In addition to being a server at Oreno Ramen in Scotts Valley, Suzie Kim is also pursuing a career as a tattoo artist. She says her Korean heritage gave her a passion for Asian food and she felt like Oreno would be a good fit while she leveled up her ink game.
When she interviewed with the owner, Hank Kim, they bonded over a shared cultural experience and same last name, although not related. Suzie describes Oreno’s ambiance as open and modern with hints of Japanese culture, set off with paper lanterns, prominent wood accents and a natural, organic vibe. The small menu primarily features authentic traditional Japanese ramen as well as a few Korean favorites.
Palette awakening starters are a crunchy, refreshing cucumber salad as well as Takoyaki, a traditional ball-shaped Japanese street food snack made of minced and fried octopus. The headlining ramen broths are customizable in terms of flavor, seasoning and spice. Suzie’s favorite is the Tonkotsu with thinly sliced pork, soft-boiled egg and bamboo shoots, and the chicken ramen with sliced breast in rich bone broth also pleases crowds. Other popular picks include the spicy Maje Soba with buckwheat noodles, Donburi rice bowls, and desserts like myriad mochi options and a fried banana with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.
How does being a tattoo artist inspire you as a server?
SUZIE KIM: In both professions, serving obviously, but also with tattooing, good customer service that makes people feel warm and welcome is so important. It’s something I love and that comes naturally to me. It’s just how I am, I try to interact with everyone like I’ve known them for a long time. With tattooing, I aspire to specialize in traditional Korean art and bring that sensibility to the restaurant, adding extra flare and artistic aesthetic.
Tell me about your kimchi.
It is a signature offering of ours and comes with almost every dish. It is made using the owner’s family recipe, he makes it constantly and puts love into it. It is pleasantly crunchy, bold, vibrant, mildly spicy and really adds a welcome touch to our dishes. Kimchi is a major part of Korean culinary tradition, and something I’ve always loved and had passion for. I don’t think I could go more than a couple days without it.
5600 Scotts Valley Drive Suite C, Scotts Valley, 831-600-8746; orenoramen.menu11.com
Behold perhaps the best deal in Santa Cruz County: Two slices of superior pizza plus a beverage for $10.
So it goes at The Slice Project’s second location at The Hangar (45 Aviation Way, Watsonville).
You don’t have to take my word for it, either. That endorsement comes courtesy of Chef Tim Wood, who’s busy assembling Woody’s at the Watsonville Airport (100 Aviation Way, Watsonville), just down the street, for its opening by the end of this month.
“We are big fans of what’s going on over there at the Hangar,” Wood says. “Some of the best pizza in California, and I’m a New Yorker.”
Another Hangar spot to prioritize: Tacos Al Fuego, where Baja fish tacos and creative-melty-saucy “mulitas” are must-trys.
Plus there’s the food/drink/gym complex’s anchor, Beer Mule, which continues to flow curated craft beers in a social setting enhanced by picnic benches, cornhole and ping pong—and does underrated food like great pulled pork sandwiches and fried pickles from the Guz Bros.
More intrigue emerges within the Beer Mule family: While the Watsonville property plans an anniversary party coming in June, sister spot Beer Thirty Bottle Shop & Pour House (2504 S Main St., Soquel) hosts Brews, Bands & Bites noon-7pm Saturday, April 11, with live bands, a local makers market and beers to benefit Skills of Life SOL Café ($25 in advance; $30 day of), beerthirtysantacruz.com.
Meanwhile, another sibling spot Trout Farm Inn (7701 E. Zayante Road, Felton) has been making the most of the unseasonably warm weather with daily saltwater pool parties complemented by cabanas, cocktails and a full American bistro menu loaded with burgers, tacos, wings, steaks and more, thetroutfarm.com.
And on top of all that, co-owner Kym DeWitt mentions the long-awaited sausage house/tap house/bottle shop, Beer Run, could open as soon as May 1, in the former Wienerschnitzel (800 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz).
MEATFREE MOXIE
The Santa Cruz Vegan Chef Challenge is in full swing for the month of April, with a bunch of great restaurants participating—more at veganchefchallenge.org/SantaCruz. At the same time, one of the region’s most treasured veg-centric spots, Dharma’s (4250 Capitola Road, Capitola), just announced it’s been struggling financially—for years—and is weighing next steps.
As its family writes on Facebook, they’re debating whether it’s time to close, or whether someone else might carry it forward.
“We had hoped that we could turn things around quietly, but the math is simple and unforgiving: [T]he cost of ingredients, labor, utilities, and everything it takes to keep a restaurant running has climbed steadily, while business has continued to decrease,” the post reads. “We’ve cut where we can, restructured how we operate, and worked to find every possible efficiency. But the gap remains.”
It’s a heartfelt note, which includes a call to action: “Nothing is decided yet. But we can no longer act as if everything is fine and will simply work itself out. We want you to know this because you are Dharma’s. Every family that made us your Friday night spot, every one who grew up playing with the toy dinosaurs, every college student who discovered us and kept coming back for more, every regular who walks in and doesn’t need a menu—you built this place as much as we did. What we ask of you now is to spread the word. Make dining with us a regular thing again…
We’re writing this from a place of sincerity and deep gratitude. We believe wholeheartedly in what Dharma’s is and what it stands for.” dharmasrestaurant.com
The well-known winery of Kendall-Jackson has made a sparkling new Vintners Reserve Brut Cuvée for a mere $20.
Kendall-Jackson says, “Our sparkling wine is vibrant, perfectly bubbly, and designed to bring a little celebration to the everyday.” I’ll go for that! This bright sparkler showcases “fresh, fruity notes on the nose with lively acidity, a refreshing palate, and a nice, clean finish.” It’s an easy-drinking drop of fizz that pairs well with a variety of food – even French fries or oysters.
A visit to Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens is magical. Their four categories of gardens, including specialty produce, herb gardens, pollinator garden, and sensory garden, are all gorgeous. And a wine tasting after a garden stroll is a perfect ending. Food is available from the Chef’s Small Plates & Pairing to a Five-Course Menu.
Another sparkling wine to try is one with the alcohol removed, made by Fre Wines – and it’s really good. If you’re not doing alcohol, or you’re taking a break for a while, it’s just perfect. The Sparkling Brut has an effervescent fizz – just like a regular sparkling. And cascades of tiny bubbles release green apple and ripe pear aromas. I also tried Fre’s Chardonnay and Cab – both lovely – all around $10. Frewines.com
Bold and spicy
A drop of whiskey can be quite comforting. It’s most certainly tasty to drink with its bold and spicy flavors. Made in Madison, Wisconsin, State Line Distillery’s Rye Whiskey is a blend of barley and River Valley Rye. After ageing in American oak barrels, the resulting flavors include cookie dough, pepper and honey. Statelinedistillery.com
A new musical rooted in nearly a century of artistic history is coming to Santa Cruz this April. Don’t Take My Boop Boop A Doop Away will premiere at the Ballet Box Theater, an intimate performance space inside the International Academy of Dance. The production brings together family legacy, classic animation, and live performance.
The show celebrates the work of composer Sammy Timberg, whose music helped define the sound of Fleischer cartoons in the 1930s and ’40s, including Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman. Now, generations later, that music is returning to the stage through a collaboration between Timberg’s daughter, Patti Timberg, and granddaughter, Shannon Chipman.
“I think it’s a very special situation that we both live here, and that we’ve both been involved in theater in different ways,” says Timberg.
For Timberg, the project reaches back to childhood. Growing up in the 1950s, she remembers watching her father conduct orchestras, though she didn’t fully understand the scope of his work at the time.
“As a child, I didn’t know anything about his work in animation. I just remember seeing him conduct orchestras and work in jazz clubs,” says Timberg.
It wasn’t until after his death in the early 1990s that she began to understand the extent of his work.
“I went back to New York, worked with the Library of Congress, and found all the music,” she said. “I went through ASCAP cue sheets to find what my dad wrote and had it orchestrated so people could hear it on its own.”
That work led to performances in New York and Los Angeles, including cabarets, staged readings, and appearances at Lincoln Center and the World Animation Celebration.
“We did several cabarets in New York and Los Angeles, and even performed some of the music at Lincoln Center. I always hoped to make it something bigger, but I was doing most of it on my own, and eventually it became dormant—until now,” says Timberg.
Now the project is being revived in Santa Cruz through Chipman, who trained in dance at Juilliard and later founded the International Academy of Dance in 2005. For the first time in more than two decades, the school is producing a theatrical work in-house.
DECADES OF HISTORY Directors Pat Timberg and Shannon Chipman PHOTO: Nicole Formenti
“She created this intimate theater within her school—the Ballet Box Theater—and this is the first show where we’re really going to use it,” says Timberg.
The production blends Timberg’s original compositions with a new narrative inspired by classic animation. Chipman will also take on the iconic role of Betty Boop.
“We’re using Fleischer’s work as the basis of our story, along with a lot of my father’s music from the cartoons. Shannon will be Betty Boop—she wrote the piece—and I’m directing it. Though, in fairness, we’re really co-directing it,” says Timberg.
This personal collaboration has been especially meaningful to Timberg, as it is the first time the two have worked closely in nearly two decades.
“This show is incredibly personal for us. We’re honored to share my grandfather, Sammy Timberg’s music, with a new generation of audiences. Presenting it here in Santa Cruz with our community and fellow actors makes it even more special,” says Chipman.
The show will feature local performers and include songs from the Fleischer era, such as “I Want to Be a Lifeguard,” “Clean-Shaven Man,” and “Wimpy Hamburger Mine.”
Beyond the music, the production continues a creative lineage that stretches from early 20th-century orchestras to a small black box theater in Santa Cruz.
“The collaboration process has been enriching. We hadn’t worked together in Santa Cruz before, even though we had in New York. It’s brought us closer, both personally and professionally. We’ve had to collaborate, compromise, and grow,” says Timberg.
With its mix of history, humor, and music, Don’t Take My Boop Boop A Doop Away serves as a touching tribute to the golden age of animation, bringing these iconic characters and tunes to the stage in a new, fun musical comedy.
Performances will take place Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11, at 7pm with a matinee on Saturday at 2pm at the International Academy of Dance, 320 Encinal Street, Santa Cruz. Tickets at iadance.com
Chef Reilly Meehan’s earliest food memories were of combing his family’s garden in Santa Cruz with his Oaxacan nanny, Lucy. They’d pick verdant cilantro for tortillas she would char.
“There’s a couple recipes in the book dedicated to her,” he says between tour dates for his debut cookbook A Little Bit Extra, which will bring him to Bookshop Santa Cruz on April 13.
He gushes in the Acknowledgments section in Spanish: “To my lifelong kitchen guide, Lucy. Thank you for sharing your recipes, your memories, and your love.”
When his father, Charlie, who owned Seabright Brewery, where Meehan learned a “sense of urgency and organization,” would cook a steak, Lucy turned the sides into magic.
“She would take the leftover mashed potatoes and roll them in a flour tortilla and pan-fry them until they were crispy,” he says.
The recipes are crowned by juicy stories like this – conversational, colloquial, befitting someone who knows how to pop on TikTok (594.4K followers and climbing). Introducing his recipe Radicchio Double Down, a salad pairing quick-pickled radicchio with raw, tamed by white balsamic syrup and nutty, aged Gouda: “Some call me the original BGG (Bitter Green Girlie!).”
Some fans of his vertical video output are materializing on tour stops.
“Yesterday I met a gal named Nancy,” he says, “who brought with her a printed out Instagram DM she sent three years ago. It said, ‘I would love to have a cookbook from you.’”
His reply at the time?
“‘I’m working on it,’” it read. “‘We’ll make it happen.’ It’s surreal.”
The recipes inside feel like a late afternoon meal that would be waiting for you after a long drive to Palm Springs.
There’s a reason Meehan is squeezing a lime on the cover, juice dripping over the title. Chefs evolve through culinary identities like David Bowie, and this is his current one, subject to change.
He credits his Filipino, Vietnamese, and Chinese classmates at the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell, California and teammates from his time on the competitive cooking circuit as another crucial influence. Chefs undergo osmosis with who they cook next to, especially when they’re young and absorbent like he was, but they learn just as much by bonding.
“At 2 A.M, we’d go out and get pho, or to some hole-in-the-wall Chinese place I never would have known about.”
To match his flavor profiles, he needed collaborators who’d bring the bright. He found them in photographer Erin Scott and stylist Jillian Knox.
“They were like, ‘We never get an opportunity to go full color, full crazy, over the top. Let’s do it.’”
Out were “airy, linen-y, marbly food scenes.” Instead, Scott chose high saturation to articulate Knox’s power clashing of Meehan’s internally vibrant dishes against externally vibrant backgrounds.
Autumnal marigold Silky Gochujang Butternut Soup with copper spoons tops jade tile hexagons; Charred Green Beans pile like kindling on a many-ringed rose plate; evergreen Kale Chip Salad glistens on stone cut like cross sections of fossilized jelly beans.
When Knox relents, her color matches are sublime. For Cheesy Breakfast Oatmeal, Meehan’s version of cozy Copenhagen porridge, the author is posed in plaid of spinach-green, bacon-burnt umber, and yolk yellow. It takes the eye milliseconds to register the bowl in his lap contains all those ingredients.
Meehan wanted to avoid the hamburger commercial artificiality of food styling, where the mayo is actually a highly toxic epoxy. He insisted to his publisher he wanted to cook everything pictured, only learning later from Scott what a rarity that is.
“Most people hire full food stylist teams to do it all, which I understand,” he says. “There is a skill set particular to the type of cooking for photos.”
So no fibbing, but finessing was fine. He reaches for the Italian word sprezzatura to describe Knox’s style. Depending on the translation, it means “studied carelessness” or
“effortless grace.”
“She would just throw the forks down, and they would perfectly fall,” he says with some envy.
Now all his forks are tumbling into place, and he calls this in-store event a “full circle moment.”
“My grandma was a poet and she used to do readings at Bookshop,” he says. “I remember being a little kid, listening to her read and thinking how cool it was. It’s really special to come back.”
Chef Meehan appears at 7pm on April 13 at Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz. Admission is free, but RSVP at bookshopsantacruz.com/reilly-meehan. There will be prepared samples from the book while supplies last.
From the ferocious rhythms of Shostakovich to the perfection of Beethoven’s late quartet, the MAREA ensemble (Kristin Garbeff, Shannon D’Antonio, Samantha Bounkeua, Lori Schulman, Rebecca Dulatre Corbin) took its sold-out program to stunning heights. And in between, guided by the encyclopedic flavors of Lori Schulman’s soprano, a few choice bits of music by living composers cast their spell. Caroline Shaw, whose musical imagination rarely disappoints, was in good hands with Schulman’s conversational syncopation and sudden coloratura. In a world premiere, Chris Pratorius Gomez showed his supple ability to compose for the voice. So many chromatic textures emerged from his musical palette that once again, I’m impatient to hear this locally-based composer unleash his full range in a large-scale work. A song cycle? A chamber opera? He added dazzle to words by poet Kristen Nelson. Another rousing and beautiful choice was Source Code by Jessie Montgomery, marrying a deep background in American Spirituals with a playful gift for sorrowful theme and variation. A murky piece by Eliza Brown should have been left unplayed.
Amadeus Storms the Civic
The concept of collaboration took on new, bold, and wildly successful meaning two weeks ago when those lucky enough to crowd into the Civic Auditorium got to feast on powerful dramatizations by Charles Pasternak and his fellow actors, the soaring fugues sung by Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus, and the never-better chromatics of the Santa Cruz Symphony, all joining their expertise in one weekend of Amadeus.
Shrewdly adapted by Symphony director Daniel Stewart from Peter Shaffer’s award-winning play, the evening reenacted one man’s volcanic envy over another man’s matchless genius. The tale of composer Antonio Salieri plotting revenge against the reigning musical genius of the late 18th century—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart— is irresistible.
And so was Stewart’s fiercely intelligent staging, rushing the actors into the spotlights from all corners of the Civic Auditorium, and illustrating the stages in Salieri’s smoldering ire by having the Chorus sing passages of Mozart’s well-known operas. Pasternak (Salieri) and Will Block (Mozart) hammered out the details of how the final Requiem was actually created, echoed by the voices and instruments. Superbly clever! Pasternak commanded the flow of the narrative with sheer vocal authority and emotional quicksilver. Quartets and soloists, notably soprano Lori Schulman and baritone Edward Tavalin punctuated the huge wall of orchestral sound with delightful vignettes from Mozart’s most popular operas, Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute.
Kudos to the never-better Shaun Carroll in a suite of parts, as well as the vocal quintet of Ruth Updegraff, Margaret Anderson, Stephanie Schaeffer, Sebastian Castro and David Willoughby. Among other things, this ambitious evening of music theater was an irresistible advertisement for the relevance of opera, then and now. Take that Timothée Chalamet.
NMW Season Finale
Mark your calendar for the April 25 New Music Works concert, an evening of experimental joie de vivre pairing the wildly unexpected percussion of William Wynant with the delicate bite of Zeena Parkins’ harp. Lean into two major works for harp and percussion by Zeena Parkins (both with engaging titles), Modesty of the Magic Thing, For the Pink Cup, Seven Pillars and LACE ACTION CARDS.
Never a dull or ordinary moment at NMW’s mind-altering concerts. Percussion and harp. Such an uncanny combination of instruments, especially funneled through the imagination of a living composer. Come and find out how it sounds. Saturday, April 25, 2026: 7pm; Peace United Church of Christ. Tickets: General: $35 Sr $30, Students $20
Ensemble Monterey Unleashed!
Sunday April 12, 7pm at Messiah Lutheran Church, feast on the gorgeous energy of Arnold Schönberg, Leos Janacek, Arvo Pärt and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, performed by this elite string ensemble. Maestro Alan Truong leads the program. These folks are superb musicians. Do. Not. Miss! ensemblemonterey.org
LEE RITENOUR Highly regarded in the music community for his skill, style and dazzling versatility, guitarist Lee Ritenour came to prominence as a session player, adding his fluid artistry to recordings by a wide array of artists from The Mamas and the Papas to Aretha Franklin, Pink Floyd, Carole King, Frank Sinatra, and Steely Dan. A 16-time Grammy Award nominee (with one win), Ritenour has a deep solo discography as well, with more than 30 albums to his credit. The taste and creativity of the man known as “Captain Fingers” are legendary. BILL KOPP
INFO: 7 & 9pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $52-$70. 427-2227.
FRIDAY 4/10
AMERICANA
DAVID LUNING Getting his start in the Bay Area, singer-songwriter and California native David Luning debuted on record with 2014’s Just Drop On By. Inspired by greats like John Prine, Luning’s original songs explore the human condition with all of its foibles, frailties and triumphs. His third and latest album, 2024’s independently-released Lessons, continues to mine that rich vein. The introspective, evocative and emotionally resonant quality of his music has led to many placements in film and television. While he often works with a full band, this performance at the Ugly Mug will be a solo date: just a man and his guitar. BK
ABBY JEANNE AND THE SHADOW BAND Steeped in dreams, collective art experiments, and rock n’ roll records, Abby Jeanne creates sonic ties with her listeners. Glossy surf guitar, jukebox melodies, and powerhouse vocals, Abby Jeanne transforms strength and angst into soul and ’60s pop music. Lyrics pack a punch, addressing tragedy and trauma and mending the wounds with love and expression. Heavily influenced by her time working at Hi-Fi Café in her hometown of Milwaukee, exposed to underground music from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, her musical influences are more time machine than catalogue. SHELLY NOVO
PAUL THORN The acclaimed Southern singer and songwriter was once a boxer with a respectable 14-4 record. But his life would change when he was discovered by record execs (one of whom was Miles Copeland, brother to Police drummer Stewart Copeland) while playing at a local pizzeria. He dropped his first album Hammer & Nail in 1997 on A&M Records, but soon left the label. Since then, Thorn released his music independently on his Perpetual Obscurity label and his blend of blues, country, and rock has been enjoyed by millions of fans around the world. In February, he dropped his 14th studio album, Life is Just a Vapor, which reflects on his eclectic life and extensive career. MAT WEIR
INFO: 7pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $50. 423-8209.
GALA
30TH ANNIVERSARY RED BALL GALA Get ready to be dazzled and amazed as the MAH celebrates its 30th anniversary at this year’s Red Ball Gala. Step into a world of immersive art and fine food. Dance into the sky as DJ Spooky turns the rooftop garden into a dance floor. The MAH has been dedicated to serving the Santa Cruz community by celebrating its culture and history for the last 30 years, so it promises to make this gala the most immersive and stunning gala yet. With specialty crafted cocktails and a curated silent art auction, it is an evening to connect with friends, family, and, of course, Santa Cruz. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 6pm, The MAH, 705 Front St, Santa Cruz. $55. 429-1964.
SUNDAY 4/12
OPERA
JOSHUA STEWART The powerhouse tenor and leader in contemporary opera presents a narrative of beauty and suffering juxtaposed in his musical portrait of A Man Without A Home. Joshua Stewart impresses with his pure and palpable vocality, gracing stages worldwide and performing for world leaders. Joined by award-winning pianist and composer Courtney Bryan, Stewart delivers a personal and moving recital that explores belonging and the evolution of the meaning of home. Delivering a curation of songs inspired by the culture and legacy of the African diaspora alongside words from Mozart, Saint-Georges, and Leoncavallo, Stewart articulates a musical portrait of man singing, listening, seeking, and being fully present. SN
ARCANE LULLABY Santa Cruz is rich with the widest array of musical styles. Arcane Lullaby calls themselves a mix of blues, goth, reggae, punk—it’s a long list. What it all sounds like is a perfect blend of ballads, power chords, and indie charm for a cloudy dusk or an early dawn. There’s a sweet, innocent harmony that Kiryn Mack brings to all the tunes. Arcane Lullaby sounds like tributes to the styles of music that are loved by the band’s four members. Jason Greenberg creates the melodies and searing solos. Raymond Mendoza holds the beat down with Tom Petzoldt. DNA
DRUGDEALER Joni Mitchell once said the craziest people live in California, and the craziest Californians live in Los Angeles, but the craziest live in Laurel Canyon. Which was incredibly true in the 1960s and ’70s. Musicians like Frank Zappa, Neil Young, Jim Morrison, David Crosby, Graham Nash, The Eagles, and Carol King all lived, worked, and partied with each other. The Laurel Canyon sound, which was erroneously named “soft rock” by critics, was a blend of folk, psych, country, blues and rock. While the times might be gone, the music lives on in Angelino musician Drugdealer, whose catalog fits nicely next to any of the musicians named above. MW
YAIMA Find that entry point into the multiverse with this dynamic duo that flies under the moniker of Yaima. Based in Seattle, multi-instrumentalist Masaru Higasa and vocalist Pepper Proud starts off every song like you’re in for a relaxing spa session. That facade falls away as Proud balances the vocals with lilting and soaring hypnotic chants, raps and singing. Intent is a big part of Yaima and what is being sought is a balancing of masculine and feminine energies through music. While at the same time building a bridge between nature and humans. Engage and then immerse yourselves in the journey of a lifetime, all within the safe zone of the Felton Music Hall. DNA
Fifteen years is a reason to celebrate. In Mexican culture the quinceañera marks a girl’s transition to womanhood. The traditional 15th wedding anniversary gift is crystal and the flower is a rose, symbolizing transparency and passion respectively. Fifteen years is also Sin Sisters’ latest anniversary–-making them the longest-running burlesque and drag troupe in Santa Cruz (coincidentally, Crystal Rose is a great stage name).
To celebrate, the Sin Sisters are having a blowout anniversary show at the Kuumbwa on Saturday, April 11th.
“It’s not about one person, it’s about the community,” says founder and performer Cyanide Cyn. “The community is what’s kept us going because people show up for us.”
It’s a community that regularly attends every month at the Kuumbwa and has since the Sisters’ first days at the Catalyst.
“We couldn’t ask for a better 250 people to hang out with,” declares emcee and performer, Madame Luke.
For those of us seasoned enough to remember, the very first Sin Sisters show was actually a benefit for our local roller derby team, the Santa Cruz Derby Girls. It was in the 1000-person capacity main room at The Catalyst and was packed with people ready to support the team and see some action on stage.
It continued in the Catalyst Atrium every month for six years with seven to eight performers and even bands in the early days. In 2017 the Sisters found a more intimate home in their current location at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center.
Unlike other venues with burlesque shows, it’s a place where performers can relax and be themselves while still living up to their stage characters.
“I think what sets us apart is when you’re in the Green Room, we have the best time,” explains performer Sylvia Wrath. She’s been with the Sin Sisters for three years and has a number of fan favorite acts, like her stage stretching 13-foot bat wings and Toy Story’s Sheriff Woody.
“We’re usually back there laughing, taking pictures, helping each other in and out of costumes,” she continues. “It’s just the best vibe. I look forward to the show because it’s like hanging out with your friends.”
Their dedication to the craft is another reason that makes the Sisters shimmy out from the rest.
There’s so much more to burlesque and drag than people realize. Sure, performers have to find the perfect music to accompany their act and then endlessly practice their routine.However, they make their costumes and outfits by hand, painstakingly sewing stitches, gluing sequins and building whatever accoutrements needed (like 13-foot bat wings).
“I have been working on a new costume for the 15th anniversary show for over a month,” Cyn admits. “And I am nowhere near done after working on it practically every day.”
Yes, it takes a community to smoothly execute the show and every single performer and crew member—like Tommy Powell-Demeuth who has worked sound for the show since day one—deserves to be recognized for their hard work. Yet, one person’s been the thread running throughout the seam of time. The glue on the pasty holds them all together. Although she doesn’t like the attention, credit must be given to Cyn because without her, there would be no show.
She works tirelessly at every event, making sure it goes well, from hand-picking performers, creating fliers, and helping performers with outfits and numbers. She even makes sure they’re paid (and well) before they even hit the stage for the night.
“She’s the most amazing mentor to people and brings out the best in them,” Luke says. “She’s an active advocate for people in the community, and I don’t know where she finds the energy.”
And for 15 years, Cyn has made sure it’s a show where everyone feels welcomed and can be their true selves.
At every Sin Sisters event, consent is taught for the safety of the performers and the comfort of the audience. Performers will often go into the crowd during a set, but if an audience member doesn’t want to be touched, they can put up a hand to wave the artist to the next person.
“I pick performers who are exceptional on stage and off stage,” Cyn says. “We don’t label ourselves as a queer show because we’re a safe space for everyone. However, all of our performers are queer. It’s important to have a space where queer performers are applauded and revered in a society that is pushing us out.”
Sin Sisters 15th Anniversary Show. Saturday, April 11th. 8:30pm. Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $33.85–$44.52
Face it. If you were to paint a mental picture of The California Kid—the epitome of a bro-dude who best represents the stereotypical spirit of California culture—you would imagine a tall, lanky, bleach blonde, crusty surfer who calls you “brah.” And says things like, “I’ve spent a lot of time grinding and chasing the dream.”
They certainly aren’t going to look like a stocky, Italian, 1950’s greased hairdoo, grown-ass, Arthur-Fonzarelli-after-hitting-the-gym, type of guy.
It’s time for 2026 California to wake up to the fact that Sib, Joe Sib, is a contender for the Best of Us Award (something that Gov Newsom should start giving out). It’s wildly rare to have an artist like Sib, who crosses over from being in the early punk rock scene (Frontline, Wax and 22 Jacks), to skateboarding alongside future game changers, to co-founding SideOneDummy Records and discovering talent like The Flogging Molly’s and launching others’ careers, to having a fulfilling comedy career touring the nation with SNL’s Jim Bruer and being the opening act for Metallica on tour.
TIME SLIPS AWAY The bucktooth school photo is from Good Shepherd School in Santa Cruz, taken in 7th grade. PHOTO: From Joe Sib Collection
Even Fonzie didn’t do that.
It’s tough to pin Sib down. Every story he tells is epic. And, epically long. Tune into his YouTube channel (@joesibcomedy) and hear Sib rant about getting invited by Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam to see them play in Mexico. Or when SideOneDummy artist Gaslight Anthem got called on stage by Bruce Springsteen to sing, at Hyde Park in London. It’s impossible to write a comprehensive story and cover the entirety of his second-wave-punk Walter Mitty life adventures. Like the time he was almost the Pinhead at the Ramones “Final” show at the Academy of Music in NYC.
Skate or Die
Growing up in Santa Cruz, Sib fell in with some of the most soon-to-be-iconic skaters of that era. People like pro-skater Keith Meeks, skater of the century Steve Caballero, trailblazer Corey O’Brien, and hardcore legend, Gavin O’Brien. At the time, they were just punks sneaking into empty swimming pools. These urchins would go on to change skate culture from pioneering gnarly graphic designs on boards, to inventing gravity-defying ground-breaking tricks, to founding San Jose’s skate rock band, The Faction.
“Skateboarding became priority number one,” says Sib
LICENSE AND REGISTRATION PLEASE Here’s a skate member card souvenir. Photo: Sib Collection
Sib was 14 discovering punk rock and shredding concrete. He and his skater friends, were on the sidelines of Santa Cruz’s older skate scene, but that didn’t stop them from getting into trouble. “We would be hanging out at the Capitola Mall, or hanging out downtown, or just skating and trying to score 40s and freaking at the Cove. Maybe someone would find a joint in their dad’s toolbox. Like that’s what we were doing. During my sophomore year, the beginning of it at Harbor High, my mom and I had a blowout. And the blowout ended up with me going to live with my father in San Jose,” Sib admits.
HELLA COOL Young Joe Sib, wearing a “hell” shirt, is on stage with his band Frontline. PHOTO: From Joe Sibs Collection
In the mid-1980s, San Jose became a major destination for world-class skaters.
“We had the best skateboarding scene. Our scene was so sick that people like Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi , Mike McGill and John Gibson were showing up. Skaters from Texas, Southern California, San Diego, were all coming to Northern California because the scene was so killer. And at the time, none of us even knew,” Sib gushes.
It’s challenging to quote Sib on anything, or to even get brief answers. Everything pours out of Sib like you invited an Italian leprechaun home, and found yourself enchanted by the conversation. Sib delivers it all with modern self-awareness and gusto. And an armload of, “Duuuudes” and “Likes”. He’s a non-stop Tasmanian Devil of a man, who never stopped believing that the best way to do something, was to do it yourself.
Skateboarding Capital
The Capitola Classic skateboarding event, now known around the world, began in 1972 as just a downhill event on Monterey Avenue. In recent years, Terry Campion and the crew at the Santa Cruz Boardroom (where Sib will be performing on April 11th) took the reins of the beloved event and pushed its stellar legacy to new heights. It is now housed inside the enormous Sears building at the Capitola Mall. And, the 2nd Annual Santa Cruz Boardroom Capitola Classic recently occurred to much fanfare and community spirit.
“Dude, during the Capitola Classic, oh my God, that was some of the most legendary contest/party/makeshift epic times,” Sib begins. His voice is wavering between peak maximum output and two levels above that.
“There was a legendary contest at the Capitola Classic. All the pros from all over the world came to compete. In 1985, after the contest was over, we went to Derby Skate Park in Santa Cruz. That year Keith Meek took seventh place in the Capitola Classic. He gets a hit of cash. What does he do? He buys a keg of beer. Meek takes that keg of beer to Derby Skate Park. Now it went from an organized contest to a full-on legendary session at Derby. I’m talking every pro at the time is there and totally just descending on Santa Cruz. Then from Santa Cruz, that same day, we went to Montague.
There was these banks called the Montague Banks and it was totally underground and people would go there and you would skate from night until morning time. And there were these loading docks. They were legendary. And then everyone from the contest went there and there was just a pop-up contest.
And it was Christian Hosoi and Steve Caballero and all of these legendary skaters skating against each other at this pop-up contest.” And Kevin Thatcher of Thrasher Magazine was announcing the contest from a school bus that we put up there. We used my PA from my band Frontline. I rented a generator with my dad’s credit card so that we could power the whole thing. That was the type of things those are the type of things that were going on in Santa Cruz and San Jose in Northern California,” Sib remembers as if it were yesterday.
Get Warped
Sib has so many layers—punk, skater, podcaster, record label guru, comic—that he’s like the movie Inception, with every layer having its own world, with its own unbelievable Sib stories.
Consider the time that Sib’s band, 22 Jacks played Warped Tour in 1996.
The iconic punk label Fat Wreck Chords, founded by Fat Mike and Erin Kelly-Burkett, played a key role in shaping the lineup of the inaugural Vans Warped Tour in 1995. They also helped bring bands to the tour, like NOFX (who also co-sponsored the event) and No Use for a Name.
22 Jacks was, by far, not the biggest attraction on the bill in ’96 but was still trying to get noticed playing alongside headliners like Pennywise and Blink-182. What stands out for Kelly-Burkett wasn’t his band, but the memory of the singular Sib being a force to be reckoned with.
“If you ever heard a commotion backstage on tour, you’d turn a corner and see Joe at the center of a group of musicians, telling stories and getting everyone laughing. The guy just never stopped talking,” Kelly-Burkett said.
Steve Caballero was already a professional skateboarder when Warped Tour started. Caballero started skating at 12, finding immediate sponsors and was competing worldwide at 16. He’s called a legend in multiple countries, having invented numerous tricks including the Caballerial (also known as Full Cab or Fakie 360 Ollie). It was only a matter of time before these two old friends were on Warped Tour together, with Caballero skating the vert ramp with Evil Knievel glee, and Sib leading 22 Jacks with raucous spitfire.
“I mean, he was definitely a front man,” says Caballero. “I just remember him talking a lot, even like in between songs, and just hyping the crowd up all the time. He’s a very good front man.”
Edinburgh
In August of 2025, Sib turned his lifetime of cheerleading for other artists, into his own, fully immersive, one-person show. With 30 performances at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland; Entitled California Calling (first performed in 2009). “All based on my real life growing up punk rock in the ’80s California suburbs (of San Jose and Santa Cruz),” says Sib.
“I was nervous that I couldn’t pronounce it (Edinburgh) correctly. My girlfriend said, ‘It contains your favorite word, ‘Brah.’ Edin-brah.’ She was totally right,” Sib laughs.
California Calling, is an undiluted, unadulterated, and from the heart 75 minutes of being human. The jokes are there, but it also has a poignant side about his deep relationship with his father. It’s a black T-shirt, meta, tour de force that is getting ready to be filmed and currently seeking distribution.
Sib also had a special relationship with his mother. And it’s a you-probably-read-it-here-first moment, because his new one-person show is called Aggie. It’s about his mom and Joe Sib will return to Edinburgh later this year to debut it. Aggie is about mothers, family and the stories that shape us.
Call Your Mom
PARENTAL GUIDANCE Sib’s father, Joseph L Subbiondo. PHOTO: Joe Sibs Collection
“My mom was a legend,” Sib begins. “The thing that I had with my mom was, like, when you have a son or a daughter and you finally say, ‘Hey, you’re going to be you, and I’m going to be me.’ As soon as we reached that version of our relationship, we went from being mother son, to being two people that were full of energy, and also had shared so many of the same characteristics of each other. And it really made our relationship super unique and different to the point that, up until my mom passed away, we talked all the time. When I would be on the road doing standup, and driving for hours in the car. I always would call my mom and we would just shoot the shit on the phone for hours. And we would talk about everything from television shows to politics to the government. You know, she was all over the place. And we’d have these conversations. And I love that about her because she just wasn’t like some old woman that was stuck in the sixties or something. She was super relevant,” Sib states with evident warmth in his heart.
“My relationship with my mom got better when I was living with my dad, because she didn’t have to deal with all the craziness. I’d bring my San Jose friends over that had never hung out at the beach. I kind of walked in both worlds. I was this punk rocker Joe Sib, who everyone knew in San Jose. But I was also Joseph Subbiondo, the skater and beach kid from all my friends in Santa Cruz,” Sib concludes, for the minute.
Rock and Roll High School
In San Jose, Sib was a terrible student at Westmont High. He found out on the day of graduation if he was going to be allowed to graduate. His father taught at Santa Clara University, and was one of the deans. “And the irony was, I was his son,” Sib laughs.
“When he found out I graduated from high school, he said that, ‘I am the reason why we are in such trouble with schools. Teachers just push people like you through because they don’t know how to deal with you anymore.’ He was stoked that I had managed to figure out a way to get through, and said he wanted to give me a gift,” Sib says.
Sib could’ve asked for whatever he wanted, but instead asked for a keg.
“Agent Orange was playing San Jose State College,” Sib starts.
“I wanted to bring the keg of beer to the parking lot and drink it with all my friends before we went into the show. And I remember my. Dad goes, ‘Of course that’s what you want to do. Why am I even surprised? Where do we get these kegs of beer? Safeway? Of course, you know how to get them. Let’s go,’” Sib momentarily concludes.
Sib eventually pulled his scholarly act together and went on to graduate from Santa Clara University with a degree in Communications.
From The Heart
If you can pull a tight focus on Sib, behind every word he is saying, he is thinking about his new one-person show about his mother, Aggie.
It doesn’t take much to get Sib’s floodgates open when talking about his mom.
“She was a diabetic and she dealt her whole life with everything she ate. She had to write down the calorie intake and the fat intake. Everything. She was super progressive about corporations putting chemicals in our food. Like, why isn’t peanut butter just peanuts? What are all these oils? She was so aware of that before anybody.”
“And at the same time, I went from being the singer in a band, and having a musical career and SideOneDummy and all that. So when I started doing stand-up, I was really beginning again. And I was at a point in my life where I wanted to hear honest feedback and be around people who could mentor me. I didn’t just want to be good. I wanted to be great. But there’s so many great comedians that people will never know about. And I was cool with just being someone that is great, even if people don’t know who I am. And that was my goal. My mom at the beginning said it’s gonna take a while. And, 17 years later, you know, here we are,” Sib reflects.
“Sib is an entrepreneur. The bands and then all of a sudden start a record label, and then go into his podcast, and now comedy. He’s just gotten better and better, and I love his material. It’s very clean. He doesn’t have to get all raunchy and cuss to get people to laugh. I think he’s really relevant to our generation. I can relate to the jokes he comes up with. He’s just always been a very talented, motivated guy, and very, very positive,” says skate vet Caballero.
Joe Sib has spent decades being a tireless promoter of other musicians and friends. Now it’s his time. Or as Sib likes to say, “I’ve spent a lot of time grinding and chasing the dream.”
Joe Sib will be performing on April 11, at 8pm, at The Board Room, 825 41st Ave, Santa Cruz. 8:30pm $20adv/$25door. For more information and tickets go to joesib.com
Close your eyes for a second. Picture the ultimate California guy. Go ahead, we’ll wait.
You’re seeing him, aren’t you? Tall, sun-bleached, tragically handsome, lazily hanging ten on a longboard while sipping a kombucha and calling everyone “brah.” He probably has a man-bun. He definitely has opinions about avocado toast. He says things like “the ocean, dude — she speaks to me.”
Now throw all of that directly into the trash.
Meet Joe Sib, the subject of our cover story written by the writer named DNA.
Stocky. Italian. Rocking a greased-back 1950s hairdo that makes him look like Fonzie got really serious about leg day. The man is about as “stereotypical California” as a New Jersey diner — and yet, somehow, he might be the most authentically California human being alive. If California were a person, it wouldn’t be a surfer bro. It would be this fast-talking, story-spinning, keg-procuring, punk-rocking, record-label-launching, comedian-turned-international-storyteller from San Jose and Santa Cruz.
In a life that would take three Netflix docuseries and a podcast just to scratch the surface, Sib has managed to skate alongside legends like Steve Caballero, front punk bands like 22 Jacks and Wax, co-found the beloved SideOneDummy Records (home to Flogging Molly, Gaslight Anthem, and others), open for Metallica, tour the country with SNL’s Jim Breuer, and — just for fun — perform 30 shows at the legendary Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2025.
Oh, and he nearly played Pinhead at the Ramones’ final show. Because of course he did.
If you tried to write a screenplay about Joe Sib’s life, your agent would call back and say it’s too unbelievable. Nobody has that many good stories. Nobody moves through punk rock, skateboarding, comedy, and the music industry like a cheerful, unstoppable tornado — leaving behind a trail of sold-out shows, discovered talent, and people doubled over laughing.
And yet, here we are.
Whether you’ve been following Sib for decades or you’re just now discovering the man, one thing is certain: you are wildly unprepared for how much ground this guy has covered — and how much further he’s still going.
Buckle up, brah.
Drop us a line at ed****@*******es.sc if you know Sib or are meeting him for the first time and let us know what you think.
Other news you can use: great pizza deal in our dining column, along with the scary news that Dharma’s restaurant is in trouble. That’s been a centerpiece for vegetarians here back to when it got sued by McDonalds because it was originally called McDharma’s. So many of us love that place and have a long history there. I really hope we can save it.
(When I bought my first car, that’s where I celebrated and my son has been playing with the dinosaurs for a decade.)
Thanks for reading and there’s so much inside to check out and enjoy.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
LOVE THE FOG Here’s a film photo I took from the Santa Cruz wharf on a 35mm camera during the fog! Photograph by Sean Mohoot
GOOD IDEA
On April 11, a Santa Cruz-based business, True Source Waters, will be featured in a four-minute segment on Bloomberg TV with World’s Greatest! a long running series dedicated t highlighting successful businesses across the US. The Story: Beyond Just Filtered Water, True Source Waters isn’t just a water refill or retail store; it’s a community hub. Specializing in high-end, electrolysis water systems that transform standard tap water into mineral-rich, hydrogen-rich alkalized water—systems known to last upwards of 20 years.. We have found massive success by offering free water to the Santa Cruz community, provided participants attend monthly educational classes. These sessions empower our local customers with knowledge about water quality and the science of molecular hydrogen for improved health, fostering an educated and health-conscious following. s You can learn more at truesourcewaters.co.
GOOD WORK
On April 22, the Santa Cruz Art League ushers in the 68th annual showing of its youth art exhibition, providing a professional gallery space for emerging student artists. Each year, students from public, private, charter, home, and at-risk schools showcase their creativity. This reflects the Art League’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists. It’s a judged show with awards provided for first, second, and third place, and three honorable mentions.
It will be at the Santa Cruz Art League gallery at 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz, from April 22 to May 15 noon to 5pm Wednesday through Saturday. A public reception will take place at the same location on April 25 2pm-4pm. 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. This reception will feature a free Artist Trading Card demo with local artist Hajra Meeks. There will also be a First Friday Reception May 1 5:30 pm – 7pm.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination and power…” —Pope Leo
From pizza deals at Watsonville’s Hangar to Beer Mule events and updates on Dharma’s, this week’s Santa Cruz dining scene is full of flavor and change.
From Kendall-Jackson’s crisp Brut Cuvée to non-alcoholic sparkling wines and bold rye whiskey, this week’s Vine & Dine offers something for every palate.
A new Santa Cruz musical celebrates Betty Boop and Fleischer-era animation, bringing Sammy Timberg’s classic cartoon music to life on stage. At the International Academy of Dance, Friday and Saturday
Chef Reilly Meehan returns to Santa Cruz to celebrate his debut cookbook A Little Bit Extra, blending bold flavors and personal stories. 4/13 at Bookshop Santa Cruz, 7pm. RSVP online.
Abby Jeanne brings surf guitar, retro pop and powerhouse vocals to Santa Cruz this week, blending ’60s-inspired sounds with raw emotion and electric stage presence. Rocking The Crepe Place, Friday at 8pm
Santa Cruz’s Sin Sisters mark 15 years of burlesque and drag with a high-energy anniversary show celebrating community, creativity and self-expression.
From Santa Cruz skate parks to punk stages and comedy tours, Joe Sib’s larger-than-life journey is a story of reinvention, storytelling and relentless creative energy.
Editor Brad Kava introduces Joe Sib, a larger-than-life Santa Cruz storyteller whose journey through punk, skate culture and comedy redefines the California archetype.
