largest with competitors coming from around the world. Along with the high stakes of tossing a bean bag into a hole 27 feet away, live music will abound with performances by Rey Fresco, Sunny Ledfurd, Morie & the Heavy Hitters, Whisky Business, Bad Habit, Dave Rae & DNA and more. Get ticket information at TheThrowDown.co.

The Ojai Pops Orchestra will have a free concert at Ojai Libbey Bowl on Sunday, August 25 starting at 3:30 pm.  The orchestra brings together musicians, conductors and composers to play Pops music in a full orchestra for the community including showtunes, jazz, movie scores and more. While the concert is free, your donation helps to fund music education for youth.

The Aloha Festival is back this year covering two days at Surfers Point Promenade Park where admission is absolutely free. There will be plenty of vendors, a K9 frisbee demonstration, Polynesian style dance exhibitions and live music from Heavy Rotation, Ska Daddyz, Jill Martini & the Shrunken Heads, Rising Son, Jacob Marquez and the Good Vibes and more. The two-day family-friendly event runs 10 am to 8 pm Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1.

The 21st Annual Ventura Nationals will be held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 31, featuring not only crazy hot rods and custom cars, but this year there’s a skate deck art show and of course a lot of live music. Included in the price of admission are sets from The Kid Ramos Band, Wyld Gooms, HeXXers and Gethen Jenkins. Find out more at VenturaNationals.com.

The final shows for the High Street Arts Center summer concert series include Mick Adams and the Stones on Friday, August 30, Billy Nation (Billy Joel tribute) on Saturday, August 31, and it’s the Surf City Allstars on Sunday, September 1.

Quick Notes: Tony’s Pizzeria is celebrating their 65th anniversary over the last weekend of August with Spencer the Gardener, The Heavy Hitters, Brandon Ragan Project and more; tickets are on sale now for the Mad Caddies at the Ventura Music Hall for Sunday, November 17; Shawn Jones returns to Namba for an intimate show of stories and song on Saturday, August 24; Kelly’s Lot plays Four Brix on Saturday, August 24; The Collection summer series show on Thursday, August 29 will feature Wanted playing Bon Jovi covers; LA based band, The Centuries, bring their brand of rockabilly to the Garage on Saturday, August 31; and Danny Carey of TOOL, returns to the Grape with the Doug Webb Group on Saturday, August 31.

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 11/1/23 – 11/14/2023

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Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
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We’re at the time of year where we don’t know what the heck to wear when heading out to take in live music. Is it going to be cold? Hot? Windy? What’s going on? It changes not only day to day, but hour to hour. Your best bet is to wear layers. You’re welcome.

It turns out there may be tickets available after all for the acoustic Soul Asylum show in Ojai for Saturday, November 11. This is a rare opportunity to see Dave Pirner and Ryan Smith perform in such an intimate setting. I was surprised to no longer see “sold out” on the Deer Lodge website (DeerLodgeOjai.com); my advice is to snag ‘em before they’re really gone!

The next free Ojai Pops Orchestra show will be on Sunday November 5 at Libbey Bowl starting at 1:30 in the afternoon with classical woodwind quintet, Ventvm Qvintet followed up with Tuxedo Junction Jazz Band featuring vocalist Freda Ramey.

Poncho Sanchez returns to the Grape with his brand of hot Latin jazz with two shows on Sunday November 5. At press time, the 6 pm show was sold out with tickets still available for the 8 pm show.

Tickets are on sale now for the next Chick Singer Night returning to the Sound Palace in Oxnard for a show on Saturday, November 4. This time they’ll feature Krystal Park, Jess Bush, Rachael Lynda, Lois Mahalva and Eliya Frantz. Chick Singer Night started over 30 years ago in Chicago and has grown nationally with a local chapter here in Ventura County headed up by Jodi Farrell.

I am totally intrigued with the “Beatles vs Stones, a Musical Showdown” event at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Saturday, November 11. Taking the part of “Beatles” is the tribute band Abbey Road, and on behalf of “Stones” is the tribute band, Satisfaction. This is a national touring show having performed on stages coast to coast and having done residencies at Harrah’s in Reno and Laughlin for five months. Tickets available through Axs.com.

Concerts just announced include Ozomatli for the Ventura Music Hall on December 14 and you know it’s going be a tongue-in-cheek night of punk fun when The 28th Annual Christmas Formal will feature The Vandals this year at the Majestic Ventura Theater on Friday, December 22.

Quick Notes: Lowered Expectations will celebrate Dia de los Muertos on Wednesday, November 1, at Vaquero y Mar; Rose Valley Thorns play the Ojai Underground on Thursday, November 2; Bombay’s first Saturday live music show features Blurry Stars, Dielectric and Duncan & the Dragonslayers on November 4, 6-9 pm; D.on Darox and the Melody Joy Bakers take over Sans Souci on Saturday, November 4; and Luna Shade out of Colorado will bring reggae fusion to the Garage on Saturday, November 11.

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.