Downtown Santa Cruz events

Silly Sober Karaoke is a fun, welcoming, and alcohol-free night where everyone is invited to take the stage and share their favorite songs. Whether you're a seasoned performer or singing in public for the first time, this is a supportive space to celebrate music, creativity, and community. Bring your favorite song, cheer on fellow performers, and enjoy an evening of connection without the pressure of a bar scene. All ages and experience levels are welcome—come solo, bring friends, or make new ones along the way. Because great music, great people, and great memories don't need alcohol. 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 7:00–10:00 PM All Ages • Free to Participate The 418 Project • 155 River St. S., Santa Cruz Sing your heart out. Celebrate community. Be yourself.

A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.

Motion Pacific's Melissa Contemp. Jazz class series at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, CA, running weekly through November.

Ben Flocks is a saxophonist and storyteller with a clear, warm, and purposeful voice. A veteran performer and educator, Flocks has been lucky to play with luminaries in jazz and beyond, including Dave Brubeck, Patrice Rushen, Antonio Sanchez, and Jumaane Smith. His 2019 release Mask of the Muse features Flocks’ rendition of “Ebb Tide” which has been streamed more than twenty million times and went viral on TikTok. Growing up in the Santa Cruz mountains, Flocks witnessed lunar grandeur over the churning Pacific surf and filtered through redwood canopies. Following the advice of his elders, he spent over a decade living in New York City, learning from the masters and leading his own bands at the 55 Bar and Cornelia Street Cafe. Flocks is now grounded in Los Angeles where he balances performing with a full schedule teaching at Glendale Community College, Harvard-Westlake, and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. At its foundation, his latest album Moonshades is a trio exploration, acutely aware of the history of saxophone triumvirates led by Flocks’ heroes Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, and Joshua Redman, but concerned with an entirely different avenue, thanks to bandmates Garret Lang and Jay Bellerose. While those trios often relished dexterity and unrelenting momentum, Flocks and his compatriots linger in the openness and unhurried propulsion that comes so naturally to them. For Flocks, the moon is a powerful reminder of the unknowable and the spirit of searching. Flocks will be joined by Garret Lang on bass and Jay Bellerose on drums for this special hometown album release performance. Ben Flocks Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)

Bite Me returns upstairs above the Catalyst Club on Cat Alley Street in downtown Santa Cruz. 21 and over, no cover charge. On the Second Friday of September, the doors swing open once more for a nocturnal gathering of outsiders, romantics, night creatures, artists, and all manner of beautiful misfits. Come dressed to the nines—or better yet, dressed to cause a little trouble. There will be door prizes for best dressed, so do put on something suitably scandalous. Or don't. We are exceedingly welcoming. The evening commences before the revelry reaches full swing. Join us early for an evening of creativity, conversation, peculiar amusements, and wonderfully strange company. The Bite Me Salon 6:00 PM — Doors 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM — The Bite Me Salon A proper gathering of the peculiar sort, featuring: Deathrock Karaoke — 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM — In the Lounge In California, we once called dark music deathrock. At some point, the public imposed the word “goth” upon us. We remain unconvinced. Think punk rock karaoke for creatures of the night. Step into the lounge, take the microphone, and give the room something to remember. If there’s a particular tune you simply must belt out, send word ahead of time and we shall do our level best to have it ready. Goth Makeovers A little rouge, a little ruin, and perhaps the transformation you never knew you required. The Macabre Makers Faire Local artists, curious craftsmen, peculiar creations, and sundry oddities for those with an appreciation for the unusual. Goth Clothing Swap Bring along clothing, accessories, boots, and other splendid articles you'd like to pass along. Take home something new-to-you. Clear out the wardrobe, refresh the ensemble, and give some forgotten finery another night on the town. 7:00 PM — Complimentary Pizza for Guests Because even the most debauched among us must occasionally fortify ourselves. The Main Floor 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM — The Barbary Ghost — Opening Set 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM — Big Fun 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Konceptualizer — Live Multimedia Act A full multimedia performance synchronized to the music, bringing sound and spectacle together in one strange and immersive affair. 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM — SamSonic 11:00 PM – Midnight — The Barbary Ghost Midnight – 1:30 AM — Iron Fist from Death Guild / Thunderdome Expect an eclectic nocturnal cocktail of dark dance punk, goth, industrial, techno, deathrock, and whatever other wicked sounds strike the fancy of our musical conspirators. No solemn rules. No dreary conventions. Just good music, good company, and a dance floor waiting to get itself into trouble. Come early, stay late, meet new people, discover new music, and spend an evening amongst those who understand that the finest nights are rarely conducted according to respectable society's timetable. Bite Me is less a nightclub than a monthly gathering of beautiful misfits—a midnight salon for those who have always felt a little more at home beneath neon than sunlight. So powder your nose, straighten your collar, lace up those boots, and come join the revelry. The night is young. The respectable have gone home. Come early, stay late.

Brian Fitzgerald Jazz Trio

SPAM New Media Festival launches it’s California edition of their annual festival with performances by interdisciplinary artist Jean Carla Rodea, collaborative duo Abram Stern & Dorothy R. Santos, and new Santa Cruz-based project EPOCH. Jean Carla Rodea Jean Carla Rodea is an interdisciplinary artist with a research-based practice, originally from Mexico City and currently based between San Francisco, CA, and Brooklyn, NY. Their work spans music, sound, vocality, performance, poetry, photography, video, and sculpture, moving fluidly between solo projects and collaborative, cross-disciplinary environments. They draw from shifting identities, immigration, ritual, performance, ecology, construction work, and improvisation, engaging deeply with time-based media and the diverse spaces where these interactions take place. A central focus of their practice is the exploration of critical socio-political issues, including the politics of the body, gender, memory, and imbalanced human relationships. They are particularly invested in how time is constructed through memory, and how those memories—whether embodied or embedded within spaces—are recorded, fragmented, and continually reconstructed. This investigation opens pathways for fiction and speculative dimensions to disrupt and challenge dominant narratives. Archival research is a recurring methodology in their work, encompassing both institutional and personal archives. From these materials, they craft speculative histories, responding to documents, physical traces, and spaces. In their engagement with the archive, they embody multiple performative roles: witness, observer, participant, and researcher, each inhabiting the temporary sites where events unfold. Dorothy R. Santos, Ph. D. Dorothy R. Santos, Ph. D. (she/they) is a Filipino-American writer, artist, and media scholar. She earned her Ph.D. in Film and Digital Media with a designated emphasis in Computational Media from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She i

Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.

Join us for a series of daytime talks with SPAM artists Jean Carla Rodea, Dorothy R. Santos, and Abram Stern. Program Jean Carla Rodea - The Archive is a Body. Rather than presenting a chronological review of my practice, this session investigates how memory is recorded, distorted, embodied, and reconstructed. Dorothy R. Santos - untitled talk Abram Stern - untitled talk About the Artists Jean Carla Rodea Jean Carla Rodea is an interdisciplinary artist with a research-based practice, originally from Mexico City and currently based between San Francisco, CA, and Brooklyn, NY. Their work spans music, sound, vocality, performance, poetry, photography, video, and sculpture, moving fluidly between solo projects and collaborative, cross-disciplinary environments. They draw from shifting identities, immigration, ritual, performance, ecology, construction work, and improvisation, engaging deeply with time-based media and the diverse spaces where these interactions take place. A central focus of their practice is the exploration of critical socio-political issues, including the politics of the body, gender, memory, and imbalanced human relationships. They are particularly invested in how time is constructed through memory, and how those memories-whether embodied or embedded within spaces-are recorded, fragmented, and continually reconstructed. This investigation opens pathways for fiction and speculative dimensions to disrupt and challenge dominant narratives. Archival research is a recurring methodology in their work, encompassing both institutional and personal archives. From these materials, they craft speculative histories, responding to documents, physical traces, and spaces. In their engagement with the archive, they embody multiple performative roles: witness, observer, participant, and researcher, each inhabiting the temporary sites where events unfold. Dorothy R. Santos, Ph. D. Dorothy R. Santos, Ph. D. (she/they) is a Filipino-American writer, artist, and media sch

A Queer Line Dance Party & Variety Show

Bongo Sidibe is a Traditional Drummer and Vocalist from Conakry Guinea, in West Africa. Bongo Sidibe uses his Traditional background as an Artist to create a unique style of music (Traditional, Funk, Reggae Mandingue, Ragga Murfing and Dancehall). He uses his style of music to send a message to the world about Peace and Community Building

SPAM New Media Festival continues with performances by electronic percussionist Sunken Cages, collaborative duo Rohan Chander & Scott Li, and artist / instrument builder Ava Koohbor. About the Artists Sunken Cages is the project of Indian-born drummer/electronic music producer Ravish Momin. He has studied with US Jazz master-drummer Andrew Cyrille and has worked as a sideman with a wide array of musicians including US Jazz legend Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre (AACM/Chicago) and pop-star Shakira. In the past, he led Tarana, a shapeshifting global-Jazz group, on international and domestic stages for 14 years. His current collaborative projects include 'Turning Jewels Into Water' (with Haitian electronic music pioneer Val Jeanty), a duo with dragonchild (Ethio-American saxophonist DA Mekonnen) and a trio with dancer Ishita Mili and video-artist Art Jones. He has recently produced tracks with South African Gqom group Phelimuncasi (Nyege Nyege Records), Saxophonist Maria Valencia (Meridian Brothers), producers Makossiri (Hakuna Kulala, Kenya), Saskia (QTV, Brazil), Kush Arora (Discrepant, US), Baba Sy (Jokkoo Collective, Spain/Senegal) and Rani Jambak (Indonesia, Yes No Wave.) Rohan Chander is a media artist, electronic musician, and performance artist with an interest in recombinatory approaches to sound and aesthetic. Rooted in political and personal inquiry, he often draws from sample-based artforms, performance art, speculative fiction, and historical research. His work has been described as "hypersensory" (Washington Post), "remarkably alive" (The Wire Magazine), and of "transcendent metamorphosis" (I Care If You Listen). Under his solo DIY project BAKUDI SCREAM, I won the Gaudeamus Prize for Music Composition in 2022. Scott Li is a NYC-based violinist, composer, producer, improviser, filmmaker, and electroacoustic sound artist blending the Romantic classical chamber music tradition with deeply emotive, boundary-pushing electronic music. Li‘s music is first and foremo

Join us for a series of daytime talks with SPAM artists Rohan Chander and Ava Koohbor. Program Ava Koohbor - Four Modes of Sonic Behavior: Oscillation / Vibration / Circulation / Pulsation. What can we learn from the body as a system? I explore oscillation, vibration, circulation, and pulsation as four forms of behavior that can become compositional structures. Through simple mechanisms and their interactions, I look at how complexity and unpredictability can emerge from a system. Rohan Chander - untitled talk About the Artists Rohan Chander is a media artist, electronic musician, and performance artist with an interest in recombinatory approaches to sound and aesthetic. Rooted in political and personal inquiry, he often draws from sample-based artforms, performance art, speculative fiction, and historical research. His work has been described as "hypersensory" (Washington Post), "remarkably alive" (The Wire Magazine), and of "transcendent metamorphosis" (I Care If You Listen). Under his solo DIY project BAKUDI SCREAM, I won the Gaudeamus Prize for Music Composition in 2022. Ava Koohbor works between sculpture and instrument, poetry and circuitry, memory and electronics, Tehran and San Francisco. Her practice explores sound as a field of relations, where listening, making, and material continually reorganize one another. Her work takes shape through instruments, performances, installations, exhibitions, and books. Her latest book, Of Flesh and Frequency: A Poetics of Sound Making, was published by Lithic Press in 2026.

Sunday, Oct. 11th – 2:00 PM – SMALL THEATER October Family Matinee – 40th Anniversary!! LABYRINTH (1986, Columbia/Swank, 101 min.) “Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City,” says resourceful teenage heroine Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) to the King of the Goblins, Jareth (David Bowie, at his most 1980s-fabulous with massive wigs, tons of eyeliner and MTV-era fashions). Director Jim Henson’s much-loved fantasy-adventure follows Sarah as she winds her way through the enchanted, MC Escher-like Labyrinth in search of her missing half-brother, encountering an astonishing gallery of Henson puppet creations along the way: the massive Ludo! the wisecracking Worm! Hoggle! whatever those weird red feathery things are in “Chilly Down”!! Produced by George Lucas and written by Monty Python member Terry Jones, and featuring some of Bowie’s best-loved kid-friendly songs including “Underground” and “Magic Dance.” **Children under the age of 10 admitted free.** $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Doors open at 1:30 PM, film at 2 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate. Safety protocols will be in compliance with local guidelines at the time of showing.

Kailua Moon, the next generation of Slack Key guitar artistry with beautiful classic Island Style vocals and a fresh contemporary feel.

Throughout their storied forty-three-year history, the Yellowjackets have recorded twenty-six albums, received sixteen GRAMMY nominations (winning two), performed countless sold-out tours, and enjoyed worldwide critical acclaim and commercial success. The Yellowjackets formed in the late 1970s as the backup band for guitarist Robben Ford. They recorded their first album together in 1980. Since then, and with the addition of Bob Mintzer, the Yellowjackets have gained and maintained prominence as one of jazz’s most influential and loved groups. Over the years the band has undergone numerous lineup changes. Never failing to rise to the inevitable challenges of adjustment, the Yellowjackets – featuring Russell Ferrante on piano and synthesizers, Bob Mintzer on woodwinds & electronic wind instrument, Will Kennedy on drums and Dane Alderson on bass – have maintained an extraordinarily high quality of musicianship that is the rival of many but a surprise to no one who knows and appreciates the band and their music. Yellowjackets Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)

Vocalist, composer, actor, and playwright Somi Kakoma is the Midwestern daughter of immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda. Hailed by The New York Times as “a virtuosic performer in full command of her instrument and powers,” she is known in the international jazz world simply as ‘Somi.’ Her 2021 GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album made her the first African woman ever nominated in any of the GRAMMY jazz categories, as well as the first Rwandan or Ugandan ever nominated for a GRAMMY. Her last release, Zenzile: The Reimagination of Miriam Makeba, was a companion project to the critically acclaimed original musical Dreaming Zenzile that Somi also wrote and starred in as a tribute to the great South African singer and activist. Her highly anticipated forthcoming album, What Does It Take to Bloom?, will be released in August 2026. Somi is a recipient of two NAACP Image Awards and a Doris Duke Artist Award. Recently, she made her Broadway debut in the titular role of the TONY Award-winning play Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.

Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PD® program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinson’s teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinson’s is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.

A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.

Motion Pacific's Melissa Contemp. Jazz class series at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, CA, running weekly through November.

“Well at least nobody could ever accuse us of releasing too much music!” quips guitarist Greg Carmichael on the release of their latest EP The Empire of Lights, “but I think our fans know by now that we’re a little obsessive about only releasing music when we have something ready that we really love.” The four tracks on their latest release visit familiar themes for longtime fans, from the western shuffle of “8,000 Miles” to the reggae flavours of “Alisio”, the upbeat joy of “Back to Back” to the laid back groove of “Other People”. “We hope there’s something here for everyone,” says Miles Gilderdale, “we’re very lucky that over the years we’ve found fans that just get what we’re doing, so we can wear our influences on our sleeves and not have to try and fit into any one style.” With over thirty five years of recording and touring, the band’s longevity may be due in part to that spirit of never trying to fit in, but to just make music that they love, “I feel really grateful that we’ve been on such a long journey with our fans and they’re still there with us.” Carmichael says, “We talk after shows and it’s always such an honor to hear the stories of how our music has been the soundtrack to so many people’s lives”

Bonnie Raitt performs live with special guest Jon Cleary at Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Blues, rock, and R&B from the legendary guitarist.

with Artikal Sound System & Pacific Roots

Every first and third Fridays at Cat Alley Street, our beat conductors take you on a high-style ride showcasing underground street sounds- Brought to you by Subterrestrials Records. Doors and Bar open at 6pm, Music at 9pm. No Cover, 21+

Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.

Join the MAH for a community art market as a part of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History's Evergreen Artist in Residency Program! Enjoy arts, crafts, exhibitions, vendors, live music, food trucks, and more!

Indexical is pleased to present an evening of music from the Nathan Clevenger Group and composer/improvisor Marc Perez. The Nathan Clevenger Group will be performing new arrangements of pieces from 'Astrolabe' (2025), a suite for large ensemble, as well the debut of a newly composed piece from a developing 'Astrolabe Apocrypha.' Marc Perez performs "Present/Out Of," a new multimedia work exploring the boundaries and relationship between sound, text & community. This piece aims to bring forth the question "how much of yourself can you give in order to be present and active, listening within a space?" About the Artists Nathan Clevenger is an Oakland-born composer and multi-instrumentalist, working on the margins of modern composition, jazz, and free improvisation. Since 2003, Clevenger's primary ensemble has been the Nathan Clevenger Group, which has ranged from 5 to 12 players and released four albums, most recently Astrolabe (2025). For Astrolabe, Clevenger expands his long-running Group to a 12-piece pocket chamber orchestra, featuring a five-member wind ensemble, cello, and a complement of three mallet percussionists augmenting the piano-bass-drums rhythm section. The seven-movement suite weaves together sounds and influences from 20th century concert music, jazz, film scores, collective and free improvisation, and percussion ensemble music, filtered through Clevenger's singular compositional aesthetic. Beth Schenck: alto & soprano saxophones Cory Wright: Bb & bass clarinets, alto flute Ian Carey: trumpet Lisa Mezzacappa: bass Jon Arkin: drums, percussion Jason Levis: percussion Nathan Clevenger: keyboards, percussion Marc Perez is a composer, performer, improviser, artist, author, curator and organization leader whose work is concerned with freedom of agency, access, trans-disciplinary arts & improvisation. As a performer, they have been featured at various festivals such as High Desert Soundings, Seoul International Computer Music Festival & Angel City Jazz Fest

The Olive Tree is a poetry mic and public gathering space hosted by local poet Gabriel Kittle-Cervine. This monthly event seeks to honor the deeply rooted tradition of spoken word poetry in Santa Cruz, while uplifting the emerging voices of today. Each monthly event includes a free writing workshop, poetry open mic, and a featured reader at the end, highlighting new publications from local writers, as well as the works of touring poets. @ The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, every 3rd Sunday afternoon! 2:30 - Free Workshop; 3:30 - Sign Ups, 4:00 - Open Mic, 5:00ish - Featured Poet Informed by previous public offerings like The Word Church, Kinetic Poetics Project, Poetry Santa Cruz, among others, this space is intended to create a new opportunity for local poets of all ages and cultural backgrounds to express themselves honestly and emphatically on a public stage. This is a room for honesty, accountability, and radical co-existence; through the practice of telling our truth, and being able to hold the truth of others, we seek to build our sense of community. All vinyl house music. 10$ suggested entry donation. 4 minutes per poet. Follow @olivetreepoetrymic on Instagram to learn more, and we hope to see you there!

Santa Cruz, get ready. BLVK H3RO LIVE with THE 3PEAT BAND * SELECTA 7 Grab your tickets here!! One of Jamaica’s most exciting new voices hits Santa Cruz for a night of reggae, dancehall, rhythm, and pure live energy. Big tunes. Full band. Heavy vibes. BLVK H3RO brings a fresh generation of Jamaican sound to the stage, backed by The 3PEAT Band with Selecta 7 keeping the night moving. Don’t miss this one. BLVK H3RO LIVE & THE 3PEAT BAND + SELECTA 7 Santa Cruz, California Come early. Stay late. Feel everything.

Buster Williams is a prodigious artist, bassist, and bandleader whose collaborations include work with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Kenny Barron, to name a few. Williams has recorded soundtracks for movies including; David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and Spike Lee’s Clockers. Williams won a GRAMMY in 1979, and received five stars from DownBeat Magazine for his album, Crystal Reflections. In 2004, Williams celebrated the release of Griot Liberte featuring Stefon Harris, George Colligan, and Lenny White. Kevin Convey, of the Boston Herald, wrote, “Just when you thought nobody made the kind of jazz album that depends more on class, beauty, chops and communication than on concepts and star value, along comes bassist Buster Williams’ Griot Liberte. It’s enough to restore your faith in the art form.” In 2006, Williams performed with the Mary Lou Williams Collective on the critically acclaimed album The Zodiac Suite. In 2007, Williams recorded a trio date with the late John Hicks. Released as On the Wings of an Eagle, the album would be Hicks’ last recording. The Buster Williams Trio will feature Williams on bass, George Colligan on piano, and Domo Branch on drums. Buster Williams Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)

A recurring karaoke night held on the first and third Tuesdays at The 418 Project. Grab the mic and sing your favorite songs in a casual, welcoming setting.

Sober Karaoke is a fun, welcoming, and alcohol-free night where everyone is invited to take the stage and share their favorite songs. Whether you're a seasoned performer or singing in public for the first time, this is a supportive space to celebrate music, creativity, and community. Bring your favorite song, cheer on fellow performers, and enjoy an evening of connection without the pressure of a bar scene. All ages and experience levels are welcome—come solo, bring friends, or make new ones along the way. Because great music, great people, and great memories don't need alcohol. 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 7:00–10:00 PM All Ages • Free to Participate The 418 Project • 155 River St. S., Santa Cruz Sing your heart out. Celebrate community. Be yourself.

Zwergenmusik - German Parent Toddler Class Session 3 October 20 to Nov 10, 2025 Montags 4:30-5:15 Music, singing, movement, instrument exploration, and craft activities for kids in German with Tatjana on Mondays. $100 per session. 50% off for siblings 9 months and older. Sliding scale available. For questions or to join contact Tatjana [email protected]

Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PD® program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinson’s teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinson’s is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.

A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.

Motion Pacific's Melissa Contemp. Jazz class series at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, CA, running weekly through November.

A sign-up based Open Mic night for anyone involved in making electronic music, whatever the style, genre or format - anything from ambient and drone through synth pop, techno to industrial, noise and beyond! The intent is to showcase live performances of music that is PRIMARILY ELECTRONIC IN NATURE - e.g. acts using hardware or software synthesizers, electronic instruments, laptops, groove boxes, drum machines, sequencers and so forth. Interested in performing? Sign up at

The Joel Frahm Trio – featuring saxophonist Joel Frahm, bassist Dan Loomis, and drummer Ernesto Cervini – has quickly become one of today’s most exciting chord-less ensembles. Their acclaimed debut The Bright Side (2021) and follow-up Lumination (2024), both on Anzic Records, showcase original compositions full of groove, lyricism, and fearless interplay. Frahm’s warm, powerful sound and emotional directness find perfect balance with Loomis’ inventive bass lines and Cervini’s dynamic drumming. Together, they bring humour, blues spirit, and joy to the stage; captivating audiences across North America and Europe with music that is adventurous, deeply human, and unmistakably their own. Joel Frahm Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)

Through motion capture, immersive sound, and real-time digital systems, CHARI performs alongside Harriet, a life-scale avatar carrying a living archive of Black cultural memory. Together, they move through fragments of sound, image, and memory, shaping the world around them as the performance unfolds. Performing Anarchive brings body and technology together in a live exploration of memory, movement, and possibility. About the Artist: CHARI (Dr. Chari Smith, Film and Digital Media) is an NY Emmy-nominated composer, interdisciplinary artist, humanities scholar, and new media archivist. Their practice explores alternative archival methods through and with a Black lens, building immersive worlds through sound, installation, and performance while critically engaging technology as subject, tool, collaborator, and adversary.

Indexical presents an evening concert with Amy Reed and Matt Wellins. Amy Reed performs Bibwika, a song cycle for heavy guitar. Matt Wellins opens with a set for live electronics. ALSO: Don't miss Wellins' hands-on junk electronics workshop on Sat., Oct. 24, 2026! About the Artists Amy Reed is a guitarist, improviser, painter and composer. They came up through the Bay Area and Central Valley hardcore, noise, freakfolk and creative music scenes. They carry the experience of music as a force of good (Oliver Lake). Their new release Bibwaka (sing) is a live studio session of solo song cycles layered in heavy guitar feedback. They have a trio with Biggi Vinkeloe (flute, Saxophone) and Peeter Uusklya (Percussion) with a 2023 release Cedar Smoke. New Paintings and Scores are published by Susie Ibarra's Label, Habitat Sound (2026, Berlin). They recently worked on field in Sikkim, India with Susie Ibarra's Himalayan sound team. Performed with Rhythm and Nature Orchestra in Ibarra's Four Meditations on impermanence premiering at PS21 Open Air Pavilion Chatham, NY. They lead MA Ensemble, performing original compositions and also Pauline Oliveros' Arctic Air and Six for New Time with IONE Live performance, audio and visual scores have been presented at CRISAP's Wild Energies: Live Materials; Unearthed: A Festival of listening and environment. Arab.AMP, NowNet Arts International Conference, The Center For Deep Listening Premier Festival RPI Troy, NY, IONE's Dream Festivals. Women and Roots Fellowship; GAC - Göteborg, West Sweden, and Words of the People language rematriation retreat, Tulsa, OK. Their writings and paintings are published in Adult Skateboarding Zine session 1-19 edited by Josh Kline. Matt Wellins, found most frequently at transfer stations, dollar stores, and internet forums for bootlegged films, otherwise resides in New Haven, CT. His work is broadly occupied with the ways that material objects resist control, the snafus of live performance, and how difficult it

Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.

Join us for the Día de los Muertos community celebration of traditional music, dance, and art at the MAH. This fall, the MAH invites you to our annual Día de los Muertos Celebration. On this beloved Oaxacan cultural holiday, the day will be filled with Musical and Dance Performances by Senderos. Throughout the day, we will have hands-on activities, live music, and the powerful presence of community. Explore the MAH to view beautifully crafted altars known as altares, or ofrendas, created by community organizations. Schedule for the Day 12-3 pm - Free Drop-in Art and Cultural Activities 1-3 pm - Musical and Dance Performances Video Storytelling: Honrando Mis Ancestros y Comunidad Learn about Día de los Muertos from our community partners and leaders of Senderos. Hear the story of Día de los Muertos in our community and the importance of honoring this beautiful celebration, together. Watch the video here! Would you like to volunteer at this event? Volunteer hours: 10-1pm, 1-3pm, 3-5pm Join us as we welcome and greet people attending Día de los Muertos at the MAH. During the event, you'll be helping set up, walking around the facility to check in with guests, providing any assistance if needed, and helping break down. No experience is necessary. Training is provided. Contact [email protected]

Get ready to vibe with classic Laurel Canyon hits from the golden era of '67 to '75 live!

FRONTIER SUNDAY 🌵 Tickets available now! Sunday, October 25th | 3–7PM Woodhouse Blending & Brewing Spend Sunday afternoon at Woodhouse for Frontier Sunday , presented by No-Brainer Productions. Join us for an afternoon of live music with Edge of the West and Lemongrass featuring Taylor Rae , bringing a mix of roots, folk, Americana, and West Coast sounds to the Woodhouse stage. Grab a beer, settle in, and make an afternoon of it. Sunday, October 25th 3–7PM $15 Kids 13 & under free Woodhouse Blending & Brewing | Santa Cruz, CA

Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative: Songs of tenacity, solidarity and liberation underscoring Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Fonville x Fribush is the brand new musical collaboration from acclaimed drummer Corey Fonville (Butcher Brown) and in-demand organist Sam Fribush. Like a hip-hop link up from the 90s, the pair’s collective ear, musical talents, and friendship pushes the limits of the R&B organ trio sound into a youthful, tasty style of ‘blue collar jazz.’ Fonville x Fribush features a rotating cast of guitarists in the studio, including Charlie Hunter, Alan Good Parker and Morgan Burrs. Songs like “I Couldn’t Love You More” and “Blue Chips” immerse audiences in Atlantic Coast soundscapes of their hometown roots in North Carolina and Virginia. In 2026, they released their debut Fonville x Fribush EP, R&B Organ Trio, featuring Charlie Hunter.

Born in Oakland, California in 1950, Susan Muscarella began playing the piano when she was eight years old. Predisposed to improvising, she was encouraged by her first teacher to play the music she loved – jazz. Muscarella made the decision to become a professional musician while still in high school. In 1975, she was a composition major at UC Berkeley when UC Jazz Ensembles invited her to join its program’s faculty. The extracurricular program’s students inspired Muscarella to expand the curriculum into a bona fide program of study. She was promoted to Director in 1984, and, for the next five years, grew the program’s enrollment, expanded its curriculum and produced the largest annual collegiate jazz festival in the country – the Pacific Coast Collegiate Jazz Festival. The Piano Trios of Bud Powell, Bill Evans & Keith Jarrett will explore the artistry and unique qualities of some of jazz’s most beloved piano trios. Can’t make it in-person? You can stream it! Click here to register.

Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PD® program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinson’s teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinson’s is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.

A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.

Motion Pacific's Melissa Contemp. Jazz class series at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, CA, running weekly through November.

BITE ME! No Cover • Last Thursday of Every Month Cat Alley Street (upstairs above The Catalyst) – Santa Cruz https://catalleystreet.com A high-energy Goth / Industrial / Deathrock / EBM / Techno night in a swanky new vampire venue. THE DANCE CHAMBER Be among the first to experience our brand-new, state-of-the-art sound system. Our DJs will make you shake your fine goth ass from 6 PM onward. THE BAR Exclusive Bite Me cocktails, including the Banshee and London After Midnight. THE LOUNGE A cozy, quieter space across from the bar featuring hand-picked furnishings curated by the Baron's cat of Cat Alley Street himself. Plus the Macabre Makers Faire: • Jewelry and clothing makers • Tintype photography • Goth makeovers • Other dark delights BEST DRESSED Select free drink tickets awarded to our most impeccably dressed guest vampires. COME EARLY DJs start at 6 PM, and our new kitchen will be serving pizza. Vampires may not be assumed to eat human pizza, but trust the cat, it’s totally worth it! We’ve created a beautiful, comfortable, and welcoming vampire lounge and can’t wait to share it with the greater Goth community and kind-hearted misfits of all sorts. Fly upstairs. Last Thursday of each month. Bite Me!

Eternities is an intuitive collaboration between bass clarinetist Katie Porter and sound artist Bob Bellerue. Their work is inspired by deep presence, resonant feedback, melodic drone, and overtone magic, in the fluid realm between intention and indeterminacy. For this special event, Katie and Bob present solo works followed by a collaborative performance to close out the evening. About the Artists Katie Porter is a clarinetist, performer/composer, writer, and artist. Her work is rooted in decades of experimental and community performance practices, where she explores how music can exist almost like landscapes or relationships, slowly altering our ability to perceive change, time, and space. Devoted to collaboration, Katie performs as Phase to Phase (with Lucio Capece), Eternities (with Bob Bellerue), MUD (with Anne Penders), MOONS (with Christine Tavolacci, Laura Cetilia, and Judith Berkson), and premiered works by many living composers including Phill Niblock, Sarah Hennies, Tristan Perich, Christian Wolff, Michael Pisaro, Eva-Maria Houben, and Teodora Stepancic. Katie's writings are published in Sound American, and her recent creative work can be heard in Brooklyn's ISSUE Project Room archive, where she was 2024 Artist-in-Residence. Bob Bellerue is a sound artist, experimental musician, curator, audio engineer and technical director based in Ridgewood NY. Since 1987 he has been involved in a wide range of sonic activities - experimental music, sound art, noise, junk metal percussion ensembles, hippie punk bands, soundtracks for dance/ theater/ video/ performance art, and sound / video installations. Bob's electronic sound work is focused on resonant feedback systems, using amplified instruments, objects, and spaces, in combination with electronics, field recordings, and software written in the Supercollider audio synthesis programming language. Bob's music has been presented by The Kitchen, Issue Project Room, MOMA/PS1, Pioneer Works, and he has released dozens o

Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.

Silly Sober Karaoke is a fun, welcoming, and alcohol-free night where everyone is invited to take the stage and share their favorite songs. Whether you're a seasoned performer or singing in public for the first time, this is a supportive space to celebrate music, creativity, and community. Bring your favorite song, cheer on fellow performers, and enjoy an evening of connection without the pressure of a bar scene. All ages and experience levels are welcome—come solo, bring friends, or make new ones along the way. Because great music, great people, and great memories don't need alcohol. 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 7:00–10:00 PM All Ages • Free to Participate The 418 Project • 155 River St. S., Santa Cruz Sing your heart out. Celebrate community. Be yourself.

A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.

Motion Pacific's Melissa Contemp. Jazz class series at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, CA, running weekly through November.

Make the MAH your first stop this weekend with FREE First Friday. Explore all three floors of the museum and see our latest exhibitions, check out our giftshop, and hangout among art and history! Then stay into the night dancing to live music out in Abbott Square. First Friday hours are 12-8pm. See you then!

Offshore Sounds First Friday in Santa Cruz. Late hours at the record shop with local vinyl DJs and new arrivals.

Every first and third Fridays at Cat Alley Street, our beat conductors take you on a high-style ride showcasing underground street sounds- Brought to you by Subterrestrials Records. Doors and Bar open at 6pm, Music at 9pm. No Cover, 21+

Los Pendejos Imbeciles Band

Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.

“What I do is instinctive, quiet and naturalistic. I want to document unobtrusively. I want to see who people really are. I frame up the situation and then I push the button. I always want it to look exactly the way it looks to me.” – Henry Diltz Henry Diltz‘s work as an iconic photographer in the 1960s and 1970s is celebrated for his unique “fly on the wall” style portraits and his ability to capture intimate moments with some of the world’s most influential musicians. Behind the Lens is a slideshow and storytelling experience – photographs that made music history and the stories by the man that took them. “I was a musician before I was a photographer,” says Diltz. “So I started out photographing my friends who then all happened to become famous!” Diltz was the official photographer at the historic Woodstock festival in 1969, 1994, and 1999. He has shot over 250 album covers and continues to document the music scene in Southern California. Diltz has recently been recognized with Lifetime Achievement Awards from the GRAMMYs, the Lucie’s, the International Photography Hall of Fame, Abbey Road Studios, & the American Society of Photographers. “Henry Diltz represents the pinnacle of our entire generation of music and musicians—a true hero to all of us who’ve known and worked with him through the decades. Since arriving in Los Angeles in 1972, we’ve been fortunate to call him a dear friend and collaborator on many of our album projects, after first admiring his extraordinary work capturing so many of our favorite artists. Now, through his narrated slideshow presentations, Henry brings that history to life in an unforgettable way. If you have the opportunity to see one, you’ll be taken on an incredible journey—it’s a must-see event. Don’t miss it.” — Dewey Bunnell & Gerry Beckley of America

Jackie Straw takes over The Jury Room for 2Step Tuesday. Live from Los Angeles

In celebration of the centennial of trumpeter Miles Davis, the Marcus Shelby Nonet presents Birth of the Cool: Revisited, featuring music from the groundbreaking Davis recording performed in its original instrumentation. Birth of the Cool was not a singular session, but the composite work of a young innovative genius at the beginning of a long and storied career; surrounded and supported by a group of forward thinking musicians, composers, and arrangers. Birth of the Cool remains one of the most enduring recordings in the history of music – let alone jazz. The Marcus Shelby Nonet consists of nine San Francisco Bay Area master musicians, all of whom are a part of the Marcus Shelby New Orchestra: Heidi Tretheren on French horn, Remee Ashley on trombone, Mike Olmos on trumpet, Tony Peebles on alto saxophone, Melecio Magdaluyo on baritone saxophone, Jonathan Seiberlich on tuba, Greg Jacobs on piano, Shelby on bass, and Jemal Ramirez on drums.

Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PD® program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinson’s teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinson’s is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.

Ken Okada Group feat. YOYOKA is a San Francisco Bay Area-based jazz fusion ensemble blending Japanese and American jazz fusion traditions with modern improvisation and vibrant rhythmic interplay. Led by bassist and composer Ken Okada, the group features GRAMMY award-winning saxophonist Ben Torres, DownBeat ‘Rising Star’ guitarist Hristo Vitchev, four-time GRAMMY award nominee Murray Low, and internationally acclaimed teenage drumming prodigy YOYOKA, known for her groove, musical depth, and commanding stage presence. The band has become a fixture of the Bay Area jazz scene, consistently selling out premier venues. Their international profile continues to grow, highlighted by a successful 2025 European tour, featuring sold-out performances at Barcelona’s historic Jamboree and a headlining appearance at Bulgaria’s Bansko International Jazz Festival.

Bite Me returns upstairs above the Catalyst Club on Cat Alley Street in downtown Santa Cruz. 21 and over, no cover charge. On the Second Friday of September, the doors swing open once more for a nocturnal gathering of outsiders, romantics, night creatures, artists, and all manner of beautiful misfits. Come dressed to the nines—or better yet, dressed to cause a little trouble. There will be door prizes for best dressed, so do put on something suitably scandalous. Or don't. We are exceedingly welcoming. The evening commences before the revelry reaches full swing. Join us early for an evening of creativity, conversation, peculiar amusements, and wonderfully strange company. The Bite Me Salon 6:00 PM — Doors 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM — The Bite Me Salon A proper gathering of the peculiar sort, featuring: Deathrock Karaoke — 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM — In the Lounge In California, we once called dark music deathrock. At some point, the public imposed the word “goth” upon us. We remain unconvinced. Think punk rock karaoke for creatures of the night. Step into the lounge, take the microphone, and give the room something to remember. If there’s a particular tune you simply must belt out, send word ahead of time and we shall do our level best to have it ready. Goth Makeovers A little rouge, a little ruin, and perhaps the transformation you never knew you required. The Macabre Makers Faire Local artists, curious craftsmen, peculiar creations, and sundry oddities for those with an appreciation for the unusual. Goth Clothing Swap Bring along clothing, accessories, boots, and other splendid articles you'd like to pass along. Take home something new-to-you. Clear out the wardrobe, refresh the ensemble, and give some forgotten finery another night on the town. 7:00 PM — Complimentary Pizza for Guests Because even the most debauched among us must occasionally fortify ourselves. The Main Floor 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM — The Barbary Ghost — Opening Set 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM — Big Fun 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Konceptualizer — Live Multimedia Act A full multimedia performance synchronized to the music, bringing sound and spectacle together in one strange and immersive affair. 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM — SamSonic 11:00 PM – Midnight — The Barbary Ghost Midnight – 1:30 AM — Iron Fist from Death Guild / Thunderdome Expect an eclectic nocturnal cocktail of dark dance punk, goth, industrial, techno, deathrock, and whatever other wicked sounds strike the fancy of our musical conspirators. No solemn rules. No dreary conventions. Just good music, good company, and a dance floor waiting to get itself into trouble. Come early, stay late, meet new people, discover new music, and spend an evening amongst those who understand that the finest nights are rarely conducted according to respectable society's timetable. Bite Me is less a nightclub than a monthly gathering of beautiful misfits—a midnight salon for those who have always felt a little more at home beneath neon than sunlight. So powder your nose, straighten your collar, lace up those boots, and come join the revelry. The night is young. The respectable have gone home. Come early, stay late.

Crash Davidian LIVE at club BITE ME! Bite Me! takes place at Cat Alley Street above The Catalyst. 21+ / 7:00 pm / FREE

In a trio formation with some of the core rhythm section players from the record, Max Jaffe, Gavin Gamboa, and Logan Kane reimagine the music from Jaffe's 2025 release You Want That Too! About the Artist Max Jaffe is a drummer, producer, composer, and technologist based in Los Angeles, CA. His work expands the possibilities of composition and collaboration through the drum set. In 2025, Jaffe released "You Want That Too!" on Colorfield Records. Eclectic and tuneful, the album received praise from Pitchfork and is being followed with a series of special live performances in varying formations. Max is a founding member of experimental rock collective JOBS, Amirtha Kidambi's Elder Ones, and several others. He has toured, performed, and recorded with many diverse artists including Wild Up, Steph Richards, Nels Cline, Ava Mendoza, Cass McCombs, DARKSIDE, Normal Love, Jeff Parker, Vinny Golia, Peter Evans, and many others.

Indexical is pleased to present a screening of experimental 16mm films by Paul Clipson, accompanied by a short talk from collaborator John Davis. Seating is limited. Advance tickets suggested. Special thanks to John Davis for projection assistance. Program Sphinx on the Seine (2009) Union (2010) Chorus (2011) Another Void (2012) Light Year (2013) About the Artist Paul Clipson (1965-2018) was a San Francisco-based filmmaker who often collaborated with sound artists and musicians on films, live performances, and installations. His Super 8 and 16mm films aim to bring to light subconscious visual preoccupations that reveal themselves while working in a stream of consciousness manner, combining densely layered, in-camera edited studies of figurative and abstract environments, in a process that encourages unplanned-for results, responding to and conversing with the temporal qualities of musical composition and live performance. His work has screened globally at events such as the International Film Festival Rotterdam, New York Film Festival and the Cinémathèque Française.

ISAIAH RASHAD M&G PACKAGE  One (1) general admission ticket to the show*  Individual M&G and photo with Isaiah Rashad  VIP access to a pre-show Q&A with Isaiah and his production crew  Early entry into the building with priority access to the floor  Exclusive VIP gift item  Official M&G laminate and wristband  Pre-show merchandise shopping opportunity  On-site VIP host and dedicated check-in *Locations may vary by venue, see specific date for details. VIP Q&A AND EARLY ENTRY EXPERIENCE  One (1) general admission ticket to the show*  VIP access to a pre-show Q&A with Isaiah and his production crew  Group photo with Isaiah Rashad in front of the stage  Early entry into the building with priority access to the floor  Exclusive VIP gift item  Official VIP laminate and wristband  Pre-show merchandise shopping opportunity  On-site VIP host and dedicated check-in *Locations may vary by venue, see specific date for details.

The Olive Tree is a poetry mic and public gathering space hosted by local poet Gabriel Kittle-Cervine. This monthly event seeks to honor the deeply rooted tradition of spoken word poetry in Santa Cruz, while uplifting the emerging voices of today. Each monthly event includes a free writing workshop, poetry open mic, and a featured reader at the end, highlighting new publications from local writers, as well as the works of touring poets. @ The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, every 3rd Sunday afternoon! 2:30 - Free Workshop; 3:30 - Sign Ups, 4:00 - Open Mic, 5:00ish - Featured Poet Informed by previous public offerings like The Word Church, Kinetic Poetics Project, Poetry Santa Cruz, among others, this space is intended to create a new opportunity for local poets of all ages and cultural backgrounds to express themselves honestly and emphatically on a public stage. This is a room for honesty, accountability, and radical co-existence; through the practice of telling our truth, and being able to hold the truth of others, we seek to build our sense of community. All vinyl house music. 10$ suggested entry donation. 4 minutes per poet. Follow @olivetreepoetrymic on Instagram to learn more, and we hope to see you there!

With a career spanning more than twenty years and six studio albums, Las Migas have become one of the most internationally acclaimed Spanish bands. They have performed in more than fifty countries and have been nominated four times for the Latin GRAMMY Award in the Best Flamenco Album category (2016, 2022, 2024, and 2025), winning the award twice. They have also received the prestigious MIN Award in 2019 and 2023 for their albums Rumberas and Libres, respectively. In the spring of 2025, Las Migas released Flamencas, a tribute to the essence and purity of flamenco. In this work, the band evolves its sound toward a more contemporary expression, wrapped in a powerful visual identity showcased in the video for “Celos,” directed by renowned fashion photographer Javier Biosca. The recording won the Latin GRAMMY Award for Best Flamenco Album. Throughout their career, Las Migas have collaborated with a wide array of acclaimed artists such as Estrella Morente, Viva Suecia, Rozalén, El Kanka, Kevin Johansen, Tomatito, Josemi Carmona, and Loli Molina. These collaborations reflect the immense musicality and versatility of this unstoppable all-women band.

A recurring karaoke night held on the first and third Tuesdays at The 418 Project. Grab the mic and sing your favorite songs in a casual, welcoming setting.

Sober Karaoke is a fun, welcoming, and alcohol-free night where everyone is invited to take the stage and share their favorite songs. Whether you're a seasoned performer or singing in public for the first time, this is a supportive space to celebrate music, creativity, and community. Bring your favorite song, cheer on fellow performers, and enjoy an evening of connection without the pressure of a bar scene. All ages and experience levels are welcome—come solo, bring friends, or make new ones along the way. Because great music, great people, and great memories don't need alcohol. 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 7:00–10:00 PM All Ages • Free to Participate The 418 Project • 155 River St. S., Santa Cruz Sing your heart out. Celebrate community. Be yourself.

John Carroll Kirby brings his iconic set to Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz.

Zwergenmusik - German Parent Toddler Class Session 4 Nov 17 to Dec 15, 2025 (no class Nov 24) Montags 4:30-5:15 Music, singing, movement, instrument exploration, and craft activities for kids in German with Tatjana on Mondays. $100 per session. 50% off for siblings 9 months and older. Sliding scale available. For questions or to join contact Tatjana [email protected]

Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PD® program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinson’s teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinson’s is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.

Every first and third Fridays at Cat Alley Street, our beat conductors take you on a high-style ride showcasing underground street sounds- Brought to you by Subterrestrials Records. Doors and Bar open at 6pm, Music at 9pm. No Cover, 21+

In 1988, drummer Brian Blade moved to New Orleans to attend Loyola University. It was at this time that he met Jon Cowherd and the roots of the Fellowship Band began. Both Blade and Cowherd were able to study and play with most of the master musicians living in New Orleans, including: John Vidacovich, Ellis Marsalis, Steve Masakowski, Bill Huntington, Mike Pellera, John Mahoney, and Harold Battiste. In 1998, Blade and Cowherd began recording their own music with the group The Fellowship. Together with bandmembers Chris Thomas, Myron Walden, and Melvin Butler, they have performed at esteemed venues like the Village Vanguard and festivals such as the Ottawa Jazz Fest, Newport Jazz Fest, and the New Orleans Jazz Fest. Over their twenty-seven years as a band, they have released seven recordings. Their debut, Fellowship in 1998, Perceptual in 2000, Season of Changes in 2008, Landmarks in 2014, Body And Shadow in 2017, live from the archives in 2022, and Kings Highway in 2023. On this concert date, Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band will feature Blade on drums, Butler on soprano and tenor saxophones, Walden on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Cowherd on piano, and Thomas on bass.

BITE ME! No Cover • Last Thursday of Every Month Cat Alley Street (upstairs above The Catalyst) – Santa Cruz https://catalleystreet.com A high-energy Goth / Industrial / Deathrock / EBM / Techno night in a swanky new vampire venue. THE DANCE CHAMBER Be among the first to experience our brand-new, state-of-the-art sound system. Our DJs will make you shake your fine goth ass from 6 PM onward. THE BAR Exclusive Bite Me cocktails, including the Banshee and London After Midnight. THE LOUNGE A cozy, quieter space across from the bar featuring hand-picked furnishings curated by the Baron's cat of Cat Alley Street himself. Plus the Macabre Makers Faire: • Jewelry and clothing makers • Tintype photography • Goth makeovers • Other dark delights BEST DRESSED Select free drink tickets awarded to our most impeccably dressed guest vampires. COME EARLY DJs start at 6 PM, and our new kitchen will be serving pizza. Vampires may not be assumed to eat human pizza, but trust the cat, it’s totally worth it! We’ve created a beautiful, comfortable, and welcoming vampire lounge and can’t wait to share it with the greater Goth community and kind-hearted misfits of all sorts. Fly upstairs. Last Thursday of each month. Bite Me!

Silly Sober Karaoke is a fun, welcoming, and alcohol-free night where everyone is invited to take the stage and share their favorite songs. Whether you're a seasoned performer or singing in public for the first time, this is a supportive space to celebrate music, creativity, and community. Bring your favorite song, cheer on fellow performers, and enjoy an evening of connection without the pressure of a bar scene. All ages and experience levels are welcome—come solo, bring friends, or make new ones along the way. Because great music, great people, and great memories don't need alcohol. 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 7:00–10:00 PM All Ages • Free to Participate The 418 Project • 155 River St. S., Santa Cruz Sing your heart out. Celebrate community. Be yourself.

Isaiah Sharkey stands at the confluence of modern soul, jazz, R&B, and Black American guitar tradition, carrying forward a lineage that links George Benson, Curtis Mayfield, Wes Montgomery, and Jimi Hendrix, while forging a vocabulary entirely his own. A GRAMMY award-winning guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer, Sharkey has become one of the most respected musicians of his generation – celebrated for his sophisticated harmonic sensibility, unmistakable tone, and ability to shape-shift effortlessly between musical worlds. Sharkey’s guitar work on D’Angelo’s landmark album Black Messiah earned him a GRAMMY Award and a position among the most innovative guitarists shaping contemporary Black music. As a solo artist, Sharkey has developed a distinctive, emotionally resonant sound that blends deep-pocket groove, virtuosic improvisation, and songwriter-driven storytelling. His latest album, RED, introduced audiences to his modern fusion of soul, R&B, jazz, and guitar-based narrative. His follow-up projects – each expanding his sonic palette – solidify his standing as an artist capable of speaking fluently to instrumental purists and mainstream audiences alike. His forthcoming releases explore new integrations of analog and electronic texture, guitar-forward harmonic architecture, and songwriting rooted in personal truth. Whether performing his own music or elevating the work of others, Sharkey brings the same signature qualities: precision, warmth, spirituality, and an unshakeable sense of groove.

Make the MAH your first stop this weekend with FREE First Friday. Explore all three floors of the museum and see our latest exhibitions, check out our giftshop, and hangout among art and history! Then stay into the night dancing to live music out in Abbott Square. First Friday hours are 12-8pm. See you then!

1970’s Jazz-Rock Revue If you wish the era of 1970’s jazz-rock and progressive rock never ended, then this is the band for you! Joshua Cedar (guitar) transcribed and charted some of the most amazing (not to mention insanely difficult) music of this incredible era and — perhaps even more amazing — found musicians who can play it! Joshua assembled local touring and studio musicians to perform original instrumental arrangements of some of the greatest 1970’s era jazz-rock and prog rock. So, join us in the celebration of the music of Rush, Genesis, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Dregs, Jeff Beck, Jean-Luc Ponty, Bruford, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, and even a medley of some of the more progressive Led Zeppelin tunes.

The Expendables enjoyed a laid-back lifestyle growing up in Santa Cruz, CA; surfing, skating, partying, and playing music were commonplace. Since 1997, The Expendables have staked their claim in the California surf/rock genre by headlining venues from coast to coast. Blending Reggae, Punk Rock, and 80s style dueling guitar solos, The Expendables have made heads turn and floors shake for years. The band consists of four longtime friends: Geoff Weers (Guitar and Vocals), Adam Patterson (Drums and Vocals), Raul Bianchi (Lead Guitar) and Ryan DeMars (Bass). The first seven years of their career was fueled with three full-length, completely independent releases. No Time To Worry (2000), Open Container (2001), and Gettin’ Filthy (2004), would bring in a combined total of over 40,000 units sold with no physical distribution and no record label. While touring and supporting their album, Gettin’ Filthy, The Expendables would share the stage with Slightly Stoopid and catch the attention of founders and front men Kyle McDonald and Miles Doughty. In 2007 Slightly Stoopid formed their own independent label, Stoopid Records, and signed The Expendables for the label’s first non-Stoopid release, which was The Expendables self-titled. Released in September 2007, the album would be accepted as an instant classic by fans and received rave reviews from critics. The band continued supporting the album with hundreds of shows over the next two years, gaining fans around the world, and respect from the bands that influenced them. Early 2009 The Expendables toured relentlessly. Within a few short months, they hit the road with NOFX, Less Than Jake, Pennywise, and Pepper. In case that was not enough, The Expendables were honored to join 311 on their Summer Unity amphitheater tour, rocking huge stages, and opening new doors for the band. The boys decided idle time was not an option after the conclusion of their tour with 311, so they went straight in to the studio to begin recording their nex

There are bands you listen to, and then there are bands you experience. Horse Feathers has spent nearly two decades crafting songs that are intimate, cinematic, and quietly unforgettable. Rooted in the Pacific Northwest, their sound weaves together folk, chamber music, and haunting harmonies into something that feels both timeless and deeply human. If you love the kind of music that makes a room go still before the applause, this is a night you won't want to miss. Join us as we welcome Horse Feathers to Woodhouse for an evening of beautiful songwriting, rich instrumentation, and the kind of performance that stays with you long after the last note. Tickets available now through the link in our bio. ✨🌲🎻🍂 GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!! - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/horse-feathers-tickets-1993861278758 #horsefeathers #woodhousebrewing #woodhouse #santacruz #santacruzca #santacruzmusic #livemusic #indiefolk #folkmusic #americana #chamberfolk #acousticmusic #supportlivemusic #supportartists #concertnight #livemusicvenue #santacruzevents #visitingsartists #pacificnorthwest #craftbeer #santacruzbeer #community #musiclovers #downtownsantacruz #thingstodoinsantacruz

The Bad Plus are the ultimate originals, and this Farewell Tour features the band’s final performances, celebrating their twenty-six years of musical collaboration and influence. A democratic unit with a clear vision and a refusal to conform to convention, for the past two decades The Bad Plus have played with spirit and adventure, made their own rules and done so with a bold sense of creativity and intent. Avoiding easy categorization, The Bad Plus has won critical acclaim and a legion of fans worldwide with their unique sound and flair for live performance. The Bad Plus continue to push boundaries as founding members Reid Anderson (bass) and Dave King (drums) embark on a new piano-less incarnation of the band with Ben Monder (guitar) and Chris Speed (tenor saxophone) – instigating a new wave of excitement and anticipation within the band that is re-energizing their sound and inspiration. The Bad Plus have constantly searched to bridge genres and techniques while exploring the infinite possibilities of exceptional musicians working in perfect sync.

Bite Me returns upstairs above the Catalyst Club on Cat Alley Street in downtown Santa Cruz. 21 and over, no cover charge. On the Second Friday of September, the doors swing open once more for a nocturnal gathering of outsiders, romantics, night creatures, artists, and all manner of beautiful misfits. Come dressed to the nines—or better yet, dressed to cause a little trouble. There will be door prizes for best dressed, so do put on something suitably scandalous. Or don't. We are exceedingly welcoming. The evening commences before the revelry reaches full swing. Join us early for an evening of creativity, conversation, peculiar amusements, and wonderfully strange company. The Bite Me Salon 6:00 PM — Doors 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM — The Bite Me Salon A proper gathering of the peculiar sort, featuring: Deathrock Karaoke — 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM — In the Lounge In California, we once called dark music deathrock. At some point, the public imposed the word “goth” upon us. We remain unconvinced. Think punk rock karaoke for creatures of the night. Step into the lounge, take the microphone, and give the room something to remember. If there’s a particular tune you simply must belt out, send word ahead of time and we shall do our level best to have it ready. Goth Makeovers A little rouge, a little ruin, and perhaps the transformation you never knew you required. The Macabre Makers Faire Local artists, curious craftsmen, peculiar creations, and sundry oddities for those with an appreciation for the unusual. Goth Clothing Swap Bring along clothing, accessories, boots, and other splendid articles you'd like to pass along. Take home something new-to-you. Clear out the wardrobe, refresh the ensemble, and give some forgotten finery another night on the town. 7:00 PM — Complimentary Pizza for Guests Because even the most debauched among us must occasionally fortify ourselves. The Main Floor 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM — The Barbary Ghost — Opening Set 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM — Big Fun 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Konceptualizer — Live Multimedia Act A full multimedia performance synchronized to the music, bringing sound and spectacle together in one strange and immersive affair. 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM — SamSonic 11:00 PM – Midnight — The Barbary Ghost Midnight – 1:30 AM — Iron Fist from Death Guild / Thunderdome Expect an eclectic nocturnal cocktail of dark dance punk, goth, industrial, techno, deathrock, and whatever other wicked sounds strike the fancy of our musical conspirators. No solemn rules. No dreary conventions. Just good music, good company, and a dance floor waiting to get itself into trouble. Come early, stay late, meet new people, discover new music, and spend an evening amongst those who understand that the finest nights are rarely conducted according to respectable society's timetable. Bite Me is less a nightclub than a monthly gathering of beautiful misfits—a midnight salon for those who have always felt a little more at home beneath neon than sunlight. So powder your nose, straighten your collar, lace up those boots, and come join the revelry. The night is young. The respectable have gone home. Come early, stay late.