by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Ventura Music Hall is still on track for their first show on March 22 with G. Love & the Juice and what an incredible first band to have on their docket. You’ll want to bookmark their website (www.VenturaMusicHall.com), all the dates are listed with links to secure tickets, which I highly recommended you do, sooner than later, as dates are selling out even before they open their doors. They’re offering a variety of acts from up-and-coming indie artists to Rock and Roll Hall of Famers (Don Felder of the Eagles), and offering all types of genres from Soul to Country and most points in between.
There’s Bob Mould with a successful solo career after Husker Du in the 80s; it should be a house party with Thievery Corporation, electronic, music duo; Celtic punk rockers Flogging Molly will keep you on your toes; there’s Dave Mason who continues to tour with over 100 a shows a year (when there isn’t a pandemic), and who, for crying out loud, wrote “Feelin’ Alright” when he was in Traffic; there’s Country and Bluegrass artist Marty Stuart, who you may or may know toured with Johnny Cash’s road band many years ago, and that’s just a handful of the artists already lined up.
I got a tour of the venue last month, gone are the bowling lanes, and it’s all about bringing even more music to town as well having another outlet for our trove of local artists to play. The kitchen will offer food, there’s a full bar and the staff are super excited to be a part of our community…I have no doubt, they’re going to fit in just fine!
And then there’s yet another one of those not-to-be-missed shows at the Grape with the Jerry Vivino quartet on Saturday, March 12. You most likely know Vivino’s sax work as a member of the Conon O’Brien Show’s band, but he’s played with Springsteen, James Taylor, Donald Fagen, Branford Marsalis and others. On drums will be Bernie Dresel, multi-Grammy award winning artist who not only performed and recorded with the Brian Setzer Orchestra and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, but his work can be found on such soundtracks as Whiplash, Incredibles 2, Mission Impossible III, and the Bourne Supremacy.
Quick Notes: congratulations to Steve and Sally Williams on the release of their CD, Borrowed & Blues; Relm Wine & Beer Bistro is now called Onyx Bistro and they’ll continue to host singer/songwriters on Fridays and Saturdays; tickets are on sale now for 311’s May 12th date at the Ventura Theater; Aaron Orbit along with Rubberneck Lions and Carlism play The Six Chow House on Friday, March 11; RJ Mischo birthday bash will be held in the Blue Room upstairs next the Comedy Club in the Ventura Harbor on Friday, March 18; and Kyle returns to the Ventura Theatre for a show on Friday, March 18.
Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Please send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.
