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Things to do in Santa Cruz

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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April 10, 2024

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THURSDAY

SOUL

ORGONE

Orgone is a band that has been around forever because they’re so good at what they do. On tour for the release of their latest album, Chimera, they bring the funk to every song—most of which are instrumental jams. There’s something mythological happening on this album, with one track titled after a legendary creature (“Basilisk”), a collaborator named Mermans Mosengo and the title itself named after a lion-goat-serpent hybrid. Chimeras comprise many disparate animal parts, which is a perfect metaphor for this band and the music they create. It’s the stuff of legends! JESSICA IRISH

INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY

AUTHOR EVENT

ERNEST CLINE
Genuine connection is challenging but necessary when one has constant access to a virtual world of escapism. It’s a struggle Ernest Cline explored in his hit sci-fi Ready Player One. Now, Cline’s plumbing the depths of connection again in his latest middle-grade book, Bridge to Bat City. The story centers on Opal, a young girl who befriends an orphaned colony of bats—bats that love music. Opal and this eccentric group of bats have a tough time fitting in, but they’re determined to find out where they belong., together, of course. Cline will read from Bridge to Bat City and sign (and personalize!) one book copy for each customer. AARON CARNES
INFO: 5pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.

MUSEUM

SOWING SEEDS

After four years of research, the exhibition Sowing Seeds: Filipino American Stories from the Pajaro Valley opens this weekend at the Solari Gallery of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. A collaboration between community members, UCSC students, scholars, the Tobera Project and curators with Watsonville is in the Heart (WIITH), the exhibit sheds light on the untold stories of the 100,000 Filipino people who migrated across the Pacific to fill low-wage agricultural jobs at the US government’s behest in the early 1900s. An engaging mixture of oral history, visual art and family archival materials make this an engaging educational activity for the whole family. ADDIE MAHMASSANI

INFO: Noon, Solari Gallery, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-1964.

COUNTRY

JESSE DANIEL

Hot diggity-damn!! Jesse Daniel returns to the Catalyst this Friday for what’s promising to be another sold-out show. And why shouldn’t it be? The San Lorenzo prodigal son’s star has risen rapidly in recent years. Through blood, sweat, tears and tunes, he—and the lovely Ms. Jodi Lyford, his partner in all things—released all of their music themselves so they can make the music they want without some Nashville corporate suit breathing down their necks. And it’s paid off. Daniel’s latest single, “Workin’ Hard (Day and Night),” is on Dusty Slay’s new Netflix comedy special. His story is just getting started, and it won’t be long until the world says, “Jesse Daniel plays ‘My Kind of Country.’” MAT WEIR

INFO: 9pm, The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $27/adv, $32/door. 713-5492.

SATURDAY

AMERICANA

FOX AND BONES

For fans of Americana artists like ZZ Ward and Lake Street Dive, Fox and Bones is a must-see duo. Scott Gilmore’s twangy grit meets Sarah Vitort’s gorgeous tones in clear-eyed, nostalgic songs. This band has been on a roll, winning first place at the 2023 Tucson Folk Festival songwriting contest and founding Portland’s Folk Festival in their hometown. All the hard work doesn’t mean they’re not having fun; a single off their upcoming fourth album, “Digital Wasteland,” comes with a music video in which an enormous gorilla sneaks into their kitchen while they’re preoccupied with scrolling on their phones. AM

INFO: 8pm, Lille Aeske Arthouse, 13160 Highway 9, Boulder Creek. $25/adv, $30/door. 703-4183.

FOLK

GONE GONE BEYOND

Gone Gone Beyond invites audiences to slow down and dance along as they listen to the folk music of the future—acoustic music fused with electronic elements that blend the traditional with the new. Their sound expands the definition of folk and shoots it out into the cosmos, exploring emotion and experiences via comets and stardust. Show attendees describe their live performance as a spiritual experience as Gone Gone Beyond requests the audience to “slow down, tune in and dance into the stars.” ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE

INFO: 7:30pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $27/adv, $32/door. 704-7113.

ROCK

COSMIC CRUZ DEAD FEST

A Venn diagram of Deadheads and Santa Cruz County citizens would have a very meaty center. No town has a more devoted community of Grateful Dead fans, many of whom had the good fortune to meet Jerry Garcia before his ascension from this physical plane of existence. The Cosmic Cruz Dead Fest is the stuff of dreams for such fans, featuring R & B jam band Nugz and two Grateful Dead tribute bands, Aardvark and Dead Roses. It’ll be a night full of peace, love and rock ‘n’ roll—a groovy time for all, with the potential for a little temporary ascension built right in. JI

INFO: 5pm, Veterans Memorial Building, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 454-0478.

MONDAY

JAZZ

DONNY MCCASLIN QUARTET

One of the most entertaining, surprising acts at the 2023 Monterey Jazz Festival was Santa Cruz native Donny McCaslin and his non-traditional quartet. McCaslin, pianist Jason Lindner, drummer Nate Wood and bassist Tim Lefebvre all made heavy use of electronic effects to stretch their sounds and explore new sonic realms. When McCaslin returns to familiar turf at Kuumbwa, he’ll bring a similar band, with electric bassist Jonathan Maron replacing Lefebre. His career has been on a steady upward arc since his earliest jazz days as a 14-year-old sitting in with his dad, Don McCaslin. McCaslin peaked fame-wise with a shared Grammy win for David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. But jazz is a lifetime study; McCaslin’s star is burning bright. DE

INFO: 7:30pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $42/adv, $47.25/door. 427-2227

WEDNESDAY

BENEFIT

BE NATURAL MUSIC SHOW

When it comes to the future of local music, look no further than Be Natural Music. For 26 years, they’ve taught young musicians classical and jazz theory fundamentals, tablature and chord recognition, improvisation and more. They’re kicking off their 2024 donation season with a doubleheader this year. On April 17 and April 25, from 4pm to 8pm, some of Be Natural’s best student rock and jazz bands will lay down the perfect tunes for drinking, dining, and dancing. Appetizers and desserts are encouraged, as Pono will donate 15% of the proceeds to Be Natural Music. For the school to receive the donation, patrons must let the register know they are present for the event. MW

INFO: 4pm, Pono Hawaiian Grill, 120 Union St., Santa Cruz. Free. 621-7448.

Chloe Xtina Watching the Watchers

Film

John Malkin

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April 10, 2024

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Chloe Xtina will be shooting a new short film titled “Arcadia” in Santa Cruz in mid-May and hopes to include locals in the production. The 25-year-old theater and film writer/director grew up in Oakland and often visited Santa Cruz.

“Santa Cruz has always been this dark, magical place to me,” Xtina says, “but it also has this very timeless feel that’s slow moving, warm and welcoming.”

Xtina ran a theater company in high school and studied playwriting and film at UCLA. She now lives in Brooklyn, and last summer her play Joan of Arc in a Supermarket in California had a successful Off-Broadway debut.

The 2023 Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellow previously directed two short films: “Ghost of You” (2023) and “The First Taste” (2020). “Arcadia”—the story of a young woman’s “sexual awakening infused with the precarity of climate collapse”— will feature Logan Miller, Lucy Urbano, Alaska Reid and Maria Dizzia. More information can be found at Chloextina.com.

Tell me about “Arcadia.”

Chloe Xtina: “Arcadia” is a short film about an 18-year-old girl. The summer before she leaves for college, she joins a prestigious theater troupe in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She’s on the hunt for sexual power, and there’s a blurring of the lines between prey and predator.

The film is really about these blurred spaces of being a young woman in an art space, where you’re grasping for your own sexual autonomy, but also dealing with what could be determined as grooming. The lines blur between sexual power and power being abused, but also the autonomous power of a young woman and her sexuality.

I set the story during a dark, rainy summer in Santa Cruz, to have the feel of an ’80s thriller. We’re shooting on 16mm film, which adds to the effect. The dark nostalgia in the film is inspired by these really gritty feminized worlds like that of directors Karyn Kusama, Andrea Arnold and Catherine Hardwicke.

I read that your stories explore “psychosexual gazes, desire and California’s climate crisis through a magical realist lens.”

Throughout my adolescence I was very hypersexualized and a lot of rage built up, nonverbal stuff. It wasn’t in the cultural canon to talk about the feelings or experiences I was having. I realized I could use fantasy and magic as a tool to represent unspoken feelings of rage. I’m really interested in these tiny, isolated moments that happen in a young woman’s life that will forever impact her and blow up into a very sinister effect. So, I started exploring magical realism as a tool to talk about these things.

The climate crisis is also an important part of your stories.

All of my work deals with California’s climate crisis as a backdrop. My last project (“Ghost of You”) took place during fire season and a heatwave. I found the climate crisis is a strange mirror for my own coming of age and my relationship to psychosexual gazes. California is as much a character in my work as the literal characters. This mirror of chaos reflects the experience of not being able to control this gaze upon you as a young woman, and not being able to control the world around you.

When you say “psychosexual gaze,” I’m thinking you mean the way that (mostly) men communicate with you, and the way media sexualizes women to sell products and ideas.

A lot of conversation about the male gaze is about the way women are perceived, but what I’m fascinated with is the way that gaze becomes internalized by women. My last film was about a 16-year-old girl who’s playing at a creek and photographed by a strange man, and she starts having these visions of a ghost in a bedsheet watching her. She manipulates that gaze to try to feel empowered, or to feel like maybe she’s attracted to the ghost.

That was based on my own experience as a teenage girl where I was always picturing men watching me and then being so confused as to why I pictured men watching me. I thought I was crazy. As I spoke more about it, I found it’s a very common phenomenon. Margaret Atwood talks about male fantasies of women literally picturing the voyeur watching them. You’re always thinking about the way you’re being perceived. In “Arcadia” the psychosexual gaze is explored through the main character Juliet, who takes in the sexual exploitation around her and kind of craves it.

Tell me more about the local production of “Arcadia.”

We’re shooting in Santa Cruz May 19 to the 22nd. We’re shooting at Monty’s Log Cabin in Felton for our dive bar scenes and we’re in search of unconventional theater spaces and also a farmhouse. We’re interested in bringing on locals to our project; filmmakers with grip, gaffing or sound experience. We’ll need lots of extras, too. During the pandemic, I reevaluated my work as a filmmaker and created my own model of success. I just want to have a community that I’m proud to have created or impacted, and work I’m proud of.

I like that you have your own model of success. I often wonder how to measure success in feminism in this consumer-driven world that is still white, male dominated? Is it beneficial that women become CEOs of corporations and can now be in combat roles in the US military?

I grew up in a feminist Marxist household and my belief is that capitalism and racism can’t mix with feminism. All the systems intersect. It’s so fascinating you bring this up because I was thinking about how sometimes female directors are encouraged to be more masculine, in order to be taken seriously. I have feminine and masculine qualities and my femininity is really helpful. As a director, it allows me to tap into people and make sure I’m taking care of them. That’s also a huge factor in my model of success; I don’t think I’m successful unless the community I’m working with feels heard, seen and taken care of. But I don’t think female CEOs are the answer.

Listen to this interview on Thursday at noon on KZSC 88.1 FM / kzsc.org on “Transformation Highway.”

Donny McCaslin returns home

Music

Jeanette Prather

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April 10, 2024

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As an elite-level saxophonist and composer, Donny McCaslin plays in many different jazz clubs and other venues all over the world. But Kuumbwa Jazz Center, where he and his quartet will perform on April 15, is the place that inspired him to spend his life playing and writing music.

His return to his hometown should bring back a flood of memories.

All of his blood family—with the exception of his wife and children—still live around Santa Cruz, including a brother, a sister and their spouses and kids. They are paying their own way into the nonprofit Kuumbwa, he noted proudly.

“Kuumbwa is a very special place for me; I was fortunate to have access to it as a child, so much great music; seeing (drummer) Elvin Jones and the Jazz Machine and McCoy Tyner, a couple weeks later, really changed my life. I really appreciate Tim Jackson and his vision for that place, and how it’s grown. It’s very special to step on that stage and play in front of the community that I grew up with.”

Memories like the weekly gigs his dad, Don McCaslin, would do at the Cooper House—“helping him set up and then sitting on the bandstand all day.” Donny started learning the saxophone at 12, and by 14 was sitting in with combos led by his dad, who was at the center of a jazz scene from the ’60s to the ’90s.

McCaslin, 57, attended Aptos High School and got an early start with the school’s jazz program, led by veteran musician Don Keller. After high school he attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music and after getting his degree, he joined vibraphonist Gary Burton’s band for four years. In 1991, he relocated to the jazz mecca—New York City.

His career got a boost in 2014 when orchestra leader Maria Schneider recommended him to the late David Bowie. Bowie’s people came to hear McCaslin’s combo play in a Manhattan club “and the next day he emailed me asking to record some music.” In November 2014, McCaslin played saxophone on Bowie’s single “Sue (Or in a Season of Crime).” After that, he played on and contributed arrangements to Bowie’s 2016 swan song album, Blackstar, which won five Grammys.

Bowie’s influence was a major factor in McCaslin taking a major, stylistic turn, when he decided to try foot-pedal-controlled electronics effects to shape his saxophone sound. This effect evolved into being the main thrust of McCaslin’s live shows. “It’s become another tool to expand my sound. I imagine that sound now when I am writing. So, [Bowie] was very prescient.”

McCaslin says the music the band plays this time at Kuumbwa will largely consist of tunes from his most recent release—last year’s I Want More.

Last March, he played Kuumbwa as part of a 40-year reunion of the salsa band he played with as a 16-year old, Los Schleppos Tipicos.

This summer he’ll be playing several festivals overseas, and at the Kennedy Center in NYC with the Bowie tribute orchestra, with 75 pieces and his combo.

“The Bowie experience had a profound effect on my own music,” McCaslin says. “Suddenly, everything felt possible in a way it hadn’t before—hybrid concepts, how to put influences together…everything felt more possible.”

Lately he has also been touring with another iconic pop star, Elvis Costello. Hardcore jazz purists might not appreciate the nontraditional effects pedals, but being confined by genre “rules” is unhealthy for any creative musician. And McCaslin’s words pretty well sum up what the original creators and movers of jazz roaming the earth have always done, moving the music forward, preventing it becoming a sort of aural museum artifact. Donny McCaslin plays at Kuumbwa Jazz Center at 7pm. Tickets $47.25/$42 adv/$23.50 students. 320-2 Cedar St, Santa Cruz. kuumbwajazz.org

changed this to plural from Tipico

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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April 10, 2024

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ARIES
March 21-April 19

Now is a favorable time to make initial inquiries, ask for free samples and enjoy window shopping. But it’s not an opportune time to seal final decisions or sign binding contracts. Have fun haggling and exploring, even as you avoid making permanent promises. Follow the inklings of your heart more than the speculations of your head, but refrain from pledging your heart until lots of evidence is available. You are in a prime position to attract and consider an array of possibilities, and for best results you should remain noncommittal for the foreseeable future.

TAURUS
April 20-May 20

Author Betty Bender said, “Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile initially scared me to death.” Painter Georgia O’Keeffe confessed she always harbored chronic anxiety—yet that never stopped her from doing what she loved. Philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Anyone who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.” I hope these testimonials inspire you to bolster your grit, Taurus. In the coming days, you may not have any more or less fear than usual. But you will be able to summon extra courage and willpower as you render the fear at least semi-irrelevant.

GEMINI
May 21-June 20

Richard the Lionheart (1157–1199) was a medieval king of England. How did he get his nickname? Scholars say it was because of his skill as a military leader. But legend tells an additional story. As a young man, Richard was imprisoned by an enemy who arranged for a hungry lion to be brought into his cell. As the beast opened its maw to maul the future king, Richard thrust his arm down its throat and tore out its heart, killing it. What does this tale have to do with you, Gemini? I predict you will soon encounter a test that’s less extreme than Richard’s but equally solvable by bursts of creative ingenuity. Though there will be no physical danger, you will be wise to call on similar boldness. Drawing on the element of surprise may also serve you well.

CANCER
June 21-July 22

Will the adventures heading your way be unusual, amusing and even unprecedented? I bet they will have at least some of those elements. You could encounter plot twists you’ve never witnessed or imagined. You may be inspired to dream up creative adjustments unlike any you’ve tried. These would be very positive developments. They suggest you’re becoming more comfortable with expressing your authentic self and less susceptible to the influence of people’s expectations. Every one of us is a unique genius in some ways, and you’re getting closer to inhabiting the fullness of yours.

LEO
July 23-Aug. 22

At least for now, help may not be available from the usual sources. Is the doctor sick? Does mommy need mothering? Is the therapist feeling depressed? My advice is to not worry about the deficiencies, but rather shift your attention to skillful surrogates and substitutes. They may give you what you need—and even more. I’m reminded of The Crystal Cave, a novel about the Arthurian legend. The king, Ambrosius Aurelianus, advises the magician Merlin, “Take power where it is offered.” In other words: not where you think or wish power would be, but from sources that are unexpected or outside your customary parameters.

VIRGO
Aug. 23-Sept. 22

The rest of the story is not yet ready to emerge, but it will be soon. Be patient just a while longer. When full disclosure arrives, you will no longer have to guess about hidden agendas and simmering subtexts. Adventures in the underworld will move above ground. Missing links will finally appear, and perplexing ambiguities will be clarified. Here’s how you can expedite these developments: Make sure you are thoroughly receptive to knowing the rest of the story. Assert your strong desire to dissolve ignorance.

LIBRA
Sept. 23-Oct. 22

In the coming weeks, you can ask for and receive more blessings than usual. So please be aggressive and imaginative about asking! Here are suggestions about what gifts to seek out: 1. vigorous support as you transform two oppositional forces into complementary influences; 2. extra money, time and spaciousness as you convert a drawback into an asset; 3. kindness and understanding as you ripen an unripe aspect of yourself; 4. inspiration and advice as you make new connections that will serve your future goals.

SCORPIO
Oct. 23-Nov. 21

Read the two help-wanted ads below. Meditate on which appeals to you more, and treat this choice as a metaphor for a personal decision you face. 1. “Pedestrian, predictable organization seeks humdrum people with low-grade ambitions for tasks that perform marginally useful services. Interested in exploring mild passions and learning more about the art of spiritual bypassing?” 2. “Our high-octane conclave values the arts of playing while you work and working while you play. Are you ready and able to provide your creative input? Are you interested in exploring the privilege and responsibility of forever reinventing yourself? We love restless seekers who are never bored.”

SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22-Dec. 21

What is a gourmet bargain? What is a discount marvel? How about an inspiring breakthrough that incurs no debt? Themes like those are weaving their way into your destiny. So be alert for the likelihood that cheap thrills will be superior to the expensive kind. Search for elegance and beauty in earthy locations that aren’t sleek and polished. Be receptive to the possibility that splendor and awe may be available to you at a low cost. Now may be one of those rare times when imperfect things are more sublime than the so-called perfect stuff.

CAPRICORN
Dec. 22-Jan. 19

“There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in,” wrote novelist Graham Greene. For me, it was three days near the end of third grade when I wrote a fairy tale about the unruly adventures of a fictional kid named Polly. Her wildness was infused with kindness. Her rebellions were assertive but friendly. For the first time, as I told Polly’s story, I realized I wanted to be an unconventional writer when I grew up. What about you, Capricorn? When you were young, was there a comparable opening to your future? If so, now is a good phase to revisit it, commune with your memories of it and invite it to inspire the next stage of its evolution in you.

AQUARIUS
Jan. 20-Feb. 18

Even when you are your regular, ordinary self, you have a knack and fondness for irregularity and originality. And these days, your affinity for what’s unprecedented and uncommon is even higher than usual. I am happy about that. I am cheering you on. So please enjoy yourself profoundly as you experiment with nonstandard approaches. Be as idiosyncratic as you dare! Even downright weird! But also try to avoid direct conflicts with the Guardians of How Things Have Always Been Done. Don’t allow Change Haters to interfere with your fun or obstruct the enhancements you want to instigate. Be a slippery innovator. Be an irrepressible instigator.

PISCES
Feb. 19-March 20

Below are truths I hope you will ripen and deepen in the coming months. 1. Negative feelings are not necessarily truer and more profound than positive ones. 2. Cynical opinions are not automatically more intelligent or well-founded than optimistic opinions. 3. Criticizing and berating yourself is not a more robust sign of self-awareness than praising and appreciating yourself. 4. Any paranoia you feel may be a stunted emotion resulting from psychic skills you have neglected to develop. 5. Agitation and anxiety can almost always be converted into creative energy.

Homework: What’s your best method for dissolving bad habits? Tell me so I can benefit from your wisdom! Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Healthy, Not Boring

Josué Monroy

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April 3, 2024

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For the first time since 2019, Santa Cruz VegFest returns to the Cocoanut Grove on April 6, attracting more than 80 exhibitors dedicated to environmentally conscious cuisine.

Thousands of foodies, health enthusiasts and nature lovers will get together under one roof to celebrate a lifestyle that’s not just about what’s on the plate but also about the impact of dietary choices on the planet and our well-being.

VegFest organizers Camilla and Helbard Alkhassadeh, founders of Little Hill Sanctuary animal rescue center, call this event an immersive experience that transcends mere food festivals and delves into the heart of plant-powered living. The festival is the latest evolution in a lifestyle the two have embraced for decades.

The couple opened Little Hill in 2020; today, the nonprofit has become home to more than 100 abandoned animals. Their mission has been gaining momentum in recent years, with more and more people choosing to adopt a plant-based lifestyle. During a recent interview, Camilla and Helbard spoke in depth about the changes driving this trend.

One top reason they cite is the potential benefit to health. Diet-related disease rates continue to rise, even with all the latest interventions, the newest diet plans and whatever the Kardashians are doing. Yet nutrition doesn’t need to be all that complicated.

Plant-based diets are rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, which are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Studies have shown that adopting a vegan diet may lower the risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer.

But those who aren’t yet ready to give up cheese fries forever are also welcome.

Helbard says that most attendees are not entirely vegan but are interested in learning more about healthy eating, spurred by recent media coverage about the Netflix series You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment as well as studies on “blue zones,” those regions noted for healthy longevity and plant-based diets.

A Gastronomic Adventure

For the plant-curious, VegFest is a foodie mecca filled with creative vegan dishes, desserts, drinks and samples. Though meat consumption has steadily risen over the past decades, VegFest is ready to help reverse the trend by proving veganism is anything but boring. Local and national faves like Bitchin’ Sauce, Cedar’s, ChocoZero, Foods Alive, GoMacro, Lesser Evil, Love Corn and Teeccino are a few of sponsors that purvey delectable vegan cheeses, sauces, snacks, drinks and desserts.

Old favorites like Charlie Hong Kong, a budget-friendly dining hub that has served local and sustainable food since 1989, intermingle with newcomers like Rock N Roll Donut Bar, the bakery café on Pacific Avenue where the old Starbucks used to be. The latter features a Strawberry Shortcake donut that looks more like a small birthday cake and tastes good enough to make it worthwhile to brave the downtown parking experience.

The culinary adventure doesn’t stop there. Other locals include Honey B Market, a plant-forward cafe and marketplace founded by Funky Bean Tempeh visionary Katie Belanger, and YoSoy Ceviche, providing traditional Peruvian recipes with a twist of fusion. Both offer diverse plant-based options that rival traditional animal-based dishes, demonstrating that veganism doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or variety.

For many people, vegan living is an ethical choice driven by animal welfare concerns. The livestock industry is often associated with animal cruelty, environmental degradation and the exploitation of animals for human consumption.

This was the motivation for vegan leaders like Camilla Alkhassadeh, who even as a kid turned her love for animals into activism. She shares her most memorable Thanksgiving story: the time she pointed to the turkey roast centerpiece and explained why she wasn’t going to eat it. Camilla learned about factory farms in her early 20s, when she met Helbard; they both embraced the same ideals, and together they never looked back.

VegFest also explores compassionate living and sustainable choices with an array of eco-friendly products, cruelty-free cosmetics and ethically-sourced fashion. VegFest offers a glimpse into a world where sustainability is not just a buzzword but a way of life.

Live Music, (Non) Killer Comedy

Enticing as the wares are, Saturday’s festival offers more than conscious consumerism, with five bands and a “vegan comedy show” taking place throughout the day.

Dead Nettle, a band led by Lindsey Wall from American Idol—who recently recorded and released her first album, How I Thought—offers an amalgamation of fierce folk and indie rock songs with a nostalgic grungy edge.

Additional performers range from the skillfully crafted lyrics of soloist Nat Letkof and Snake Oil Road Show, the duo composed of longtime music veterans Adam Stafford and Mr. X, to acclaimed bands Village of Spaces and Cement Ship.

Yes, vegan comics do exist; so far I’ve met two, and both will be performing at VegFest. Regular Good Times readers know DNA as a talented writer and columnist. But they may not know he’s also a vegan comedian with a psychedelic twist who has opened for Moshe Kasher, Janeane Garofalo, Myq Kaplan and most of the Bay Area. An intergalactic performer, DNA uses comedy to bridge the gap between generations, genders, religions and species.

Connoisseurs may know vegan comedian Virginia Jones from her appearances on Portlandia and CNN’s History of Comedy or from her interviews on the LEGENDARY s, Nobody Listens To Paula Poundstone, Call Me Curious, and Jackie Kashian’s long-running masterclass in Dorkdom, the Dork Forest.

Virginia, who has 20K followers on TikTok,, defines a vegan comedienne as “a comedienne who is also vegan.” She doesn’t make jokes about meat eaters normally, but no promises for this session.

And don’t miss DCherry Clown’s Drag Vegan Story time. This local drag performer from Monterey County has been a vegetarian since age 14.

Get Inspired

For those ready to take this lifestyle to the next level, VegFest has a daylong lineup of presentations by leading experts in the fields of nutrition, environmentalism, and animal welfare, such as Lauren Ornelas, founder of the Food Empowerment Project, and Tamearra Dyson, the founder of Souley Vegan.

And among the list of authors and activists sharing insights and inspiration, nutritionists Rachel Brown and Dr. Maria Jose Hummel share tips for healthy plant-based eating.

One VegFest sponsor, Vrinda Quintero of local catering company La Areperia 831, was motivated by social justice concerns related to food access, cultural representation and food sovereignty. By promoting plant-based alternatives and traditional cuisine, they aim to address issues of food injustice and empower marginalized communities to reclaim their culinary heritage.

A Call to Action

For Camille and Helbard and the team that made Santa Cruz VegFest happen, the big goal is to raise awareness. They hope attendees leave with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration to make positive changes in their lives and the world around them. Whether it’s adopting a plant-based diet, reducing their carbon footprint, or starting where they’re at with more conscious sustainable choices, VegFest empowers individuals to be the change they wish to see in the world.

VegFest is more than just a food festival; it’s a celebration of compassion, sustainability, and the power of collective action. Whether you’re passionate about animal rights, environmental conservation or simply enjoy delicious food, VegFest offers something for everyone.

April 6, 10am-6pm, Cocoanut Grove at Beach Boardwalk, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. Adults: $5, Children under 12 free. vegfestsantacruz.org

Capitola on the Mend

Tarmo Hannula

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April 3, 2024

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The Wharf House Restaurant and the Boat and Bait Shop on the Capitola Wharf were torn down and toted away over the past few weeks as part of major repair and rebuilding of the historic landmark.

Construction crews carefully picked apart the buildings, with attention to not let debris get into the ocean.

Officials estimate demolition fees to run about $804,880.

While there is talk of the Boat and Bait Shop being rebuilt, it is unclear if the Wharf House, which featured a deck and dance floor, would come back to life.

“We’re a National Marine Sanctuary and there are some traces of hazardous materials in those buildings,” Capitola Mayor Kristen Brown said. “So we have to be careful in the demolition because we, above all, have to protect the waters and life of the Marine Sanctuary. The buildings just weren’t safe anymore and they found traces of asbestos.”

In October, state and city officials joined around 100 people to kick off repairs after storms last year took a giant bite out of the Capitola Wharf, cutting it into two sections and damaging buildings. That gap has since been replaced.

Attendees spoke about a multi-year journey that led to the groundbreaking ceremony.

“This wharf for 130 years has been an essential part of this community,” said Congressman Jimmy Panetta, who was at the October event. “This wharf has been a cornerstone of this community. But most importantly, it’s a symbol of what we stand for in this community. It represents the resiliency of Capitola.”

Even before the damage and current repairs, Capitola officials were planning to revitalize the wharf.

In 2015, city leaders began discussions on how to make the wharf more resilient and reinforce the structure against high surf and climate events. In 2016, Capitola residents passed tax Measure F, which the city used to update various fixtures of the wharf in the following years.

Following the storms in December 2022 and early 2023 that tore a big section out of the wharf and damaged its buildings, Panetta secured $3.5 million in federal funds for the wharf’s revival. Combined with state money, insurance payouts and Measure F contributions, the city now has more than $10 million to repair and reinforce the wharf.

Separately, a community-founded fundraiser known as the Capitola Wharf Enhancement Project has raised more than $150,000 to help beautify the structure. That money will go toward things such as public art, educational signage, benches and more.

But Brown pointed out that during recent repairs, workers discovered greater damage than was first detected.

“We had to move quickly in tearing the buildings out,” Brown said, “in order to keep hazardous materials from falling into the water.”

Brown said officials were hoping for a reopening of the wharf sometime in October but permits and Coastal Commission approvals take time. She added that she hopes the wharf could once again serve as a venue for live music, dining, dancing, recreational fishing and more.

Street Talk

Street Talk

Jeanette Prather

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April 3, 2024

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What is something that you love—that your friends just can’t understand?

Metal Music. I’m always going to concerts and it’s hard to get my friends to come along.

Nick Heath, 26, Loan Officer at Santa Cruz County Bank

Sourdough bread. Everyone loves it, but they don’t understand what goes into the outcome of the deliciousness. Like behind the scene. They think it’s very, very simple—or maybe not, maybe the opposite.

Aisha Samon, 32, Trader Joe’s Downtown

Doom metal is my thing, it’s like metal but it’s even more miserable. It’s long and slower, it just doesn’t end, it goes on for even longer like kind of a drone thing. There’s lots of screaming too, yeah. A lot of people hate that.

Ezra Bettencourt, 37, Musician / Tile guy

The Panic In Needle Park, an old art film with Al Pacino. Friends think I’m strange because it’s a downer about drug addiction, but it’s actually a comparison with love. I used to watch it on Valentine’s Day when I was single.

Avery Johnson, 30, Photographer

A film called Hi, Mom, directed by Brian DePalma. It’s DeNiro’s defining movie before Taxi Driver. It’s dark and disturbing and it freaks people out. I’ve watched it multiple times.

Reggie Williams, 49, Philosophy Professor

People don’t get how much I love Star Wars—I have a Star Wars tattoo. And poetry and English literature, like JaneEyre, and Jane Austen’s novels.

Tiffany Dauner, 40, English Teacher

Andy Frasco Shows His Grown-up Side

Music

Jeanette Prather

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April 3, 2024

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Could it be that Andy Frasco is maturing? He returned to touring this winter, and fans can expect Andy Frasco and the U.N. to bring the party on stage (or somewhere in front of the stage when Frasco is crowd surfing). But the singer/keyboardist is toning down the partying and other shenanigans that typically happened on and off stage on past tours.

“I’m doing it for my liver,” Frasco said, when he phoned in for a recent interview. “I’m all about the party, but I want people to know that I’m a songwriter, too. So I’m just really dialing in my songwriting, really dialing in my musicianship, so I know I can’t blame my partying for my shitty songs…I love partying and I love giving the people their entertainment, but I also want to give them something to think about.”

The fact is, by the time the pandemic hit in spring 2020, Frasco was not in a great place. He’d been drinking too much and doing cocaine, and his life-of-the-party behavior had left him wondering who his friends were and battling some genuine bouts of depression.

No one wanted the pandemic, but being forced off of the road gave Frasco the much-needed opportunity to take a hard look at himself, figure out how to get his life in a better place and decide if he still truly loved writing music and going on tour.

“I was just very selfish,” Frasco said, citing one of the contributing factors to his emotional issues.

“I was, like, doing things and not thinking about others. All of a sudden people wouldn’t start calling me back. I was realizing maybe it is me. I always blamed everyone else that I am on an island. But maybe I’m putting myself on an island.

“Before the pandemic, I didn’t want to be there. And I was faking a smile because I was just too depleted,” he said. “I had to look at myself in the mirror, like what are you doing this for if you’re not going to wake up? You preach happiness and you’re not even happy, so why do you keep (doing) it?”
One significant change was to kick his cocaine habit. He also cut back on drinking, although he admits he still enjoys his beverages.

But the supply of Jameson liquor is lasting longer these days, as he and his band have moderated their intake onstage these days.

“There’s still drinking. I’m not going to lie to you there,” Frasco said. “But it’s definitely more toned down. We’re drinking a half a bottle of Jameson a night, not the full bottle.”

The changes in behavior won’t surprise those who’ve been paying attention. Especially on 2020’s Keep On Keeping On and then Wash, Rinse, Repeat., the album that arrived in April 2022, it was clear Frasco wasn’t just offering escapism in his music.

That was a main theme for Frasco after he founded Andy Frasco & the U.N. in 2007, began touring and released the first of what is now nine studio albums in 2010.

One look at song titles like “Mature As Fuck,” “Blame It on the Pussy” (from 2016’s “Happy Bastards”) or “Smokin’ Dope n Rock n Roll” and “Commitment Deficit Disorder” (from 2014’s Half a Man) and it was obvious that Frasco and company were bringing the party with funny, sometimes bawdy lyrics, a disregard for rules, decorum (and sobriety), and a rowdy sound that mixed rock, funk, blues, soul and pop.

The approach generated a good bit of popularity, as Frasco and the U.N. began what became a consistent routine of playing roughly 250 shows a year—a pace that continues to this day. Along the way, the band especially caught on in the jam band scene and festival circuit.

But Frasco started to shift the narrative of his songs to more thoughtful subject matter. He kept the music buoyant and catchy, but the lyrics now wrestled with topics like getting older, maintaining his mental health, finding happiness, being considerate and appreciating life as it happens.

Keep On Keeping On arrived shortly after the pandemic hit. With touring halted, Frasco didn’t worry about taking the next musical step for quite awhile.

Instead, he took to social media. He hosted a video I Wanna Dance With Somebody Dance Party, and started podcasting. His current series, Andy Frasco’s World Saving Podcast, features interviews—some of which get downright deep—with musicians and other celebrities, commentary and comedic bits. The series has gained considerable traction and Frasco, who is frequently joined by co-host Nick Gerlach, will continue doing these podcasts even as he returns to a full schedule of touring, songwriting and recording.

With all of this activity, it wasn’t until about six weeks before he was due to return touring in 2021 that Frasco realized he wanted to have new music for the upcoming shows and charged into making Wash, Rinse, Repeat.

He traveled to several cities to write and record with other songwriters, a process that helped him sharpen his songwriting chops.

“It was basically like going to songwriting school,” Frasco said. “I wrote with 20 different songwriters and I wrote with, like, 15 different songwriters in Nashville, and I wrote with a couple of guys in Charleston and a couple of guys in L.A., and instead of like the mind state of I know everything, I went in there with my mind state of I don’t know anything. It kind of helped me grow into the next phase of my career.”

Feeling he was in a creative space, Frasco spent a chunk of 2022 making his current album, L’Optimist. The new album reflects a new development in Frasco’s life.
“I think it’s a love album. I finally committed to someone and I’ve been writing about her,” Frasco said.

The songs, though, aren’t all about romantic bliss.

“It’s scary as hell. I’ve never had a relationship,” Frasco revealed. “I don’t even know what the fuck I’m doing. That’s what I’m writing about. Like, is this OK?”

Some of the songs from L’Optimist are popping up in set lists on Frasco’s current tour with his band, along with material from his back catalog.

“I have two different philosophies when I write songs,” Frasco said. “Sometimes I write songs for the record and sometimes I write songs for the set. And these new songs, I was really focusing on trying to write it for both. It’s been really nice. It’s given me confidence that I can write songs for both the (album) and for the live show.”

April 4, 8pm, at the Felton Music Hall

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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April 3, 2024

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ARIES March 21-April 19
Aries author Eric G. Wilson claims, “Darker emotional states—doubt, confusion, alienation, despair—inspire a deeper and more durable experience of the sacred than contentment does.” I disagree. I know for a fact that an exquisite embrace of life’s holiness is equally possible through luminous joy and boisterous triumph and exultant breakthroughs. Propagandists of the supposed potency of misery are stuck in a habit of mind that’s endemic to the part of civilization that’s rotting and dying. In any case, Aries, I’m pleased to tell you that in the coming weeks, you will have abundant opportunities to glide into sacred awareness on the strength of your lust for life and joie de vivre.

TAURUS April 20-May 20
Will humans succeed in halting the decimation of the
environment? Will we neutralize the power of fundamentalism as it fights to quash our imaginations and limit our freedoms? Will we outflank and outlast the authoritarians that threaten democracy? Sorry I’m asking you to think about sad realities. But now is an excellent time for you to ponder the world we are creating for our descendants—and resolve to do something in loving service to the future. Meditate on the riddle from Lewis Carroll’s book Through the Looking Glass: “It’s a poor sort of memory that only works backwards.”

GEMINI May 21-June 20
The genius polymath Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) contributed much treasure to science and engineering. One encyclopedia sums up his legacy: “He was the father of observational astronomy, modern-era classical physics, the scientific method, and modern science.” Unfortunately, many of Galileo’s ideas conflicted with the teachings of Catholicism. The church fathers hounded him for years, even arresting him and putting him on trial. The Vatican eventually apologized, though not until 350 years after Galileo died. I expect that you, too, will generate many new approaches and possibilities in the coming months, Gemini—not Galileo level, of course, but still: sufficiently unprecedented to rouse the resistance of conventional wisdom. I suspect you won’t have to wait long to be vindicated, however.

CANCER June 21-July 22
Now would be a perfect time to prove your love. How? You might begin by being extra considerate, sensitive, sweet and tender. I hope you will add sublime, scintillating touches, too. Maybe you will tell your beloved allies beautiful truths about themselves—revelations that make them feel deeply understood and appreciated. Maybe you will give them gifts or blessings they have wanted for a long time but never managed to get for themselves. It’s possible you will serenade them with their favorite songs, or write a poem or story about them, or buy them a symbol that inspires their spiritual quest. To climax all your kindness, perhaps you will describe the ways they have changed your life for the better.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22
Leo naturalist and ornithologist William Henry Hudson (1841–1922) said, “I am not a lover of lawns. Rather would I see daisies in their thousands, ground ivy, hawkweed, and dandelions with splendid flowers and fairy down, than the too-well-tended lawn.” I encourage you to adopt his attitude toward everything in your life for the next few weeks. Always opt for unruly beauty over tidy regimentation. Choose lush vitality over pruned efficiency. Blend your fate with influences that exult in creative expressiveness, genial fertility and deep feelings. (PS: Cultural critic Michael Pollan says, “A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule.”)

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
I praise and celebrate you for your skills at helping other people access their resources and activate their potentials. I hope you are rewarded well for your gorgeous service. If you are not, please figure out how to correct the problem in the coming months. If you are feeling extra bold, consider these two additional assignments: 1. Upgrade your skills at helping yourself access your own resources and activate your own potentials. 2. Be forthright and straightforward in asking the people you help to help you.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
I don’t regard a solar eclipse as a bad omen. On the contrary, I believe it may purge and cleanse stale old karma. On some occasions, I have seen it flush away emotional debts and debris that have been accumulating for years. So how shall we interpret the total solar eclipse that will electrify your astrological house of intimate togetherness in the coming days? I think it’s a favorable time to be brave and daring
as you upgrade your best relationships. What habits and patterns are you ready to reinvent and reconfigure? What new approaches are you willing to experiment with?

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
At your best, you Scorpios are not invasive manipulators. Rather, you are catalysts. You are instigators of
transformation, resurrectors of dead energy, awakeners
of numb minds. The people you influence may not be aware that they long to draw on your influence. They may think you are somehow imposing it on them, when, in fact, you are simply being your genuine, intense self, and they are reaching out to absorb your unruly healing. In the
coming weeks, please keep in mind what I’ve said here.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
In my astrological opinion, it’s prime time for you to shower big wild favors on your beautiful self. Get the fun underway with a period of rigorous self-care: a physical checkup, perhaps, and visits with the dentist, therapist, hairstylist and acupuncturist. Try new healing agents and seek precise magic that enhances and uplifts your energy. I trust you will also call on luxurious indulgences like a massage, a psychic reading, gourmet meals, an emotionally potent movie, exciting new music and long, slow love-making. Anything else, Sagittarius? Make a list and carry out these tasks with the same verve and determination you would give to any important task.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
The coming days will be a favorable time for you to wrestle with an angel or play chess with a devil. You will have extraordinary power in any showdown or collaboration
with spiritual forces. Your practical intelligence will serve you well in encounters with nonrational enigmas and supernatural riddles. Here’s a hot tip: Never assume that any being, human or divine, is holier or wiser than you. You will have a special knack for finding compassionate solutions to address even the knottiest dilemmas.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Your featured organ of the month is your nose. This may sound beyond the scope of predictable possibilities, but I’m serious: You will make robust decisions and discriminating choices if you get your sniffer fully involved. So I advise you to favor and explore whatever smells good. Cultivate a nuanced appreciation for what aromas can reveal. If there’s a hint of a stink or an odd tang, go elsewhere. The saying “follow your nose” is especially applicable. PS: I recommend you take steps to expose yourself to a wide array of scents that energize you and boost your mood.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
When is the best time to ask for a raise or an increase in benefits? Can astrology reveal favorable periods for being aggressive about getting more of what you want? In the system I use, the time that’s 30 to 60 days after your birthday is most likely to generate good results. Another phase is 210 to 240 days after your birthday. Keep in mind that these estimates may be partly fanciful and playful and mythical. But then in my philosophy, fanciful and playful and mythical actions have an honored place. Self-fulfilling prophecies are more likely to be fulfilled if you regard them as fun experiments rather than serious, literal rules

Homework: Imagine that everything and every place in your life are holy.

Under Ben Bulben — A Jewel Theatre premiere

Stage

Christina Waters

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April 3, 2024

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Under Ben Bulben — A Jewel Theatre premiere

While the rest of us were busy looking for the right yoga pants, or flirting with the guy across the bar, Kate Hawley was listening. Watching. Paying close attention.

Thanks to this playwright’s pitch-perfect ear, Jewel Theatre has launched another probing theater piece, the world premiere of Hawley’s Under Ben Bulben. Tongue firmly in cheek, the title nods both to a middle-of-nowhere spot of Ireland and a poem by Irish literary star William Butler Yeats.

Unfolding in a succession of vignettes, Ben Bulben places us in a run-down hotel managed by the unflappable Mrs. Brennen (a seamless, adroit performance by Patty Gallagher). With cheery scolding about the cost of hot water, and a stern warning against eating in the room, she welcomes a procession of guests. All have come with plenty of baggage.

We know these guests. We have been these guests.

With care and cunning Hawley and her scenario turn the hands of time back and forth, musing on memory and life’s inevitable lessons. Hawley is brilliant at surprises that are nonetheless familiar.

Thanks to knockout performances, the laughs are as rich and abundant as the tender epiphanies. Hawley writes funny as well as bracing, and never more so than for a breathtaking performance by Karel Wright as Maggie, accompanied to the hotel by her grandson Shaun (Andrew Yabroff).

As she remembers a childhood friendship that gave her the happiest times of her life, we watch an actor equal to the play’s best writing. It was one of those spellbinding moments that can only happen in live theater.

The tone is set as we meet the first guests, Sally (Julie Eccles) and Jack (Paul Whitworth), returning after many years to the site of their honeymoon. Hawley’s superb ear is at work as Jack makes a phone call to his daughter to let her know they’ve arrived safe and sound.

Talking with his little granddaughter, he launches into silly grandfather talk. Whitworth adroitly reveals the conversation on the other side through his own responses and reactions. The play often uses a phone call as a crucial device to expand the world

of the stage by way of unseen relationships, joys, disappointments and woeful disconnects. The phone calls to invisible others also invites the viewer into the play’s interior as we provide the unheard dialogue in our own imaginations.

Time, memory, what is said, and what isn’t, all form the deep tissue of Under Ben Bulben, a play whose appeal is immediate but whose scenes and implications will generate conversations long afterwards.

The Jewel pampers theater-goers with exceptional sets and lighting, and here kudos are due to lighting designer Kent Dorsey and scenic designer Michael Schweikardt.

Impeccable sound design by John H. Koss adds further texture, offering sonic reminders of the surrounding world.

The play keeps us engaged from start to finish as the characters bring their issues into the well-worn hotel room, inflected here and there with tart enthusiasm by Mrs. Brennan.

We meet another couple, on a return overnight for a golf tournament, and while the husband (Jeffrey Fiorito) drunkenly stumbles into bed and sleep, his wife (Nancy Carlin) recalls their previous stay. Both players are flawless in this gorgeously written bit of domestic revelation.

Cristina Anselmo as Josie and Solange Marcotte as her bored daughter Caitlin work their tense scene into a perfect lather of mother-daughter miscommunication.

Yet nothing is stereotypical in Hawley’s writing.

My heart was won, and not for the first time, by Rolf Saxon’s deft turn as a man on the phone to his ex-wife about their daughter’s wedding plans. His reactions to what we know she must be telling him are a masterclass in technique.

Finally, kudos to superb direction by Paul Mullins, whose insight into the script encouraged each actor to create a unique character.

Replete with memorable performances, Under Ben Bulben—the penultimate offering by the Jewel Theatre Company—is a splendid evening of theater.

Under Ben Bulben
Through April 14, $53
jeweltheatre.net

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

Pesticide Reality Tour

Framing the Band

High Art

Playing Live

The Editor’s Desk

Letters

Brew Chew

Baby Food

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Chloe Xtina Watching the Watchers

Donny McCaslin returns home

Free Will Astrology

Healthy, Not Boring

Capitola on the Mend

Street Talk

Andy Frasco Shows His Grown-up Side

Free Will Astrology

Under Ben Bulben — A Jewel Theatre premiere

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Chloe Xtina Watching the Watchers

Donny McCaslin returns home

Free Will Astrology

Healthy, Not Boring

Capitola on the Mend

Street Talk

Andy Frasco Shows His Grown-up Side

Free Will Astrology

Under Ben Bulben — A Jewel Theatre premiere