Local music and more!
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
I’m extremely impressed with this year’s lineup for the Ventura Music Festival which includes headliner Michael Feinstein, but I’m really looking forward to catching Perla Batalla’s tribute to Leonard Cohen on Friday, July 21. Yes, this is advance notice, but hopefully ticket sales will be brisk and I wouldn’t want you to miss out. Full listings for all events can be found at VenturaMusicFestival.org (and article in this ussue).
Medicine Hat is off to Austin this month to play at SxSW (3/10 – 3/19). They’ll be there five days, they’re currently scheduled to play four shows and working on more. In addition to acoustic shows, Medicine Hat will play a couple gigs with a full band, consisting of some of Austin’s finest.
Here’s a couple of one-liner notes of interest: Karen Eden continues her Margarita Mondays at 6 at Amigos; Chris Austin is heading up an open Jam/Mic night at Bombay’s on Wednesdays starting March 1, PA and backline will be provided and I’m told that the jams will be filmed; Yachtley Crew returns to Bombay’s on Saturday March 4; Four Brix Winery will offer live music on the first Friday of the month starting with JJ Frank on March 3; The Ventucky String Band plays every first Thursday of the month at Saloon BBQ including this month on the 2nd; Big Rig Dollhouse returns to Sans Souci on Friday, March 3; you can catch the Dive Bar Messiahs in a new venue for them at the Star Lounge, on Saturday March 4; the Social Distortion show at the Ventura Theater March 7 is sold out, but tickets are still available for the White Buffalo on Friday, March 10; there’s a Rockabilly and Blues fundraiser for El Camino High at the Ventura Beach Club on Friday, March 10; and finally, Plan B’s Second Sunday Supper is back on with Ray Jaurique and the Uptown Brothers on the 12th.
One of Ventura’s most popular bands, Rey Fresco, has new music, three songs produced by Mario C who also worked with The Beastie Boys and Jack Johnson (he’s also won three Latin Grammy awards to date). I’m loving their new tune “You Were Wrong” which I haven’t gotten out of my head since first playing it, but you know, in Rey Fresco’s case, that’s a good thing.
And speaking of Rey Fresco and bands who record original music, don’t miss my program “The Pam Baumgardner Mostly Local Music Hour” on KPPQ-LP 104.1 FM. I’m spinning tunes from not only Rey Fresco, but Shawn Jones, Kelly’s Lot, Steve Williams, Bryan Titus, Hot Roux, The Barrelhouse Wailers, The NaVaNaX, Medicine Hat, Charles Law, 50 Sticks of Dynamite, Jerry Breiner, Shaky Feelin’ and more. The station is rebroadcasting the show during the week, but I’m live on Tuesdays 5-6 pm with internet access coming soon. You can also give a listen to the current week’s broadcast on VenturaRocks.com.
Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Or would you like to submit your music for possible inclusion on my radio show? Please send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.
