by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Looking back for just a moment, congratulations to Army of Freshmen who performed at the Ventura Music Hall on Saturday, September 14, to commemorate their 25th anniversary; their high energy show is always a crowd pleaser. I sat across from two women who traveled from Texas to catch the concert buying a pile of merch including the band’s entire catalog; now that’s dedication! During the opening act’s set, Nerfherder helped to facilitate a wedding proposal asking for a couple of people in the audience to help start their next song and of course they just happened to choose “a random couple.” After howling like wolves, the band started a fake song while he got down on one knee with a ring taking her by surprise. After jumping up and down, she said yes! I’ll admit it made me tear up as the audience cheered them on!
On a downer note, the 7th annual Oxnard Jazz Festival which was scheduled for September 14 – 15, was postponed just days before the event. According to their website it was due to “unexpected challenges…” but of course that could translate to low ticket sales. Hope that wasn’t the case and it will be back before long.
Now looking forward, I don’t know why, but I’m sure there is a reason breweries celebrate Oktoberfest in September. Poseidon Brewing Company’s will fall on Saturday, September 21, with Linda’s Polka Party Band, and Enegren Brewing in Moorpark will celebrate Oktoberfest the following weekend, Saturday, September 28, with Festmeister Hans und Die Sauerkrauts, Der Matterhorns, Hazelnuss Das Music and Ladyhosen. My theory is that these specialty bands book up years in advance and you get ‘em while you can. Just a theory.
The 11th annual Banana Festival returns to the Port of Hueneme on Saturday, September 28, with several live bands including Caliente 805, Upstream, House Arrest and One People. This free event is family friendly and a fun way to see and appreciate the Port and learn about its economic contribution to Ventura County while indulging in some sort of banana concoction.
Quick Notes: Ventura Theater added two Social Distortion shows with night one selling out almost immediately, but at press time, tickets were still available for December 4; tickets are on sale now for Letters to Cleo for November 15 at the Ventura Music Hall; Karl Hunter’s Jazz Hates Johnny plays the Grape on Friday, September 20; it’s a Grateful Dead tribute weekend at the Crowne Plaza’s Aqua Bar with Reckoning on Saturday, September 21 and Peoples Dead on Sunday, September 22; Brasscals (Santa Barbara’s one and only street brass band) and Ventura’s own, Casual Business, play Leashless on Sunday, September 22; and the final Rock the Collection free concert falls on Thursday, September 26 with The King of Queens.
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.
