Yeeehaaa! The Mid State Fair is here! Have you been?

This will be my first time! And I decided to do it with some style, or funk, and go see Aerosmith tonight.

While the fair isn’t Out Here, it’s more, Up There, it’s something native to us Californian’s. We do have the Ventura County Fair coming next month much closer to home.

These are great venues to see some famous acts. It looks like I missed Justin Bieber and Sammy Hagar last week at the Mid State Fair, but there are still some great acts! Check out the line up. And for that matter, check out the line up at the Ventura County Fair. Dust off your cowboy/girl boots, your hat, and your jeans, grab a beer and rock out with your fellow Californians at some fun outdoor venues. We sport great weather, unlike our east coast and midwest counterparts.

This ain’t your mama’s glee club!

With the Fox hit “Glee” making glee glamorous, these guys make glee HOT! Since 1999, The University of Oregon’s all male a capella group has been performing for competitions and crowds. Check out this spring’s amazing Gaga tribute.

This makes me want to go back to college!

For more information on this group, check out their website.

Oh, and in case you haven’t seen the real Gaga video for Bad Romance, check it out, and see how they got inspired.

Ok, first…go look up vociferation. Ok….now deep breaths with me.

I feel like ranting. Today’s subject? Venues with corporate names.

Verizon Wireless Theatre, Citzens Bank Arena, Club Nokia, Honda Center, Staples Center. Need I go on? Yes…yes I do. Now I know all these corporations think they need to throw their names around, like Lebron James, but it makes it really hard to know where you are going in So Cal when you don’t get to call it, for example, Irvine Meadows, anymore. I KNEW where Irvine Meadows was. Heck, I even drove there myself!

But I can’t just leave you with my vociferation, ’cause I’m a giver. Here goes:

Citzens Bank Arena = 4000 E. Ontario Center Parkway. Ontario, CA (Inland Empire) – hell of a drive from Out Here

Club Nokia =  800 West Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015 (in LA’s “downtown” because there actually IS a downtown – you may be surprised at that)

Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre = 2050 Entertainment. Chula Vista, CA 91911 – and so you aren’t confused, this venue was formerly named Coors Ampitheatre…okay?

Honda Center = 2695 East Katella Avenue. Anaheim, CA 92806 – this is the one near Anaheim (LA? California?) Angel Stadium. The “other” team.

Staples Center = 1111 South Figueroa Street. Los Angeles, CA 90015 – This one is hard to miss, but it’s also in “downtown LA” and you can’t get there by walking, because nobody walks in LA

and alas!!!

Verizon Wireless Theatre = aka IRVINE MEADOWS =  8808 Irvine Center Drive. Irvine, CA 92618. I know how to get here!

I’m pretty sure my rant is from a consumer perspective. I don’t think the artists care what the venue is called, if they’ve made it to the big stages and seats these venues have to offer. But it still makes me twitch.

It’s funny how we come into music we like. The path of finding good music reminds me of relationships. Sometimes you come across something in the least likely way, and find out how you can’t live with out it.

I guess if “typical” music finds are through radio or maybe now more like a facebook “like” from a friend, or itunes, I am atypical. This story proves it.

I actually started following Butch Walker for his tweets. Someone I follow on twitter often retweeted his gems. I actually had no idea who Butch Walker was (I never said I was hip, I just LIKE music, and like to write, and like to escape from my family sometimes in order to do so…). His wise-ass writing made me laugh enough to follow him myself. When I realized I should know more about him, being YOUR music source and all (ha! I know I’m not that, but I like to play Queen for the Day sometimes) I checked out his site. Which was just as fabulous as his sarcastic BS on twitter. Then, I listened to his music. But only after I saw pics on twitter of his fun tour with Pink in Europe.

Turns out, he’s pretty damn famous. He’s produced some great music (some Weezer, some Pink, some Taylor Swift, lots of Avril Lavigne). He’s someone who can both perform and produce, what I like to call a double whammy! He’s witty and talented, and until I found out he also produced Katy Perry‘s 2008 album, One of The Boys, I thought I’d found my dream-music man. That whole Katy Perry thing really ruined it for me. But I’ve moved on.

I’m stuck right now listening to his 2004 album Letters. It may not be his hottest stuff, but I’m liking it. I’ll move on to more modern stuff soon, until then, I’ll chuckle at his great tweets, I’ll pretend I don’t know about Katy, and I’ll love him for his music.

Debbie gives you the scoop on live music in the CV:

There are abundant reasons to love Conejo Valley. The mild weather, the outdoor venues for shopping, eating and playing. Add free music to the scene and it almost makes it impossible to want to leave.

Check out any of these summer music programs in the CV. Bring the family, enjoy the weather, and get your groove on.

Janss Marketplace – Every Wednesday in June/July from 6-8 pm

The Oaks Mall - Thursday evenings this summer from 6-8 pm

Westlake Promenade – Saturday nights from 6:30 – 9:30

Thousand Oaks Parks District – beginning at 5pm; various dates

Paraiso Town Center, Newbury Park – 5-7 pm in July/August; Sunday’s

Gardens of the World – Sundays in August from 5 – 6:30 pm

With this much free live entertainment, from Jazz to Reggae, there is something for everyone. And supporting musicians by attending these events encourages the arts. Spending time outdoors with your family keeps things light and fun. Do it for the arts. Do it for the family. Do it all summer long.