THURSDAY 6/25
DOOM METAL
KHEMMIS Heavy. Sludgy. Spiritual. Those are just some words to describe Colorado’s doom metal quartet, Khemmis. Formed in 2012, Khemmis combines doom, death and black metal for a sound that’s as ethereal as it is heavy. I mean, come on, they named themselves after an ancient Egyptian city (now called Akhmim) known for its gods and the birthplace of several pharaohs. For fans of Monolord, Elder and Pallbearer, Khemmis rides the line between grit and beauty with songs that have mind-shredding riffs juxtaposed with beautiful harmonies and group vocals. Their new self-titled album just dropped earlier this month and it’s an opus of metal on epic proportions. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $28. 704-7113.
SOUL
J & THE CAUSEWAYS The “J” is Jordan Anderson, keyboardist and lead vocalist of the exuberant New Orleans-based soul and R&B ensemble. J & the Causeways debuted on record with 2025’s self-released Motions. Produced by Robert Mercurio and Ben Ellman (both of Galactic), the album was the featured selection of the taste-making Tipitina’s Record Club in March of that year. Likened to St. Paul & the Broken Bones, J & the Causeways serve up Crescent City-flavored music with passion and verve. Like-minded Santa Cruz-based band The Peacock Project open the evening with a Latin-flavored groove-soul character that features deft improvisation at its core. BILL KOPP
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.
FRIDAY 6/26
INDIE
WHERE’S WEST? Los Angeles ’ Where’s West? is stopping by the Crepe Place on their West Coast Tour (that dips into Boise) entitled, Eternal Wave. Bands are like ideas, some spring forward, some die on the vine. Where’s West? has embraced the winning philosophy of 2026, that playing festivals is cool, but don’t forget intimate venues and backyards. In a world of EDM remixes and rave-driven beats, it’s refreshing to see a band dedicated to original music. Where’s West? might have started as a college band playing covers, but it was just a phase to sync up this batch of friends’ eternal brainwaves. DNA
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 429-6994.
INDIE
NIK PARR & THE SELFLESS LOVERS There are times watching Nik Parr and his band, The Selfless Lovers, where it feels like you’re seeing B-roll clips of a young Bruce Springsteen. Parr is an Austin, Texas piano virtuoso, who wears a saxophone around his neck, and wait a minute, is that Jeremy Allen White? Regardless of the doppelgänger effect, Parr knows how to lay down a groove. He incubated his talent and persona among some of The Big Easy’s biggest stars, like the Rebirth Brass Band, and toured with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Mike Zito. All that work has made this a very sharp band. DNA
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton, $30. 704-7113.
SATURDAY 6/27
HIP-HOP
ANDRE NICKATINA Pulling inspiration from old-school hip-hop and modern lo-fi beats, Andre Nickatina continues to amaze crowds with his music. His unique combination creates a new, mesmerizing type of rap music. Born and raised in San Francisco, he has been making music since the ’90s. His honest and raw lyrics, mixed with his stage presence, capture audiences. The distinct voice and lyrical flow make him stand out in the rap scene. With nearly two decades of music under his belt, Andre Nickatina continues to find new ways to innovate and push his music and the broader music scene forward. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 9pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave. Santa Cruz. $82-$93. 713-5492.
AMERICANA
DANDELINE Sheila Schat and Dan Olmsted are musical veterans of the Bay Area, performing together since 2001, showcasing their acoustic guitar, cello, violin, and vocal talent. With stylings somewhere between a front porch and a jazz club, Dandeline draws on a deep well of Bay Area experience, and fluidly moves across Americana, country, blues, hot-club jazz, and klezmer. Their range has kept them playing in local acts like Tiny, Evil Triplets, Loretta Lynch and The Violets. Dandeline sprouts up sunny with twisting melodies, unpretentious and deeply skilled. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 5:30pm, Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave., Soquel. Free. 316-0662.
REGGAE
ANCESTREE Santa Cruz is a blessed area. Not only do we have the beautiful forest and life-giving ocean, but we are an epicenter of music, culture and love. That couldn’t be more exemplified than in a band like Ancestree. For almost two decades, this roots reggae act has stirred and smoked the pot of Santa Cruz life, praising all the beauty around us. They’re one of those bands to put on when life is getting hard and gratitude practice is in order. Check out their new album, Goodness and Mercy to get a good understanding of the type of praise and knowledge Ancestree has been bringing to the people since 2010. MW
INFO: 5pm, El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville. Free. 607-8118.
SUNDAY 6/28
BLUEGRASS
SWEET SALLY Born out of Oakland School for the Arts and raised on the California bluegrass circuit, Sweet Sally carries a joyful disposition while wielding serious technical chops. Lucy Khadder, Sophia Sparks, and Clare O’Grady stack harmonies with fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass, create bluegrass, with an ease of musicians far beyond their years. Lucy is a two-time Monterey Jazz Festival Next Generation honoree. Sophia took home the 2024 RockyGrass mandolin title after a lifetime of devotion to the instrument. Clare grounds it all with her tight percussionist’s rhythm and jazz player’s ear. Festivals like DelFest and IBMA’s World of Bluegrass have already taken notice, and for good reason. SN
INFO: 4pm, Woodhouse Blending and Brewing, 119 Madrone St., Santa Cruz. $10. 313-9461.
MONDAY 6/29
JAZZ
LUCIANA SOUZA & MARCEL CAMARGO São Paulo-born singer and composer Luciana Souza came to the U.S. in 1985, studying at Berklee. After graduation she taught there for years. Her combination of music and academia would continue. Today she is a professor at USC Thornton School of Music. As a performer and recording artist Souza has worked with some of the biggest names in music including Herbie Hancock and James Taylor. Souza debuted as band leader with 1998’s An Answer to Your Silence; the 7x Grammy-nominated artist’s latest release is New Moon, an acoustic collaboration with guitarist (and co-headliner for this performance) Marcel Camargo. BK
