Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
Ventura has so many live music hotspots. We have concert halls such as the Majestic Ventura Theater and the Ventura Music Hall, there are bars with bands such as Bombay Bar and Grill, Gibson’s Neighborhood Bar and Winchesters (all just minutes of walking distance from each other downtown) and my favorite type of venue, the listening room where chitchat is frowned upon and the focus is on the artist and not on other attendees. The Grape comes very close, and depending on the performance, talking is kept to a minimum. However, I’m talking about places like Namba Performing Arts, and on a bigger scale, the Ventura College Performing Arts Center, and The Rubicon Theatre Company.
The Rubicon’s summer festival is currently underway, and I highly recommend checking out their lineup, which features 30 shows in 30 days, with most showcasing live musical performances ranging from Broadway stars to tribute bands and covering a wide range of genres. I snagged my ticket for Desolation Center, which includes a film screening of the documentary, a Q&A with the filmmakers, and wait for it, performances by Mike Watt (Minutemen, The Stooges) and Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction, Porno for Pyros). But I can understand if punk is not your cup of tea, so then you might consider Country is Dead (Classic country-inspired Grateful Dead favorites), Wild Night (a Van Morrison tribute), or The Folk Legacy Trio featuring lifetime Grammy winners. Visit RubiconTheatre.org for a full listing of shows and more information on how to buy tickets.
Another venue, which is also known mostly for its theater performances, is the High Street Arts Center. This month, they have several shows just like The Rubicon, but all of them are tribute bands. The final three this month feature homage to specific genres of music with The Laurel Canyon Band on August 29, The Yacht Groove on August 30, and The Surf City Allstars on August 31. Find out more at HighStreetArtsCenter.com.
Quick Notes: HR from Bad Brains, The Upbeat, Ska Ogs and more will hold a show at Mrs. Olson’s on Thursday, August 21; The Throw Down Cornhole Festival with number of bands (see listings) runs Friday, August 22 through Sunday, August 24 at the Ventura Fairgrounds; The Ojai Pops 2025 concert series kicks off Sunday, August 24, with a free concert at the Libbey Bowl; tickets are on sale now for Nathan McEuen w/ Alan Thornhill for September 26 at the Ojai Underground Exchange; Rock the Collection’s next show is Wednesday, August 27, featuring The Long Run, an Eagles tribute; and the Shores in Oxnard is holding their Summer Bash on Sunday August 31 with Rhythm 805 and Lil Big of Everything.
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, visit www.VenturaRocks.com.