Q&A with Mojo Monkeys’ Billy Watts performing Aug. 24 in Ventura
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The Mojo Monkeys
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Mojo Monkeys at Grapes & Hops, 454 E. Main St., Ventura, Saturday., 9 p.m. CALL: 805-616-2375.
Those simian sidemen who are the Mojo Monkeys will be stepping into the spotlight — sort of like King Kong on Broadway, but with a better beat and infinitely less destruction and more dancing. For the first time in a long time, the band will return to the 805 for a Saturday night (Aug. 24) show at Grapes & Hops in Ventura. This musical monkey business is the side job of three very busy players — singing drummer Dave Raven, bass player Taras Prodanuik and guitar player Billy Watts. Their collective résumés would fill up the rest of this darn fine family newspaper.
Q&A with Guy Martin performing Aug. 17 in Ventura
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Guy Martin
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Guy Martin Band, Todd Hannigan & Sleeping Chief at Ventura County Credit Union, 2575 Vista del Mar, Ventura, Sat. (Aug. 17), 5 p.m. COST: $35. CALL: 643-8044.
The governor and his masters from the builders/tourism industry — the growth-is-the-law folks — want to build 5 trillion new homes in your neighborhood; and for them, yesterday would not be soon enough. Yet, despite the persuasive and coercive powers of state government, local government too often has resisted. Locals invariably don’t want to pave their quality of life so a bunch of people they don’t know can move here.
Q&A with McFadyen of 50 Sticks of Dynamite performing Aug. 11
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Ian McFadyen (center) performs with 50 Sticks of Dynamite at MadeWest Brewing Company in Ventura. The band will return to perform at the brewery again on Aug. 11.
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: 50 Sticks of Dynamite at MadeWest Brewing Company, 1744 Donlon Drive, Ventura, Sunday, 3 p.m. COST: Free.
Ain’t no Earl Scruggs banjo. Ain‘t no Kingston Trio banjo. Ain’t no Steve Martin banjo, and ain’t no Bela Fleck banjo, either, and hopefully never, the banjo playing the theme to “Deliverance,” but rather it’s the aptly named and insanely incendiary 50 Sticks of Dynamite, fronted by Ian McFadyen playing an electric banjo, even as he channels his inner Jimi Hendrix. The band will be at MadeWest Brewing Company in Ventura on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 11.
Q&A with Kyle Swan performing at Ojai Deer Lodge Aug. 2
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Kyle Swan
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Kyle Swan Band at Deer Lodge, 2261 Maricopa Hwy., Meiners Oaks, Friday, Aug. 2, at 10 p.m. CONTACT: 805-646-4256.
Ojai local Kyle Swan will enjoy one of those clearly convenient home-game gigs when he plays the Deer Lodge in Meiners Oaks Friday night (Aug. 2). Usually a solo guy with no need for math when it comes to splitting the dough after the gig, Swan has expanded his horizons as he will be fronting his new band — certain to embellish his vast and weighty repertoire, at present numbering more than 80 originals.
Q&A with Dave Wakeling of English Beat performing at Libbey Bowl July 26
Photo by Jay Gilbert
Dave Wakeling of The English Beat, acting out one of the band’s well-known songs, “Mirror in the Bathroom.”
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: The English Beat at the Libbey Bowl, 210 S. Signal St., Ojai, Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m. COST: $24, $34, $38 or $44. CALL: 888-645-5006.
One of the greatest bands of all time — the English Beat — with the technology to turn a root canal from Dr. Dick Cheney into a dance party, and still fronted by Dave Wakeling returns to the Libbey Bowl tonight, Friday, July 26.
Q&A with Chris Cohen, Dear Nora performing at Greater Goods July 24
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Chris Cohen
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Chris Cohen, Dear Nora at Greater Goods, 145 W. El Roblar, Meiners Oaks, Wednesday, July 24, 7:30 p.m. 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
Lucky little Meiners Oaks — it has four places to hear live music, many within walking distance for the locals — a good way to avoid any unpleasant conversations with the cops. The Hut has bands now and then, the Farmer & the Cook has music outside on summer weekends, the Deer Lodge has new music every weekend with local talent and touring rock stars to be, and Greater Goods has something going on every night — not always music but always trippy, sort of like a spiritual relative of Green Art People, a past-tense artsy hangout in Ventura.
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.