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Vol. 8, No. 26 – September 30 – October 13, 2015 – Music Calendar

Music Calendar
For more events go to VenturaRocks.com

Amigos Cafe & Cantina
546 E. Main St.
805-874-2232
Mondays:  6 pm Karen Eden & Bill Macpherson; 8 pm Joey’s Acoustic Blues Jam
Tuesdays:  6 pm Nathan McEuen; 8 pm Beer Brothers open mic
Wednesdays:  6 pm Bad Leaf; 9 pm Mark Masson & Friends
Thursdays:  7:30 pm The Gypsy Blues Band
Fri 10/2: 6 pm Downtown All Stars; 9 pm Wishbone
Sat 10/3: 6 pm The Beach Bumz; 9 pm Hot Roux
Sun 10/4: 6 pm The Tossers
Fri 10/9: 9 pm Big Adventure
Sat 10/10: 6 pm Jerry & Brad; 10 pm Dive Bar Messiahs
Sun 10/11: 6 pm Inna Rude Mood

Bombay Bar & Grill
143 S. California St.
805-643-4404
Weds:  Tommy Marsh hosts the Session
Thurs: DJ Pistolero
Fri 10/2: The Velveteen Band, Adam West the Bat
Café Fiore
66 S. California Street
Wed 10/1: Sound Effect
Thurs 10/2: Boogie Wonderland
Fri 10/3: Soul Infusion
Tues 10/6: Donna Greene
Wed 10/7: Bryan McCann & the Jazz Heads
Thurs 10/8: Jade Hendrix
Fri 10/9: Ricky Coz
Sat 10/10: Otis Hayes
Tues /13: Leigh Vance & Friends

Discovery Ventura
1888 Thompson Blvd
Thurs 10/1: Mike Love
Fri 10/2: Rage Again
Sat 10/3: Agent Orange, Boxheads
Fri 10/9: Alastair Greene
Sat 10/10: Disco Glow featuring Nick Dean

El Rey Cantina
294 E. Main Street
Fridays: 4 pm Xoco Moraza and Friends; 9:30 DJ Also
Saturdays: DJ Aycer

The Garage
 1091 Scandia Avenue
Thurs 10/8: Nick Diamond, Lyla Floy
Fri 10/9: Potentially Dangerous, Objects, Bigger Than Mountains, more…

Gigi’s Cocktails
2493 Grand Avenue
Mondays Jam Night with Maggie’s Drawers
Thurdays & Fridays: Karaoke

Golden China
760 S. Seaward
(805) 652-0688
Karaoke seven nights a week
Bluegrass Jam 2nd & 4th Wednesdays
Swing night Thursdays 6:30 pm
Friday and Saturday: 7 pm Polynesian Revue
Cumbia music Fridays with DJ Carlos at 9:30 pm
Reggae Sundays 8:30 pm

Gone West Wine Cellars
5963 Olivas Park Drive
Fri 10/2: JJ Frank
Fri 10/9: Karen Eden

The Greek Restaurant
Ventura Harbor
Sat & Sun 7:30 pm
Belly Dancing, Greek music and show; DJ dancing

Hong Kong Inn
435 E. Thompson Blvd
Mon – Thurs 5-7 pm: Kenny Devoe
Thurs : 10 pm DJ Mystic Hip Hop night

Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Road
Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke
Thursday: Open Mic
Sunday: Karaoke
Fri 10/2: Action Down
Sat 10/3: Rick Miller Band
Fri 10/9: Pull the Trigger
Sat 10/10: Forbidden Fruit

Namba – Music Speaks series
47 South Oak Street
Sun 10/4: Bill Richmond
Sun 10/11: Alan Thornhill

The Patio at Player’s Casino
6580 Auto Center Drive
Fri 10/2: Ashun
Sat 10/3: Sound Effect

Plan B Wine Cellars
3520 Arundell Circle #107
Sun 10/11: Jen Staves & the Bluzfish
Prime
2209 E. Thompson Blvd
Tuesdays: Danny D
Fridays: Encore
Saturdays: Beach City Sound Club

Rookees Sports Bar & Grill
419 E. Main Street
(805) 648-6862
Friday and Saturdays
10 pm Rotating DJs

Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 10/3: Licity Collins
Sun 10/4: Rachel Holdt
Sat 10/10: Luminese
Sun 10/11: Xenia Flores

Sans Souci
21 S. Chestsnut
Sundays:  DJ Darko
Mondays: Karoake
Tuesdays: Twisted Tuesday
Wednesdays: Open mic with Sin Chonies
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi

Shanghai Beer Gardens
34 N. Palm Street
Thurs: Heard-a-Kats
Fri & Sat: Karaoke

Squashed Grapes
2351 E. Main St.
805-643-7300
Live jazz music 7-10 pm
Wed 9/30: Coda
Thurs 10/1: Bruce Forman & Red Guitar
Fri 10/2: H04 featuring Karl Hunter of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Sat 10/3: Mitch Forman Trio
Tues 10/6: Jazz Jam
Wed 10/7: Adam Clark Trio
Thurs 10/8: Eric Davis Quartet
Fri 10/9: Equinox
Sat 10/10: Barrelhouse Wailers

Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
(805) 6438-4709
Fri 10/2: Bloody Reunion
Sat 10/3: Masters of the Past
Fri 10/9: 7th Decade
Sat 10/10: Drunken Monkeys

Surf Brewery
4561 Market Street
805-644-2739
Music 6-8 pm
Sat 10/3: Soul Purpose
Sat 10/10: Big Surf

The Tavern
211 E. Santa Clara Street
Sunday open mics
Karaoke Tuesdays
Metal Music Wednesdays
DJs every Thursday college night
Fri 10/9: The Rubberneck Lions
Sat 10/10: The Caverns

Ventura Beach Club
281 W. Main Street
Hi Hat Entertainment presents:
Fri 10/2: Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps
Underscene Productions presents:
Sat 10/10: APX1, 9 Lives, Mr Mause, Scooby and more…

Ventura County Fairgrounds:
10 W. Harbor Blvd
The Seaside Games
Sat & Sun 10/10 – 10/11
Bands on the bill:  Tannahill Weavers, Celtric Spring, The Angry Brians, Golden Bough, Highway Way

W20 at the Watermark
598 E. Main Street
Fri & Sat 9 – Mid; Sun 3 – 6 pm
Fri 10/2: Brandon Ragan
Sat 10/3: The Bomb
Sun 10/4: The 7th Decade
Fri 10/9: Pleasure
Sat 10/10: The Bomb
Sun 10/11: Hot Roux

The Wine Rack
14 S. California Street
Music runs 8-11 pm, Sundays at 3 pm
Mondays: Mike Cregan
Tuesdays: The Tim Carroll Band
Thurs 10/1: DJ Chimenti
Fri 10/2: Dirk Shumaker & Trey O’Toole
Sat 10/3: The Road Brothers
Fri 10/9: Christine Olive
Sat 10/10: Might Cash Cats (unplugged)

 

 

Vicki Graves receives Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses

stuff GravesCommunity Memorial Health System nurse, Vicki Graves, is a recent recipient of the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses, a peer-elected awards program the hospital participates in each quarter. Nurses are nominated for the DAISY awards by patients, family members and colleagues. Graves, a registered nurse in the CMH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, is known at the hospital for her compassionate care, concern, and dedication to patient health.

Each quarter, a nurse is selected to receive the Daisy Award by an awards committee. At a presentation given in front of the nurse’s peers, patients and leadership, the honoree receives a certificate of commendation for being an “Extraordinary Nurse.”

Ventura County Firefighters of the Year and Citizen Heroes honored

By Karen Helen Szatkowski

The Kiwanis International of Ventura, co-hosted by Oxnard and Thousand Oaks clubs, put on their 13th Annual Event to honor many of the local firefighters and several citizen heroes at the Crown Plaza Hotel on the Ventura Beach on September 11th.

The evening ceremonies were opened by the Ventura City Firefighters Pipes & Drums accompanied by the Ventura County Honor Guard which was an exciting and moving start. Many city and county dignitaries and fire officials were in attendance as well, introduced by the Mayor of Ventura, Cheryl Heitmann.

The first honoree, Captain John Harber, was presented the Firefighter of the Year by the Santa Paula Fire Department.  Captain Harber took a school program under his wing which gained wide praise.

The Ventura County Fire Department awarded a Firefighter of the Year from each of the five battalions starting with Firefighter Joseph Dullam of Battalion 1; Captain Richard Toukdarian of Battalion 2; Firefighter Ryan Flitt of Battalion 3; Firefighter Mark Villasenor of Battalion 4 and Firefighter Lucas Beller of Battalion 5.  Exemplary first responders all.

Firefighter Josh Massie earned the Firefighter of the Year in the Oxnard Fire Department as his IT talent allowed the change in the vitally important radio program to mature smoothly.

Paramedic/Firefighter Chad Panke, Firefighter of the Year with the Fillmore Fire Department, has been involved in implementing the County of Ventura’s Cardiac Arrest Management Program as well as the EMS system.

Paramedic/Firefighter Drew DeRousseau, as Firefighter of the Year for the Ventura City Fire Department is known as the “question man”.  Drew wants to know why, when, where, what and who. In his 3 1/2 years with the Department he has found many answers.

Fire Engineer Torrey Anderson of the Federal Fire Department moved from volunteer firefighter at the Fillmore Fire Department to the Federal Fire Department in 2007 as a full-time employee.

Many of these recipients were not able to attend the ceremony as they were deployed to fight the walls of flame scorching Northern California.

Along with these lauded public servants, Kiwanis awarded Citizen Hero Honors to people that jumped in and saved others in danger.  Maria Esparza happened upon a burning car on the freeway and managed to pull an infant from the back seat while Brian Neilsen, who also stopped to see if he was needed, pulled the driver out of the car.  Josh Powers, visiting the beach during a nasty rip tide, swam out and saved a friend and his own fiancée who were both very close to drowning. Lastly Richard Rychlowski rescued a neighbor from a fire consumed home next door just seconds before help arrived.

Project Understanding Shining Star Awards

stuff project understandingJann Huling shared Board Member of the Year award
By Veronica Johnson

The annual Project Understanding Shining Star Awards was held Thursday, September 17th, at the Poinsettia Pavilion. Awards are given out in recognition for outstanding community volunteers, partners, staff, and board for 2015.

Awards went out to Administration Volunteer Laura Moline, Tender Life Volunteer Dea Boehme, 1st Step Volunteer Pat Morris, Tutoring Volunteer Lee Weiss, House of Worship Trinity Lutheran Church, Business of the Year Angel Plumbers, Collaborating Partner of the Year Turning Point Foundation, Philanthropist of the Year National Charity League, Inc., Community Partner of the Year D’Augustine Foundation, Donor of the Year Tanner Rhodes, Board Member of the Year Frank Maggio and Jann Huling, Employee of the Year Gloria Lewis, Shining Star of the Year Reggie Watson, and the Shalom Award went out to Clyde Reynolds.

A special moment was when the Board of Director of the year, Jann Huling, was given her award from Cesar Morales, the father a child (Valentina Ava) that Huling was instrumental in helping with in the adoption process.

Special thanks were given to sponsors Ventura County Credit Union, those who donated appetizers and desserts, the Poinsettia Pavilion, Janine Dykstar and Wendy Wells.

Project Understanding provides hope by developing and directing resources for the purpose of transforming lives and community through justice, mercy, and compassion. Through collaboration, they assist people to reach their highest attainable level of independence.

Vol. 8, No. 26 – September 30 – October 13, 2015 – Ventura Music Scene

The Pullmen recently played to a packed house at Bombay’s. Their new CD, “Going Dark” hits the streets October 9. 

Ventura Music Scene
The hits keep on coming!
By Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

Keifer Sutherland will be rolling into town with his band on Friday, October 23, when he’ll be playing an intimate show at W20 at the Watermark.  Even though there are no advance tickets (everyone pays at the door day of the show), you should mark this on your calendar now. Only 120 people will be admitted and tickets are only $10. Mark Hartley, owner of W20/Watermark told me he’s really looking forward to this one and it turns out he’s a big fan of “24”.

Robert Cray’s latest CD/DVD was released this summer featuring some of the footage of his show last year in Ventura.  The “4 Nights of 40 Years Live” is available everywhere including Amazon.com and locally at Salzer’s. Shawn Jones opened for Cray that night and apparently open doors as he’s been asked to tour with The Robert Cray Band this month in Europe.  I asked Shawn about it. He said, “It’s one of the biggest honors of my career!  I have been a Cray fan for over 30 years now. This is another level of respect for me!  Knowing he is a fantastic guy as well helps; I am beside myself actually!”

The Wine Rack has been busy booking stellar bands and artists.  You can ease back into the work week with their Monday night residency though October with Michael Cregan, then the Tim Carroll band on Tuesdays with Doug Johnson on drums. They also have live music most Thursdays and every Friday and Saturday.  Dirk Shumaker (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) and Trey O’Toole (Pulse Drumming) will be back on Friday, October 2nd, and I’m also looking forward to Christine Olive an Australian artist who is a surfer, environmentalist and singer/songwriter who has been touring the Southern California area making a stop at the Wine Rack on Friday October 9.

The annual Seaside Highland Games take over the Ventura Fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday October 9th and 10th with fun and games for the entire family including live music from Tannahill Weavers, Celtic Spring, The Angry Brians, Golden Bough and Highway Way.

And finally there’s a new performance venue – Namba – which will be featuring “Music Speaks” on four consecutive Sundays in October.  The event will be hosted and moderated by jazz vocalist and songwriter, Toni Jannotta.  The four early evening performances will be featured in this order: October 4th with three-time Emmy award winner Bill Richmond, October 11th with Alan Thornhill, October 18 Hekar Rivera and Steve Sunnarborg, and then finally on October 25th it’s Kiki Ebsen, daughter of the late Buddy Ebsen.  Namba is nestled in the middle of downtown Ventura at 47 South Oak Street. Call (805) 628-9250 for ticket information.

Do you have any music related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing?  Send all information short or long to  [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com .

 

Ventura Women in Business

By Sheila Lowe, MS, CG

In 1982 women in business were still fighting for recognition. Despite owning 25% of all US businesses, women were required to get their husband’s signature when applying for any type of loan. There were no women’s networking organizations to support them and they were not allowed to join service clubs such as Rotary or Chambers of Commerce. For Ventura women, a change was in the offing.

Seeing the need for convenient networking in Ventura County, a group of businesswomen got together and hosted a dinner at an Oxnard restaurant for more than one-hundred interested women. That was where the seed for VCPWN—Ventura County Professional Women’s Network—was planted. Now, more than thirty years later, VCPWN still meets monthly (except December) for dinner and a speaker. Twice a year they hold a silent auction and an annual tabletop expo. Their mission remains the same: Promote the personal and professional growth of Ventura County women through education, mutual support, and sharing of resources.

Most VCPWN members are women (men are not excluded) who occupy a wide spectrum of business and industry. They meet at the Wedgewood Banquet Center in Ventura on the second Thursday of each month for an informative program and networking. Nonmember guests are welcomed by a greeter at the door and introduced to members.

Speaker topics range from self-help to business to social issues and more. As October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, the October 8th meeting topic is Taking the Punch Out of Domestic Violence. The organization will donate $100 to a charity of the speaker’s choosing.

Local businesswoman Merle DiVita, one of VCPWN’s founding mothers, was honored at a recent meeting with the prestigious Wind Beneath My Wings Award.

Other members include, among many others, attorneys, insurance agents, accountants, and yours truly, a handwriting examiner and mystery writer. Wherever you go in Ventura, if you mention VCPWN, you’re sure to hear these words: “I used to be a member. That’s a wonderful organization!” I have served two terms as VCPWN president.

This November, along with our wonderful pre-holiday silent auction, VCPWN is planning a membership drive and on December 10th a Champagne and Chocolate meet and greet at the office of our “Guy at Large,” Jim Nicoll. For anyone who’s been thinking about joining, there couldn’t be a better time. The normal joining fee will be waived and membership will start January 1st, which gives a free month and member rates for dinner.

We’ve all come a long way since 1982, and we still have a long way to go. Knowing there is a supportive organization to provide support and resources makes the trip a lot more pleasant. Please visit www.vcpwn.org

www.sheilalowe.com

CAPS Media Center open house to honor member/producers.

stuff CAPSPatrick Davidson is celebrating his one-year anniversary as Executive Director of CAPS.

On Thursday, October 8, CAPS Media is hosting an Open House from 6-9PM at the CAPS Media Center, located at 65 Day Road directly across from Foothill High School.  The free event is an opportunity to recognize outstanding Member/Producers, participate in an informal discussion on the direction of CAPS, and get a preview of productions and concepts for the coming months.

October marks Patrick Davidson’s one-year anniversary as Executive Director of CAPS Media.  Patrick is an award winning 25-year entertainment industry producer and executive, and the former CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura.  Ventura Breeze invited Patrick to share a few thoughts about his first year at CAPS Media.

Patrick said, “This year has flown by – and it has been a great ride.  Everyone associated with CAPS Media – including the staff, Member/Producers, board members, City and VUSD school district officials, and all of CAPS’ other partners have been extremely supportive.”

“Over the past year, CAPS has broadcast hundreds of hours of original programming produced by Member/Producers, covered and broadcast dozens of Ventura City Council and City meetings, Ventura Unified School Board meetings, and numerous City related events and stories.  I look forward to continually increasing our roster of individual Member/Producers and member organizations.”

“On the tech side, the CAPS Media Center directed major upgrades of broadcast equipment, playback systems, post production editing equipment and software and related resources.  The upgrades and expansion solidify CAPS Media as the most comprehensive and well-equipped community access facility and media programming service in Ventura County.”

“Everyone who visits the CAPS Media Center is amazed. The resources available to the public, the City, our partners and agencies in Ventura are remarkable.  As a former studio executive and network producer I can attest to the fact that the equipment, tools and talent at the CAPS Media Center match or exceed those in network affiliate stations in hundreds of markets across the country. At CAPS, all of the tools are available to the public and supported by our extremely knowledge staff.”

“I suppose that CAPS’ greatest weakness is also our greatest opportunity.  Many people in Ventura don’t realize the resources that CAPS offers to everyone in the community.  The CAPS Media mission is to create an engaged and informed community through participation in electronic media.  In order to fulfill our mission we want to get more people in Ventura involved and engaged at CAPS.”

“The past year was challenging and rewarding, and 2016 promises to be even better.  I look forward to meeting everyone at the Open House on October 8, getting community input and sharing our story.”

For additional information about CAPS, visit www.capstv.com.

Ventura Marathon: High temps, fast times by locals

stuff marathonAlberto Perusset, a.k.a. Barefoot Alberto of Malibu, finished the 3rd annual Ventura Marathon, his 100th marathon, wearing bib #100.

By Mira Reverente

The sweltering heat, quite unusual for Ventura this time of year, did not prevent blazing fast times from being set at the 3rd annual Ventura Marathon and Beach Party held the weekend of September 12 and 13 at the Ventura Pier.

Garret Drogosch, 24, of Lake Sherwood, California, dominated the men’s field in the marathon with a winning time of 2:34. Michelle Hamilton, 34, of San Luis Obispo, prevailed over the women with a finish time of 3:10.

The flat and fast marathon course took runners and walkers alike from the Ventura Pier to the Port Hueneme Pier and back. The half-marathon course was predominantly ran on the same course, turning half-marathoners around earlier, just before the 5th Street and Harbor Boulevard intersection.

In the half-marathon, 25-year-old Ventura native Isidore Herrera won with a blazing time of 1:05, showing everyone who’s boss in his home turf. Among the women, 36-year-old Jennifer Santa Maria of San Diego blazed by with a time of 1:17.

Following Herrera’s footsteps, another local, 26-year-old Brittany Oliver prevailed in the women’s 5K with a winning time of 20:02. Sean Kelly, 29, of Yucca Valley, won the men’s 5K, coming in at 17:44.

A combined total of approximately 3,000 participants completed the kids’ run and bike rides on Saturday and the three road races (marathon, half-marathon and 5K) on Sunday.

“We were really excited about the event as a whole and attracted a lot of out of town competitors – 70% of race participants were from outside of Ventura County representing 38 states and eight countries,” says Josh Spiker, race director.

“Although the weather was abnormally hot and humid we still had lots of fast times and Boston Marathon Qualifiers,” he said.

This year, about 40,000 free race photos were made available through Facebook which was a big hit for the runners, according to Spiker. Photos of interesting finishers such as Malibu resident Alberto Persusset, a.k.a. Barefoot Alberto. This was his 100th marathon.

At the beach party, local and upcoming bands regaled the crowd all-weekend long with rock n roll, reggae, soul, blues and country music. A beer garden, health expo and kids’ activities were all part of the weekend extravaganza at the Ventura Pier.

The much-awaited Ventura Marathon is fast becoming a favorite Boston Marathon-qualifier, being the last marathon in the second half of the year to fall within the qualifying window of the prestigious and elite “king of road races.”

Since 2013, the Ventura Marathon has encouraged volunteerism and the participation of local schools, cross-country teams and non-profit groups across its many weekend events. Over $80,000 has been raised for local philanthropy.

For more information or to check on results, visit www.venturamarathon.com.

Ventura City Fire Department respond to traffic collision with vehicle into building

On Sept.25, at 11:28pm Ventura City Fire Department responded to a traffic collision with a vehicle into a building at California south of Thompson with fire involved. Upon arrival, crews discovered a vehicle into an unoccupied retail occupancy. The driver and solo-occupant was out of the vehicle denying injury.

California 3First arriving Firefighters quickly attacked the fire while others assessed the structural integrity of the building and forced entry to investigate for extension of the flames to the interior. The rapid knock down of the fire kept the flames from advancing into the unoccupied building. Positive pressure ventilation was used to evacuate smoke from the interior of the building.

Ventura Police Department provided traffic and scene control. This incident is under investigation by law enforcement.California 2