Q&A with Drury of Raging Arb, performing July 13 at Surf Rodeo
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A historic photo of Raging Arb and the Redheads.
Bill Locey,Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Surf Rodeo at Ventura Pier, Saturday and Sunday (July 13,14), 10 a.m. each day. COST: $55 for both days, $40 for one day — kids under age 10 are free. CONTACT: 805-628-9083.
For the 12th time and seventh year in a row, ”cowabunga” will meet “wahoo” with a touch of “yee-hah,” at the Surf Rodeo, happening all weekend (July 13 and 14) on the beach in Ventura where the Pacific Ocean meets all that inconvenient sand where we now get to pay to park at our own beach. And for the first time ever, the Surf Rodeo will be held at the south side of the Ventura Pier, leaving its traditional home at the end of Seaward Avenue and its crummy waves, nicknamed by locals “the Seaward Slop.”
Q&A with Drunken Prayer performing July 7 at Ojai's Topa Topa
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Drunken Prayer
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Drunken Prayer at Topa Topa Brewing Company, 345 E. Ojai Ave., Sunday, 3 to 5 p.m. (July 7). COST: Free. CALL: 798-9079
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
Jeez, there’s a car behind me — please don’t be a cop. If I make it home, I promise to never drink again. Please, Trump, stay in North Korea. Those are some examples of common drunken prayers. Then there’s Morgan Geer, a guy with a beard and a guitar, playing as Drunken Prayer, making his 93023 debut Sunday afternoon at the Topa Topa Brewery.
Q&A with Cindy Kalmenson, performing June 29 at Libbey Park
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Cindy Kalmenson and her band, the Lucky Ducks.
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Ojai Valley Lavender Festival at Libbey Park, 10 W. Signal St., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Music by: Old Time Fiddlers (10 a.m.), Hal Waite & the Gaddis Boys (11:15 a.m.), Lynn Mullins & Coyote Creek (12:15 p.m.), Smitty & Julija (1:45 p.m.), Cindy Kalmenson & the Lucky Ducks (2:45 p.m.), Jon Gindick (3:45 p.m.) COST: Free. CONTACT: www.Ojaivalleylavenderfestival.org.
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
The ubiquitous “Pink Moment” will give way to the annual “Purple Moment” that has nothing to do with Prince, the Minnesota Vikings, the Lakers, or the Washington Huskies but rather the 16th annual Ojai Valley Lavender Festival, happening all day Saturday (June 29) in Libbey Park.
Q&A with Medicine Hat performing June 23 in Ventura
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Medicine Hat
BE THERE OR BR SQUARE: Americana Sunday Showcase with Medicine Hat, Farm Truck, RJ Bloke, Lasers Lasers Birmingham at Oak & Main, 419 E. Main St., Ventura, Sunday, June 23, at noon. COST: Free. CALL: 648-6862.
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
Medicine Hat, the band and not the place, are set to unleash some “lonesome desert rock” at an ever-affordable free Sunday afternoon showcase along with a bunch of their friends at the new cool music venue in Ventura, Oak & Main. For the last five years, offering musical medicine frequently under hats, Medicine Hat is Robert Ramirez and Michelle Votrian — together they’re doing an Americana, country rock thing.
Q&A with Jacob Miller performing June 17 at Greater Goods
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Jacob Miller
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Jacob Miller, Joshua Thomas at Greater Goods, 145 W. El Roblar, Meiners Oaks, Monday, June 17, 7 p.m. COST: Donation Suggested. CONTACT: 856-8687 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
The ground rules for Rock Star 101 must be painted in invisible ink and mounted in a plastic frame. Navigating the serpentine serendipity of popular music where talent is good and luck can be better is Jacob Miller who will bring his style of beautiful chaos as well as his appreciation for old-timey American music to a Monday night show at Greater Goods in Meiners Oaks.
Q&A with Donovan Keith performing at Ojai Deer Lodge June 7
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Donovan Keith performs with the band at a recent show.
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Donovan Keith at Deer Lodge, 2261 Maricopa Highway, Meiners Oaks, Friday, June 7, 9 p.m. CONTACT: 646-4256
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
There’s as much good music out there as there ever was. It’s all about finding it. If you’re sweating to the oldies and wearing a ZZ Top shirt, then your musical clock has probably stopped and rock ’n’ roll has passed you by, but the good ol’ daze should be in the future as long as music still matters.
Q&A with Tommy Marsh performing at Ojai Blues Fest 4 June 1
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This was shot at a recent show at The Canyon Club with Coco Montoya. From left to right: Craig Williams, Tommy Marsh, Paddy Marsh, Charlie McClure and Eddie Dies.
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Ojai Blues Fest 4 at the Ojai Art Center, 113 S. Montgomery St., Saturday (June 1) at 2 p.m. COST: $25 advance or $35 at the door. CONTACT: OjaiBluesFest.com
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
Blues in Ojai? What happened? Had to park more than a block away from the Farmers’ Market Sunday morning? Too many tourists driving like idiots in front of you? Red lights in Mira Monte? Pedestrians in Casitas Springs? There’s all that but also this and infinitely more fun — the Ojai Blues Fest 4 will be happening Saturday afternoon at the Ojai Art Center, a benefit for the venue that’s been in operation since FDR was president.
Q&A with LoveyDove performing May 24 at Ojai Underground Exchange
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Azalia Snail and Dan West of LoveyDove.
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: LoveyDove, Where’s Agatha at Ojai Underground Exchange, 1016 W. Ojai Ave., Friday (May 24), 7:30 p.m. COST: $15 or $20 (suggested); 805-340-7893
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
After a few years of marriage, too many couples have been reduced to this: What’s/For/Dinner?/Who/Cares? but not Azalia Snail and Dan West, a married musical duo known as Lovey/Dove. They’ll be playing at the Ojai Underground Exchange Friday night (May 24) with 93023 locals, Where’s Agatha also on the bill.
The Exploited headlines four-band punk extravaganza May 17
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The Exploited tour promotion.
Be there or be square: The Exploited, Total Chaos, D.I, iDecline at the Ventura Theatre, 26 Chestnut St., tonight (May 17), 7:30 p.m. COST: $25 - $30. CALL: 805-653-0721.
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
OK, so what’s orange and remains complete strangers with any notion of subtlety? It could be a Clemson Tiger linebacker, Donald Trump or Wattie Buchan, the frontman for punk legends, the Exploited. The answer is all of the above, but for our purposes, the Exploited will once again forget to play any soulful ballads when they headline a four-band punk rock extravaganza tonight (May 17) at the venerable Ventura Theatre.
Time to leave the 93023? For the Cowboy Junkies maybe?
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Cowboy Junkies
Be there or be square: The Cowboy Junkies at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido, Santa Barbara, Thursday (May 16), 8 p.m. Cost: $105 or $50. Call: 805-963-0761.
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
Sometimes it’s time to leave the iconic Ojai Valley, and coming home will always be a good thing. One possible reason for a fairly convenient roadtrip is the first local appearance in a few years of the Cowboy Junkies. Thursday night (May 16), the band will be at the iconic Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara where the sound is always perfect, following a smooth cruise up the coast or the back road over Highway 150 to Carpinteria.
Q&A with Smoky Knights performing May 3 at Deer Lodge
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Smoky Nights
Be there or be square: Smoky Knights at Deer Lodge, 2261 Maricopa Hwy., Meiners Oaks, Friday (May 3), 10 p.m. Cost: Free. Call: 646-4256.
Bill Locey, Ojai Valley News Rock Talk columnist
It seems like everyone in El Lay is either writing a screenplay, playing in a band, getting towed or moving to Ventura County where they’re certain to remark that the traffic isn’t so bad up here. Doing some of that — mostly the band stuff — the Smoky Knights will be driving north and returning to their 805 happy place — the Deer Lodge in Meiners Oaks, where they have a Friday Night (May 3) gig.