THURSDAY 10/30
ELECTRONIC
9B49 This is a special year. For all the turmoil, confusion and heartbreak, at least Halloween falls on a Friday, opening the whole weekend to party. Kick it off with higher vibrations at Motiv when House DJ 9B49 brings the party. Hailing from Washington, D.C., 9B49 is the brainchild of Cayhan Movaghari and was started when he convinced his friend he knew how to DJ and could open for him, then taught himself with a crash course from YouTube University. Catch him this Thursday and thank us later. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Motiv, 1209 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 226-1116.
HALLOWEEN
CREPE-O-WEEN For two spine-tingling nights, local bands will transform into rock ’n’ roll icons and party until the Witching Hour. Crepe-O-Ween promises a legendary rock lineup complete with costumed chaos, nostalgic covers and enough punk energy to wake the dead. Audiences are encouraged to join in on the fun and don a costume for one night or both while Harry and the Hitmen transform into No Doubt, Kentucky Mule channel The Rolling Stones, and Bounce House resurrect The Police. Rock out with all these star-studded masquerades among other heavyweights at Crepe Place’s haunting annual Halloween tradition on both thrilling evenings. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: Oct. 30-31, 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $20. 429-6994.
LITERARY
ALICE WATERS Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse in Berkeley in 1971. A culinary pioneer, chef, entrepreneur and activist, Waters was an early leading light in the farm-to-table movement and a passionate advocate for sustainability and organics before either were household terms. Her approach places community as a foundation, and her influence has been considerable. Author of several cookbooks, Waters won the National Humanities Medal. Her latest book is A School Lunch Revolution. A portion of the proceeds from tickets to this event benefit Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project and Life Lab, and include a signed copy of the book. BILL KOPP
INFO: 7pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $45. 423-8209.
FRIDAY 10/31
FUNK
GHOST-NOTE With dynamically rotating styles, kinetic grooves and technical intuition, Ghost-Note brings their percussion-heavy funk to the stage. Led by drummer Robert “Sput” Searight and percussionist Nate Werth, Ghost-Note works with a rotating group of collaborators, continuing to innovate with inspiration from jazz, hip hop, West African, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian grooves. Passionate solos and sharp arrangements underscore these accomplished musicians who have performed and recorded with the likes of Prince, Herbie Hancock, Kendrick Lamar and Kirk Franklin. Their danceable tunes will create the perfect backdrop for Halloween night to remember. SN
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $35. 479-1854.
SATURDAY 11/1
CLASSICAL
SANTA CRUZ SYMPHONY: THE PLANETS When Gustav Holst wrote The Planets between 1914 and 1917, he had gained a fascination with astrology. He described it as a “series of mood pictures” and wrote it as seven separate movements. While it’s regarded as a masterpiece today, the initial reviews were mixed. Upon first review, Time called it “a great disappointment…elaborately contrived and painful to hear,” but changed their mind after their music critic heard it conducted by Holst himself. Upon the second review, the magazine claimed “The Planets still leaves us gasping,” and when the conductor passed away in 1934, Time proclaimed it his greatest work. MW
INFO: 7:30pm, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., Santa Cruz. $45-$130. 420-5260.
JAM
SPAFFORD The jam band label can cover an awful lot of ground, and while it tends to conjure thoughts of Phish and The Grateful Dead, there are more influences available to those adventurous musicians who dare to engage in live improvisation, including virtuoso studio band Steely Dan, or even electronic acts like The Crystal Method, both of whom are cited by Arizona’s Spafford, a band known for their extended jams and free-form genre blending, also drawing influence from reggae, funk, jazz, ska and just about any other genre you can imagine. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $30. 479-1854.
SUNDAY 11/2
LITERARY
MAC BARNETT That lovable space-cat is back, along with Captain Babybeard, the Moon Queen and LOZ 4000 in the fourth installment of The First Cat in Space graphic novel series: First Cat in Space and the Baby Pirate’s Revenge. The latest book is packed with everyone’s favorite characters and absurd humor, and to celebrate its release, join the authors, Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris, for a theatrical spectacular! The afternoon promises live music, thrilling adventures, dramatic performances and a photo-op with the authors. Each ticket package comes with a pre-signed copy of the book. Additionally, attendees who come dressed as their favorite character receive an extra-special prize from Mac & Shawn. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 4pm, Santa Cruz High School, 415 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz. $24. 423-0900.
TUESDAY 11/4
AMERICANA
HAYDEN PEDIGO Lush and sparse manage to coexist in the beautiful fingerstyle guitar instrumentals of Hayden Pedigo. His latest album, I’ll Be Waving As You Drive Away, continues his tradition of celebrating the flat open spaces of his hometown, Amarillo, Texas, even though the songs were written during an artist residency on a 20,000-acre Wyoming Ranch, and recorded in California’s artsy, new age village Ojai. It’s easy to imagine you’re hearing a little bit of each of these places as purely acoustic-sounding picking mixes with almost electronic-sounding accents. KLJ
INFO: 7pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $20-$25. 429-6994.
WEDNESDAY 11/5
JAZZ
JOHN SCOFIELD Immensely influential guitarist John Scofield blends blues, funk, jazz and rock into an inimitable style. Veteran of live and studio sessions with giants including Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Charles Mingus, Scofield creates music that showcases his peerless improvisational skills, distinctive tone, and deep sense of melody and groove. His body of work includes many collaborations, including sessions with Medeski Martin & Wood, and demonstrates his passion for breaking down boundaries between genres. This date features Scofield leading Combo 73, a jazz ensemble featuring bassist Vicente Archer, Gerald Clayton (piano) and drummer Bill Stewart. BK
