Things to do in Santa Cruz

THURSDAY 2/6

FOLK

JACKSON EMMER

When it comes to singer/songwriter Jackson Emmer, take it from Rolling Stone: โ€œAmericana songwriters are a dime a dozen these days, but few are writing songs like Jackson Emmer.โ€ Emmer has been compared to Townes Van Zandt, John Prine and Guy Clark for his blend of humor and heartbreak. His songs are stories, some truthful, others tall tales, but all done with a signature style that has earned him places on Billboard and Spotify playlists and getting to play with artists like Sierra Ferrell and Robert Earl Keen. Joining him are musicians Abigayle Kompst and Mike Hellman for a Nashville-style songwritersโ€™ round, playing music while surrounded by the audience, keeping it as folksy as it can get. MAT WEIR

INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Dr., Soquel. $20. 477-1341.

JAPANESE NOISE

MAYUKO HINO

Japanese noise luminary Mayuko Hino is a tour de force. Best recognized for her work in forming the trailblazing noise band C.C.C.C. (Cosmic Coincidence Control Center) in the early โ€™90s, the artist continues to meld raw electronics with visceral performance art. Her work brims with intensity: from metal percussion to self-made instruments and a bright-pink six-theremin oscillatorโ€”a one-of-a-kind instrument crafted for her by musician Ryo Araishiโ€”Hinoโ€™s musical explorations continue to push the limits of the genre, forging immersive experiences that are unrelenting, cohesive and startling. With deep roots and influence reverberating across the genre, Hino remains the queen of Japanese noise. MELISA YURIAR

INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. $16.

FRIDAY 2/7

FOLK

STEVE POLTZ

The inventive Canadian-born SoCal-raised guitarist built his career blending offbeat humor with poignant storytelling. From cofounding San Diegoโ€™s underground indie-rock cult favorite the Rugburns to cowriting Jewelโ€™s hit โ€™90s single, โ€œYou Were Meant for Me,โ€ the wildly eclectic Poltz has remained a fearless and unrelenting touring musician after decades of live performances and consistent output of independent projects. His latest, Stardust and Satellites, is all wit and warmth and may be the artistโ€™s most sincere and interesting work yet. MY

INFO: 7:30pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $39. 479-9421.

BONNIE PRINCE BILLY

Some call his music freak folk; others label it lo-fi or gothic country. Whatโ€™s undisputed is that Bonnie โ€œPrinceโ€ Billy (born Will Oldham) is an original artist. Combining a punk aesthetic with a folk mindset, BPB quickly became a criticsโ€™ darling with releases like 1993โ€™s There is No-One What Will Take Care of You. Heโ€™s as prolific as he is creative, with some 20 albums under his own (stage) name plus nearly as many others with previous and outside projects. His latest is The Purple Bird. David Ferguson opens. BILL KOPP

INFO: 8:30pm, Vets Hall, 842 Front St., Santa Cruz. $53-$72. 454-0478.

SATURDAY 2/8

PUNK

OPPRESSED LOGIC

Oppressed Logic remembers having fun, and this weekend, theyโ€™ll make sure Santa Cruz gets a full dose of fun straight in the teeth. The Oakland punk band has represented Bay Area punk worldwide for three decades with its thrashing riffs and political lyrics. Rounding out a California showcase are Berkeleyโ€™s the Boneless Ones, Nuisance in Public and C.R.A.P. (both from Santa Cruz) and Southern Californiaโ€™s Paint the Town Rad! For anyone saying the punk scene is dead, this show begs to differ. Weโ€™re talking circle pits, three-minute songs and all the cheap beer and shots the Blue Lagoon offers. Pull up and remember what it was like to have a soul instead of a nine-to-five. MW

INFO: 8:30pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $18. 423-7117.

KIT MAJOR

As the generation that grew up post-Green Day and Nirvana now take the torch into their own hands, breaking the โ€œrulesโ€ of punk feels more natural. Kit Major grew up in Chicago, Tokyo and Beijing and now calls LA home. Her multicultural upbringing may explain the ease with which she breaks orthodoxy, mixing indy, alternative, pop, grunge and the many other โ€œcoresโ€ that branch off punk. The result is aggressive, at times anthemic, and always catchy. Charming sister band Dog Party and Bay Area punk four-piece Tess & the Details kicks things off. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN

INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

TUESDAY 2/11

ย ROCK

ย STORM LARGE

The appropriately named Storm Large will unleash her tempestuous voice, giving her passionately growling take on songs associated with women artists from ร‰dith Piaf and Billie Holiday to Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Lorde, along with her original compositions. Her sound is, well, largeโ€”and powerful, combining the range of a classically trained singer with the gravel and grit more expected from punkโ€™s maternal progenitor Patty Smith or Sonic Youthโ€™s Kim Gordon. Those who like their torch songs with a bit of gasoline poured over them will want to catch Large with longtime music director and collaborator James Beaton on piano. KLJ

ย INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $58. 427-2227.

WEDNESDAY 2/12

COUNTRY

NICK SHOULDERS AND THE OKAY CRAWDAD

The distance between punk and Country & Western isnโ€™t as far as it might seem, and Nick Shouldersโ€™ music bridges the gulf. While the Fayetteville, Arkansas native got his start playing in punk bands, by 2017, heโ€™d pivoted to a solo career in an unabashed C&W style. Heโ€™s been a vocal critic of โ€œersatz countryโ€ and exemplifies the real deal in his music, complete with shouts, whistles and yodeling. Since his solo debut in 2018, Shoulders has released four albums and an EP. Jonny Fritz opens. BK

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $30. 713-5492.

All That Jazz

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Adapting one of Americaโ€™s classic novels into a Broadway-style ballet is no small feat, but producers Gulya Hartwick and Sasha Gorskaya were up for the challenge.

After more than half a dozen years of production, F. Scott Fitzgeraldโ€™s The Great Gatsby finally hits the stage in a way never seen before in its previous incarnations as a Broadway, an opera and five different filmed versions.

โ€œCanโ€™t repeat the past?โ€ฆ Why of course you can!โ€ said Jay Gatsby, Fitzgeraldโ€™s protagonist (played by Robert Redford in 1974 and Leonardo DiCaprio in 2013).

Taking audiences back 100 years to the roaring โ€™20s, complete with dazzling sets, large parties, acrobatics, an all-original jazz score and dazzling ballet footwork, the World Ballet Companyโ€™s The Great Gatsby is coming to the Santa Cruz Civic on Valentineโ€™s Day as a part of a 140-city tour.

โ€œI like large parties. Theyโ€™re so intimate. At small parties, there isnโ€™t any privacy,โ€ said the Gatsby character Jordan Baker.

โ€œWeโ€™ve wanted to create this production for so many years,โ€ Hartwick says. โ€œThe idea got into our minds in 2018. When my co-producer and partner Sasha wrote the libretto, our goal was to stay as close to the book as possible because we loved the story so much. We were of course inspired by both the film adaptations and the musical as well, which had a very interesting approach.โ€

Hartwick loves Fitzgeraldโ€™s descriptions of Gatsbyโ€™s โ€œno tomorrow attitude.โ€

The production conveys one of the most recognizable pieces of 20th-century literature through not only the medium of ballet but also the acting work of the companyโ€™s dancers.

โ€œIt’s a Broadway-style ballet, which is a unique mix of genres, and it allows the audience to truly immerse themselves in a story,โ€ Hartwick says. โ€œWe integrate live singing, effects, projection and acrobatics with the beauty and grace of classical ballet and traditional theater scenery, making it all come together into a stunning piece.โ€

A hundred years after the 1925 novel debuted, its narrative about the emptiness of wealth without loveโ€”and the importance of knowing who your true friends areโ€”still holds true today, with flashy clothes and social media stories replacing stylish cars and lavish parties.

As the last line of the novel puts it, โ€œSo we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s a timeless story about love, friendship and most importantly the American dream,โ€ Hartwick says. โ€œThe ending makes everyone think about whatโ€™s important. What is the chase about and is true love worth it? Questions that make you want to speak with your loved ones.โ€

One standout company member is Hollywood composer Anna Drubich, known for her work on Navalny (2022), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) and America Unfiltered (2024). Drubich has composed a jazz score that takes audiences through the tides and currents of Fitzgeraldโ€™s narrative.

โ€œThis music is so very special that it still sings in your head when you go to sleep and then stays with you when you wake up in the morning,โ€ Hartwick asserts. โ€œAnna accepted the challenge by switching to a new genre for her from film. Iโ€™m sure that the audience will notice those blockbuster motifs.โ€

The World Ballet Companyโ€™s mission is to create professional classical ballet that is accessible to modern audiences, from fans of ballet to the โ€œballet curious.โ€

Hartwick says, โ€œThe Santa Cruz show will be a special one, because itโ€™s on February 14th and thatโ€™s the best day to see one of the greatest love stories live on stage. You will fall in love with the dancing and singing and glitter and dazzle. This will be an evening that will be hard to forget, so get your special someone, dress up and enjoy the show.โ€

The World Ballet Company production takes place at 7pm on Feb. 14 at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St. Tickets: $45โ€“$105; santacruztickets.com.

Free Will Astrology

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ARIES March 21-April 19

The worldโ€™s largest mirror isnโ€™t an actual mirror. Itโ€™s Boliviaโ€™s Salar de Uyuni salt flat, a vast area thatโ€™s almost perfectly flat. After a rain, a thin layer of calm water transforms the surface into a perfect reflector that can be used to calibrate observation satellites. In these conditions, it may be almost impossible to tell where the earth begins and the sky ends. I foresee metaphorically similar developments for you during the coming weeks. Boundaries between different aspects of your worldโ€”professional and personal, spiritual and practicalโ€”might blur in interesting ways. A temporary dissolution of the usual limits may offer you surprising insights and unexpected opportunities for realignment. Be alert for helpful clues about how to adjust the way you see things.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

From day to day, glaciers appear static. But they are actually slow-moving rivers of ice that have tremendous creative power. They can make or reshape valleys, moving tons of dirt and rock. They pulverize, grind and topple trees, hills and even mountains. New lakes may emerge in the course of their activity. I invite you to imagine yourself as a glacier in the coming months, Taurus. Exult in your steady transformative power. Notice and keep track of your slow but sure progress. Trust that your persistence will ultimately accomplish wonders and marvels.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

In recent weeks, have you stirred up any dynamic fantasies about exotic sanctuaries or faraway places or mercurial wild cards? Have you delivered enticing messages to inspiring beauties or brave freedom-fighters or vibrant networkers? Have you been monitoring the activities of longshots or future helpers or unification adepts who might be useful to you sooner than you imagine? Finally, Gemini, have you noticed Iโ€™m suggesting that everything important will arise in threesโ€”except when they come in twos, in which case you should hunt for the missing third? PS: When the wild things call to you, respond promptly.

CANCER June 21-July 22

Archaeologists found two 43,000-year-old flutes in Germany. Constructed of mammoth ivory and bird bone, they still produce clear notes with perfect pitch. They were located in a cave that contains ancient examples of figurative art. Some genius way back then regarded art and music as a pleasurable pairing! I propose we make these instruments your power symbols for the coming weeks, Cancerian. May they inspire you to resuscitate the value of your past accomplishments. May you call on the help of melodies and memories that still resonateโ€”and that can inspire your future adventures! Your words of power are regeneration, revival and reanimation.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

Itโ€™s your unbirthday season, Leoโ€”the holiday thatโ€™s halfway between your last birthday and your next. During this interlude, you could benefit from clarifying what you donโ€™t want, donโ€™t believe and donโ€™t like. You may generate good fortune for yourself by going on a quest to discover rich potentials and stirring possibilities that are as-yet hidden or unexpressed. I hope you will be bold enough to scan the frontiers for sources of beauty and truth that you have been missing. During your unbirthday season, you will be wise to gather the rest of the information you will need to make a smart gamble or daring change.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Austrian playwright Elfriede Jelinek won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004, and Romanian-German author Herta Mรผller earned it in 2009. But garnering the worldโ€™s most prestigious award for writers did not provide a big boost to their book sales. In some markets, their famous works are now out of print. In 2025, I hope you Virgos do in your own spheres what they only half-accomplished in theirs. I would love for you to gather more appreciation and attention while simultaneously raising your income. According to my reading of the astrological omens, this is a reasonable expectation.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

By day, Libra-born Forrest Bess (1911โ€“1977) worked as a commercial fisherman in Texas. By night, he created visionary paintings inspired by symbols that appeared to him in states between sleeping and waking. Other influences in his art came from alchemy, the psychological philosophy of Carl Jung and Indigenous Australian rituals. His life was living proof that mystical exploration and mundane work could coexist. Iโ€™m hoping he might serve you as an inspirational role model. You are in a phase when you have the power to blend and synergize seemingly opposing aspects of your world. You would be wise to meditate on how to find common ground between practical necessity and spiritual aspiration. Are there ways you can unite the desires of your head and heart? Of your need for safety and your longing for adventure? Of your craving for beauty and your fondness for usefulness?

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, arranged for himself to be buried after death with an army of 8,000 soldiers made from terracotta, which is a clay ceramic. Joining the gang below the earthโ€™s surface were 770 horses and 130 chariots. For over 2,000 years, this assemblage was lost and forgotten. But in 1974, farmers digging a new well found it accidentally. In this spirit, I am predicting that sometime in the next five months, you will make interesting discoveries while looking for something other than what you find. They wonโ€™t be as spectacular as the terracotta army, but I bet they will be fun and life changing.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Author Zora Neale Hurston said, โ€œThere are years that ask questions and years that answer.โ€ I will adjust that counsel for your use, Sagittarius. According to my astrological analysis, the first half of 2025 will ask questions, and the second half will answer them. For best results, I invite you to gather and polish your best questions in the next five months, carefully defining and refining them. When July begins, tell life you are ready to receive replies to your carefully wrought inquiries.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Hemoglobin is an iron-bearing protein thatโ€™s crucial to most life. It enables the transportation of oxygen in the blood. But one species, the icefish of the Antarctic seas, lacks hemoglobin. They evolved other ways to obtain and circulate enough oxygen in the frozen depths, including larger hearts and blood vessels. The system theyโ€™ve developed works well. So they are examples of how to adjust to an apparent problem in ways that lead to fine evolutionary innovations. I suspect youโ€™re now in the midst of your own personal version of a comparable adaptation. Keep up the good work!

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

Born under the sign of Aquarius, Clyde Tombaugh discovered the heavenly body known as Pluto in 1930. This was years before he earned advanced degrees in astronomy. His early education was primarily self-directed. The telescopes he used to learn the sky were built from tractor parts and old car components from his fatherโ€™s farm. During the coming months, I surmise there will be elements of your life resembling Tombaughโ€™s story. Your intuition and instincts will bring you insights that may seem unearned or premature. (Theyโ€™re not!) You will garner breakthroughs that seem to be arriving from the future.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

One of the worldโ€™s deepest caves is Veryovkina in the nation of Georgia. At its lowest, itโ€™s 7,257 feet down. There are creatures living there that are found nowhere else on earth. I propose we make it your symbolic power spot for now. In my astrological opinion, you will be wise to dive further into the unknown depths than you have in quite some time. Fascinating mysteries and useful secrets await you. Your motto: โ€œGo deeper and deeper and deeper.โ€

Homework: Here are all your long-term, big-picture horoscopes for 2025: tinyurl.com/YourDestiny2025.

ยฉ Copyright 2025 Rob Brezsny

Street Talk

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When youโ€™re feeling low,
what will always make you smile?

NHI LE

Making myself a hot macha green tea and taking time to relax by myself.

Nhi Le, 20, UCSC Computer Science Major


WAYLON

Being with my friend Nhi Le, and spending time with my roommates, doing things that doesnโ€™t take much mental effort.  

Waylon Williams, 20, UCSC Computer Science Major


IRENE

Golden Retrievers! When I see a Golden Retriever, I canโ€™t help but smile.

Irene Hunter, 17, Student


JIM

The sun makes me smile, and Iโ€™m happy when I go bird-watching on a sunlit day.

Jim Sylva, 80, Retired


KATHLEEN

When I go out in the morning, what makes me smile is a sunny sky and twittering birds.    

Kathleen Sylva, 73, Retired


TOM (with friend)

Lunch with my friends is a guaranteed smile, getting Mexican food at La Cueva in Saratoga.

Tom Vaughan, 18, Student


Preventive CARE

The Santa Cruz County Sheriffโ€™s Office on Jan. 23 unveiled a new website to help law enforcement officials when they encounter people with mental or behavioral conditions that affect the way they communicate and behave.

Under the CARE Alert Program, people can use the website to enter information about their loved one or someone they know, with such data about what triggers them and what calms them down, what name they prefer and if they hate loud noises.

This can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure that individuals receive appropriate treatment during interactions with law enforcement, county officials said.

After the information is verified, it is sent to emergency dispatchers, who can relay it to responding law enforcement officials.

The website gives law enforcement officials another tool to help them effectively deal with people with mental challenges. Thatโ€™s important, since sheriffโ€™s deputies respond to roughly 3,000 of those crisis calls every year, said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Chris Clark.

โ€œAt the heart of all of this is just providing the best safety we can countywide,โ€ Clark said. 

The program has been successfully implemented in several cities on the East Coast, but Santa Cruz Countyโ€™s is the first in California, said Lt. Ian Patrick, who is coordinating it.

The information on the website provides officers with โ€œone more tool they can use when they have a contact with somebody, and the idea is to have that be safer and more efficient with that knowledge in hand,โ€ Patrick said.

Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manu Koenig, who brought the idea for the system to the sheriffโ€™s office, said it came from a woman whose son had a misunderstanding with the police and ended up in jail. 

โ€œThat was probably a step backwards rather than a step forwards for his condition, and we really want to avoid those kinds of situations from happening again,โ€ he said. 

To register for the program, visit carealert.santacruzcountyca.gov.

Short and Sweet

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Liberally splashed with references to AI, gender confusion, the odd capitalist critique and psychotherapy gone wrong, the Santa Cruz Actorsโ€™ Theatre stage currently offers an eclectic array of 10-minute attractions. New this season was the use of projected backdrops that changed with each play, adding mood and context. The projected photos by various designers expanded the scenic possibilities of the theater’s small stage, transporting us into the specific world each play required. Great idea!

Could we please just clone Ward Willats? Or at least his voice? Perhaps the only drawback of this seasonโ€™s rambunctious 8Tens@Eight Festival is that the dashing Willats appears in exactly one and only one of the wide-ranging productions. But Iโ€™ll settle for it. Besides, thereโ€™s ample excitement and surprise in the 16 swift pieces showing in two installments (Part 1 and Part 2) through Feb. 16.

Seasoned players return to the tiny stage this winterโ€”Avondina Wills, David Leach, Helene Simkin Jara among othersโ€”as well as notable newcomers inspired by the energy of fresh scripts chosen from hundreds of submissions. Our annual short play festival has gotten so good, so reliably appealing, that most nights play to full houses of highly receptive audiences. Of course itโ€™s all pot luck, but each of the evenings has its hits.

The Nearest Far Away Place, by Aleks Merilo, offered steadily increasing tension powered by newcomer Jennifer Honka and never-better Michael LaMere. A surprise twist at the end worked its magic perfectly, thanks to actors, script and direction by Cathy D. Warner.

Honka later teamed up with scene-stealing Mathew Chipman, Geneffa Jahan and Lucille Nye in Grouchy, a little gem that depended on clever word play, over-the-top performing and Chipmanโ€™s ownership of the stage. All were knockouts in this one, newcomer Jahan holding her own easily against the catty duo of Nye and Honka. Hereโ€™s hoping all four of these actors show up regularly on future stages.

Which brings me to the versatile Willats, hilarious as the long-suffering partner of Eve Schewe in Giver of Beauty. The two portray a clueless tourist couple attempting to cross the border into Tibet. Gurjeet Bagri was tone perfect as the unflappable border guard while Schewe and Willats worked their way into hilarious meltdown thanks to a brisk sit-com script by Randy Warren. Karin Babbittโ€™s direction was spot-on in this post-SNL sketch.

Part 2 offerings included spitfire acting from the incredible Manirose Bobisuthi as a foul-mouthed witch in Duels and Detentes. In an almost charming but definitely distinctive two-hander, The Wakers, both David Leach and Tom Boyle created an unusual and compassionate couple engaged in irregular sleeping habits.

The second half of Part 2 provided my two favorites of this season. The Scorpion Dance by Jon Haller proved a charismatic send-up of equity bias assumptions in the hands of director Andrew Davids, himself a notable regional actor. In this one Rebecca Clark (of Santa Cruz Shakespeare fame) delivered the goods as a performance coach for defendants preparing for their day in court. Avondina Wills, as a know-it-all corporate defendant sparred impeccably with Clark in this study of emotional intelligence that had me completely captivated.

The other bit of pungent theater was thanks to playwright Jim Larson and director Sally Bookmanโ€™s Exit Strategy. The set-up was timeless and timely, a daughter trying to convince her father to sell his house and move to assisted living, while his housekeeper busily eavesdrops. Susy Parker was all daughter-knows-best persistence, a brilliant Tom Boyle having fun as the defiant dad. Playing housekeeper Denise Keplinger provides the zingers that move toward a crisp, entertaining ending.

Live theater at its most brisk, theatrical diversity at its most playful. Quick, grab some of the remaining tickets.

8Tens@Eight runs through Feb. 16 at Actorsโ€™ Theatre, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz. santacruzactorstheatre.org

Sing Louder

1

When California splits into thirds, Santa Cruz should declare autonomy from the entire debacle, and immediately make Coffee Zombie Collective president. Six musicians running a futuristic country beholden only to the laws of kindness, compassion and a zeal for fun, scruffy, eclectic music? By Jove, I do believe there is a way forward!

With a brand-new release titled Thereโ€™s a Ball of Fire in the Sky, debuting at Balefire Brewing Company on Saturday, Feb. 1, CZC has never sounded better. And while musical comparisons are the sour bread and rancid butter of reviews, CZC defies categorization. But if you had to break the band down, imagine if Squirrel Nut Zippers and Devo got swept up in a non-locational force field that had them confined to the borders of Santa Cruz county, while mutating their DNA so they resembled a close-knit tribe of troubadours who met at a full moon alien abduction.

One of the more familiar faces around Santa Cruz, usually framed by a red Viking beard, is Nate Lieby. Father, husband, software engineer, but more notoriously known as the lead singer of Coffee Zombie Collective. โ€œEver since COVID,โ€ Lieby says, โ€œitโ€™s been hyper local mostly. We have a running joke within the band that we are not allowed to leave the county.โ€

On the new disc, mixed in amongst covers like โ€œPunk Rock Girlโ€(The Dead Milkmen), a smoking โ€œBad Guyโ€ (Billie Eilish) andโ€œSeven Nation Armyโ€ (The White Stripes) are some of CZCโ€™s brilliant originals. The eponymous track โ€œThereโ€™s a Ball of Fire in the Skyโ€ starts off like somebody created an AI version of Herb Alpertโ€™s Tijuana Brass. And itโ€™s this left-of-left-field approach, which CZC inhabits, that keeps the audience on their toes.

In the song, like an unexpected, completely amped dinner guest, Lieby begins a rant about meeting a mysterious person who reveals what the cause is of all of humanityโ€™s sorrow. โ€œItโ€™s a story about a guy who runs into some old traveler out in the forest. The guy explains how the sun is trying to kill humanity. All the time.โ€

But itโ€™s not just a poppy They Might Be Giants song, weaving a funny tale without depth. CZC is more like the San Lorenzo River, with canyons of deep, bottomless, sparkling water. โ€œItโ€™s about how nothing we do has meaning. But whatโ€™s the point of complaining about all of our trials and tribulations, when the sunโ€™s gonna go supernova and consume us. So, might as well chill out,โ€ Lieby laughs.

If Banana Slug String Band is Santa Cruzโ€™s daytime music for kids and weirdos, the collective is definitely the nighttime messenger for oddballs and kooks. Its high-energy ebullience emanates from the stage, and its infection rate is zombie level. The other songwriter on this album is Zach Langton, who is a daytime nurse anesthesiologist. His tune, โ€œWhy Canโ€™t We Get Along,โ€ busts out like a Violent Femmes B-side, then rises to the top of the album as one of its best compositions. Trying to nail down Langton on a break from his healthcare job, he is concise on the new album. โ€œThe song โ€˜Ball of Fireโ€™ came together so easily in the studio. Nate is inherently funny, and the story he sang became the spark that pulled the whole album together,โ€ Langston says.

Lieby, the aforementioned ginger shaman, is in transit from his daytime gig at Joby. And pardon the hyperbole, but Lieby and CZC represent everything Santa Cruz is about. Hardworking, family and community conscious, environmentally hip, creatively talented. So, itโ€™s not a stretch to consider his band (yes, they are a collective) as one of Santa Cruzโ€™s most crucial voices. CZC works from the core roots of what music is. โ€œMusic goes back to cave people sitting around a campfire, clacking rocks together,โ€ Lieby notes.

Coffee Zombie Collective is about accessibility. They want to root for you, as you root for them. Their presence is a walking, dancing affirmation of family. โ€œWe just want to lift everybody up together, and make something bigger than just the individual pieces,โ€ Lieby says.

Coffee Zombie Collectiveโ€™s album release event takes place at 7pm on Feb. 1 at Balefire Brewing Company, 21517 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. Free.

Coffee Zombie Collective new album, โ€˜Thereโ€™s a Ball of Fire in the Sky' with art by Jesse Bangs
HOT OFF THE PRESSES CZCโ€™s new album, โ€˜Thereโ€™s a Ball of Fire in the Sky,โ€™ debuts Feb. 1. ARTWORK: Jesse Baggs

That New New

There are almost as many participating restaurants celebrating Santa Cruz Pizza Week, Jan. 29-Feb. 8, as there are possible toppings to plop on a pie.

Slice Project (300 Main St.. Watsonville) is celebrating with a deal on Saucy Little Chicken pizzasโ€”and word itโ€™s adding an outpost at The Hangar (45 Aviation Way, Suite 6, Watsonville), across town from its downtown spot in the former Fox Theater.

โ€œWe are excited to be joining such a great group of businesses and the opportunity to serve the northern part of Watsonville/Freedom with easier access [to] our pizza,โ€ The Project team, led by brothers Brando and Kristian Sencion, posts on Instagram. Optimistic ETA: end of February. santacruzpizzaweek.com

A bumper crop of other spots have leapt to life recently, in addition to the likes of Coffee Conspiracy Co. (1855 41st Ave., F01, Capitola) and Gabrielita Tamaleria (1128 Pacific St., Santa Cruz) listed in this column this month.

Here comes a turbo tasting of the recent debuts, starting not far from where Gabrielita is wrapping yum in banana leaves: In another downtown kiosk, Matt McCabe has opened Crepe Cones (in front of 1520 Pacific St.) with affordable fresh-to-order crepes.

Tortilla Shack (1505 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz)โ€”from the same peeps behind Izakaya West End (334 Ingalls St. D, Santa Cruz), Quinn Cormier and Geoff Hargraveโ€”is now pressing fresh flour tortillas in house, across from Dominican Hospital. The homemade tortillas fly off the comal in classic white, spinach-garlic green and chipotle-smoked cheddar red, ready for guests to customize ingredients for a burrito. Or they can go for a choose-your-own bowl, taco or nacho combo.

Back downtown, Fusion Fare (1003 Cedar St., Santa Cruz) and Chef Hongmin Mo are already sizzling modern international/Sichuan-tinged dishes like slow-roasted lamb, peppercorn wings and braised pork hock in green onion sauce in the former Rustico Italian Street Food.

Green Papaya (8042 Soquel Drive, Aptos), meanwhile, is doing Southeast Asian dishes like spicy larb, cashew tofu and khao man gai chicken in what was Cafรฉ Sparrow on Soquel Drive.

And J&M Bagels (5980 Highway 9, Felton) now gives the mountains fresh flavor in the form of sourdough bagels and special-recipe schmears.

HAND UP, BELLY FED

Chef Jose Andres does the kind of gourmet grub that sane souls have called โ€œlife-changing.โ€ What humanitarian Jose Andres and his team have done with World Central Kitchen is truly life-changing, in a day-to-day way. Their latest mission to deliver relief to disaster areas has shared more than 200,000 hot meals with Los Angeles citizens across 50 meal distribution sites, including 20 dedicated to first responders. Birichino Winery (204 Church St., Santa Cruz) is aiding the push by donating 10% of online sales via its website (birichino.com) to WCK through the end of month. Next month, namely Feb. 15-16, Lindaโ€™s Seabreeze Cafรฉ (542 Seabright Ave, Santa Cruz) hosts L.A. Fire Relief Days to generate funds for WCK, Pasadena Humane and the American Red Cross. wck.org.

BURNT ENDS

Happy National Soup Month! An atypical way to celebrate/self-mutilate: Progresso now does Soup Drops, hard candies with flavors like chicken noodle, and the motto, โ€œSoup you can suck on.โ€…Venus Spirits (200 High Road, Santa Cruz) and other California craft distillers are pushing lawmakers to retain COVID-inspired legislation that made shipping their liquids to consumers permanentโ€ฆThere are now Post Malone Oreosโ€ฆThis closing quote is officially anonymous, maybe because it applies broadly: โ€œIโ€™m sorry for what I said when I was hungry.โ€

Fresh Brew

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Rhea Budiaoโ€™s personal goal for her entire life starting from childhood in the Philippines was to one day own a small business just like her grandma, by whom she was so inspired. Rhea immigrated here with family at age ten and was raised in San Jose before getting a degree in hospitality management. After she and her husband, Justin, who has a similar industry background, helped open several hotels in the Bay Area, they felt it was time to take the ownership plunge.

They saw a business for sale online, visited and fell in love with the Scotts Valley location right off Highway 17, then seized the opportunity to actualize their ambitions. A good play on words with even better specialty coffee plus grab-and-go food, Brewed Awakening also offers on-site beverage sipping. The open and modern ambiance offers elegant โ€œno clutterโ€ dรฉcor. The mocha and white mocha are two of the handcrafted coffee favorites, and the complex and aromatic chai is a stand-out on the tea side.

Rhea defines the food as elevated coffeehouse fare with plans to soon offer an expanded menu including paninis. Current favorites are customizable breakfast sandwiches with myriad protein and cheese combinations on a bagel, croissant or English muffin, as well as salads and fruit/yogurt parfaits.

How do you incorporate your upbringing and heritage?

RHEA BUDIAO: In Filipino culture, we place a big emphasis on hospitality, warmth and kindness, and our goal is to bring those qualities to Brewed Awakening. Being family-oriented is something we take great pride in too; we have a patio area that is perfect for just hanging out and relaxing. I actually had my own birthday party on that patio in October. Itโ€™s a great place for families to connect, both with each other and also with other families as well.

What sets your coffee apart?

RH: First of all, our coffee beans are locally sourced from Coffeol, a roasting company based in Watsonville that is known for having the freshest beans. They focus on quality over quantity, and have a very client-focused business model. They cater to different preferences like specific flavor notes and regions of sourcing. Our beans are roasted day of, then ground in-house to order. Our coffee is the freshest youโ€™ll find.

6006 La Madrona Drive, Suite A, Scotts Valley, 831-226-2635.

Things to do in Santa Cruz

THURSDAY 1/30

ACOUSTIC

PEPPINO Dโ€™AGOSTINO

The guitar is an incredibly versatile instrument, and its uses are as diverse as the musicians that play it. Take Peppino Dโ€™Agostino for example. The Italian-born musician captures a vibrant and pure tone as deep as the wood grains on his guitars. Donโ€™t believe it? Then maybe believe famed guitarist Leo Kottke, who called Dโ€™Agostino one of his favorite composers, whose tones โ€œget the resin and the wood.โ€ Over his career, Dโ€™Agostino has recorded 19 albums and shared the stage with players like Eric Johnson, Tommy Emmanuel and Larry Carlton. MAT WEIR

INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Dr., Soquel. $30/adv, $35/door. 477-1341.

COMEDY

TJ

Comedian TJโ€™s stand-up delivery is often described as laid-back, and the term is fitting but also deceptive: in his mellow, quiet way, he sharply skewers modern society. His nonchalance while packing in hilarity at a laughs-per-minute rate that breaks the sound barrier is quite impressive. TJ was born in Haiti and draws on his background and relationship with the US and the world to inform his material, using a unique grasp of history to serve up sacred cows while somehow coming across as remarkably friendly and approachable. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $27. 713-5492.

FRIDAY 1/31

FOLK

CHERYL WHEELER

Cheryl Wheeler is a master of duality, crafting live performances that balance heartfelt poetry and laughter. For over four decades, the songwriter has penned some of the most sincere and intelligent folk ballads in the genre, earning the respect of her peers and captivating audiences with music anchored by a poignant lyrical depth and emotional resonance. Her trend-defying comedic side is equally compelling; the irreverent Wheeler skewers societal norms with laugh-out-loud social commentary and sharp-witted storytelling. Every live performance by the delightfully unpredictable New England folk singer is as charming as it is unique. MELISA YURIAR

INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $44. 704-7113.

SATURDAY 2/1

FUNK

KARL DENSONโ€™S TINY UNIVERSE

For over three decades, Karl Denson has been in the public eye playing the saxophone as if he was born with it in hand. He was in the fictitious band Sexual Chocolate in Eddie Murphyโ€™s Coming to America and its sequel, and heโ€™s recorded with the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Slightly Stoopid, the Greyboy Allstars and Stanton Moore, to list a few. Oh, and the Rolling Stones tapped him to tour with them, no big deal. Anyone whoโ€™s seen Karl Densonโ€™s Tiny Universe can attest to the fact that he and his band bring all their experience and talent to the table, playing original music and covers that blend genres to keep the feet moving. MW

INFO: 8:30pm, Moeโ€™s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $35/adv, $40/door. 479-1854.

SUNDAY 2/2

JAZZ

BLAQUE DYNAMITE

Prodigy is thrown around too casually, but in the case of drummer Blaque Dynamite, its use is more than justified. He started playing at age two, got into jazz at 14, and while still in his teens, worked with major artists, including Thundercat, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Erykah Badu and Kamasi Washington. Nominally a jazz player (heโ€™s the recipient of 14 DownBeat Music Awards), Dynamiteโ€™s work moves seamlessly beyond that genreโ€™s boundaries. To date, heโ€™s released several albums, including WiFi (2015), Killing Bugs (2017), Time Out (2020) and 2023โ€™s Stop Calling Me. BILL KOPP

INFO: 8pm, Moeโ€™s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.

FILM

ROGER BEEBE

Filmmaker Roger Beebe creates thought-provoking and visually arresting performances using multiple 16mm projectors. His work often takes on an essayistic quality as it explores themes of late capitalism. The evening will present new and past works, including Lineage and de rerum natura (both 2019), Home Means Never Having to Say Youโ€™re Sorry (2021) and un arbre (2024). A highlight will be 2008โ€™s Last Light of a Dying Star, which employs no less than seven film projectors. The program will also include some of Beebeโ€™s video work, presented as live-narrated documentaries. BK

INFO: 7pm, Indexical, 1050 River St,. #119, Santa Cruz. $10. 627-9491.

MONDAY 2/3

JAZZ

KAT EDMONSON

Jazz pop singer and songwriter Kat Edmonsonโ€™s voice manages to be organic, supernaturally natural, otherworldly and angelicโ€”so angelic she was cast in a movie called Angels Sing. With friends like Lyle Lovett and Asleep at the Wheel inviting her to share their spotlight and star turns on NPRโ€™s Tiny Desk Concerts and Austin City Limits, thereโ€™s a good chance many have heard her stunning, gorgeous voice before. If not, a quick search online will turn the incredulous into believers. KLJ

INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz.  $42. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 2/4

SCREENING

COUNTED OUT

Math is more than the basic stuff taught in grade school. Many issues Americans in the 21st century faceโ€”gerrymandering, personal finances, pandemics, artificial intelligence, personal data, social media algorithmsโ€”are mathematics at their core. Counted Out pulls back the curtain on some of the biggest issues, explaining how knowing the mathematics involved in daily life and broader national issues gives the individual social and economic power. Through stories, expert interviews and examples of math empowering change, Counted Out demonstrates the need for increased numeric literacy and a shift in understanding mathematics. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE

INFO: 6:30pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-8209.

WEDNESDAY 2/5

COMPETITION

POETRY OUT LOUD

Poetry Out Loud, a national program established by the National Endowment for the Arts, was designed to inspire high school students to engage with classic and contemporary poetry. By focusing on memorization and performance in front of a welcoming audience, students who participate will gain a deeper appreciation for the transformative art form while honing their public speaking and interpretative skills. The initiative culminates in national finals, where they compete for prestigious awards, scholarships and prizes and celebrate a new mastery of spoken word and literary art. MY

INFO: 6pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.

Things to do in Santa Cruz

The inventive Canadian-born SoCal-raised guitarist Steve Poltz built his career blending offbeat humor with poignant storytelling.

All That Jazz

After more than half a dozen years of production, F. Scott Fitzgeraldโ€™s The Great Gatsby finally hits the stage in a way never seen before.

Free Will Astrology

Astrology, Horoscope, Stars, Zodiac Signs
Week of February 6

Street Talk

row of silhouettes of different people
When youโ€™re feeling low, what will always make you smile?

Preventive CARE

Law enforcement officials at a press conference
The website provides information to law enforcement about people with mental or behavioral conditions that they may encounter.

Short and Sweet

Good Times Arts and Entertainment Eva Schewe, Ward Willats and Gurjeet Bagri in โ€˜Giver of Beauty'
Live theater at its most brisk, theatrical diversity at its most playful. Quick, grab some of the remaining tickets. 8Tens@Eight runs through Feb. 16 at Actorsโ€™ Theatre

Sing Louder

Six bandmembers mugging for the camera
With a brand-new release titled Thereโ€™s a Ball of Fire in the Sky, debuting at Balefire Brewing Company on Saturday, Feb. 1, CZC has never sounded better.

That New New

The Crepe Cones Pacific Av kiosk
Here comes a turbo tasting of the recent debuts, Crepe Cones (pictured), Tortilla Shack, Fusion Fare, Green Papaya, and J&M Bagels

Fresh Brew

Foodie File Brewed Awakening baked goods
A good play on words with even better specialty coffee plus grab-and-go food, Brewed Awakening also offers on-site beverage sipping.

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Calendar photo, ACOUSTIC STRINGS Peppino Dโ€™Agostino plays at Ugly Mug. Photo: Jarek Pepkowski
Italian-born Peppino Dโ€™Agostino captures a vibrant and pure tone as deep as the wood grains on his guitars. Thursday January 30 at Ugly Mug.
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