Ventura Music Scene 7/24/24 – 8/6/24

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

Thhe 2024 Ventura Music Festival season officially kicks off on Thursday, July 25, with a special performance at Olivas Adobe Historical Park featuring Grammy Award-Winner and 12-time IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Fiddle Player of the year, Michael Cleveland. So, if bluegrass is your jam, you won’t want to miss this one for sure!  The remaining concerts will be held at the Ventura College Performing Arts Center over two weekends. For ticket information go to VenturaMusicFestival.org

If you have the grooves that move…those hips (and even if you don’t), then the Oxnard Salsa Festival is for you! This year it falls over the weekend of July 27-28 in Downtown Oxnard. Along with salsa bands, salsa dancing, spicy foods and ice-cold drinks, there will be a vendor marketplace and a Kids Zone including rides, games and crafts. See listings for bands for each day and to secure your tickets go to OxnardSalsaFestival.com.

The Ventura Townehouse at 4900 W. Telegraph Road is offering a free concert to the community on Saturday, July 27, on the grass area featuring Catch a Wave, a Beach Boys tribute band. You’re invited to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets, though seating will be available for seniors. Food and drinks will also be available as the event aims to raise funds for the Ventura County Fire Department Widows, Orphans and Assistance Fund (WOAF).

The Ventura County Fair runs July 31 – August 11 with a new layout for the Grandstand Stage concerts, and a new you-have-to-pay-to-be-up-close-to-the band policy. For everyone else, shows are included in the price of admission to the fair (see listings). As always, it is highly recommended to take shuttles which are free, except the one at the State Beach where you have to pay to park. Check out the fair’s website for shuttle, parking, ticket and event information at VenturaCountyFair.org.

Quick Notes: Tickets are on sale now for Poncho Sanchez with Ozomatli at the Libbey Bowl for Saturday, October 5 and for 98 Degrees at the Oxnard Performing Arts center for Friday, October 25; Margarita Villa offers live music on Tuesdays now with Bobby Campbell on July 30, and Two Tossers on August 6; Swiss rockabilly band, The Hillbilly Moon Explosion, plays the Majestic Ventura Theater on Thursday, July 25; Music Under the Stars (ticketed shows) continues on Saturday nights throughout the summer with Pretzel Logic on July 27 and Start me Up on August 3; Danny Carey of Tool returns to the Grape with the Doug Webb Group on Saturday, July 27 and Don Randi (an original members of the Wrecking Crew) returns as well on Saturday, August 3; and finally, the current owners of the Garage will celebrate their 3rd anniversary with Buena Onda on Saturday, July 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 Scene 11/1/23 – 11/14/2023

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

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.