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Psychedelic Soul
When one thinks of a ghost, there’s an understanding that the figure represents a being that was once living but now continues to exist in the ether, on another plane. Seth Applebaum’s Ghost Funk...
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Outpatient X: Santa Cruz Skate Punx
Remember when punk bands were punk bands? When it was just a couple of musicians getting together for the love of music, playing live and having fun? Outpatient X remembers. “We never want to stop...
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Full-Throated Rock
Bringing traditional music to the masses without losing what makes it special is no easy task. But a group of Mongolian musicians has succeeded on that score, in part by combining the music of their...
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Making ‘History’
Ireland’s Thomas Walsh makes original music that rivals the best work by two of his heroes: Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne and Andy Partridge of XTC. Echoes of the Beatles and the Kinks’ Ray...
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Party Like It’s 2005
This weekend local music promotion company PinUp Productions marks 20 years of booking shows—punk, hardcore, metal, hip hop and everything in between—in Santa Cruz and throughout the Bay Area and...
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Batman Returns
In 2017, the Quarry Amphitheater on the UC Santa Cruz campus reopened after being shuttered for 13 years. Its first event was a soft opening, a concert for students, donors, basically anyone who was...
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Raising the Dead
Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the end of the harvest season. The Gaels believed that on Oct. 31 the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead becomes...
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Breaking Barriers
An inevitable force of nature. That’s the best way to describe Los Angeles–based four-piece garage psych band Frankie and the Witch Fingers, who play Moe’s Alley the night before Halloween. Formed in...
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Indie Country
Attention, Nashville: There’s going to be an assault on the way coming out of Texas. It’s going to take the form of a 40-song album—that’s right, 40—from Aaron Watson, who, in 2015, became the first...
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System Failure
Just in time for the elections, local punk band Good Riddance have released a song to encourage political engagement. “No More System to Believe In” was released Oct. 22 by Fat Wreck Chords and the...
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Code Blue
“For 12 hours I am the horror story,” exclaims Jack Grisham in his jovial manner. “I’m the guy knocking someone’s teeth out with a hammer and stuffing them into the floorboards.” Before anyone calls...
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Triple Treats
New Music Works is at it again. The adventurous performances of the 2024-25 season swing into high gear on Nov. 9 with “Three’s Company,” a series of sparkling musical works involving trios. Armed...
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Finding Their Way
Purgatory. A state of temporary suffering or purification after death in order for souls to be cleansed before reaching heaven. It isn’t hell, but a constant feeling of dread while trying to reach the...
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Above Ground
I told him, ‘If you’re too busy, then this is the band for you,’” laughs Clifford Dinsmore. “Because we don’t do shit!” The singer is talking about when he asked guitar player Ed Gregor (ex-No Use for...
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Open to Change
Progressive quartet The Pineapple Thief has been busy. The group from Southwest England released It Leads to This, its 15th studio album, in February. Led by guitarist and songwriter Bruce Soord, the...
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Taking Flight
Odie Leigh, known for her honest, raw and thoughtful musicianship, will be flying into the Felton Music Hall on Dec. 7 as part of her “Carrier Pigeon” tour. Leigh began her career in music as a bet...
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Son of Fishbone
Releasing a new song about a presidential candidate days before the election—and calling that song “Racist Piece of Shit”—is a surefire way to get noticed. But Fishbone has never really had any...
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Ring in the New Year Live
There have been years when staying home on New Year’s Eve seemed like the best option. Not this one. If you like EDM, classic rock, Indian music or burlesque, Santa Cruz has you covered. Check out our...
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Casting Spells
‘I started writing it the day after one of my best friends overdosed,” Joshua Cremer says slowly after some contemplation. He’s talking about the power of songs to have a life of their own, sometimes...
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Plugged In
Not so many years ago, the only path to success for a recording and performing artist was to land a record deal. The marketing and administrative muscle of the major labels was essential to getting...
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