Michael John and the Bottom Line return this year to the California Blues and Brews Festival.

Ventura keeps rockin’
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com

It’s that time of year again when the California Beer Festival rolls into town including a food pairing competition, a Craft Beer Heaven day and of course the highlight of the event the California Blues and Brews Festival on Sunday, September 20 at Mission Park, downtown Ventura.

The day promises to be filled with the some of the hottest blues around on two stages featuring Walter Trout, Booker T, Mingo Fishtrap, Mr. Sipp, The Bomb and Michael John and the Bottom Line. You can get all the ticket information at www.CaliforniaBluesFestival.com. While you’re there, be sure to swing by the VenturaRocks.com tent to say hello!

Punk Rock Sunday features seven hours of punk-filled music on Sunday, September 27th with the Hymen Blasters, Cupcake, the NaVaNaX, All-a-Blur, My Modern Valentinue, Kang Gang and more. This one’s being held at the Ventura Beach Club at the very end of Main Street right before the 33 Freeway.

The Rock on the Dock series continues at the Ventura Harbor on Saturday, September 19, with the Hard-Times Band, then the following week they’ll have two days of music, first Friday the 25th with two sets at 2:00 and 4:30 with Unkle Monkey, then Saturday the 26th with Smokey & Friends. Saturday set times run 3-6 pm.

The Pullmen will be releasing their new album, “Going Dark” on October 9, then they’ll hit the road to support it with their first stop in Paris, France; but before they go all European on us, you’ll be able to catch them live at their Europe Tour Pre-party at Bombay’s on Friday, September 25th. The new release includes ten new songs featuring their high energy alt/rock thrashing country
vibe which will also be available on vinyl.

Congratulations to Zachary James and Alexandra for tying the knot earlier this month up in Oakland, California. The two have been supporting each other the past few years musically speaking with their bands, Zachary James and the All Seeing Eyes, and Alexandra and the Starlight Band.

And finally, just a head’s up that the good folks at CAPS TV have approached me recently to talk about hosting a music program highlighting local bands and I’m happy to report the project has been given the “Green Light!” More to come as we close in on our debut episode, but we will feature Ventura music news updates, we will have local photographers sharing their favorite photos of live music, and we will have bands and solo artists in the studio performing along with a Q&A session. If you don’t have cable,
the programs will be available online, and soon, we plan to offer live streaming. Yeah, this is going to ROCK!

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.

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 9/18: 9 pm 5th and Birmingham
Sat 9/19: 6 pm Beach Bumz; 9 pm
Licorice Pizza Band
Sun 9/20: 6 pm Inna Rude Mood
Fri 9/25: 6 pm Downtown Allstars; 9
pm Tommy Marsh Band
Sat 9/26: 6 pm Camp Franco; 9 pm Fish
Fry
Bombay Bar & Grill
143 S. California St.
805-643-4404
Weds: Tommy Marsh hosts the Session
Thurs: DJ Pistolero
Café Fiore
66 S. California Street
Wed 9/16: Donna Butler
Thurs 9/17: Whelsi Gamble
Fri 9/18: Little Alice
Sat 9/19: Otis Hayes
Tues 9/22: Donna & Paul
Wed 9/23: Big Adventure
Thurs 9/24: Rick Whitfield
Fri 9/25: Sound Effect
Sat 9/26: Soul Infusion
California Blues & Brews Festival
Mission Park Downtown Ventura
Sun 9/20: Walter Trout, Booker T,
Mingo Fishtrap, Mr. Sipp, The Bomb
and Michael John And The Bottom
Line.
Discovery Ventura
1888 Thompson Blvd
Thurs 9/17: King Zero, Herbal Rootz
Fri 9/18: Zion I
Sat 9/19: Disco Glow featuring Nick
Dean
Tues 9/22: Dance Yourself Clean
Fri 9/25: Tomorrows Bad Seeds w/DJ
set by Ras MG of Sublime
Sat 9/26: Surfrider Foundation 5th
annual Pints against Plastics benefit
El Rey Cantina
294 E. Main Street
Fridays: Xoco Moraza and Friends
Saturdays: DJ Aycer
The Garage
1091 Scandia Avenue
Fri 9/18: Black Breath, Battalion of
Saints, Obliterations
Sat 9/26: Inaema
Gigi’s Cocktails
2493 Grand Avenue
Mondays Jam Night with Maggie’s
Drawers
Thurdays & Fridays: Karaoke
Sat 9/19: DJPJ
Sat 9/26: What the Funk
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 9/18: National Cat
Fri 9/25: Double Trouble
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 9/17: 10 pm DJ Mystic
Sat 9/19: 8 pm DJ Mystic
Sun 9/20: 6 pm Rob Correll
Thurs 9/24: 10 pm DJ Mystic
Sat 9/26: 8 pm The Road Brothers
Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Road
Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke
Thursday: Open Mic
Sunday: Karaoke
Fri 9/18: Sean Wiggins
Sat 9/19: Puppet Show
Fri 9/25: What the Funk
Sat 9/26: Black Canyon Band
Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut Street
Sat 9/19: Keith Sweat
Sun 9/20: Ratatat
Fri 9/25: Julieta Venegas, Cosmico,
Venum Rush
The Patio at Player’s Casino
6580 Auto Center Drive
Fri 9/18: Instone
Sat 9/19: Brandon Ragan Project
Fri 9/25: The Bomb
Sat 9/26: Action Down
Peirano’s
204 E. Main Street
Fri 9/18: Sunnarborg & Rivera
Fri 9/25: Ruben Estrada
Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 9/19: Luminesse
Sun 9/20: Frankie Bourne
Sat 9/26: Luminesse
Sun 9/27: Blue Deux & Donna Lynn
Caskey
Sans Souci
21 S. Chestsnut
Sundays: DJ Darko
Mondays: Karoake
Tuesdays: Twisted Tuesday
Wednesdays: Open mic with Sin
Chonies
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi
Fri 9/18: Bloody Reunion
Sat 9/19: Royalush
Fri 9/25: 7 pm Cursed Bastards, Radio
Threat, Hard Six and more…
Sat 9/26: 7th Standard
Squashed Grapes
2351 E. Main St.
805-643-7300
Live jazz music 7-10 pm
Wed 9/16: Lorenzo Grassi Quintet
Thurs 9/17: Hans Ottsen Trio
Fri 9/18: Tribute to Jimi Hendrix
featuring Riki Hendrix
Sat 9/19: Bevan Manson Quintet
Wed 9/23: Ebony Blaze & Friends
Thurs 9/24: Innerstate
Fri 9/25: Tom Buckner & Friends
Sat 9/26: Dave Tull
Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
(805) 6438-4709
Fri 9/18: Inna Rude Mood
Sat 9/19: The Flailingtons
Fri 9/25: Big Adventure
Sat 9/26: Crosscut
Surf Brewery
4561 Market Street
805-644-2739
Music 6-8 pm
Sat 9/19: Alligator Dave & the 5ths
Sat 9/26: Nani & David
The Tavern
211 E. Santa Clara Street
Sunday open mics
Karaoke Tuesdays
Metal Music Wednesdays
DJs every Thursday college night
Ventura Beach Club
281 W. Main Street
Hi Hat Entertainment presents:
Fri 9/18: Brother Yusef
Fri 9/25: Chris Duarte Group
Punk Rock Sunday presents:
Sun 9/27: Hyman Blasters, The
NaVaNaX, Kang Gang, Seven 40 Seven,
All-a-Blur and more…
Ventura Harbor
Rock on the Dock
Sat 9/26: 3-6 pm Hard Times Band
Fri 9/25: 2-30 & 4:30 – 6 pm Unkle
Monkey
Sat 9/26: 3-6 pm Smokey & Friends
W20 at the Watermark
598 E. Main Street
Thurs 9/17: Musicians Brew
Fri 9/18: Lillie Lemon
Sat 9/19: The Bomb
Sun 9/20: 3 pm Jade Hendrix
Thurs 9/24: Guitar Pull with Shawn
Jones
Fri 9/25: Rock Kings
Sat 9/26: The Bomb
Sun 9/27: Johnny Hawthorn
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 9/17: Mark David
Fri 9/18: Skin & Bones
Sat 9/19: Barrelhouse Wailers
Fri 9/25: Catfish Fry
Sat 9/26: Chelsea Williams

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 9/4: 6 pm Downtown Allstars;
9 pm Pull the Trigger
Sat 9/5: 6 pm Gary Goff & Brad
Stewart; 9 pm Ray Jaurique & the
Uptown Brothers
Sun 9/6: 6 pm The Tossers
Fri 9/11: 9 pm Crosscut
Sat 9/12: 6 pm Robert Tomas; 9 pm
Action Down
Bombay Bar & Grill
143 S. California St.
805-643-4404
Weds: Tommy Marsh hosts the
Session
Thurs: DJ Pistolero
Bombay’s 31st Annual Beach
Party!!!
Fri 9/4: Hy Brasil, The Velveteen
Band, AHTCK, New Jacked City,
Rubberneck Lions, Warning
Sat 9/5: Raging Arb & the
Redheads, Brother Fortune, Rey
Fresco, Darkside of the Hand,
Electric Liberace, The Jelly, Bloody
Mary Morning, Curtsy, Gygax,
Honey Owl
Sun 9/6: 50 Sticks of Dynamite
Discovery Ventura
1888 Thompson Blvd
Thurs 9/3: Soul Majestic, Synrgy,
Dj Selecta Shaggy
Fri 9/4: Decker w/Lara Ruggles
Sun 9/6: Hirie
Thurs 9/10: Micah Brown, Natural
Incense
Fri 9/11: Kinsella Brothers
The Garage
1091 Scandia Avenue
Fri 9/4: Thoughtcrime, Despicable
Good Guys
Sat 9/5: Three Day Holacaust
Thurs 9/10: Rocket 68, Premonition
Sat 9/12: Black Love
Gigi’s Cocktails
2493 Grand Avenue
Mondays Jam Night with Maggie’s
Drawers
Thurdays & Fridays: Karaoke
Saturdays: DJPJ
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
The Greek Restaurant
Ventura Harbor
Sat & Sun 7:30 pm
Belly Dancing, Greek music and
show; DJ dancing
Keynote Lounge
10245 Telephone Road
Tuesday and Wednesday: Karaoke
Thursday: Open Mic
Sunday: Karaoke
Fri 8/21: Black Canyon Band
Sat 8/22: Rick Miller Band
Fri 8/28: What the Funk
Sat 8/29: Sean Wiggins
Majestic Ventura Theater
26 S. Chestnut Street
Mon 9/7: Hopsin w/ Dizzy Wright,
Jarren Benton & DJ Hoppa
Thurs 9/10: El Tri, Neblina,
Cartucho de Villa
Olivas Adobe
4200 Olivas Park Drive
Music Under the Stars series
Sat 9/5: Lisa Haley & the Zydekats
Pierpont Inn
550 San Jon Road
Thurs 9/3: Dirty Rice
Plan B Wine Cellars
3520 Arundell Circle
(805) 233-1453
Sat 9/5: 3:30 pm Ray Jaurique &
the Uptown Brothers
Poinsettia Pavillion
3451 Foothill Road
805-648-1143
Fri 9/4: Ventura Jazz Orchestra
with Donna Greene & Anna Kasper
Rookees Sports Bar & Grill
419 E. Main Street
(805) 648-6862
Friday and Saturdays
10 pm Rotating DJs
Saloon BBQ
456 E. Main Street
Thurs 9/3: Ventucky String Band
Fri 9/4: The Battlefield
Sat 9/5: Skin and Bones
Sun 9/6: Ted Waterhouse
Sandbox Coffeehouse
204 E. Thompson Blvd
805-641-1025
Thursdays Open Mic
Sat 9/5: Walt Dunlap
Sun 9/6: Star Bandits
Sat 9/12: Single Fin
Sun 9/13: Little Lemon
Sans Souci
21 S. Chestsnut
Sundays: DJ Darko
Mondays: Karoake
Tuesdays: Twisted Tuesday
Wednesdays: Open mic with Sin
Chonies
Thursdays: DJ Spinobi
Sat 9/5: Medicine Hat
Squashed Grapes
2351 E. Main St.
805-643-7300
Live jazz music 7-10 pm
Wed 9/2: Bobby West
Thurs 9/3: Brad Rabuchin Quartet
Fri 9/4: Pentasonic
Sat 9/5: H04 featuring Karl Hunter
Wed 9/9: Martin & Macias
Thurs 9/10: Nahum Zdybel Trio
Fri 9/11: L.J. & the Boyz
Sat 9/12: Doug Webb Group
featuring Danny Carey of TOOL
Star Lounge
343 E. Main Street
(805) 6438-4709
Fri 9/4: Brandon Ragan Project
Sat 9/5: Drunken Monkeys
Fri 9/11: The Sheiks
Sat 9/12: Gypsy Stew
Surf Brewery
4561 Market Street
805-644-2739
Music 6-8 pm
Sat 9/5: Catterwailers
Sat 9/12: Barb-B & the Ranchhands
The Tavern
211 E. Santa Clara Street
Sunday open mics
Karaoke Tuesdays
Metal Music Wednesdays
DJs every Thursday college night
Ventura Fairgrounds
The Ventura Nationals
Saturday 9/5: Jai Malano & the
Memphis Kings, Viernes 13, Silvertooth
Loos & the Witch, Frantic
Rockers
W20 at the Watermark
598 E. Main Street
Thurs 9/3: Guitar Pull with Shawn
Jones
Fri 9/4: Pleasure
Sat 9/5: The Bomb
Sun 9/6: The Privateers
Thurs 9/10: Guitar Pull with
Shawn Jones
Fri 9/11: Instone
Sat 9/12: The Bomb
Sun 9/13: Shawn Jones
The Wine Rack
14 S. California Street
Music runs 8-11 pm, Sundays at 3
pm
Mondays: US Blues Project
Tuesdays: Heard of Kats
Thurs 9/3: Danielle Stacy
Fri 9/4: Joe Harrington
Sat 9/5: Sheldon & Cunnane
Thurs 9/10: Beach City Sound Club
Fri 9/11: Nathan McEuen
Sat 9/12: Jade Hendrix

The Velveteen Band will perform at Bombay’s 31st Annual Beach Party.

Summer in the city
by Pam Baumgardner

There are plenty of “End of Summer” bashes – though summer isn’t officially over until September 23, but who’s keeping tabs? The
Pierpont Inn’s BBQ series ends with a huge bang as they welcome back Dirty Rice on Thursday, September 3rd. If you were there the last time the band played, then you know you should get there early to nab a seat and order up some delicious grub!

And then of course Bombay’s 31st annual End of Summer Beach Party runs the first weekend of September with bands rockin’
the joint on the front stage, back stage, and outdoor stage. Their full itinerary is listed on Ventura-Rocks.com, but some of the bands
to watch for are Hy Brasil, The Velveteen Band, Rubberneck Lions, Raging Arb and the Redheads, Rey Fresco, The Darkside of the Hand, 50 Sticks of Dynamite, Bloody Mary Morning, The Jelly, Brother Fortune, and of course Gygax!

Here are just a few concerts coming up at the Ventura Theater that you may not want to miss: The Deftones on Saturday, October 31; The Misfits on Thursday, November 12; Pepper on Saturday, November 21; Dwight Yoakam on Friday, December 11 and I already snagged my ticket for the 20th Anniversary of Everclear’s Sparkle and Fade Tour, on Sunday, November 22.

W20 at the Watermark has been offering more Thursday night Guitar Pulls with Shawn Jones and friends. If you’re a fan of f lat out
amazing guitar playing, you should make it a point to attend the next one. Thursday, August 27th, Shawn and Joe Baugh had Tariqh Akoni in the house; Akoni has played with such artists as Josh Groban, Christina Aguilera, Elton John, Smokey Robinson and Tom Scott (to name just a few)

Speaking of Tom Scott, we can all call him neighbor the next time we bump into him at the supermarket having just moved to Ventura; but more importantly, don’t miss him the next time he plays at Squashed Grapes which we hope will be often. His sold out performance on Friday, August 28, was f lat out amazing. He’s not only uber talented, but the audience enjoyed the back story from Scott on many of the songs the band performed. He happily shook hands and signed CDs; he’s a class act for sure.

And then finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t report that Squashed Grapes will be leaving their jazz format for the night of Friday, September 18 when they’ll have a Jimi Hendrix Memorial Performance with Jimi’s cousin, Riki Hendrix who has recorded and toured with Buddy Miles, and Billy Cox who were both original members of Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsies. The night will be hosted by Rosa Lee Brooks, Jimi’s legendary love interest who was featured on the first two songs he ever recorded. Reserve your seat ASAP.

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.