Things To Do In Santa Cruz

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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October 22, 2024

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THURSDAY 10/24

DOCUMENTARY

PARTICLE FEVER

A new film explores the short but eventful life of Santa Cruz surfer Shawn “Barney” Barron. The wave rider first caught attention for his small wave aerial style but soon transitioned into a giant killer, charging the biggest waves on Earth while launching an art career that included dabbling in short filmmaking. There is debate on how much drug use should be part of the conversation when it comes to his 2015 death by a heart attack at the young age of 44. What isn’t debated is that he was a one-of-a-kind force of nature who left his mark on the surfing world. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN

INFO: 7:15pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 423-8209.

FRIDAY 10/25

CLASSIC ROCK

STEELY DEAD

The smiley hippy girl decked out in tie-dye is roller skating down Haight Street. A 30-year-old man in a ’70s leisure suit walks toward her in a cocaine-powered strut, his long, well-styled hair thinning a bit on top. They collide. “Hey, you got your Steely Dan in my Dead!” “Woah, you got your Grateful Dead in my Steely Dan!” “WHAT?” They stop and look at each other. Their minds open. They have a taste. “Mmmm, it’s delicious.” If you dig these two great tastes, the chances are good you’ll find they taste even better together. KLJ
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $35. 760-1387.

ROCK

DION LUNADON

Originally from New Zealand, New York-based rock ’n’ roll bassist Dion Lunadon is known for his work with bands the D4 and A Place To Bury Strangers, contributing to albums like Worship and Transfixiation. His latest project, Memory Burn, is raucous, garage rock luster with no filler. Relentless and gritty, the Kiwi’s EP delivers distortion, rebellious lyricism and Stooges-esque production. San Jose garage punk trio Jonny Manak and the Depressives support the artist, renowned for their fast, surf-infused sets featuring no-frills rock ’n’ roll. MELISA YURIAR

INFO: 7pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 429-6994.

SATURDAY 10/26

PSYCHEDELIC

CHICANO BATMAN

After 16 years and four well-received psych-rock records, the three-piece band is going on an “indefinite hiatus,” according to a statement released by the band last month across their socials. Established in Los Angeles in 2008 by vocalist-lyricist Bardo Martinez, guitarist Carlos Arévalo and bassist Eduardo Arenas, the musicians’ incredible musical adventure began with small performances around the dive bar circuit in Southern California. Now, they’re coheadlining iconic venues like the Hollywood Bowl. The Tanto Arriba Como Abajo (As Above, So Below) tour comes at the helm of their latest record, Notebook Fantasy. Slightly more psych-rock and pop-leaning than their previous projects, this reverb-heavy, guitar-laden, vocal-driven LP is their most imaginative work yet. MY

INFO: 7pm, Quarry Amphitheater, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz. $47. 459-4184.

POP

SUKI WATERHOUSE

Suki Waterhouse has been in the spotlight for a decade and a half as a model and actress. She started performing music a decade ago, but her tunes didn’t take off until 2022 with the viral hit “Good Looking,” a song she originally released five years earlier. “Good Looking” isn’t exactly the style of music you’d expect from an actor. It’s moody, jilted and offbeat but also strangely catchy. It wasn’t a one-off. Her new record, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, takes her formula of blending R&B, New Wave nostalgia and lo-fi production and makes pop gold out of it.Waterhouse performed as an opening act for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour on August 17 2024 at Wembley Stadium, and shares a daughter born in March with husband, Robert Pattinson, the intense, broodingly talented English actor who by the way, often travels with his wife.

AARON CARNES/KRISTEN MCLAUGHLIN

INFO: 9pm, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $63. 713-5492.

FESTIVAL

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

Join the local community at the MAH to celebrate, honor and learn about Día de los Muertos. The event is free to attend and includes a self-guided presentation of community altars. Attendees will also enjoy performances by Centeotl Danza y Baile and Ensamble Musical de Senderos. For those unfamiliar with the holiday, this is a perfect opportunity to learn about it directly from the community. For those who already celebrate, this is a special space where everyone may honor their ancestors within a communal space in a unique and memorable way. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE

INFO: Noon, Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. Free. 429-1964.

ROCK

THE MOMMYHEADS

Indie pop band the Mommyheads are an experience unto themselves. With catchy melodies and a distinct knack for songwriting, they exist between worlds: partly funny, pinches of darkness, and all wrapped in a flaky crust of love. The Mommyheads aren’t for everyone and that’s okay—neither are XTC, King Crimson or the Flaming Lips, the three bands they’ve been compared to. Like ol’ Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “To be great is to be misunderstood.” Joining them at the intimate Crepe Place are Bart Davenport (’60s-influenced garage rock band the Loved Ones) and Hod and the Helpers, whose original painting of their first album cover remains a stage backdrop at the beloved local restaurant. MAT WEIR

INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 429-6994.

TUESDAY 10/29

PUNK

THICK

Coming out of the DIY and all-ages music scene of New York City, all-female trio Thick got its start in 2014. The group’s releases have established the trio’s sharp and intelligent take on pop and punk, and Thick has continued its creative roll. In the years since Happy Now’s release, bassist Kate Black, guitarist Nikki Sisti and new drummer Kaleen Reading have released three singles. The latest, “Mother,” displays Thick’s melodic virtues, high-octane rock power and street-level smarts. Rain on Fridays and Casino Youth are also on the bill. BILL KOPP

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $25. 713-5492.

WEDNESDAY 10/30

FOLK

THE SOFTIES

Stop everything, released an album and are touring for the first time since 2000?!? Looks like it’s time to bust out the private poetry journal ’cause we’re going crying. Comprised of Rose Melberg and Jen Sbragia, the Softies embodied the minimalist sound of harmonizing vocals and guitar in a wave of folk resurgence before it was cool. They even toured several times, once opening for the late, great Elliott Smith. Their intimate songs expose the delicate nature of being a human, full of raw emotion, nostalgia and heartbreak. The cozy SubRosa is the perfect setting for their music to take root in the soul of any listener. MW

INFO: 7pm, SubRosa, 703 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20. 426-5242.

ROCK

FRANKIE AND THE WITCH FINGERS

Frankie and the Witch Fingers are part of the modern-day psych-surf-garage revival movement. Their 2013 debut cassette Sidewalk set the tone: healthy doses of fuzz and jangle, a primitive yet vital rhythm section, breezy vocal harmonies and a seething, minor-key approach. A decade later, the group refined and streamlined its attack with Data Doom, rocking harder and heavier in a sort of Redd Kross meets Black Sabbath manner while maintaining what made it special. Psychedelic rockers Spoon Benders open. BK

INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1353 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25. 479-1854.

Capitola Catch

Foodie File

Andrew Steingrube

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October 22, 2024

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Brian Chiala was a college baseball player in the 1990s when his dad founded Los Gatos Meats and asked him to help the family business and work there part-time. “Thirty years later, here I am,” says Brian, now the chef and co-owner. With an already large following over the hill, he and his brother/business partner, John, opened their Capitola Village location in May with the vision of “bringing our sandwiches to the beach.” Brian says he loves Capitola for the small-town feel, comradery among business owners and loyal locals.

LG Meats offers take-out/grab-and-go with the beach literally a stone’s throw away, their smokehouse-style sandwiches made right in front of the guest amidst an open-counter ambiance surrounded by Capitola’s Venetian-inspired colors. With a slogan of “little shop with big sandwiches, meat you at the beach,” their menu is all about great value.

The best-selling sando is the Super Hero with tri-tip, avocado, bacon and cheddar cheese on a choice of fresh-baked, locally sourced bread. Other hits include the Jackie Special (smoked turkey), the Smoked Brisket (barbecue sauce and smoked cheddar), and the pastrami A.J. Special. They also offer made-on-site beef jerky and barbecue plate specials with cornbread, coleslaw, mac-n-cheese and beans. Dessert options abound as well: homemade waffle cones, traditional and soft-serve ice cream, milkshakes and shaved ice.

How do baseball and the industry intersect?

BRIAN CHIALA: Much like baseball, owning a restaurant is all about making constant adjustments based on customer preferences. And I was a catcher, which is really like being a manager on the field, so running this place feels a lot like that: high pressure with quick decisions. The pitcher is kind of like the customer, so it’s all about setting them up for success and figuring out/serving what works best for them. Guests order it up, and we hit it out of the park.

Tell me about your retail offerings.

We have marinated, ready-to-grill meats and sausages available for our customers to take home and cook themselves. We prepare them all from scratch in our flagship location in Los Gatos and then bring to the beach for our customers. We have high-end ribeye, New York and tri-tip steaks and we also carry more exotic meats like venison, elk, buffalo and alligator for those looking to expand their palate and maybe try something new.

200 Monterey Ave., Suite 1, Capitola, 831-889-2999; lgmeatscapitola.com

Divine Finds

Dining Reviews

Mark C. Anderson

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October 22, 2024

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As far as an excuse to eat Gabriella’s famous Caesar, pistachio-crusted yellowtail and pumpkin panna cotta, this is a good one: During Santa Cruz Restaurant Week—happening Oct. 23–30—those three courses, which include market vegetables and polenta, run $45.

They appear alongside a bunch more special dishes, including seven different entrees, from head chef Gema Cruz and pastry chef Eusebia Cruz.

The bounty of options since 1992 at Gabriella Cafe (910 Cedar St., Santa Cruz) is fitting, because more than 30 restaurants roll out curated Restaurant Week menus at either $35, $45 or $55. There’s enough range that the SCRW website parses the possibilities with 15 searchable cuisine categories and four location filters.

And while the values entice, it’s an opportunity to revisit long-running gems like Gabriella, La Posta (538 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz,) or Hula’s Island Grill (221 Cathcart St., Santa Cruz) or try out a rising destination that hopes to earn similar seniority.

A few chef-driven spots to consider short-listing: April 2024 debut Hook & Line (105 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz) and its sustainable seafood (where the squid fried rice and pan-fried local rockfish have my attention); August 2024 addition Pete’s Fish House (231 Esplanade, Capitola) and its contemporary coastal fare (bring on the cold-smoked kanpachi, sauteed mussels and halibut ballotine with lobster cream); and June 2024 reinvention Izakaya West End (334 Ingalls St., Santa Cruz) and its new modern Japanese concept (where the hamachi sashimi and ramen with miso bone broth and pork belly have my mouth watering already).

Side note: October is National Seafood Month, but in my world the marine menus are a perpetual predilection.

Closing note: There’s a bunch more appetite activators where those came from. In fact, just having the Restaurant Week list works like a cheat code for brainstorming where to eat out.

QUICK LIFTOFF

A surprising update from New Leaf Community Markets: The move from their old haunts at Begonia Plaza in Capitola to their new location in the King’s Shopping Plaza (1475 41st Ave.) is happening fast, with a debut date of Nov. 9. The grand opening party will happen that same day, 10am–2pm, with samples, activities for kids, and chances to win gift cards. The new New Leaf enjoys more space, but I’m most amped for the self-serve poke bar. Meanwhile, New Leaf Community Market’s downtown Santa Cruz location, which closed Oct. 15, after almost two decades at 1134 Pacific Ave., reopens in a larger space at Gateway Plaza on River Street in 2025. Newleaf.com.

LIL SIZZLES

Golden State is correct: California brought home the most medals at the Great American Beer Fest earlier this month (37), by a wide margin over #2, Colorado (41) and #3, Oregon (38), though none for Santa Cruz area, greatamericanbeerfestival.com…Tiki turns macabre with adult beverage craftmaster Lindsay Eshleman at Venus Spirits Tasting Room (200 High Road, Santa Cruz) Oct. 23 as she explores the spooky side of tropical cocktails; meanwhile the free “Nightmare on Easy Street” bartender competition drops 7pm on Oct. 29, also at its Westside tasting room, with local bartenders navigating a series of challenges, including high-speed cocktail relays, creative mixology and blindfolded bartending, venusspirits.com…Santa Cruz Permaculture is turning its tutelage toward herbalism for fall with master herbalist Jackie Christensen, and sign ups for classes like “Nervous System + Botany” are now open, santacruzpermaculture.com…Heraclitus, take us home: “If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail.”

LETTERS

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

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October 22, 2024

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NO ON Z

Santa Cruz voters should be clear about what Measure Z is and what it promises to do. Measure Z proposes a tax on many everyday beverages to fund certain local programs, but the ballot language clearly states that any funds raised will go directly into the city’s general fund.

Where’s the accountability?

The money cannot be earmarked for specific projects like health services or other community needs. Any proposals you hear regarding Measure Z are empty suggestions and political rhetoric, not legal requirements.

By design, the general fund allows revenue to be used for any number of city needs, many of which may have little to do with the concerns highlighted by Measure Z. Most likely the funds will be used to fill the city’s budget hole.

As we’ve seen in other cities with beverage taxes like Oakland, the advisory committee’s recommendations can—and were—ignored in favor of using the revenue for city administrative costs.

Didn’t we just absorb a sales tax increase earlier this year to cover budget shortfalls?

Why do we have to dig into our wallets yet again to pay the tab for city council? Where is accountability for the tax revenue already being collected before we feel even more increases to our cost of living? In order to make Santa Cruz more affordable and protect working families’ budgets and priorities, I hope you’ll join me in voting no on Measure Z.

Steven Moreno

WORRIED ABOUT WATER

The authors and supporters of Measure U, remind me of those who authored and supported the disastrous decisions made by the Boeing Corporation.

At Boeing, once science and engineering were removed from the equation of safe airplanes, those planes began to fall apart in mid-air, with new safety issues arising, and a previously healthy corporation, crashing.

When quizzing two of the candidates for Water District Board (Holloway and Smallman) about Measure U regarding predictions about how sufficient revenue will be raised to improve our fragile and complicated water system, the responses are: trust us, we are the only ones who know how to fix this, science is going away, climate change is a hoax, we don’t need engineers or other experts who have deep knowledge about best practices in supporting and running a water district, protecting the environment is needless.

They repeat the same statements and instead of thoughtful responses, counter that those who do not support Measure U are fearmongers.

The work ahead to create a sustainable water system must be undertaken by folks who respond knowledgeably to questions posed, whose decisions are based on best practices from current and future scientific findings, and that experts in the fields affecting our water district be consulted. These folks must also continue to support the currently under-utilized program for lower-income households, and remain willing to include the public in intelligent and peaceful conversations about the District, as well as respectful treatment of District staff.

Alina Layng and Brian Largay are the two candidates who have demonstrated their ability to fulfill these needs. When casting your ballot, you must reject Measure U and support Layng and

Largay to ensure our district has a healthy future. Don’t ‘Boeing’ our water district!

Beth Ahlgren | Felton

The Editor’s Desk

Brad Kava

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October 22, 2024

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Santa Cruz California editor of good times news media print and web — **Brad Kava | Good Times Editor**

We have the best of both worlds here in Santa Cruz. We live in a tourist town, a place people from all over the world flock to be entertained and to dine in an array of great restaurants. When they leave, usually after the summer, we have the place to ourselves.

This week, as the darkness of winter descends, our local eateries are treating us like kings, or like tourists. They are giving us their best meals at bargain prices, to keep us going out while the visitors are gone.

For 14 years we have loved it. And many restaurants say it’s their busiest week of the year.

The social media hive mind has been buzzing loudly. With only a week and some 30 restaurants, how do you know where to go? We want to go to them all.

Check out our cover story on Restaurant Week and the ads with menus listed and hopefully, you’ll get some clues.

We can tell you this: You can’t go wrong with any of the choices. You can check our Good Times and Restaurant Week Facebook pages for feedback from fellow diners.

In other good news: have you been to the UCSC Quarry Amphitheater for a concert or event? It’s a gem that a lot of locals don’t know about, but should.

It’s in a natural bowl, like Colorado’s Red Rocks or UC Berkeley’s Greek Theater, so the acoustics and the views are perfect. With a 2,500 capacity, it feels intimate but never crowded.

The campus has been bringing in national talents. Over the summer, there was a Talking Heads film and then tribute band with some Heads members. This weekend there’s a trio of Latino psychedelic artists who will appeal to everyone. Chicano Batman is the headliner and if you knew nothing but the name, you’d want to see them.

The opener, Tropa Magica, has been in town twice recently and both times hit it out of the park.

You can’t go wrong with the acts and the theater. Two things to remember: 1. Dress warmly, it’s outdoors. 2. It’s a hike to the theater from the parking lot. There are shuttles, but it’s a glorious walk with some of the best views in this whole county.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

STOKED OAKS This photograph of Oak Trees has no color added. Photograph by Bruce Nash.

GOOD WORK

On Sunday, Oct. 27 9am-5pm local low-income residents will have the chance to receive a complimentary eye exam along with a free pair of high-quality glasses at Community Bridges 519 Main Street, Watsonville.

This event is designed to address the urgent eye care needs within our community, particularly for those who face challenges accessing vital services.

To be eligible: you haven’t received eye care through VSP in the past 12 months; you have no private or government vision coverage; and earn less than $29,000 as a single person or less than $70,000 as a family of five.

Schedule an appointment at bit.ly/3NoY16w or 831-724-2997

GOOD IDEA

The Santa Cruz Police Department has designated a Safety Enhancement Zone in the downtown corridor for Halloween 2024. The Safety Enhancement Zone begins on Thursday, October 31st at 8:00 AM and runs through 8am Nov. 4.

The Zone authorizes the tripling of fees for violations such as littering, blocking pedestrian or vehicular traffic, and public alcohol consumption.

In addition to the Triple Fines, the Safety Enhancement Zone will also dictate downtown road closures and No Parking zones.

The police department will post more than 100 uniformed police officers.

Annually, Halloween draws large crowds downtown during the evening and late night. In addition to the additional officers, there will be increased lighting and portable restrooms downtown.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The dignity of the Mexican immigrant isn’t up for debate.” —Music promoter Jason Garner

Full Stack

Art

Mat Weir

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October 22, 2024

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Santa Cruz is known for many things. Of course there’s NHS and Santa Cruz Skateboards, but we were once home to Netflix and Odwalla, and now Trick-Or-Treat Studios. But after Oct. 26 Santa Cruz might be known for another thing.

Pancakes.

Or, more specifically, the home of the Guinness Book of Records holder for the most pancakes stacked at a single serving. That is, if local artist and musician Andy Fairley—aka Andy Pankakes—is up for the task.

“I think we got it,” he says confidently. “When I tell people the current record is three foot and four inches, they all say what I did at first, ‘Aw that’s nothing.’ But when you look at the video of the current record holders and see the stack, it’s not as easy as it sounds. But I’ve got a good team.”

Taking place at the 11th Hour Coffee Roastery, Pankake Fest is an afternoon event featuring live art by Elliot Bliss and—since it’s Halloween weekend—a costume contest. It can’t be a festival without music, so Andy Pankakes, Flat Sun Society, Sin Nombre, Perch and Rio & The Soup will all be playing with DJs Willie and Drizz spinning the ones and twos.

Pankake Fest will also celebrate 11th Hour’s sixth anniversary and feature a mural unveiling at the roaster.

The entrance fee is $20, but that includes art, five bands, two DJs and a pancake feast—as the flapjacks must be served, per Guinness World Record rules.

“That’s a hell of a deal,” Fairley says, laughing.

But before the haters gonna hate, let’s get one thing straight: pancake stacking ain’t all fun and games.

The current record was set in 2016 and is held by chefs James Haywood and Dave Nicholls of Center Parcs Sherwood Forest—a resort in the United Kingdom. It took them 45 minutes to make and stack the 213-pancake tower, which used 13 bags of flour, 360 eggs and 26 pints (about 3.5 gallons) of milk. Each pancake must be a certain diameter and thickness to qualify and the stack must stand for at least 5 seconds.

The previous record was set in 2014 but stood only two feet and 11 inches tall.

Along with Fairley, local chef Jessica Yarr (owner of The Grove in Felton) will be cooking, flipping and stacking.

The idea came when Fairley and Pankake Fest co-organizer Wendy Frances were griddling ideas on how to butter up the name Andy Pankakes to be served to a wider audience.

“We were talking about crazy stunts we could pull and I said, ‘Why not go for the Guinness World Record for pancake stacking?’” remembers Frances, whose favorite pancakes are chocolate chip. “And he looked at me and, ‘You’re crazy, I’m in!’”

Like any good competitive sport, pancake stacking takes time. So Fairley and his team have been training by hitting the pavement learning all they can about the world of pancake stacking.

“I’ve been talking with people—like a physicist who graduated from UC Santa Cruz, and the chef at Surf City,” Fairley says. “I also have a book on food science I’ve consulted. I’ve also done some planning and some testing of different recipes.”

“I think they’ll be able to pull it off,” 11th Hour co-owner Brayden Estby says. “I have great confidence they’ll be able to get it dialed and do it. There’s too much on the line.”

Estby—whose favorite pancakes are chocolate chips, topped with bananas and syrup—first met Fairley at the downtown 11th Hour shop and booked him for a show. They quickly bonded through art collective Liminal Space‚ which also has a mural at the Westside location, and have worked on various events since.

“[11th Hour] celebrates its anniversary every year on Halloween weekend,” he says. “Andy said he was putting on this thing and we thought, ‘Why not make it a combo?’”

In 2022 Fairley held the first Pankake Fest on the back patio at the downtown 11th Hour location. While that show didn’t have the stacking competition, it definitely still had pancakes.

“I actually flipped pancakes out into the crowd while I was performing,” he laughs. “It just adds another level of fun and excitement to the show along with the music.”

For now, Fairley just released a new song, “Internet Girlfriend,” and is prepping for the competition with a strict regimen fans can see on his Instagram with a video of him bench pressing and lifting weights with pancakes for dumbbells.

As for Fairley’s favorite type of pancake? Buttermilk with wild raspberries, butter and maple syrup.

“It’s fun,” he says. “People hear the name ‘Andy Pankakes’ and they smile. I know I have a good association with pancakes, sitting around the table with my family. It’s uplifting. It’s breakfast.”

Pankake Fest takes place Sat., Oct. 26 at 11th Hour Coffee Roastery, 2100D Delaware Ave., Santa Cruz. Tickets: $20.

Breaking Barriers

Music

Mat Weir

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October 22, 2024

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An inevitable force of nature. That’s the best way to describe Los Angeles–based four-piece garage psych band Frankie and the Witch Fingers, who play Moe’s Alley the night before Halloween. Formed in 2013, this band consciously breaks down all barriers, playing whatever they please across genres, instruments and emotions. Sometimes even within the same song.

But it’s more than just musical genres they’re playing with. It’s the idea of music itself.

“As for influences, I’m digging stuff that isn’t strictly music these days,” lead vocalist, rhythm guitar player and co-founder Dylan Sizemore writes in an email.

“I find myself more inspired by the aesthetic of certain environments or scenes from films. I’m more tuned in to textures, sounds and emotions that push me to want to communicate through what we do as a band. Lately, I’ve got this thing for trashy, run-down places—like, I step into some grimy gas station bathroom, and my brain starts filtering all that chaos into something creative and entertaining.”

And yet through their destruction Frankie and the Witch Fingers builds something wild, monstrous and beautiful. Their live shows are manic displays of endurance, with the four-piece blasting through their songs, often connecting multiple tracks through intense jam sessions that leave the audience clamoring for more.

“Josh [Menashe] is definitely the jammer leader,” writes bassist Nicole “Nikki Pickle” Smith. “Nick throws in some fun vamps and Dylan and I like to also mess around with fun additions to the jams, but we’re always following Josh’s lead, for sure!”

Along with Sizemore, the band was founded by lead guitarist, synth player and vocalist Josh Menashe. While they’ve undergone several lineup changes over the last decade, the current roster of Sizemore, Menashe, Smith and drummer Nick Aguilar formed in 2022.

That’s when they first appeared on my radar, after spotting their irresistible name on a flier. However, it wasn’t until the end of last year that I saw them live. Needless to say, I haven’t been the same since. Their incredible energy had the entire venue moving, dancing and even moshing. It was a genuine moment of pure happiness experienced by everyone in the room, including the band, who were clearly in their element, thriving on the vibes.

By the end of the show, one is left begging the question, “Am I on drugs or just listening to Frankie and the Witch Fingers?”

“Probably both,” writes Aguilar.

The quartet creates layers of sounds between each other that are unbelievable until seen—and heard. Their recorded material is equally multifaceted, blazing through funky riffs to headbanging thrashers with white-knuckling ease.

Take their latest single, “I-Candy,” with its B-side, “Bonehead.” While “Bonehead” has a dirty rock ’n’ roll feel, “I-Candy” combines elements of new wave with sci-fi garage rock that channels Oingo Boingo and Devo.

“Danny Elfman is a huge influence for me,” admits Menashe. “ I love anyone who can create and expand upon an entire universe with just music.”

Which is fitting as Frankie and the Witch Fingers often write albums with a recurring theme. For their seventh studio full-length—last year’s Data Doom—issues of technology, digital dystopia and the future flowed throughout, carried on a river of garage rock, psych, Afrobeat, Zamrock and avant-garde jazz.

Inspired by the band and album, Los Angeles–based cannabis company MOTA asked to collaborate with the band for their own strain of weed called “Doom Bloom.” For the strain, the band was invited to pick the flavor profiles, variant of highness and cross strains to breed from.

“And MOTA told us that they play Frankie for the plants as they grow,” Smith writes. “I think you can really taste it in the flavor—tastes funky.”

Despite Data Doom being only a year old, members say they already have the next album recorded and in the bag. While the name and release date have already been chosen, the band is keeping that info under proverbial lock and key.

However, there is some info Sizemore can disclose.

“I was really into the book Naked Lunch and bugs while making this record, and that definitely crawled its way in.”

So be prepared, because there’s a mind-melting storm a’coming.

Frankie and the Witch Fingers with Spoonbenders play at 8pm on Wed., Oct. 31 at Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25. 831-479-1854.

Raising the Dead

Music

Richard Stockton

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October 22, 2024

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Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the end of the harvest season. The Gaels believed that on Oct. 31 the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead becomes blurry.

At 7pm on Saturday, Oct. 26, Bonny June and her band Bonfire will cross that boundary to musically bring the dead to life at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, along with the undead and the not-quite-yet dead. I ask Bonny June to explain her Halloween romp and she says: “It’s Americana meets vaudeville. It’s a music concert with theater.”

The four principal characters are Countess June (Bonny June) and her husband of one thousand years, Count Kraftula (Ken Kraft), along with Batman Owens (Craig Owens) and their naughty assistant, Devil Maycare (Cheryl Henson). June plays ukulele, Kraft is on guitar and Owens plays bass, but their musical signature is their harmony singing. Two years ago, singer Henson joined the troupe and became Devil in the Blue Dress, also the name of one of the cover songs performed in the show.

June says, “90 percent of what we do is original music. I like to write songs that have hooks where the audience can sing along.” These will include songs about sea monsters, zombies, werewolves, demons, pirates, vampires, Edgar Allen Poe, and a new song this year called “Juju Doll.” She says, “I’m inspired by mythology and lore.”

When people come to Kuumbwa, it’s going to be dark with candles lit everywhere, Halloween decor. At the break there will be a costume contest judged by the judge-iest judge of all, Karen, played by Judy Appleby (from the locally created hit Karen with a K). June says, “You can dress up as anything you want, real or imaginary. Or just come in your sweats.”

The show will start with an animated film by Xavier Ortega, about June’s song “Alligator,” which is on the Monsters and Mystics album.

With his deep voice, Ken Kraft plays the alligator. June says, “It’s about a little frog who’s a heroine because there’s this serial killer in the swamp, the Alligator. He kills all the swamp folk and then he’s vanquished by this little frog. It’s done in an old jazz style, with scatting and horns.”

Bonny June says the show is about having as much fun as legally possible.

“I want the audience feeling uplifted and fulfilled, and to leave saying, ‘That was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.’”

Bonny June & Bonfire Halloween Show takes place Oct 26 at Kuumbwa Jazz Center. Doors open at 6:15pm and the show runs 7–10pm with a costume contest during the break. Tickets: $32/Gold Circle $42. Visit FiddlingCricket.com or KuumbwaJazz.org, or call 408-499-9441.

Batman Returns

Music

Zachary Roberts

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October 22, 2024

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In 2017, the Quarry Amphitheater on the UC Santa Cruz campus reopened after being shuttered for 13 years. Its first event was a soft opening, a concert for students, donors, basically anyone who was involved in fundraising for the restoration and reopening of the venue.

The headliner that night? Chicano Batman, the Los Angeles-based Latin psychedelic rock act. Now, as the band possibly winds down its career—having announced an indefinite hiatus upon completion of its current tour—it returns to Santa Cruz and the Quarry Amphitheater Oct. 26 as the venue is set to embark upon a new era.

**BACK TO SCHOOL** Chicano Batman returns to UCSC, headlining a four-band lineup at the Quarry Amphitheater. Photo: Josue Rivas

“It’s just mind-blowing. I kind of feel like we’ve grown together,” says Jose Reyes-Olivas, general manager of the Amphitheater, citing Chicano Batman’s sold-out show at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum this summer. “It was a big deal for us, and to do it all over again feels that much more meaningful. … I can’t wait to host them again.”

Reyes-Olivas recounts a story from that first show, where one of the members of the band called the Quarry the “zenith” of outdoor live music. Which must have been an incredible feeling for Reyes-Olivas to experience on opening night, given that he’s been involved with the venue going back decades.

“I love the Quarry Amphitheater and was fortunate enough to help with some great events prior to the closure of it,” says Olivas-Reyes, who’s been a university employee all this time, but also had a side hustle working in the live-concert industry for more than 20 years. He’s helped put on Michael Franti’s Power to the Peaceful Festival and Outside Lands. “I had a lot of production experience I learned outside of the university, and brought some of that understanding, experience, and network with me to my new position.”

Reyes-Olivas was involved in the project even when it was just a twinkle in a university bureaucrat’s eye. Now, as general manager, he’s shaping how the future looks for the Quarry. Chicano Batman will be the first major concert during the academic year, setting a precedent.

Indeed, the plans ahead are big, with Reyes-Olivas calling it the mini Red Rocks of the West, a reference to the famously picturesque Colorado concert venue. Perhaps an even more apt comparison might be Berkeley’s Hearst Greek Amphitheatre, which has hosted everything from famous free-speech protests to the biggest musicians from the Grateful Dead and Joni Mitchell with B.B. King to Radiohead. It’s viewed as something of a sister venue given that it also resides on a UC campus.

“We’re trying to replicate calendering that they do at the Greek at UC Berkeley,” Reyes-Olivas says. “It’s important for us to think outside the box, and it’s a great opportunity for the campus.”

But let’s be clear and not pigeonhole the venue to one type of event, or as even just a facility. The Quarry holds non-concert events, including a popular Dia de los Muertos gathering and the Deep Read, an annual salon focused around one piece of literature or academia hosted by the university’s Humanities Institute. Moreover, the venue acts as a lab for students as part of the Quarry Theater Production Academy.

“We know that we have a lot of constituents and communities that we want to serve,” says Olivas-Reyes. “I think that’s the beauty of the Quarry. It’s intimate enough, but at 2,600 capacity it’s the largest outdoor amphitheater in Santa Cruz County. So we can wear a lot of hats and serve a lot of different communities. We want to continue bridging the campus with the community. That’s been my personal goal, making those connections where the community feels really welcomed and excited about coming up to our campus.”

The San Francisco–based promoter Noise Pop has been instrumental in helping to get the venue’s name out as a destination for touring musicians. But there’s no exclusive agreement, leaving options open.

Chicano Batman will be supported by Thee Sinseers, The Altons and Tropa Magica, a bill full of strong Chicano roots and influences. Thee Sinseers are a full-stop soul throwback, having seen a huge rise in popularity releasing a number of singles since 2019 and, especially, their debut LP, Sinseerly Yours, earlier this year.

The Altons, currently in the middle of a global trek, bring a similar soulful sound with a bit of psychedelic influence. And Tropa Magica completes the well-themed program, a band that might be equally at home time traveling back to the ’70s or performing a modern-day residency at a border-town dive bar.

Chicano Batman with Thee Sineers, The Altons and Tropa Magica play starting at 7pm on Oct. 26 at the Quarry Amphitheater, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $48, $90 VIP.

South County Resource Center Opens For Residents In Power Shutoff Area

Josué Monroy

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October 18, 2024

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Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has opened a Community Resource Center for south Santa Cruz County residents affected by the public safety power shutoffs that began across the state today, according to a county press release.

The center is providing power and free wifi to anyone affected in the area and is located at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Aptos at 6401 Freedom Blvd.

For summit-area residents near Highway 17, a CRC has been opened in in Los Gatos at Faith Lutheran Church, 16548 Ferris Ave., Los Gatos.

More than 32,000 people are reportedly without power across California as the public safety power shutoffs are being implemented due to a Red Flag fire warning indicating dangerous dry and windy conditions. Wind gusts in areas of the county can reach up to 40 MPH and the warning is in effect until 6pm Saturday.

Good TimesGood Times

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Failure to File

Music to Save Humanities

Secret Projections

Mind-altering Music

Below the Surface

Street Talk

Going Big

Italian I Scream

Things To Do In Santa Cruz

Capitola Catch

Divine Finds

LETTERS

The Editor’s Desk

PHOTO CONTEST

GOOD WORK

GOOD IDEA

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Full Stack

Breaking Barriers

Raising the Dead

Batman Returns

South County Resource Center Opens For Residents In Power Shutoff Area

Things To Do In Santa Cruz

Capitola Catch

Divine Finds

LETTERS

The Editor’s Desk

Full Stack

Breaking Barriers

Raising the Dead

Batman Returns

South County Resource Center Opens For Residents In Power Shutoff Area