Tag Archives: bands

A Couple of Things…Ventura Music Week

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Kat Merrick, Totally Local VC, David Comden of VC Report & Me.

Kat Merrick of Totally Local VC, David Comden of VC Reporter & Pam Baumgardner of VenturaRocks.com.

1. Ventura Music Week is underway.  I have no idea how we’re pulling it off, but I’m thinking the endless hours of planning and running around rallying the troops might have something to do with it.

2. I love the venues and the people who have stepped up to help with Ventura Music Week.  They get it.  It’s not about what’s in it for them…but about coming together as a community to brand Ventura as a music town.

3. Monday night is a special screening of Dave Grohl’s film, “Sound City, Real to Reel.”  There are obligatory rumors of a special guest showing up…just saying.

4. Our kick off party on Friday was amazing. Music from Dan Grimm, Spencer the Gardener, Raging Arb and the Redheads and the McEuen Brothers all performing in the historic Erle Stanley Gardner Building (known as the birthplace of Perry Mason). Plus we had City Councilmen, Carl Morehouse and Mayor Mike Tracy in attendance.

5. Went to a private Whiskey tasting event Sunday afternoon at The Tavern. I’ll be honest, I was a little scared of overindulging.  Especially having not eaten all day long. Highlight was finally getting to see Rey Fresco perform.

6. I love when I go out to shoot a show that I’m never alone.  I always run into friends to hang out with.

7. One of the perks of Ventura Music Week is establishing new relationships with and getting to know business owners. Most are extremely hard working individuals who deserve help.  Some others…not so much.

8. I am grateful I was wise enough to take vacation time from my day job so I could focus entirely on pulling off Ventura Music Week.  Plus I don’t have to worry about a curfew.

9. 100 bands – 30 venues – 10 days – 1 city.  Yeah, that’s Ventura Music Week baby!

10. Many thanks to Kat Merrick whose drive, expertise and commitment to seeing this through.  Seriously, without her…well  I couldn’t even imagine!

11.  Ventura Music Week was put together by a committee of business owners who donated their time and/or resources:  David Comden, publisher from the VC Reporter, Kevin Clerici of Downtown Ventura, Sam Benner of Benner Marketing, Peter Brown of The City of Ventura, Gary Stewart of Four Brix, Pam Baumgardner (me!) of VenturaRocks.com and of course Kat Merrick from Totally Local VC…thank you for all your hard work.  We did it!!!

12. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file:   “I would rather die of passion than boredom.” Vincent van Gogh

Thanks for listening.

(Photo above is from the Ventura Music Week kick off party)

A Couple of Things…

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Eve, Me and Kat with members of Mandex

Eve, Me and Kat with members of Mandex

1. I’ve been holding my breath waiting on my final grades for the semester.  Why are they so important?  Why do I place so much value in them.  Either I know the material or I don’t.  It really should be pass or fail, no?  Education is a privilege I don’t take lightly.

2.  So far, I got an “A” in Photography.  Neener Neener Neener!!!

3.  Another semester done.  It always feels slightly weird that I no longer have to encorporate studying into my regular schedule.  Kind of afraid my mind will turn to mush.  But it’s funny how time is like a vaccuum.  I clear up four nights of school, and immediately it’s filled with webwork.

4.  As you can tell by the photo above, I’ve been working very hard on making this music scene happen here in Ventura.  It’s really a tough gig to have sometimes!

5.  When asked what my favorite decade of music is, I’m always quick to say the 90s. But after seeing Mandex (above), I’m leaning towards the 80s more and more.  Guns n Roses, Bon Jovi, the Crue.    Good times!

6.  I’ve been putting in mucho hours toward making Ventura Music Week a success this year.  But I have to be honest, I’m so tired of whiners!!!!!

Oh wait…Was I just whining?

7.  I’ve been crazy busy.

8.  I recently had the singer of a band come up to me as I sat at a wine bar, he seranade me as he rocked me gently with his arms around me from behind.   I was very flattered until I heard he was a player…then not so much.

9.  I’m proud to say I’ve never read “50 Shades of Grey”.

10.  My father was hospitalized recently for dehydration while away on vacation in another state.  It wasn’t critical by any means, but there is nothing worse than feeling helpless.

11.  Today is Memorial Day:  “We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them.” — Francis Amasa Walker.  WORD

12.  From my Favorite Facebook Posts file:  Audrey Hepburn quote from the movie “Charade”:     “I don’t bite, you know…unless it’s called for.”

Thanks for listening.

A Couple of Things…

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Boys playing in the ocean.

1. Saturday in Ventura was picture perfect!  Sunshine, Earth Day celebrations along the promenade at the beach.  Boys playing in the ocean (see photo above), music at the fairgrounds. Marty Party up at the ranch behind Two Trees.  Life is good!

2. Ventura has so much amazing talent. VenturaRocks.com is doing our share of helping to promote this scene.  Now we just need to get more people out supporting it!

3. I saw fireflies in person (in flies?) for the first time in my life five years ago in Louisiana.  They are freakin’ cool.  I thought Disney was pulling my leg on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride all these years.

4. From my “Little Did They Know” file:  I’m a sucker for sardines on saltines with onions.

5. I’ve never had a fast food drive-thru error in my favor.

6. I love music and I love live radio, but I especially love that sense of community when the two come magically together once in a blue moon.  The staff, from the owner to the PD to the on-air crew definitely have to share that vision.  I was lucky to be a part of one once.

7. On the flip-side, I don’t like corporate radio shoving their playlist down your throat.  I don’t like voice tracks. I’ve been unlucky to be a part of one once..for about three months. Sucked the life out of me.

8. WARNING!!!  Flashback moment:   I have to say, I really miss eating Trix and watching Bugs Bunny on Saturday mornings.

9. Clipper Nation Baby!!!

10. From my “Favorite Facebook Posts” file::  “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain

A Couple of Things…March 21, 2013

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VenturaRocks.com 4th Anniversary Party

VenturaRocks.com 4th Anniversary Party

(Originally posted on Facebook, March 21, 2013)

1. Spring has sprung.  Life is incredibly good.

2. I love participating in parades, especially in a small town like Ventura.  It’s so corny, you just have to embrace it! The look on the children’s faces makes being goofy so worthwhile.

3. It fascinates me how loud women get when there are more than four at  a table.  I also find that the volume increases exponentially by the number of drinks ordered.

4. I love a good book.  I love a good movie.  I love a good song.  But most of all, I love a good friend.

5. Sydney Rose said the funniest thing the other day when I mentioned that she gets her assertiveness from me.  She totally agreed and then pondered out loud wondering what she got from her dad.  Not missing a beat, we both said at the same time, “Flakiness.”  To which we had a good laugh!

6. I want you to succeed.  How can I help?

7. From my Favorite Facebook Quotes file:  “I’m a non-violent person until I see I see a spider.  Then I turn into Al Capone, and “I want him DEAD!  I want his family DEAD!  I want his house burned to the GROUND!”    Yeah, that’s me.

8. My friend reminded me recently, “In no way are you ever responsible for another’s bad behavior.”  That may be true my dear friend, but we can hold them accountable for it. And more than that, we can shame them and let them know we won’t stand for it.

VenturaRocks.com just celebrated our 4-year anniversary on Sunday.  I selected a few of the photos to share in the montage I posted. I want to  thank my BUSINESS partner Eve for all her hard work. If you get a chance, please read my annual State-of-the-Ventura-Rocks-Website address:

http://venturarocks.com/blog/venturarocks-com-4th-anniversary/

Thanks for reading and for your comments!  I really do love our discussions!!

A Couple of Things…March 11, 2013

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Bob's Big Boy

Bob’s Big Boy

(Originally posted on Facebook March 11, 2013)

1. Spring Break is here! Yippee!! What am I doing?  Working more!!! Nice.

2. I learned this weekend that beets on pizza is not such a good thing.  For starters, in a dimly lit room, they look like pepperoni.  Trust me, they taste nothing like pepperoni.

3. However, I tried Collard Greens for the first time last week, and nom nom nom! Delicious!!

4. I recently had to turn down the advances of a very nice man. Either the chemistry is there or it isn’t.  It’s never ever an easy thing to do, that is unless they’re a complete jerk.  But you know I don’t attract complete jerks.  Oh wait…

5. Book or movie first?  Discuss please.

6. Oh!  I’m learning bandspeak.  When a band says they go on at 9:00 pm, that actually means somewhere between 10 and 10:45.  It’s not an exact science.

7. So, VenturaRocks.com is having its first ever  event.  It’s our 4th anniversary so we’ll be celebrating with a few hundred peeps at Bombay Bar & Grill on St. Patrick’s day with our favorite bad boys The Shoemaker Brothers.  Join us if you can!

8. Living with three women has its advantages.  For instance, I find a lot more reading material around the house, little notes if you will.  Case in point, the other day I found this sticky note:  “Eat Me”  on a container of homemade peanut butter cookies.

9. It looks like  Sydney Rose landed another job. Yep! She’s about to be once again gainfully employeed at a new burger restaurant here in town.

10. I thank my lucky stars I no longer work in a burger joint.

11. Saw a post which stated, “The way people treat you, is a statement about who they are as a human being.  It is not a statement about you.”  author unknown.  True, but not always easy to see.

Photo was taken back when I was working at Bob’s Big Boy on Beach Blvd while I was attending Fullerton College. I was around 21.  We use to turn up the
music, take off our aprons, tie up our shirts and hitch up our skirts, and we became…The Bob-ettes!!!  One way to get your side-work down after a long night of schlepping  burgers. I took the photo on the right…so you don’t get to see my dance moves, which is a good thing.