Three generations of Punk Rock music fans gathered at Vina Robles Amphitheater on August 18th, many dressed in full punk regalia, for a trio of crowd-pleasing performances. The three bands appearing represented three different eras of the punk genre and were all met with an enthusiastic response from the multigenerational crowd.

Hot, dry summer winds buffeted a sold-out audience at the Vina Robles Amphitheater in Paso Robles on Saturday, August 14th. The mostly older audience gathered early at the venue, one of the most beautiful in all of California. The occasion was a night of Latin flavored rock featuring the Los Angeles-based Los Lobos and the Miami flavored Tejano group, The Mavericks.

Photographer Jay Blakesberg brought his acclaimed live rock and roll presentation, “Between The Dark and Light,” to a sold-out audience at the Alcazar Theater in Carpinteria. The show was the first live event at the theater since the pandemic shut down more than a year ago. Formerly known as the Carpinteria Plaza Playhouse theater, the gem of a venue with accidental perfect acoustics has returned to its original name.

American Blues rock guitarist extraordinaire Jared James Nichols may not have huge name recognition in the pop music world but that may soon change abruptly. The young hard rocker with a heavy picking style was named as an official Global Ambassador for Gibson Guitars in June. Jared is one of three guitarists to be given this title, the other two being Slash and Dave Mustaine putting him in rarified company.

Finally, live music is back throughout southern California venues. Alt-Pop singer-songwriter CLO was at the forefront of fresh new live performances, making her post quarantine debut at Federal Noho in North Hollywood. The restaurant and live music venue had been bringing top live entertainment to the working-class side of Hollywood, more known for its film production houses than its nightlife scene, for more than a decade.

The veteran rock band WAR, which formed back in 1969, brought a live show to an appreciative audience in Ventura, California. The May 29th show was part of the Concerts In Your Car series at the Ventura fairgrounds. War is a musical crossover band that fuses rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, psychedelia, and reggae.

Sound Mind Live presented its third annual Mental Health Music Festival on May 20th at the Ventura Fairgrounds. The show was part of the Concerts In Your Car series, which features live music for a drive-in audience. The four-hour show combined five live music sets with comedians, commentators, poets, and more.

Alternative rock fans can rejoice with the return of live music to the Ventura Fairgrounds. The exceptional event, courtesy of the Concert In Your Car series that features drive-in live music performances, features an impressive roster of Alt-rock performers.