It’s been five years since we launched VenturaRocks.com and it’s become a tradition to make an annual statement, sort of a State of the Union address if you will.

After I made the decision to start this website I tinkered with it and it was looking good enough to launch and it just happened to be mid March.  So we launched it on St. Patrick’s Day.  No other reason than it was ready to go! That was March 17, 2009.

Let’s recap our Mission Statement:

Our Mission is to help stimulate the economy in our favorite city in the whole wide world by promoting venues who offer music and to the artists who live in and around Ventura as well as those who travel here to play.

We want to inspire people to get out and support Ventura’s music scene.

We promise never to charge the venues or the artist to be listed on VenturaRocks.com.

There have been many changes in the past year where we’ve become more involved in the music scene and we’ve had some staff changes, as well as evolving the look of the website.  Here is a recap of 2013:  http://venturarocks.com/blog/ventura-rocks-a-look-at-2013/.

Again, this venture is NOT a non-profit.  To date, it’s been a good-will gesture to help support this amazing music scene.  And we have a steady dedicated following who come to our official website to get the lowdown on where to head out for the evening.  They swear by it.  And to be honest, when I hear that, it makes all the work worthwhile.

The other amazing aspect of doing this project is when a venue or a band/artist or music festival will reach out and ask for our help.  I love collaborations, and I’ve so enjoyed meeting and making new relationships.

I’ve been having discussions with several friends and colleagues wondering what our next step will be. Do we expand throughout Ventura County?  If so, do we only offer larger venues who offer live music?   Should we finally stop badgering the venues who still don’t send us their music line up and stop listing them?  There’s a lot to think about.

I continue to go out 2-3 times a week and enjoy our music and I try to mix it up supporting different venues.  I’m rarely disappointed, because there is so much talent out there. And if you’re wondering what you can do to help?  Send us information on events you think we might be missing.  Is a venue now offering music?  Let us know.  But most of all, get out, rally the troops and support.  Remember, there are three elements to making this music scene, the venues, the artists and us music lovers.

Together we make Ventura Rock!!

Love you!
Pam Baumgardner
Pam@VenturaRocks.com