Live music in Santa Cruz County

Grab a cup of coffee and hang out with a MAH curator! Coffee with the Curators is a morning at the museum where you can chat, ask questions, and hear behind-the-scenes stories about the exhibitions and collections. Coffee and good conversation are complimentary with museum admission.

you Are A Star! Come share what you love · what you are working on Every Monday 5pm - 8pm · Lottery signups begin @5:15 One 5 minute song or two 3 minute songs We welcome: Poetry · Spoken Word · Music · Originals & Covers Hosted by SteveV Beer, Coffee, Tea and Cafe Snacks are always available. Non-performers are always welcomed & Appreciated We Cannot Wait to see you!

It's Monday Open Mic at the Ugly Mug! Sign ups at 5p Beer, Espresso Drinks and Desserts available

6 - 8pm · Hosted Board Game Night — open & hosted games, library of 30+ games, raffle, merch, and a Learn to Play demo at 6:30pm. Taught on the spot.

6:30pm · Playtest the game Catfish at 6:30pm! Learn how to play with co-designer, Jeremy Parker, & help shape this game! Compete against other cats in this party card-lane battler! Host: Jeremy Parker. Local Designer! Part of Hosted Board Game Night (6 - 8pm) — library of 30+ games, raffle, merch & a Learn to Play featured game demo at 6:30pm with The Game Night Collective. Trivia 8 - 10pm.

For those lucky enough to grow up listening to Linda Ronstadt, it isn’t hyperbole to refer to her as the Queen of Country Rock. Bringing that big personality to the stage takes a special performer and Natalie Amaya tributes Ronstadt with note perfect renditions of Ronstadt’s songs from every part of her career. Amaya appeared on American Idol and tours throughout Northern California with several bands. “Blue Bayou” will give you chills, remembering one of the greatest performers of the last 100 years. -DNA; Good Times Santa Cruz

8 - 10pm · Weekly trivia night — gather your team and come test your knowledge!

This is the place to be on Tuesday! This weekly jam fest features rotating bands, open jam sessions, vendors, activities and all the dance vibes you can manage. Bring your instrument and your dancing shoes!

As with everything we do, we bring the fun! This isn’t your average ordinary trivia. It’s “Bruno’s Style”. We sing, we play instruments, we dance and we drink. Fill up on Tacos and Margs and get ready for a night of fun! ​ If you’re looking for a quiet night with boring trivia for the brainiacs you won’t find it at Bruno’s. With musical clues for our players – we have the most fun trivia around. We turn the music up loud and we make a lot of noise! It’s free to play with prizes for the winners. With $3 tacos and the buy a Margarita or Modelo and get a free taco deal, you’re going to have a great night at the best bar in town. Bring your friends and form a team or come by yourself and make some new friends, you’ll have a blast!

Community Revels: The Santa Cruz Opera Project presents La Bohème The Santa Cruz Opera Project connects people to the beauty and power of opera by innovating and creating accessible experiences for all. La Bohème is a timeless masterpiece that inspired later works such as RENT and Moulin Rouge, and continues to captivate hearts and minds. Originally set in the bohemian quarters of Paris, this opera portrays the universal human experiences of passion, longing, and the pursuit of dreams. It serves as a reminder that the struggles, aspirations, and joys depicted within its framework transcend time and place. One night only: Tuesday, September 29 @ 7PM Santa Cruz Shakespeare's Community Revels are special performances by local area artists, held on select Tuesday nights at the Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park, offering a lively, intimate alternative to the main repertory season.

Presented by Celtic Society of the Monterey Bay

"Party"

Come help us celebrate Téada’s 25th Anniversary of touring as one of Ireland's leading traditional bands! The five members of the band are fiddle player Oisín Mac Diarmada, button accordion player Paul Finn, Damien Stenson performs on flute, Samantha Harvey, piano/dance, Seán Mc Elwain who switches between the bouzouki and guitar and bodhrán player Tristan Rosenstock. You will undoubtedly recognize fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada, if you have attended an Irish Christmas In America concert. A leading exponent of Irish traditional music, Téada is driven by a fascination for the timeless, expressive force of music inherited from previous generations of musicians. An Irish band with a truly worldwide reach, Téada has frequently appeared as headliners at major music festivals throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, Russia, Israel and Australia. Highlights include a 30,000-capacity stadium concert in Brittany, along with performances at Penang World Music Festival in Malaysia, Edmonton Folk Festival in Canada, Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe, and the Milwaukee Irish Festival. The group also received an invitation from the Irish Embassy in Rome during 2008 to perform at a commemorative event marking the 400th anniversary of the landmark event in Irish history known as The Flight of the Earls. With engaging textural arrangements, Téada, which means "strings", will have you dancing in your seat. Tickets: celticsociety.org members: $27 non-members: $31.25 student/child: $15.25

Free live music every Tuesday night with the Del Mar Trio at Callahan's in Santa Cruz.

7pm sign-ups · Weekly pinball competition for players of all skill levels.

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.

Business Mixer

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.

Ireland-based singer-songwriter, Gráinne Hunt, will be performing at at Ugly Mug Café in Soquel on Wednesday 30th September. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Gráinne Hunt is thrilled to announce her upcoming US tour, a journey through vibrant venues in Washington, Oregon, California, Utah and New Mexico! In addition to the West Coast tour dates, Gráinne has been invited to showcase at FARM Folk Alliance and there will be a show in St Paul, MN too. The tour kicks off on the 10th September and features intimate performances at renowned venues, community spaces and listening audience-favourite rooms. Performing as a duo with San Diego’s Jules Stewart on drums and vocals, the pair create a sound that’s been compared to The Indigo Girls and Brandi Carlile - rich harmonies, heartfelt stories, and magnetic onstage chemistry. Together, they’ve been described as “the bi-continental queer folk duo you didn’t know you needed in your life.” Gráinne’s tour is gratefully supported by Culture Ireland and the Irish Department of Culture, Communications and Sports.

7 - 9pm · Weekly bluegrass jam with local musicians.

Grainne Hunt

Cyrille Aimée (Sur­real M­A) is a French­Dominican vocalist and actress. Winner of the Montreux Jazz Festival's Vocal Competition, the Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Vocal Competition and finalist in the Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, Aimée is—in the words of Will Friedwald of The Wall Street Journal—"one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation." In the same Wall Street Journal feature (which included vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant), Friedwald declared both to be “astonishing creative singers, with a brilliant sound, fresh ideas, impeccable rhythm and an overall approach that honors tradition without being shackled to the past." Aimée was born in Fontainebleau, France, to a French father and Dominican mother. Her introduction to jazz was the result of the fortuitous location of her upbringing, the village Samois­sur­Seine—the same place where legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt had lived. Every June for decades, gypsies have descended upon Samois, setting up caravans in nearby meadows for the annual Django Reinhardt Festival. During those June nights many years ago, after her parents would fall asleep, a young, curious Aimée would climb out her bedroom window and wander into the gypsy encampments. Aimée would sing by the fire with Django’s descendents and began to fall in love with the gypsy way of life—scampering home before the sun rose. Explained Aimée, "I was hypnotized by gypsy music which made me want to tap my feet; music that swings makes me so happy." As a teenager, Aimée performed in various Parisian cafés and clubs. When her family moved to Singapore, she remained in Paris to attend the American School of Modern Music. She also auditioned for "Star Academy," a kind of French "American Idol." Selected to be one of 16 semi­finalists, Aimée had second thoughts when handed a contract that tied her up every which way for years—including the songs to sing. This was too much for her gypsy spirit—so she quit. The French media so pursued

Purchase tickets here Show 8pm ***This is a standing room general admissions show. There will be a limited number of chairs located in the back of the concert hall. Seating will be first come first served. Bar and food will be open at 5pm.

Moes Alley presents Thelma & The Sleaze with special guests Micah Schnabel & Vanessa Jean Speckman!Wednesday, September 30, 2026Doors: 7pm // Show: 8:00pm$15 in advance // $20 day of the show21+* No Refunds | All sales are final* Avoid scammers! Only purchase tickets from moesalley.com or ticketweb.com* Tickets requested by email will be delivered 3 days prior to the event* Will Call tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event====THELMA & THE SLEAZEThelma and the Sleaze is an independent all-female, queer southern rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The group is the brainchild of lead vocalist and guitar player Lauren LG Gilbert and features an evolving cast of A-team players to back her up for an unforgettable live experience.LG is the embodiment of hustle. As the driving force behind Thelma and The Sleaze, she is the songwriter, the visionary, the take-no-shit-from-anyone front woman that is single handedly keeping rock and roll alive. Thelma and The Sleaze has been touring the US for years building a legion of fans, affectionally called her creepers. The growing social media presence, the hit podcast, the features with Yamaha Guitars are really all the result of her incredible songwriting, visceral guitar playing, and the guts to deliver on her vision of what Rock and Roll should be.LG has also launched two successful seasons of their Podcast Queen of Shit Mountain. Each episode features legendary musicians such as Tanya Tucker, Brittany Howard, Juliana Hatfield, Kate Pierson, Lori Barber, Patty Schemel, Mary Ramirez and Margo Price.MICAH SCHNABEL & VANESSA JEAN SPECKMANMicah Schnabel and Vanessa Jean Speckman are a modern day folk and punk duo rebelliously and joyfully reporting from the front lines of present day America. Jim Carroll colliding with Patti Smith in the alley back behind the donut shop that used to be a Taco Bell. As a combined artistic force the duo have played with Frank Turner, Lucero, John Moreland, Tim Barry, Chuck Ragan an

With white face paint and clown smiles, The Rat Utopia Experiment takes the center ring with their style of “circus” rock. This girl-fronted, grunge-heavy band from Washington is stepping out of their home state after graduating and gaining an impressive underground following. Inspired by favorite movements from the 90s, like riot grrl, noise rock, and triphop, they’re loud, brash, and emotional. With a love of theatrics and a passion for punk, they blend political lyrics with high-energy performances. Their sound and color dominate the room and their storytelling and intricate lyrics wrench the heart. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz

5 - 7pm · The owner of Sleight of Hand Pizza will be throwing & spinning pizza!

5:30-7:30pm Slingshot Improv Trio didn't so much form as detonate slowly over two decades - a controlled explosion of shared history, deep grooves, and accumulated musical mischief that the Bay Area never quite saw coming but probably should have. Bassist Pete Novembre and drummer Bret Bailey formed the funk-jam powerhouse Elephino back in 1999. Bret and guitarist Matt Hartle formed Shady Groove in 2001. All three had played together as hired guns countless times before the lightbulb moment when someone finally said: what if we did our own thing? Matt Hartle (China Cats, Painted Mandolin, Shady Groove, Grateful Sundays with the Hartle Gold Band) is widely regarded as one of the premier guitarists in the Bay Area - a fluid, soulful firecracker with a degree in Jazz Performance whose playing draws comparisons to Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, and Steve Kimock, yet remains unmistakably his own. Pete Novembre (OM Trio, Coffee Zombie Collective, Aza, Elephino) is the kind of bass player other musicians talk about after the show - a Santa Cruz readers' poll Bronze medalist for Best Musician whose previous band OM Trio was voted Best Jazz Band in San Francisco in 2001. Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Bret Bailey (Shady Groove, Elephino, BlissNinnies, Cosmic Pinball), raised on New Orleans jazz, brings a rhythmic intuition that makes the whole thing breathe. Together, they've shared stages with Stanley Jordan, Henry Kaiser, Melvin Seals, Donna Jean Godchaux, Joe Craven, Ike Willis, Mark Karan, and many more - a collective résumé that hints at just how far their musical instincts can travel. And travel they do. With a big map and no planned destination, this trio of seasoned improvisers from the jazz, funk, and jamband worlds use song and structure the way spacecraft use planets: not to land and stay, but to slingshot around and be propelled back out into the galaxy. During their mostly-improv shows, a familiar song could materialize at any time. Or not. All we

Join us at Bargetto Winery in Soquel on Thursday evenings for Live Music and Wine! 6-8PM No cover charge. Wine by-the-glass for purchase. Food will be available for purchase by Taquizas Gabriel Open seating, no reservations required. No outside food is permitted. For more info please call: (831) 475-2258

Join us at Bargetto Winery in Soquel on Thursday evenings for Live Music and Wine! 6-8PM No cover charge. Wine by-the-glass for purchase. Food will be available for purchase. Open seating, no reservations required. No outside food is permitted. For more info please call: (831) 475-2258

Pearl and the Oysters perform live on the garden stage at The Crepe Place, blending pop-rock with a lively outdoor atmosphere.

7 - 10pm · Live improvisational modular synth performance by M31 Transport.

Straight out of Yemen comes El Khat, a self-proclaimed homemade junkyard band. The humor and ingenuity are that most of the instruments are recycled plastic, metal, and wood. This dynamic three-piece creates a cinematic mindscape that feels like you’re drifting over the sands of the Arabian Desert. But this isn’t spa music; it’s like Frank Zappa and a ’70s progressive rock band melded with an ancient rhythm. Multi-instrumentalist Eyal El Wahab leads the charge with a message of humanity over nation. El Khat is named after the chewed speedy drug khat and the music has a kick to it. -DNA; Good Times Santa Cruz

Come kick off the weekend early with The Thursday Night Wine Down. Grab a glass of wine at Cocoa Vino in Capitola Village and settle in for a musical journey through chill house music. I'll be playing a laid-back mix of jazz, deep, and melodic house from 7–9 PM. Bring some friends and hang out. Thursday Night Wine Down Music by Ryan James Cocoa Vino | Capitola Village 7–9 PM

Purchase tickets here Show 8pm // 21+ ***This is a standing room general admissions show. There will be a limited number of chairs located in the back of the concert hall. Seating will be first come first served. Bar and food will be open at 5pm.

Indexical presents an evening of live electronic music with Joshua Kit Clayton and David Zicarelli. About the Artists Joshua Kit Clayton is a Portland, Oregon based electronic musician and computer programmer whose work ranges from abstract and experimental soundscapes to dancefloor focused tools for adventurous deejays. He first gained recognition in the late 1990s and early 2000s, amid the cross-pollination of electronic music that gave rise to glitch, microsound, and dub techno, and has releases on the Cytrax, -scape, and Mille Plateaux imprints. A longtime developer at Cycling '74, he has also been a major contributor to Max, the visual programming environment widely used in sound and media arts. David Zicarelli is the founder of Cycling '74, a music software company. He has been living and working in Santa Cruz since 1994.

Color Green and Cold Water Law Firm share a bill of rock and alternative sounds.

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

5:30-7:30pm Local Honey is a Santa Cruz-based band that drips with honey sweet harmony and hums with tight, inventive musicianship. Local Honey's repertoire pays homage to some of the the big voices of the last seven decades, including Big Mama Thornton, Rachael Price, Gladys Knight, Stevie Nicks, Grace Slick, and Amy Winehouse, among other divas. They seek out feel-good songs with strong vocals and infectious beats and make them their own. Though Local Honey is a new band, all of them are veterans of the Santa Cruz and Monterey music scenes. Members have worked with Honeytone, Ten O'Clock Lunch, Come Together, Backyard Birds, Menage, and Bay Bop. Over the years they've played in different combinations at many venues, including Michael's on Main, Chaminade, Davenport Roadhouse, Hallcrest Vineyards, Joe's Bar and the Food Lounge.

Enjoy live music from location musicians every Friday and Saturday. Venue is 21+ with wine, beer, and non-alcoholic options.

Rebecca Coupe Franks / Trumpet Nancy Heth / Vocals and Piano

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+

7 - 9pm · Lazer Wolf on piano and drums, Rawley Fingers on baritone sax, and you never know who else might show up. Special guests are always a possibility at The Cruz Room!

Audiences are invited to journey across cultures, centuries, and traditions, where the elegance of Baroque music meets the spirit of folk music from around the world. Violinist Edwin Huizinga and guitarist William Coulter bring these musical worlds together, revealing the rhythms, stories, and shared humanity that connect them. For this special performance, Fire & Grace is joined by flamenco dancer Fanny Ara, whose powerful artistry fills the stage with movement, passion, and joy. They are also joined by pianist and harmonium player Ian Scarfe, a longtime friend of Huizinga, whose expressive playing adds rich color and depth to the evening.

Dust off your boots, grab your friends, and join us as Wild West makes its long-awaited return to Santa Cruz. Wild West Country Night is officially returning to The 418 Project in Santa Cruz on Friday, October 2nd Get ready for an unforgettable night of country music, line dancing, beginner-friendly lessons, and nonstop fun on the dance floor. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or stepping onto the floor for the first time, everyone is welcome. No partner needed.Wild West Dance ambassadors are ready to guide you. Dust off your boots, grab your friends, and join us as Wild West makes its long-awaited return to Santa Cruz. The 418 Project — Santa Cruz Friday, October 2 Ages 18+ to enter Country music • Line dancing • Lessons • Social dancing • Immersive visual productions • New dance floors The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate. Tickets $15 advance/ $20 at door

Lost + Found 3: Chmura, zero point and WET PANTHER at Felton Music Hall on Friday, October 2nd 2026 Tickets at: https://www.prekindle.com/event/75727-lost-and-found-felton Event Description Lost + Found is back with a bass-driven, inclusive dance party. Our goal is to create a safe space for self expression by building community and protecting our dance floors. Artist Bios Chmura Chmura has become one of the fastest growing acts in a new generation of bass talent that prioritizes lush, deeply moving soundscapes. His name is becoming synonymous with powerful studio content and thrilling live performances. From Red Rocks to Lightning in a Bottle, Untz Festival, Electric Forest, Shambhala and beyond, he’s shared the stage with renowned artists such as CloZee, Of The Trees, Ashez, Saturna, Jade Cicada, and more - solidifying his place as one of the scene’s most exciting creators. Listen to Chmura: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3lklyEZwBA2agqoBBiofOm?si=Ydpn4mTuRnu5hlF38I51-A -------- zero point With an ear for unique rhythms & big bass lines, zero point brings the bounce. With festival appearances at High Vibe and Unison, a direct tour support run with Skysia and releases on Gravitas recordings, zero point is earning his keep as a breakout artist in 2026. Listen to zero point: https://open.spotify.com/artist/01FrY7ADQlorpdhqH1j7qr?si=TomQ0Y0zRLStkJAIuDmh7g -------- WET PANTHER Blending bold, booty shaking basslines with high energy emotional moments, a WET PANTHER set consists of a few ingredients: ratchet stank faces, ethereal undertones and a sprinkle of tasteful, singalong earworms. In his sets you can expect to hear a range of bass, dubstep, UKG, grime, DnB, and intimately curated rap and vocal edits that bridge the gap between today's hype IDs and yesterday's cult classics. With a new release on Tabula Rasa Records and a forthcoming EP on the horizon, WET PANTHER is paving his path in the bay area bass scene. Listen to WET PANTHER: https://open.spotify.com/artist

Hi Friends! Come join us for a fun free night of music from 8 - 11pm Fri. 10/2 @ Henflings Tavern in Ben Lomond. It'll be myself on guitar, dobro, harmonica, vocals, Perry Spinali on fiddle and vocal harmonies + John Hosking on upright bass + vocal harmonies. We have a great set of acoustic roots and blues and some new surprises! See you there! Friday, October 2nd 8-11pm John Rybak + Friends Henflings Tavern 9450 CA-9, Ben Lomond, CA 95005 831-289-3019 Free show henflingsslv.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j1ozt9K6x8 https://www.reverbnation.com/johnrybakfriends https://www.facebook.com/johnrybakmusic Event Page -> https://www.facebook.com/events/2068171527399318

Soda Blonde, an indie rock band, performs at The Crepe Place.