Anderson .Paak brings Smokey Robinson, Isley Brothers to Ventura festival

Anderson .Paak performed at the Ventura County Fairgrounds — a venue he loved as a child — in front of thousands of screaming fans Friday night as part of his charity .Paak House festival.

The Grammy Award-winning musician, who is part of the group Silk Sonic with Bruno Mars, said he went to the Ventura County Fair every summer.

"To meet up with friends, my family members, with the rides and the food, we really looked forward to that," .Paak said in an interview before Friday's concert. "So this has been something that I've been wanting to do. It means a lot to be able to do it at the Ventura County Fairgrounds."

The Oxnard-born .Paak, who was raised in Oxnard and Ventura, recreated the county fair with some tweaks at Friday's all-day affair. The festival included a giant slide, food trucks and even a roller skating rink.

The local festival, started in 2017, raises money to support underserved youth through the Brandon Anderson Foundation, named after .Paak's birth name. The nonprofit is focused on arts education and after-school and summer programs. The last festival was held in December 2021 at Oxnard's College Park.

"Giving all of this shows exactly what type of person he is," said Karen Jones, 55, of Oxnard, who wore a shirt with the name of the city in the style of .Paak's 2018 album "Oxnard."

Jones said .Paak played drums at her church, St. Paul Baptist Church in Oxnard, when he was younger.

"He's always been humble. He's always been a sweetheart," Jones said. "He has not changed to this day and so from there I'm just going to support him."

The festival featured hip-hop, rhythm and blues and local marching band performances before .Paak performed around 10:30 p.m.

The audience sang along as Smokey Robinson performed "My Girl," the Isley Brothers crooned "Footsteps in the Dark" and Mario belted out "Let Me Love You."

"I wanted to do an old-school vibe this year," .Paak said.

Hip-hop dance group Jabbawockeez and musical characters from the "Yo Gabba Gabba!" television series performed on the main stage. A side stage was focused on aspiring artists including local singer Audrey Lisette and hip-hop artist Inzom.

Fireworks finish night

During his headlining set, .Paak and the Free Nationals performed hits from "Oxnard" and the 2019 album "Ventura."

"Eight thousand...people came here tonight," he said on stage to cheers. "I'm sorry, but this is special. It's been awhile since I've been home. It feels good."

.Paak ended the night with "Make it Better," which features Robinson on the album, but the soul singer who performed earlier in the day did not join in for the 11:30 p.m. performance. Fireworks shot off as .Paak ended his set.

Ventura couple Luis and Andrea Samayoa are longtime fans who attended the festival for the first time.

"Anybody can listen to it," Luis Samayoa, 23, said of .Paak's music. "It's just cool to see somebody who grew up in this area and made it as far as he did."

Andrea Samayoa, 24, said the festival matched .Paak's "very open energy."

"Someone paid for my parking; I didn't have cash," she said. "Everyone is really open, friendly, and everyone's here to enjoy really good music."

.Paak said growing up in Oxnard and Ventura has given him a unique perspective on life with its beach-town, laid-back vibe. The area has the characteristics of a big city, small town and vacation spot, he said.

"That creates a different kind of people," he said. "I'm really grateful that I was able to grow up here because I think it gave me my own perspective as opposed to growing up in a city like L.A. or New York."

He continues to help and work with the Oxnard Performing Arts and Convention Center and wants to open a restaurant, bar or other business in Ventura County one day, he said.

He will soon release an album with his collaborative group NxWorries, a duo with producer Knxwledge, on Stones Throw Records.

"It's almost cooked," he said, adding the duo plan to perform on the road.

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Anderson .Paak brings Smokey Robinson, Isley Brothers to Ventura fest