THURSDAY 2/19
GUITAR
MARK STUART Continuing the Ugly Mug tradition of bringing the best to the smallest venue in town, rush to see Mark Stuart. As the founder of The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, Stuart wasn’t interested in a parody or cover band. With Cash, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard as early supporters, Stuart has bona fide authenticity. Stuart brims with his own unique charisma and just happens to love roots country music. Stuart is currently on tour with his new solo album, Where the Neon Fades, which is a stripped-down, down-home, homespun album full of introspective gems. DNA
INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $20. 477-1341.
FRIDAY 2/20
HIP HOP
FATBOI SHARIF Every once in a while an artist comes along that pushes their genre further. Because of this, they are often ignored by the mainstream, having to forge their own path. New Jersey’s Fatboi Sharif is one of those artists. His music is dark and Lynchian, spitting political, spiritual and horrorcore bars over beats most MCs wouldn’t touch, sampling everything from Angelo Badalamenti to punk rock favorites, the Murder City Devils. He’s got a bit of MF Doom going on, but Shariff pushes the boundaries past the legendary masked villain. It only makes sense Fatboi Sharif is performing at the experimental Indexical with his frequent collaborator and beatmaker Icky Reels. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. $18. (509) 627-9491.
ROCK
ALECIA HASELTON
To say Alecia Haselton is a rock artist is a bit of a misnomer. The Corralitos-born Haselton writes music that spans the gauntlet of folk, Americana, rock, and country. She is very diverse with her sound and lovely, falsetto voice. After spending four years sharpening her skills in America’s Music City, Nashville, Haselton is back home and ready to show the Bay her wide array of talent and skilled songwriting. This Friday, she’ll perform a free, two-hour set that promises to have something for everyone. This is one local artist all Santa Cruzans should keep their eyes on because she’s only just begun. MW
INFO: 5:30pm, Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave. Ste. A, Soquel. Free. 316-0662.
INDIE
JULIANNA BARWICK & MARY LATTIMORE
What happens when you combione two of the world’s most appreciated contemporary composers, along with harps from the 19th and 18th centuries, and some vintage synthesizers like the Roland Jupiter and the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5? You add producer Trevor Spencer (Fleet Foxes) and release a mesmerizing album, Tragic Magic. This rare appearance of Barwick and Lattimore brings all the indie credibility and the high-brow world of composition to the stage. It will be an other worldly experience, yet a grounded exploration of sounds, emotions and a dash of telepathy. Tragic Magic just released in January ’26 and this duo is just beginning the long journey/slog of tour, highlighting the power of friendship. DNA
INFO: 7:30pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, $25/adv, $30/door. 429-6994.
SATURDAY 2/21
FILM
KEEPING IN THE SHADOWS Follow Noah Wegrich as he travels to 5 distinct countries. Fellow surfers join Noah throughout his journey, building a camaraderie around surfing and art as they work together making a surf odyssey, Keeping in the Shadows. As an ode to older surf films, it is a work of art that captures the flow of life. It captures the early mornings, long days on the water, candid conversations, laughter, and reflection. These moments give the film its own pulse. Like the tides, the film flows through moody, dramatic landscapes to a dream-like sunset. Wegrich and his crew spent years making this surf odyssey with intention and care, a core value of the film. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 5pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz. $20. 423-8209.
SOUL
THEE SINSEERS In the mid ’60s, East L.A. gave rise to a brand of soul music primarily played by Mexican Americans. Sometimes called Chicano soul,” the style would be exemplified by now-legendary acts like Thee Midniters (“Land of a Thousand Dances,” “Whittier Boulevard”), Cannibal & the Headhunters, and The Premiers. The enduring appeal and resonance of the style shines through current-day artists like Thee Sinseers. Debuting with a pair of 2019 singles (“It Was Only a Dream” and “I Don’t Mind”), the East L.A. band released their debut long-player, Sinseerly Yours in 2024. Their soulful and exuberant delivery merges nostalgia with a contemporary vibe. BILL KOPP
INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $40. 713-5492.
SUNDAY 2/22
INDIE FOLK
DEVOTCHKA Denver-based DeVotchKa had been showcasing their brand of indie-folk-meets-gypsy punk for nearly a decade when the band was tapped to provide the score for the 2006 road movie Little Miss Sunshine. The breakout success (critical and commercial) of that film extended to its soundtrack album, which earned widespread praise and performed well on Independent Albums and Soundtracks sales charts. Ten of the album’s songs were DeVotchKa originals. On the occasion of the film’s 20th anniversary, the band is staging tribute concerts in which it returns to the music that helped break the band to a wider audience. BK
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. $35. 704-7113.
MONDAY 2/23
INDIE FUNK
MAGIC CITY HIPPIES Miami’s sunshine glows through this joyful, engaging trio. Their high-energy, synth-forward sets have earned them the stage at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and Austin City Limits. Robby Hunter, Pat Howard, and John Coughlin got their start jamming together, piecing together an album, and developing a sound with the keystone of Miami groove. From their sweatiest, loudest, booty-shaking-est songs to breezy, downtempo ballads, every track is made for dancing. The three are passionate about intentionally bringing good energy to the stage and love it when the feedback loop between artist and audience becomes seamless. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. $27.704-7113.
ELECTRO-TRADITIONAL
RUMBO TUMBA From orchestrating Ewan McGregor’s motorcycle cruise through the Andes Mountains to bringing celebratory dances to festivals worldwide, Rumbo Tumba connects listeners to Mother Nature and the joy of dance. The creative force behind the name, Argentine multi-instrumentalist Facundo Salgado, is known as the “craftsman of organic loops.” Salgado’s music represents a unique blend of traditional Latin American and Argentinian folk music and fresh digital mixing and production. Masterfully blending traditional South American wooden instruments, like the charango, with modern looping technology, Salgado has discovered a way to paint pictures of South American Folklore and soundtracks of pure places in nature. SN
