Crimson Legacy

Music

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December 2, 2025

For those who have stood in a darkened venue and felt the ground shake from the low thunder of a Chapman Stick, chances are good it was Tony Levin who rumbled their bones. And for anyone who’s never been introduced to the Stick, prepare to be blown away by the sight and sound of this revolutionary stringed beast of an instrument.

On Dec. 9, the UCSC Music Center will host an exceptionally rare event: Levin and his Stick Men—fellow King Crimson alum Pat Mastelotto on drums and Markus Reuter on touch guitar—will take the Recital Hall stage to perform music from their new album, Brutal, as well as instrumentals from the Crimson catalog. And everyone will get a chance to meet the group in the lobby after the concert.

The show was originally scheduled in July, and tickets for that date will be honored. The lineup also features special guest We Are Ants To Them, featuring Andre Cholmondeley.

Decades into a career that has stretched from Peter Gabriel’s theatrical visions to King Crimson’s thundering precision, Levin continues to introduce the Stick to generations of progressive rock fans. It’s been a journey that has often led to Santa Cruz: at Palookaville with the California Guitar Trio, Moe’s Alley with Stick Men, and the Civic with King Crimson.

Levin recalls the professional pitfall that started him on that journey. Originally a classically trained musician, Levin played double bass in the Rochester Philharmonic until he joined Buddy Rich to play jazz on the road. When Rich changed his mind about having a new bass player, Levin found himself without a gig, and fatefully went to New York to find work.

“Had it not been for the kerfuffle with Buddy Rich, I might never have left Rochester,” Levin says. “So I accidentally became a studio musician early in my 20s.”

His classical training gave him technical skills that many rock musicians lacked, and his experience with jazz instilled a groove that separates great session work from merely competent playing.

A second life-changing moment came when Levin was called in to play on former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel’s first solo album. Gabriel found a bass player who met his artistic ambitions with technical precision, while Levin gained a creative partner who would challenge him for decades to come.

Significantly, those Gabriel sessions introduced Levin to Robert Fripp, the King Crimson guitarist whose complex compositions and innovative approach to rock music would provide the perfect showcase for Levin’s evolving musical voice.

The early days produced some legendary moments. Levin recalls with particular fondness a performance at the tiny Roxy Theater in Hollywood, where Gabriel performed with the enigmatic Fripp “trying to hide off the side of the stage.” Levin watched as Gabriel stepped off the stage, mid-song, to stroll across the audience’s cocktail tables.

“Young Peter,” Levin smiles, “always adventurous, and still surprising us with what he does on stage.”

When Levin officially joined King Crimson in 1981, he faced a crucial decision that would define his sound for the next four decades. Meeting the band’s uniquely gifted players—Bill Bruford, Adrian Belew and Fripp—Levin recognized that his traditional bass playing wouldn’t match their innovative approaches. He immediately reached for his Chapman Stick, with odd tuning and touch-style playing that seemed suited to the band’s unconventional musical language, and the Stick became Levin’s signature instrument.

“It’s a touch style instrument—a little bit more like a piano than like a guitar,” Levin explains. “So by touching the strings—with both hands—you’re playing the notes.

“Watching someone play seems pretty outlandish and weird,” Levin admits. “Frankly, if I see a video of myself, I’m like, what am I doing? But actually, when you’re playing it, it’s pretty simple.”

Today, Levin continues to tour with multiple projects, while developing new material with Stick Men. The power trio recently completed work on Brutal, a name that reflects Levin’s desire to explore the band’s harder-edged musical territory.

The title came about through the kind of playful collaboration that defines the band’s creative process: Levin wrote some aggressive riffs, then imagined drummer Pat Mastelotto sampling the word “brutal” spoken by bandmate Marcus Reuter with his German accent, creating an improvisational tool that could appear in any performance.

Asked if he has advice for young artists seeking a career in music, he defers to their knowledge of the world they are growing into.

“They don’t need me to tell them the challenges,” he says. “You have some good breaks, and you have some very bad breaks.”

A “bad break” for Levin came after playing on Pink Floyd’s Momentary Lapse of Reason album. He had to decline David Gilmour’s invitation to join the band because of scheduling conflicts with a Peter Gabriel tour.

Levin views such choices as simply part of the freelance musician’s life.

“In the end,” he says, “if you’re lucky enough to have your life’s work be making music, that’s a win. That’s a great, great blessing.”

The Stick Men concert is also an opportunity to experience the UCSC Recital Hall, which rarely presents outside artists. The acoustics are designed for voice, piano and violin recitals with no amplification, and over the years the hall has been customized for recitals of computer music and electronics.

One of Santa Cruz’s best-kept secrets, it features a surround-sound system, LED fixtures that can light an elegant piano recital one day and a rock show the next, and a beautiful setting with views of rolling fields and the Monterey Bay.

Stick Men play at 8pm on Dec. 9 at the UCSC Music Center Recital Hall, 402 McHenry Rd, Santa Cruz. $49. pulseproductions.net

Mission Critical

Dining Reviews

John Koenig

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November 26, 2025

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Deafening silence. Original copy. Random order. Awfully good.

Friendly fire, passive aggressive, organized chaos, small crowd, clearly confused, bittersweet. And, yup, jumbo shrimp and Microsoft Works too.

What’s your favorite oxymoron? As you may have diagnosed, I have a few, but two top choices would be “classy dive bar” and “playing with your food.”

Those are on my mind of late because 1) Mission West (2405 Mission St., Santa Cruz) represents a recent revelation to me, and has fresh ownership coming in (while its outgoing owners develop a new downtown watering hole); and 2) relatively new d20 Pizza (1520 Mission St., Santa Cruz, in the former Burger) has a good thing going just down the block.

Mission West packs in the people with reasonable price points, well-curated spirits and an old-school simplicity.

Max Turigliatto and Grant Staudt helped convert it from a scrappier iteration of unapologetic diveyness—as The Watering Hole—to what it is today. Now they’re handing the reins to the owners of the building at the start of 2026.

Peter and Krista Cook of Lighthouse Realty are taking over, and have tapped longtime restaurant pros Amy Di Chiro (who’s worked at institutions like The Crepe Place, Aldo’s and Linda’s Seabreeze Cafe) and husband Nelson (Crepe Place, Makai Island Kitchen & Groggery, Riva Fish House) to direct operations.

BYO food is welcome at Mission West—as is food someone else brings, as was the case with fresh-cooked tamales from a roving vendor last Thursday—and one play there is d20.

Emphasis on “play”: While d20 does delicious Detroit-style sourdough pizza, it also stocks small plates, fresh-baked cookies, local craft beers, wine, sake-based cocktails and an ever-growing library of board games for play and purchase.

Founder and pizzaiolo Colin Freas loves the Chinese strategy game Go, but remains open to any and all contests, standup video games included (there are a few of those too).

“Santa Cruz has a creative, playful energy that we wanted to capture,” Freas says. “D20 Pizza is about rolling dice, sharing laughs, and building community one slice at a time.”

He adds some rhetorical questions, or at least they sound like that to me.

“Do you like pizza? Do you like games?” he asks. “Then you’ll probably like us. We’re here for the players, the locals, and anyone who wants a place to hang out late with great food.”

And hopefully morons who like oxymorons too.

BITS AND BOTS

Far West Fungi continues its weekly MycoMixers 2–5pm Thursdays at its Santa Cruz store/café (224 Laurel St.), featuring tastings and fun freebies,farwestfungi.com…Last week the Santa Cruz City Council ditched aspirations to build a temporary bicycle and pedestrian path over the rail bridge next to the closed Murray Street Bridge due to safety and funding concerns, which reaffirms the importance of supporting that neighborhood, which continues to offer free parking and a weekend ferry service crossing the river…Two bits of tech progress, ranging from inspiring to hmmmm: 1) Cellular Tracking Technologies has developed a tiny, solar-powered radio tag that weighs 60 milligrams and costs $200 to track individual monarch butterflies, which is cool; check out Project Monarch Science in your app store; 2) Lumia 2 is a $250 “smart” earring that self describes as world’s tiniest wearable, launching in 2026, and designed to track health and fitness stats, including blood flow to the brain…Food & Wine reports Samuel Adams has developed a 30% ABV beer called Utopias 2025, the world’s strongest, which debuted this month and goes for $240 per 24.5-ounce bottle…Novelist and screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro, take us home with a touch of Thanksgiving-appropriate gratitude: “There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one.”

Switch It Up

Foodie File

Andrew Steingrube

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November 26, 2025

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Offering a 100% gluten-free menu featuring breads, cakes and other assorted pastries, Switch Bakery is currently transitioning from an online/farmer’s market business to a downtown Santa Cruz bistro-style storefront. Joshua Bradley and his wife, Amanda, are co-owners/co-chefs, initially inspired by Joshua’s diagnosis of Crohn’s disease 15 years ago.

Between medical and self-interventions with paramount focus on gut health, they removed gluten from their diet as a first step toward using food as medicine, and began feeding their family this way too. Wanting to bring this guiding ethos to others and gain a sense of community, they founded Switch Bakery three years ago.

Starting as a commercial kitchen serving markets across the Central Coast, the aptly named Switch is all about moving away from gluten with the intention to cater to specific diets, lifestyles and conditions.

Best breads are headlined by the rice flour-based focaccia with rosemary and garlic, as well as seeded and brown sandwich breads, baguettes and buns. The crowd-pleasing cakes are also a hit, like the tea cakes and carrot cardamom, with the most raved about being the “amazingly delicious, if you only had one food on a desert island” chocolate cake. The pastries are also popular picks, like the vegan hand pies with both sweet and savory options.

What lifestyle changes helped to inspire Switch?

JOSHUA BRADLEY: Living here has not only given me access to better health care, but also inspired a more active way of life. Through the process of dealing with my Crohn’s disease, I have become an athlete, which I was not before. For instance, I’ve done a couple triathlons as well as run my first marathon after my 50th birthday. In figuring out how to fuel my training while managing my disease, I learned more about using food as medicine to reduce inflammation and reboot biology. This approach is exactly what we bring to our business and products.

Why the evolution to a bistro?

It all goes back to everyone being able to eat together. If you have any type of allergy, condition or dietary restriction, the experience of eating out can often be very anxiety-provoking. The bistro is about creating a space that my family and I wish we would have had years ago, and I’m sure many others are in the same boat too.

1016 Cedar St., Santa Cruz; switchbakery.com

Healthy Holidays

Wellness

John Koenig

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November 26, 2025

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The holidays are officially here—the time of year when festive food and drinks take center stage and suddenly “eating with the seasons” becomes code for peppermint everything. Normally, seasonal eating is a gold-star wellness strategy. But between the cookie platters, the clinking glasses and the late-night gatherings, even the most grounded among us can slip right back into familiar, not-so-helpful patterns.

Luckily, with a few intentional shifts, we can absolutely navigate the season with more ease, and awareness, while still enjoying our seasonal favorites.

Holiday temptations are hard to resist. The allure of short-term rewards overrides our long-term goals. From an evolutionary perspective it makes sense: When food was scarce, stocking up was a life skill. Today those same impulses feel just as relevant.

In other words, yesterday’s nuts and berries are today’s homemade fudge. And once you’ve had one delicious piece…why not two? Another rum-spiked eggnog sounds like just the thing. Until the morning after, when festivity and cheer turn to hangover regret.

Here are some strategies for staying aligned with your January health goals:

Prioritize Sleep: If you’re tired or hungry, your decision-making mojo goes right out the window. Keeping a steady sleep schedule is one of the most powerful tools you can use.

Don’t “Save Up” for Big Meals: Skipping breakfast or lunch before a party sets you up to overeat. Instead eat balanced meals that are low in sugar, high fiber with plenty of protein to avoid overindulging at parties or multicourse meals.

Avoid the Grab-and-Graze Trap: At parties with finger foods, make your selections, put them on a plate, and sit down to enjoy them. Grazing = mindless overeating.

Focus on Favorites: Pick your top one or two decadent items to end a meal. Start with veggie-forward options like crudités, fruit, hummus and olives, so you’re not arriving at the dessert table hungry.

At sit-down meals, begin with intention. Suggest a moment of gratitude or a thanksgiving prayer to help everyone settle in. Then follow this pattern which aligns with Harvard’s MyPlate suggestions, when filling your plate: half vegetable, a quarter protein and a quarter whole grains or starch.

Put your fork down between bites. Savor the flavors. Enjoy the experience.

Finally, hydrate proactively. Drink a glass of water before and between adult beverages. Soft drinks and juices are liquid sugar—try a DIY mocktail with one-third juice, two-thirds sparkling water and a squeeze of lime.

The holidays are meant for joy, celebration and, yes, a little indulgence. With presence and planning, you can enjoy it all and feel good in your body.

Come January, you’ll be so glad you did.

Street Talk

Street Talk

John Koenig

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November 26, 2025

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What will make your Thanksgiving different this year?

It will be a potluck, so that’s the unknown. Usually the dessert is different, sometimes it’s not pumpkin pie. The kids will surprise us there. It’s not going to be boring, I know that.

Stephen Goldie, 73, Retired

We usually have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner—turkey with stuffing.

Patrick Goldie, 37, Santa Cruz High

This year I’m bringing stuffing and a dessert to a Friendsgiving, meeting up with people from high school for a potluck—something I’ve never done before.

Kyleigh Cawaling, 22, Watsonville Library

My mom is making prime rib this year instead of turkey—that’s a little different. We like to rotate.

Alison Larkin, 41, Social Worker

We don’t do a turkey—we do smoked Cornish game hens and everybody gets their own bird. We brine the birds for a couple of days, then on Thanksgiving they cook in the smoker for most of the day, low and slow.

Zoli Uebele, 60, Property Manager

We’ll have homemade cranberry relish and traditional Scottish clapshot—it’s made with parsnips and turnips and mashed potatoes. It has the spiciness of the turnips and not just the bland mashed potato.

Dave Uebele, 63, Computer Geek

Dance the Blues Away

Music

Mat Weir

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November 26, 2025

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‘I love to dance and go to nightclubs all over the world, whether it’s Amsterdam or Iran,’ says guitar player and singer Ana Popovic. ‘But I never hear guitar and I wanted to change that.’

The Serbian-born musician—who plays the Rio Theatre on Dec. 3—is describing the title track off her 11th solo album, Dance to the Rhythm. The song in question opens the album, introducing the listener to a new style for Popovic: disco.

“Every record I make touches on something new,” she continues. “But I’ve never touched on disco before. Can you imagine it live? The club goes berserk!”

Truthfully, it’s easy to see audiences going berserk for any of the 10 tracks off her latest full-length, because—as the name implies—it’s a soundtrack celebrating the rhythm of life. That’s life in the fullest sense, the ups and the downs, and Popovic has had plenty of both in the last five years.

In 2020 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, the same disease her mother had passed away from only three years prior.

“It definitely shaped my view on life, that’s for sure,” she says. “I’m always on the positive side anyway but I did think that the best way [to get through] is to indulge in whatever your passion is, and mine is music and guitar.”

Between 14 long chemotherapy treatments Popovic wrote and recorded 2023’s Power, a testament to human resilience and strength, individually and collectively. Now, cancer-free, she released Dance to the Rhythm as the natural follow-up, tasting the spices of life and celebrating every second of it. Elements of blues, soul, funk and gospel flow throughout the album, keeping it upbeat even when the songs deal with universal hardships.

One great example is her cover of Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.”

While the verses are mellow and capture the seriousness of the situation, she opens the choruses with blazing guitar, group vocals and a harmony of horns. It pays homage to the original version while still interpreting it through her own ears and life experiences. She says it’s a track she had to cover.

“I had an inner voice say, ‘This is the next cover for the next record,’’” she admits. “There was nothing I could do about it; it’s that strong.”

Part of the reason why was her own amicable divorce, which she was going through at the time.

“Paul Simon nailed it,” she says. “It’s a good message that we should all take separation as a positive and a new beginning. There doesn’t have to be drama, calling the police or all the difficultness for the family and kids.”

A veteran in the music world, Popovic has been playing since she was a child. She was introduced to American music through her father, who ordered records and traded them with his friends. They would also have regular, late-night jam sessions, which gave her the initial itch to pick up the guitar.

“When I was about 10 or 11, I really wanted to be a part of those jam sessions but—of course—there were no women,” she remembers. “It was always fascinating to me that people could get together, sit down, and communicate through music.”

It’s an experience she sings about it “Hottest Ticket in Town,” describing how she would bang on pots and pans, creating noise around the house, and proudly proclaiming, “I was born for this.”

Now in her 40s and a mother of two teenagers, Popovic includes her children in her creative endeavors. Her daughter was featured in the video for “Dance to the Rhythm,” and her son—who also plays in the band Don’t Touch the Sun—edited it.

“The trick is how to get them to do your stuff,” she laughs. “It just makes you think how far would we have been if we had all these possibilities and tools.”

Along with the infectious melodies, what makes Dance to the Rhythm trulystand out are the messages of hope and empowerment sewn throughout.

Like the album’s final song, “Sisters and Brothers,” a bluesy, soulful and funky song that reminds us to “love each other through the pain.” Popovic says audiences particularly enjoy that one, and they tell her so when they line up at the merch booth for meet and greets—something she’s done at every show for over 20 years.

“I love the feedback and to talk with people in all their different languages,” she explains. “It leaves them with an echoing, positive message. Every country in the world is dealing with the same issues: we are too divided. People have differences that are hard to bring together, so we need music. If there’s one thing that can unite people, it’s music.”

Ana Popovic plays at 7pm on Dec. 3 at the Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, presented in partnership with Moe’s Alley. $35 adv/$40 door. 423-8209. riotheatre.com

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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November 26, 2025

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FRIDAY 11/28

ELECTRONIC

GLASS SPELLS From San Diego’s vibrant music scene, Glass Spells weaves together edgy post-punk, irresistible disco and funk grooves. Anthony Ramirez transforms bass and synthesizers into evocative electronica, and Tania Costello conjures incantations with commanding vocals. The duo strikes a balance between contemporary electronic sensibilities and retro-inspired atmospheres. Glass Spells’ raw, cathartic sound draws influence from new wave pioneers while forging modern terrain. Performing at huge festivals including Darker Waves and Cruel World, Glass Spells has cultivated a devoted following captivated by infectious melodies and triumphant battle cries. SHELLY NOVO

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $28.72. 713-5492.

MANTRA

JAHNAVI HARRISON Get ready for not one but two special seated events of spirituality and inner space in the Santa Cruz Mountains with British musician Jahnavi Harrison. Her 2015 debut album, Like a River to the Sea, has been described as a “deeply satisfying masterpiece” and “a first album of astonishing ripeness and sweetness.” That’s probably because Harrison is the real deal when it comes to meditative, Hindu mantra music. She was born to a family of Bhakti-yoga practitioners and raised at the Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu temple, Bhaktivedanta Manor in the English Hertfordshire countryside. Through music Harrison creates layers of beauty while still leaving space for spirit. MAT WEIR

INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. $32. 704-7113.

REGGAE

KABAKA PYRAMID Kabaka Pyramid is one of the hardest-hitting reggae rappers on the scene right now. This Kingston native started making music at a young age, borrowing elements of roots, dancehall and hip hop to create his flowing sound. A close friend and protégé of the heir of reggae (or at least one of several in the family), Damien Marley, the two have collaborated on several projects, singles and tours over the years. Marley also produced the Grammy-award winner’s latest album, 2022’s The Kalling. Kabaka Pyramid will be performing with Rise Up and DJ Moi on Friday and with The Rudians and DJ Spleece on Saturday. MW

INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $40.61. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 11/29

OPERA

OPERA ON TAP Acclaimed vocalists from the Santa Cruz Opera Project present pairings of arias and ales corresponding with brews on the pub menu. Carefully selected craft brews will delight alongside operatic favorites and musical theater selections, creating a sensory journey that dissolves opera’s stuffy stereotypes. Each singer’s performance is paired with a pour of complementary “notes,” whether hoppy IPA or effervescent kombucha. Audiences are offered an accessible experience steeped in both world-class artistry and Santa Cruz’s convivial craft brewing culture. SN

INFO: 2pm, Woodhouse Brewing, 119 Madrone St., Santa Cruz. $45. 313-9461.

ART MARKET

MOUNTAINS MAKERS MARKET ’Tis the season for the 12th annual SCM Holiday Makers Market in Felton. This year, it features over 30 local artists and makers who will be accompanied by live music performances throughout the day. Don’t wait until Dec. 20 to complete holiday shopping. Instead, support local artists while also purchasing gifts for everyone. A carefully crafted, handmade piece is a great way to show someone how special they are. This isn’t just a shopping opportunity either; it is a way to build community and connect with new people and new artists. With great eats close by, the market provides a well-rounded afternoon. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE

INFO: 10am, Felton Community Hall, 6161 Highway 9, Felton. Free. 335-5621.

MONDAY 12/1

HOT JAZZ

DJANGO FESTIVAL ALL STARS Belgian-born Romani guitarist Django Reinhardt spearheaded the hot jazz movement in the 1930s. His legacy, established with violinist and co-leader Stéphane Grappelli in the Quintette Hot Club de France, endures to this day. While jazz has moved into myriad areas, the uptempo acoustic styles that Reinhardt pioneered a century ago remain influential and a popular draw for musicians and audiences alike. The Django Festival All Stars—guitarists Samson Schmitt and Francko Mehrstein, Ludovic Beier on accordion, fiddler Pierre Blanchard, Antonio Licusati on bass, and vocalist Veronica Swift—celebrate that legacy and bring it into the 21st century. BILL KOPP

INFO: 7 and 9pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $64. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 12/2

LITERATURE

MEGHA MAJUMDAR As climate change causes more extreme weather and disasters, Megha Majumdar imagines a near future where families are pushed to the extreme as they try to survive. In A Guardian and a Thief, the city of Kolkata, India, is struggling with flooding and food scarcity. Families fight each other for the chance to give their children a better life. This is a story of hope, love and desperation. Majumdar will speak about this emotional tale in conversation with Vilashini Cooppan, a professor of Literature and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at UCSC and author of Worlds Within: National Narratives and Global Connections in Postcolonial Writing. IMS

INFO: 7pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.

WEDNESDAY 12/3

BLUES

ANA POPOVIĆ Having long since proven her bona fides as a fiery blues guitarist par excellence, Serbian-born Ana Popović has set out on a path of musical exploration. She added jazz textures to 2013’s Can You Stand the Heat. She dove into soul with 2015’s Blue Room. Her 2018 album Like It On Top was a concept album. 2023’s Power was funky. Earlier this year, Popović toured festivals in the U.S. and Europe with an 11-piece big band. Her latest, Dance to the Rhythm, showcases R&B and Latin textures. But it’s all done with a rock-solid blues foundation. Anthony Arya opens. BK

INFO: 7pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $35/adv, $40/door. 423-8209.

COMEDY

HANNIBAL BURESS It looks like Christmas arrived early because the hilarious Hannibal Buress is returning to the Catalyst. It’s the first time he’s returned to the venue since 2019. Because Buress is a comedian’s comedian. He started his career in 2002 on the frontlines in the comedy clubs. However, he continued crafting his routine, constantly writing new material. This would later land him gigs writing for SNL and 30 Rock along with playing the sidekick on The Eric Andre Show. And it’s hard to talk about Buress without mentioning it was his bit about Bill Cosby that drew attention to the latter’s history of rape and eventual downfall—proving that words, and comedy, still have power. MW

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $46-$71. 713-5492.

The Editor’s Desk

Editor’s Note

Brad Kava

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November 26, 2025

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

The death of rock music has been greatly exaggerated, according to three books by music critics featured in our cover story.

One, written by musician and former Metro Silicon Valley arts editor Mike Huguenor, celebrates the local band Slow Gherkin, which recently played to packed houses here. His book, Elvis Is Dead, I’m Still Alive, recalls the birth of Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley underground bands through the lens of Asian Man records, a label started in a Saratoga garage by Mike Park some three decades ago.

It’s a story that hasn’t been told and will be a valued text about the history of local indie rock. We published an excerpt focusing on a renowned Santa Cruz band.

Then there’s a book featuring the tie between spirituality and punk music, something that seems as unlikely as dipping french fries in a milkshake. (Yeah, I’ve seen it done. Gross.) But reporter John Malkin, who is interviewed by critic Mat Weir, has so many surprises in his book Punk Spirit!: An Oral History of Punk Rock.

“I tend to think everyone, and every group, has a spirituality to them,” Malkin says. “A spoken or unspoken philosophy about life, death, suffering, connection and creativity. Even if they don’t want to call it ‘spirituality.’”

I always thought punk was a baptism by spit, but Malkin will take you to surprising places about the spirit of what used to be thought of as the most dangerous music.

Finally, Good Times writer Bill Kopp—who lives in the Santa Cruz of the South, Asheville, North Carolina—digs deep into the history of concept albums, those musical efforts sometimes labeled as bombastic and pretentious, but which can be a holy grail for music fans who crave more dimensions than simple songs.

One of the beauties of Kopp’s book, What’s the Big Idea, is that he focuses on 30 out of more than 1,000 concept albums that largely flew under the radar. He avoided the Beatles, the Who or David Bowie, partly because he interviewed participants in each of his chosen few.

He’s got a lot to teach here, even to the most die-hard music fans and the book will undoubtedly send you to your favorite used record store to pick up classics you might have missed.

Also in these pages, you’ll find our first of our profiles of nonprofits looking for help from Santa Cruz Gives. In keeping with our music theme, writer DNA profiles radio station KSQD, which, among other things, has a staff of the most knowledgeable music lovers in town. Read it and give, give, give what you can.

On the food front, writer Andrew Steingrube introduces you to Switch, a new bakery that bakes without gluten. A must-read.

Happy reading, eating and catching up on time to listen to great music.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

Silhouetted beachgoer throws a football at sunset as surfers and walkers move along the shoreline in the golden evening light.

PHOTO BOMB Moran Beach November 8. Photograph by Jesse Paul

GOOD IDEA

U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Sharice Davids (D-Kan) led 88 lawmakers in pushing Senate Environment and Public Works and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leadership to protect electric vehicle (EV) investments while reauthorizing bipartisan surface transportation legislation.

The lawmakers supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but they stressed that the reauthorization cannot truly be bipartisan if it furthers the administration’s attacks on electric vehicles.

GOOD WORK

Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District received a $1,152,000 grant for its Paratransit Vehicle Replacement Project. “This grant is going to make a big difference for Santa Cruz County residents,” said Reps. Zoe Lofgren and Jimmy Panetta. “We both proudly voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, precisely because it boosted grant funding for programs like this. With this announcement, we’re going to get newer, cleaner buses that are going to save money for Santa Cruz Metro. In Congress, we’ll continue corresponding with the Department of Transportation and advocating for funds that improve transit for Californians.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘Swinging for the fences with an idea too big for one song.’
—Writer Bill Kopp on concept albums

Letters

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

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November 26, 2025

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FUTURE FORWARD

Here is my projection…

Santa Cruz in 2075 will have figured out we are all one and elected the first homeless, indigenous, female mayor as voters realize the homeless crisis can only be solved by those experiencing it. This trend has spread like wildfire since its inception in 2060. Now homeless mayors head Chicago, New York, LA and Houston, the nation’s newest solid blue zone since the collapse of oil refineries due to a new energy source discovered in Santa Cruz where cosmic rays are captured by tea cup-sized pyramids and converted into a new electrical type power that cannot shock or cause fire.

The rail trail, which finally opened in 2049, 200 years after gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, was replaced five years later when autonomous personal flying craft became practical and affordable. Those were replaced in 2061 when breakthrough discoveries funded by the Cosmic Joe Foundation allowed people to realize they can be anywhere instantly simply by willing it. Far beyond even the limitations of Star Trek’s transporter.

The redwoods slated for slaughter by developers near the town clock were saved in 2026 by Save The Redwoods and still stand tall with 500 tiny homes made of a clear, almost weightless durable hemp plastic nestled in their limbs, as mandated by Santa Cruz’s first homeless mayor. Of course there is no need for ways to climb the trees since mankind can now simply will itself home.

A new bronze statue of Celia and Peter Scott is unveiled behind Tom Scribner in front of the Bookshop, with Celia’s left hand on Tom’s shoulder.

Due to national passing of rank choice voting in 2056, politicians finally represent their constituents, and white-collar criminals and crooked politicians are all in work camps cranking out pyramid power modules which are handed out to every person for free.

All nuclear weapons have been dismantled, war is an abomination of the past and the County Building had been rebuilt as an exact replica of the East Wing that was flagrantly destroyed by America’s first and last presidential felon, who died in prison, Jan. 6, 2029.

And Good Times will have received its 54thconsecutive award as California’s best weekly.

Welcome, 2075! May it be so!

Ray Newkirk | Santa Cruz

E-BIKES

I consider myself a pretty good driver and have been driving personally and professorially for 56 years. These E-bikes are relatively new on the scene and seem to be quite dangerous if not used properly.

The other day I was driving on a busy residential 2-lane road with combination parking/bike lane on both sides. When cars are parked, there is only 2-3 feet of bike lane. I was looking for a parking spot and as I did not drive by this kid I figured it was clear to pull into a spot.

I’m conditioned to use my mirrors sweeping my head back and forth making sure I’m clear. But as I pulled over I heard a scraping on the right side of my truck, so I stopped short of the spot, got out and the kid was behind my truck upright on his E-bike but shaken up, as was I.

We didn’t talk long as he was OK and he went on his way with very little damage to either vehicle. Later I was still very concerned as this could have been much worse. I still wondered where he came from.

I can only think he came up from behind me in my blind spot and since I was going slow looking for a spot, he decided to pass me on the right as he was in the bike lane and didn’t know what I was up to. I also rode motorcycles for many years and the rules of the road are different for motorbikes and motorcycles and bicycles for that matter.

I had to take a test to get my motorcycle license and kids these days are riding these basically motorcycles at 12 to 16 years old with no license and very little experience of road riding. I think there should be license regulations that require a test before anyone is allowed on E-bikes.

Dan O’Bannon | Santa Cruz

COVER BANDS

As a commercial trumpeter, I’ve played all genres of music, which means playing other composers’ work. Classical, symphonic wind ensembles, jazz big bands, musicals, church services—it’s all about playing the ink. But I’ve also played in bands that perform a mixture of originals and cover songs, but those covers are usually obscure.

I find great joy playing original music, supporting musicians who are searching for new sounds and new lyrics. I hope your readers step out and seek the various original bands. Dan Young | Aptos

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

-

November 26, 2025

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ARIES March 21-April 19

The Japanese word mushin means “no mind.” In Zen Buddhism, it refers to the state of flow where thinking stops and being takes over. When you are moving along in the groove of mushin, your body knows what to do before your brain catches up. You’re so present you disappear into the action itself. Athletes refer to it as “the zone.” It’s the place where effort becomes effortless, where you stop trying and simply love the doing. In the coming weeks, Aries, you can enjoy this state more than you have in a long time. Ride it with glee!

TAURUS April 20-May 20

For the foreseeable future, salmon are your spirit creatures. I’ll remind you about their life cycle. They are born in freshwater, migrate to the ocean, and live there for years. Then they return, moving against river currents, up waterfalls, past bears and eagles. Eventually, they arrive at the exact stream where they were born. How do they do it? They navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field and their sense of smell, remembering chemical signatures from years ago. I think your own calling is as vivid as theirs, dear Taurus. And in the coming weeks, you will be extra attuned to that primal signal. Trust the ancient pull back toward your soul’s home.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

What if procrastination isn’t always a problem? On some occasions, maybe it’s a message from your deeper self. Delay could serve as a form of protection. Avoidance might be a sign of your deep wisdom at work. Consider these possibilities, Gemini. What if your resistance to the “should” is actually your soul’s immune system rejecting a foreign agenda? It might be trying to tell you secrets about what you truly want versus what you think you should want.

CANCER June 21-July 22

I’m only slightly joking when I recommend that you practice the art of sacred bitching in the coming days. You are hereby authorized to complain and criticize with creative zeal. But the goal is not to push hard in a quest to solve problems perfectly. Instead, simply give yourself the luxury of processing and metabolizing the complications. Your venting and whining won’t be pathological, but a legitimate way to achieve emotional release. Sometimes, like now, you need acknowledgment more than solutions. Allowing feelings is more crucial than fixing things. The best course of action is saying “this is hard” until it’s slightly less hard.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

The Chinese concept of yuanfen means that some connections are fated. Certain people were always meant to cross your path. Not soulmates necessarily, but soul-evokers: those who bring transformations that were inscribed on your destiny before you knew they were coming. When you meet a new person and feel instant recognition, that’s yuanfen. When a relationship changes your life, that’s yuanfen. When timing aligns impossibly but wonderfully, that’s yuanfen. According to my analysis, you Leos are due for such phenomena in the coming weeks—at least two, maybe more. Some opportunities appear because you pursue them. Others were always going to arrive simply because you opened your mind and heart.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Let’s talk about a forest’s roots. Mostly hidden from sight, they are the source of all visible life. They are always communicating with each other, sharing nourishment and information. When extra help is needed, they call on fungi networks to support them, distributing their outreach even further. Your own lineage works similarly, Virgo. It’s nutrient-rich and endlessly intertwined with others, some of whom came long before you. You are the flowering tip of an unseen intelligence. Every act of grounding—breathing deeply, resting your feet, returning to gratitude—is your body’s way of remembering its subterranean ancestry. Please keep these meditations at the forefront of your awareness in the coming weeks. I believe you will thrive to the degree that you draw from your extensive roots.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

You are currently in a phase when it’s highly possible to become both smarter and wiser. You have a sixth sense for knowing exactly how to enhance both your intellectual and emotional intelligence. With this happy news in mind, I will remind you that your brain is constantly growing and changing. Every experience carves new neural pathways. Every repeated thought strengthens certain connections and weakens others. You’re not stuck with the brain you have, but are continuously building the brain that’s evolving. The architecture of your consciousness is always under construction. Take full advantage of this resilience and plasticity!

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

The coming weeks will be a favorable time to stand near what you want to become. I advise you to surround yourself with the energy you want to embody. Position yourself in the organic ecosystem of your aspirations without grasping or forcing. Your secret power is not imitation but osmosis. Not ambition but proximity. The transformations you desire will happen sideways, through exposure and absorption. You won’t become by trying to become; you will become by staying close to what calls you.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Some seeds can remain dormant for centuries, waiting for the right conditions to germinate. The oldest successfully germinated seed was a 2,000-year-old date palm seed. I suspect you will experience psychospiritual and metaphorical versions of this marvel in the coming weeks. Certain aspects of you have long been dormant but are about to sprout. Some of your potentials have been waiting for conditions that you haven’t encountered until recently. Is there anything you can do to encourage these wondrous developments? Be alert for subtle magic that needs just a little nudge.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Orb weaver spiders make seven different types of silk, each engineered for different purposes: sticky silk for catching prey, strong silk for the web’s frame, stretchy silk for wrapping food, and soft silk for egg sacs. In other words, they don’t generate a stream of generic resources and decide later what to do with them. Each type of silk is produced by distinct silk glands and spinnerets, and each is carefully tailored for a particular use. I advise you to be like the orb weavers in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Specificity will be your superpower.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

Benevolent gossip is the practice of speaking about people not to diminish them but to fondly wonder about them and try to understand them. What if gossip could be generous? What if talking about someone in their absence could be an act of compassionate curiosity rather than judgment? What if you spoke about everyone as if they might overhear you—not from fear but from respect? Your words about others could be spells that shape how they exist in the collective imagination. Here’s another beautiful fact about benevolent gossip: It can win you appreciation and attention that will enhance your ability to attract the kind of help and support you need.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

Every 21,000 years, the Sahara Desert transforms into a lush green savanna. It’s due to precession, which is a wobble in the Earth’s axis. The African seasonal monsoon becomes much stronger, bringing increased rainfall to the entire area. The last time this occurred was from about 11,000 to 5,000 years ago. During this era, the Sahara supported lakes, rivers, grasslands, and diverse animal and human populations. I’m predicting a comparable shift for you in the coming months, Pisces. The onset of luxuriant growth is already underway. And right now is an excellent time to encourage and expedite the onset of flourishing abundance. Formulate the plans and leap into action.

Homework: Give yourself a pep talk about how to thrive when other people aren’t at their best. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

FRIDAY 11/28

ELECTRONIC

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $28.72. 713-5492.

MANTRA

INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. $32. 704-7113.

REGGAE

INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $40.61. 479-1854.

SATURDAY 11/29

OPERA

INFO: 2pm, Woodhouse Brewing, 119 Madrone St., Santa Cruz. $45. 313-9461.

ART MARKET

INFO: 10am, Felton Community Hall, 6161 Highway 9, Felton. Free. 335-5621.

MONDAY 12/1

HOT JAZZ

INFO: 7 and 9pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $64. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 12/2

LITERATURE

WEDNESDAY 12/3

BLUES

INFO: 7pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $35/adv, $40/door. 423-8209.

COMEDY

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $46-$71. 713-5492.

PHOTO CONTEST

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK