Q&A with Roudman of Dirty Cello, performing Saturday in Ventura and Carp
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Rebecca Roudman of Dirty Cello
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Dirty Cello at Namba Arts, 47 S. Oak St., Ventura, Saturday (Jan. 18), 8 p.m. COST: $20. CALL: 805—628—9250. Also, Sunday (Jan. 19), at Carpinteria Womans Club, 1059 Vallecito Road, 4:30 p.m. COST: $20. CALL: 805—479—4000.
And on cello … Jimi Hendrix? Well, not in the flesh, obviously, but, in spirit perhaps, something like that will await those who come to check out the eclectic Bay Area quartet, Dirty Cello. In a thinly veiled effort to sell a few of their many CDs, the band also hopes to raise some green to assist Kid Artists at Music and Art For Youth. The band does it nice, so they’ll do it twice — Saturday night in downtown Ventura at Namba Arts, and the next afternoon at the Carpinteria Womans Club.
Q&A with James Lee Stanley, performing at Ojai Underground Exchange Jan. 11
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James Lee Stanley
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: James Lee Stanley at Ojai Underground Exchange, 1016 W. Ojai Ave., Sat., 7 p.m. COST: $20. CALL: 340-7893.
The iconic James Lee Stanley will bring his three names, a million songs and a thousand stories to the cozy Ojai Underground Exchange Saturday night (11 Jan). Clearly, Stanley won’t run out of original music or resort to covers – he has just released his 34th album, `Without Susie.’ Yeah, 34.
Q&A with Rita Hosking, performing Jan. 11 in Camarillo
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Sean Feder and Rita Hosking
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Rita Hosking & Sean Feder, Shane Bruce at Camarillo Café, 1605 Burnley St., Camarillo, Sat. (Jan. 11), 7:30 p.m. COST: $20. CONTACT: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Once upon a time, a woman of infinite patience but now a prolific singer/songwriter, Rita Hosking, along with her significant other – Sean Feder – will headline the latest edition of the Camarillo Café on Saturday night (11 Jan.) The former eighth grade teacher is as energetic as her former scholars-in-training but more focused. Hosking has eight albums in 15 years. That’s a lot. Shane Bruce, all the way from Carpinteria, will open.
Q&A with Jerry McWorter Trio performing Jan. 7 in Ventura
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Jerry McWorter
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Jerry McWorter Trio at Copa Cubana, 1575 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. COST: Free. CALL: 805-642-9463. He is also performing with Hot Roux on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 4:30 p.m. at at Cold Spring Tavern in Santa Barbara. COST: Free. CALL: 805-967-0066.
Here’s why you and everybody you know are always home on Tuesday night: It’s the worst night of the week in the bar biz, always has been. Many places close or else employ a skeleton crew because they’re not going to make any money anyway, so why bother? But that singing Ventura drummer, Jerry McWorter, has solved this lingering dilemma by reliably attracting an energetic crowd to the Copa Cubana on Tuesday nights down in the Ventura Harbor — a much livelier destination that it used to be when it was the city dump.
Q&A with Shawn Jones performing at Topa Mountain Winery Dec. 28
Photo by Matthias Rhomberg
Shawn Jones
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Shawn Jones Trio at Topa Mountain Winery, 821 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai, Saturday, Dec. 28, 3 p.m. CALL: 805—640—1190.
“Along Came Jones,” in addition to being a Gary Cooper movie and a Coasters’ AM radio hit, is also a viable option for music lovers indifferent to the OU/LSU Peach Bowl game when Shawn Jones plays some bluesy rock at the Topa Mountain Winery in Ojai on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 28). Keeping up with the Jones will be Mario Calire and Sam Bolle, resulting in the Shawn Jones Trio. While some special guests may in fact, throw off the math, special is always a good thing musically.
Q&A with Bergmann of Rose Valley Thorns performing Dec. 21 and 26 in Ojai
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Rose Valley Thorns
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Rose Valley Thorns at Greater Goods, 135 W. El Roblar, Meiners Oaks, Saturday, Dec. 21, at 7 pm. COST: Donation suggested. CALL: 856-8687. Also performing at the Vine, 308 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, Thursday, Dec. 26,at 7 p.m. COST: Free. CALL: 646-1555.
The most popular band in the Ojai Valley, the Rose Valley Thorns, will do it nice when they do it twice, performing at a pair of gigs within the comfortable confines of their hometown. Anyone who can afford to live in the 93023 can afford these shows — they’re both free. On Saturday evening (Dec. 21), the band will be at Greater Goods in beautiful downtown Meiners Oaks, and then there’s their regular Thursday night (Dec. 26) gig at the Vine in beautiful downtown Ojai.
Q&A with Jimmy Callahan of Ill Repute performing Dec. 15 in Oxnard
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Ill Repute
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Nardcore Navidad with Ill Repute, Know, False Confession, Civil Conflict, Railer, Nothing Special, Dead Heat, Fist Fight On Ecstasy at Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Sunday, Dec. 15, 4 p.m. COST: $10. CALL: 805-385-8147.
Almost 40 or so years ago, angry local kids, inspired by the punk scene in Los Angeles started hanging out and making their own parent-scaring punk rock. Four bands — Stalag 13, Agression (cq), Dr. Know and Ill Repute — started a scene that has come to be known as Nardcore, which is Oxnard + Hardcore. And you probably thought Oxnard was only noteworthy for its exasperating traffic jams that occur anywhere at any time for no apparent reason and its casual relationship to some of the best farmland in the world. Strawberry fields whatever.
Q&A with Brian Batchley performing Dec. 6 in Ojai and Dec. 8 in Ventura
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Brian Batchley
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Brian Batchley’s Blues Bash at the Vine, 308 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, Friday (Dec. 6), 8 p.m. CALL: 805-646-1555.
4Kids2Kids Toy Drive at Ventura Beach Club, 281 W. Main St., Ventura, Sun. (Dec. 8), 1 p.m. COST: $25 + unwrapped toy. CALL: 805-302-8054
It’s going to be paradise for local blues fans who can do it nice (and twice) by showing up to a pair of cool local events — one tonight (Dec. 6) in Ojai and another Sunday (Dec. 8) in Ventura. A common thread for both elbow-bending opportunities is “Smilin’ Brian,” who knows a thing or two about the blues and Paradise. He is lending his name to Brian Batchley’s Blues Bash at the Vine in Ojai tonight, and he’s also appearing Sunday at the 19th Annual 4Kids2Kids Toy Drive at the Ventura Beach Club. He won’t forget to bring his harmonicas, although he doesn’t have as many as he used to.
Q&A with Maher Zaidi of Char-Man, performing Nov. 29 at Deer Lodge
Photo by Albert Munoz
Char-Man
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Char-Man and Pinnr at Deer Lodge, 2261 Maricopa Highway, Meiners Oaks, 9 p.m. COST: $8 CALL: 805-646-4256.
Charman has been alternately attracting and terrorizing Ojai teens since 1948 — evidently a spirit of a badly burnt man — a late-night lurker near the bridge where Hermosa Road meets Creek Road, or just a short scream away from Camp Comfort. Then there’s Char Man, a locally made hot sauce with some varieties potent enough to make the Night King and Frosty the Snowman sweat. And, finally, there’s Char-Man, the Ojai band celebrating 16 years of melodic punk rock tonight (Nov. 29.) with a show at the Deer Lodge in Meiners Oaks.
Q&A with Alastair Greene performing Nov. 22 at Grapes & Hops in Ventura
Photo by Roy Gilbert
Alastair Greene
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Alastair Greene at Grapes & Hops, 454 E. Main St., Ventura, tonight (Nov. 22.), 8 p.m. COST: Free. CALL: 805-616-2375.
If and when long hair comes back in style, Alastair Greene will be like a god. But fleeting appearance considerations aside, Greene will always be a guitar god, and he will be playing a convenient and affordable gig Friday night (tonight, Nov. 22) at Grapes & Hops in Ventura.
Q&A with Masson of Shaky Feelin performing Nov. 15 at Oak & Main
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Shaky Feelin
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE: Shaky Feelin at Oak & Main, 419 E. Main St., Ventura, Friday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. COST: Free. CALL: 805-648-6862.
Shaky Feelin will do its jam band thing at one of those ever-affordable free shows at Oak & Main in Ventura Friday night, thoughtfully providing a destination for Deadheads and/or Phish Heads who have been spinning aimlessly for too long due to the fact that their musical heroes live more in memory than play in the flesh.