Across three-plus decades and thousands of miles, the reggae-infused band 880 South has weathered twists, turns, successes, breakups and reformations. But even though the band members are far-flung across the map, 880 South is more focused than ever. In support of their new album, Origins, the group comes home to the Bay Area for a May 8 show at Moe’s Alley in Santa Cruz.
880 South grew out of Floppy Rods, a Bay Area funk band featuring Luigi Casarettoand Greg Medeiros. That band lasted from 1998 to 2002, but guitarist Casaretto had been feeling restless. “It wasn’t really ‘scratching the itch,’” he explains.
After leaving the band, he began working on songs alone in his home studio. “It was really bad,” he says with a laugh. But there was something of value within that reggae- and soul-flavored material. So when he bumped into some of his former band mates at a party, he told them about his new songs. The musicians soon reconvened as 880 South, asserting their Campbell and San Jose roots.
The group released its debut album, Beware, in 2006 and toured in support of the release, playing with various bands, including Fishbone, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution and the Expendables. In 2010, 880 South played the very first California Roots Festival in Monterey.
The band continued to gig and tour but eventually drifted apart. Lead guitarist Steve Shyshka relocated to San Francisco, and bassist Medeiros moved to Rocklin, near Sacramento. In 2015 Casaretto left the Bay Area altogether, settling in Denver. “Life gets in the way,” Casaretto explains. “Some of us are dads; we’ve all got a lot going on.”
By the early 2020s, was recording and releasing music under his stage name, Weege. A run of singles led to his 2023 solo album All Fixed Up. One of its tracks, “Just a Moment,” featured his old band. And in 2024 the semi-inactive group began releasing a few new tracks. “Those songs didn’t have super-high quality production,” Weege admits. “They were experimental, demo-type recordings.” He says that the collective attitude of all involved was, “Let’s just get these off our shelves.”
Listeners reacted positively. “I started to see trends on Spotify and Pandora,” Casaretto says. Tunes from 880 South’s back catalog began to pick up steam as well. “Some of our older stuff was starting to connect with a younger audience, which really blew our minds,” he says. “We hadn’t done any marketing, and we hadn’t toured in almost a decade.”
With that momentum, the members of 880 South re-dedicated themselves to the group. “We were motivated to get back together and push even harder,” Casaretto says. Modern technology meant that while they were spread out across the western half of the U.S., 880 South could still record music.
The band got busy on new material, recording remotely and sharing files. The core of Casaretto, Medeiros and Shyshka enlisted additional new members. “Our drummer, Roy Camello lives in Aurora, about 20 miles from me,” Casaretto says. Pueblo-based saxophonist/flautist/trombonist Shyshka joined 880 South as well. That group wrote and recorded an album of all new material, Origins, released April 25.
Casaretto’s skilled networking and guerrilla marketing efforts helped bring a tour together, but practicing when members live far apart posed a challenge. Yet Casaretto had a clever solution: he created custom mixes of all of the Origins tracks. For Camello, the mix featured everything but drums; for Medeiros, the bass tracks were left off. Each member could rehearse by playing along to a tailor-made mix.
Technology isn’t a total substitute for playing together, so the entire band convened for three days of intensive practice in Denver a few days ahead of the album release show. They played the following night in Colorado Springs.
Casaretto was confident it would all go smoothly. “We’re all in our 40s,” he says. “The experience of playing together—we did over 100 shows early on—means that we can just look at each other while we’re playing and know what’s coming.”
And what’s also coming is even more music from a reinvigorated 880 South. “These days,” Casaretto says, “we’re doing it for the art, for the love of the music.” The group’s newest addition is Montana-based vocalist and percussionist Cole Thorne. “She’s joining us for the tour,” he says, “and we’ll be working on the next album with her.” Because wherever the band members might be, all roads lead to 880 South.
880 South and opening act Pacific Grown plays May 8 at Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. Doors open at 7pm; the show starts at 8pm. Tickets: $15/adv, $20/door. 21+. moesalley.com
Editor’s note: List of bands that 880 South toured was changed on 4/30/25 to correct a factual error.
On most days, Santa Cruz Weird finds me. On some days, I go in search of it—and there’s no better place to look than in a corner or cubbyhole of a Santa Cruz antique shop.
I’ve collected odd furnishings of unknown origins and questionable designs from curio shops to auction barns over the years, and there’s one thing I’ve learned. Weird can be wonderful.
My very first vintage lamp proved that and became like a cherished friend—a sculpted figure of a young boy, a Renaissance scholar, gazing thoughtfully, leaning on a stack of books.
When my friends and I discovered it, the original shade had been lost—they were sure that when a new one was added, the boy would look like “the life of the party” with a lampshade on his head. To them it was odd, weird, maybe even creepy to have a lamp always watching you from the corner of the room.
Over their protests I bid on the lamp and won the auction. And my instincts were spot on. It was priceless—at least to me.
NOT WATCHING, THINKING A rare find once thought weird can become family. PHOTO: Theresa Rose Koenig
I’ve also learned that weirdness is fun, and often found—or lost—in the space an item inhabits. A set of surgical steel rib-pullers in an operating room? Not weird. But on your coffee table? Weird. And they could be yours!
Santa Cruz’s antique stores offer a trove of treasures that can turn a living space into a conversation piece. Things await that you never imagined could exist, and never knew you would desperately want. But that is where the delight is, especially for those with an insatiable curiosity. These shops are like a local, low-fi Smithsonian of the Strange.
From exquisitely crafted lamps rescued from Victorian parlors to rare rosewood armoires that whisper tales of faraway lands, the town’s antique and curiosity shops offer more than furnishings—they offer soul, often with a hint of the quirky.
And sometimes it’s more than just a hint. Two phrases you’re likely to overhear in a local antique shop: “Wow, that’s amazing!” and “What were they thinking?”
A painting of a giant, hairless sphynx cat in a suit holding a brandy snifter? Check! A gorgeous surrealist original by a gifted local painter, dearly departed? Got it!
Light fixtures provide endless opportunities for furniture designers to express their eccentric and sometimes loony ideas. Anything can serve as a lamp base, as the infamous Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story proves, and anything is what you’re likely to find among Santa Cruz’s antique collections. Is that a Nubian prince trimmed in gold with outstretched arms to hold a pair of lightbulbs? It’s certain he’ll spark conversation and conjecture if he stands next to your sofa.
Carved, sculpted or cast, head-scratching items abound, from a tiny bust of Bela Lugosi to a wooden carousel horse with a real horsehair tail. Amid gorgeous English roses newly in bloom and elegant French décor, there’s a life-size bull head sculpture to mount in a room in need of that je ne sais quoi. No bull, Wisteria Antiques has one!
Speaking of je ne sais quoi, expect the unexpected and the hard to categorize. For example, who thought it would be funny to design a countertop knife holder with the blades piercing a stylized human figure?
A miniature diving helmet may remind some of Jacques Cousteau, but others may feel a shiver thinking of Mister Bubbles from the video game Bioshock. (You gamers know what I’m talking about!)
DIVING IN Santa Cruz antique shops offer a plethora of oddball curios. Photo: John Koenig
Find all this or more, including a real alligator skull, an ancient barber chair that looks like where Billy the Kid got his last shave, and a pair of awesome, bronze “brutalist” candle holders. Who knew “brutalist” could be applied to candlesticks?
Weird can cross over into spooky when one is on a foray through these halls of wonder—and never more so than when looking over vintage doll collections. Dolls have a strange fascination for young and old, and as endearing some may be, some were born and raised in Uncanny Valley.
Or you may have a fond memory of a childhood doll, whether a Raggedy Ann or a G.I. Joe, and you may find one on a foray through the Santa Cruz halls of wonder.
But rather than finding a high-priced collectible, you’re more likely to find escapees from the Island of Misfit Toys. They have character to spare, and a look in their eyes that you’ll have to interpret for yourself. Maybe one of them will speak to you—though hopefully not literally—and find a place in your heart, home, backpack or Halloween collection.
Speaking of Halloween, the crossroads of weird and spooky do often meet in Santa Cruz, and nowhere more than among the creepy curios in these curious collections. Few, if any of the your finds on an antique hunt will actually be haunted — but more than a few will look like they should be. An ancient looking steamer trunk for example, or a rusty lamp that once graced Disneyland that looks like it might have been held by Charles Dickens’ ghostly Signalman.
Return in the Autumnal season, and you may find a Halloween harvest of potential decorations and year-round keepsakes. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll find that very rare piece that carries the spirit—a spirit—of the past.
At Shen’s Gallery, where unique treasures from Asia are imbued with stateliness and serenity, April Shen tells the tale of an after-hours mystery in the dark of night when suddenly, from the back room of the shop, came the unmistakable creak and groan of a door opening on ancient hinges.
Was there an intruder hiding there? An inspection found nothing—except a historic old cabinet whose doors were always closed, now sitting silently with doors wide open.
In Santa Cruz, where the bohemian spirit lives on in every mosaic mailbox and sun-dappled porch, home décor is more than a style—it’s a story.
If you haven’t found your story yet, I can guarantee it’s out there—something so nostalgic, or so comical, or so personal that you just need to possess it.
You never forget the day you acquire a must-have oddity. The time and place will remain as vivid and cherished as the object you found… once upon a time in Santa Cruz.
Scroll down for more pictures from an expedition and a list of suggestions for your own adventure.
PRINCELY. Invent your own story to explain this extraordinary figure, last seen at Attilia’s Antiques. Photo: John Koenig
Where to Shop
Santa Cruz County is blessed with a wealth of locally-owned shops that stock antiques, collectibles and pre-owned oddities. Here are a few places to get started on a hunt for something weird and wonderful.
Abbot’s Thrift—6164 Highway 9, Felton. This big red barn on the way to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park has new deals posted daily on a board by the entrance. The whole back right of the store is dedicated to porcelain, ceramic and glass items, which is the best hunting ground for oddities. The majority of the barn is filled with clothing, books, CDs, DVDs and a technology section with antique rotaries, stereo systems and tape recorders.
Attilia’s Antiques—2630 Soquel Dr, Santa Cruz. A sprawling cooperative featuring over 40 vendor booths, this building originally served as a poultry barn, a nod to the area’s agricultural past. Visitors can explore a labyrinth of rooms filled with vintage jewelry, pottery, furniture and home décor. The back garden area showcases outdoor knickknacks, creating a whimsical shopping experience that sends shoppers on a nostalgic journey through various eras.
Center Street Antiques—3010 Center St., Soquel. The largest antique co-op in Santa Cruz County, this 5,000-square-foot space hosts 25 dealers. The store offers a diverse array of styles, from French country to mid-century modern, including home and garden furniture, tableware, ornate frames, globes, vintage books, and artwork. Open daily, it provides a comprehensive antique shopping experience.
Miss Jessie May’s Antiques & Collectibles—1533 Pacific Ave., downtown Santa Cruz. This charming, woman-owned boutique has been delighting treasure hunters for over a decade. Founded by Tyra and her mother, the shop reflects their shared passion for antiques.
Nicely—103 Locust St., Santa Cruz. Founded by Michelle Nicely, a seasoned designer and muralist with over three decades of experience in movie set decorating, the shop offers a curated collection of antiques, fine art and home furnishings. At Nicely, visitors can explore a variety of items, from hand-blown glassware and antique Japanese teapots to custom murals and fine art pieces. Beyond retail, Nicely offers interior design services and private art classes—and its owner’s passion for design and storytelling is evident in every corner of the shop.
Shen’s Gallery—1521 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. A downtown cornerstone since 1984, Shen’s offers a curated journey through centuries of Chinese artistry. Founded by April Shen, the gallery opened in the Santa Cruz Art Center. After the 1989 earthquake, Shen’s Gallery relocated to the Pacific Garden Mall, eventually settling at its current location. April’s extensive travels across China and Japan have enriched the gallery’s collection, which includes antique furniture, architectural relics, and decorative arts spanning from the 16th to the 20th century. Shen’s also offers new, decorative ceramic bowls and tea sets from Japan and China in a gift section.
Tumbleweed Found—1025 Center St., downtown Santa Cruz. This distinctive consignment boutique opened its doors on Jan. 17, 2024, offering a curated selection of vintage, antique and collectible items. Tumbleweed Found also serves as a community hub, with First Friday art receptions and weekly “Elevenses” sessions featuring activities like collage, upcycling and small art projects. The store’s commitment to sustainability and community engagement serves both locals and visitors seeking one-of-a-kind treasures and creative inspiration.
Trader’s Emporium—4940 Soquel Dr, Soquel. A sister store to Attilia’s Antiques, Trader’s Emporium offers an eclectic range of antiques and collectibles. The shop features a variety of vendor booths, each with its own distinct style.
Wisteria Antiques and Design—5870 Soquel Dr, Soquel. This shop occupies a century-old farmhouse in Soquel that now serves as a tranquil setting for a curated collection of French country antiques, decorative accessories and gifts. Multiple themed showrooms spread across the main house and outbuildings, surrounded by lush gardens adorned with arbors, statuary and fountains. Visit now to experience the yearly arrival of English roses in bloom, and remember to ask about Wisteria’s truly unique floral arrangements.
MERRILY GO ROUND. A carousel pony at Trader’s Emporium would make a nice conversation piece. Photo: John KoenigYIN AND YANG. A bold and brazen bull or a charming chandelier? Endless possibilities await. Photo: John KoenigHERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID. These little people would love a new home with you! Photo: John KoenigBRUTAL. The candle holders’ style is the rare and raw “brutalist” if it suits you. PHOTO: John KoenigDIVINE DECOR Express your inner cherub with an antique angel. PHOTO: John KoenigDARK HUMOR No joke, dangerous finds like this are kept behind the counter at Attilia’s Antiques PHOTO: John Koenig
What amazing thing would you love to find at an antique shop?
JORDAN
It’s funny because I did find something just two days ago, but not in a shop. I love antiques, particularly Buddhist antiques. I happened to be online looking for something entirely different, and I found someone who was selling a life-size Buddha statue.
Jordan Scharnhorst, 28, Physics PhD Candidate @ UCSC
NINA
A big, cool table made out a polished driftwood.
Nina G., 16, Student
LUIS
I’d love to find a comically large gem, like an emerald. In Sonic the Hedgehog there’s The Master Emerald, a huge green gem. I would put it in an iron frame and have it on display in the front of the house, like the eye of the house. I’d love to find jewels that have power and a meaning in history.
Luis Sedano, 20, Accounting Major @ CSU Monterey
SAGE
The futuristic Batmobile from the movies.
Sage W., 15, Student
ROBERT
It would be super cool to find an antique typewriter that clicks when you type it, the way super old-fashioned typewriters worked. It’s a magic typewriter that only writes best seller novels for me—but it has a catch about it, like it only works once a year.
Robert Palma, 21, Gym Trainer
JENNIFER
A Tiffany lamp, you don’t find those every day anymore. I found one in an antique store one time, and I still have it. Maybe I would find a magic Tiffany lamp that grants wishes with a genie inside when you rub it.
A local farm is being modified to serve as a learning center for young students about progressive farming methods.
Headed up by local farmer Sam Earnshaw, a crew of workers recently spread out across the seven-acre Hikari Farm on Freedom Boulevard, where organic Fuji apples grow.
Started back in the 1970s, the farm—which has fallen into disrepair—is now getting brought up to speed with modern farming techniques. This includes regenerative methods and new hedgerows that attract pollinating insects and provide habitat and food for beneficial birds.
Another goal is to invite school children to the farm to learn about how regenerative agriculture incorporates nature without the need for chemicals.
“We’re bringing habitat and biodiversity to the farm,” Earnshaw says. “Nature provides the correct habitat without the need for pesticides and fumigation. In England they were planting hedgerows in the Bronze Age.”
Nick Filannino, one of the workers helping out, said the farm received a call from Wild Farm Alliance about helping Hikari Farm.
“The owner wanted to rehabilitate the land and create a community center for growing traditional Japanese vegetables, as well as providing farm fresh organic apples and produce for local schools,” Filannino said. “So we said okay. And we started looking at possibilities on how to integrate nature into this farm.”
Filannino then worked on getting some grants to help pay for the project.
Hedgerows are rows of trees and shrubs planted with crops as protective barriers.
According to Wild Farm Alliance, hedgerows also provide habitat for butterflies and moths, as well as habitat and food for beneficial birds.
Sacha Lozano of Resource Conservation District said he has worked with Earnshaw on several hedgerow projects.
“If you take care of these rows—once they get established—they will take care of themselves and provide great benefits for the farms,” he said. “They are drought tolerant, will flower at different times of the year, attract birds, and promote pollination.”
Two weekend events this spring will interest lovers of tiny trees—one next weekend, and the second in the month of May.
First up, the Watsonville Bonsai Club hosts its 48th annual bonsai exhibition at Watsonville Buddhist Temple on April 27 from 11am to 4pm. In addition to a 1:30pm demonstration by club member Michael Nelson, there will be door prizes, tea and cookies, and plenty of plants and pots for sale. Admission is free, and the address is 423 Bridge St. in Watsonville.
And speaking of Nelson, he hosts a bonsai workshop on the last Saturday of each month at Alladin Nursery at 1pm, 2905 Freedom Blvd. in Corralitos.
Following the weekend after that, the Santa Cruz Orchid Society will join forces with Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai to stage the 37th annual Bonsai and Orchid Show and Sale at the Capitola Mall on May 3 and 4.
Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai is a nonprofit club whose objectives are to promote interest in, and expand knowledge of, the art of bonsai through continuous study and education.
More than 60 bonsai will be on display, along with activities for kids, raffle prizes, vendors, personal help and advice and an education display.
At 1pm each day there will be an expert demonstration on how to create a bonsai from ordinary potted plants, using a Shimpaku juniper on Saturday and a spruce living Christmas tree on Sunday—both of which will be raffled after their transformation.
Sales include bonsai, pre-bonsai plants, pots, books, companion plants and display stands.
Meanwhile, Santa Cruz Orchid Society will stage their show at the same time and place. Demonstrations and information will be part of the fun.
Longtime bonsai expert Gareth Shepherd will be one of several members on hand to demonstrate bonsai techniques, answer questions and show their trees. Shepherd was one of the 12 founding members who joined the Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai in late 1988 and helped organize their first annual bonsai exhibit.
The shows run May 3 from 10am to 5pm and May 4 from 10am to 4pm at 1855 41st Ave., in the former Sears store. All events are free.
Spring cleaning is a time-honored tradition, an opportunity to enhance or refresh the home before the dog days of summer begin. Our thoughts turn toward renewal and re-energizing our homes and surrounding area.
If your style borders on the mystical or bohemian, crystals and herbs can be a wonderful, sensual way to reinvigorate the home this spring.
I always loved the natural beauty of crystals, but before starting a collection in earnest, I searched for some scientific basis to claims that an inanimate stone can somehow deliver an emotional charge or create vibrational energies. What I discovered was a whole lot more than I ever imagined.
Science or Psuedo-science?
That’s how I began my deep dive into alchemy—the study of plants, gemstones and crystals—to find fun and sensual ways of using herbs and minerals to attract the good things in life.
There is no denying the beauty of a marble-like carnelian or the misty allure of a frosty quartz cluster, but could crystals, minerals and gemstones really possess metaphysical properties? Lots of people seem to think so.
The premise is that vibrations from the various stones can open blockages, rechannel and redirect energy flow. So I started with three crystals associated with health, abundance and love: quartz, citrine and rose quartz.
The purported healing powers of gemstones and crystals go back to ancient times. Societies throughout history—including Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and Greece—used crystals for their healing properties, according to author Karen Frazier in her book Crystals for Beginners.
ROCK SOLID Societies throughout history, including Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and Greece, have hailed crystals for their healing properties. Photo: Kristen McLaughlin
Quartz is the master healing stone, and perhaps one of the most powerful of the healing crystals. Its vibrations are so powerful that it is commonly used in watches, where it is highly valued for its consistent oscillation, said Gwen Thomas, owner of Avalon Visions since 2007.
Crystals are known for their healing frequencies, and are commonly used in LCD and audio equipment, Thomas says. Healers and other teachers have used crystals for sound healing journeys at Avalon.
“I always had an interest in stuff that was esoteric,” Thomas says. “My dad had tarot decks. I didn’t know what those were until I was in high school.” She attended law school, but didn’t enjoy it. “So I started my own business, and it was a good decision,” she says.
In addition to its vast crystal collection, Avalon sells books, jewelry and an eclectic mix of new and vintage clothing in Soquel Village, where free parking is a big perk. Psychic readings are available by appointment, along with light therapy and monthly workshops to make drums from animal skins and other natural supplies.
Avalon moved to Soquel from Capitola Village in August of 2017; it was formerly located next to Thai Basil restaurant.
Alchemy or apothecary can be directed either to yourself or your paramour to bring about intentions. Ancient Egyptians used white willow bark as an early form of aspirin, said Nicolina Ammerman, owner of Go Ask Alice.
“Carnelian is for passion, love and romance,” Ammerman explained. “In a stale relationship, it helps bring some of that passion back.”
From mocktails to infused oils, Go Ask Alice curates an extensive selection of herbal apothecary, along with tarot, mystical goods, crystals and jewelry sourced by local artisans. along with a dedicated aphrodisiac section for libido and sex drive.
For women, Ammerman recommends an herbal blend called Blue Lotus. “A lot of females would get it when they are going out but they don’t want to drink alcohol,” Ammerman said. “It’s got all these organic herbs that give you a euphoria, and it’s an aphrodisiac as well.” It also contains maca, which is effective for regulating hormones, she noted.
Another herbal blend for women, Aphrodi-tea, is made by local Santa Cruz company Root Remedies. This versatile blend can be mixed with honey or yogurt for a facemask, added to ice cream or a fruit smoothie, or steeped into a tea. It contains rose hips, hibiscus, amla berry and monk fruit for sweetness, and soothing oat milk powder to promote “love and intimacy.”
For the male libido, tribulus and horny goat weed are some of the ingredients to look for. A self-love ritual kit includes herbal infusions and pink and red spell candles in Moroccan rose. The shop can help you create your own love potion with a custom label.
Note that certain apothecary products can be used directly on the skin; others you drink in a tea or even smoke. Always check packaging for usage instructions.
Herbs and apothecary have always been a part of Ammerman’s life. Originally from the East Bay, she is self-taught in the business. “As a kid, I was mixing up potions and by age 11 or 12, I was already drying roses and lavender and making my own teas,” she said.
After a “lifetime of restaurant work,” Ammerman was sitting one day in the redwood forest, thinking about what she wanted to do next. “I ended up at the Happy High Herb Shop,” she said. She learned a lot about plants from the owners and also did a work-trade gig at Camp Joy Farms in Boulder Creek. Three years later, the Happy High owners sold her the business.
The jury is still out whether crystals are fact or fiction. Some will say it’s all a myth, a superstition on par with witchcraft, astrology and magic spells, but there are plenty of people in Santa Cruz who will tell you otherwise. They may even give you a first-hand account of using crystals to help navigate life situations from anxiety to addiction recovery to finding true love. “I don’t know for sure that it does anything, but I know a lot of people who think it does,” Thomas said.
Go Ask Alice, 1125 Pacific Ave., will host a medicinal foodie retreat, a full day of gourmet herbal wellness, yoga and mindful connection, on Sat., May 31. Call 831-469-HERB or visit goaskalicesantacruz.com.
Avalon Visions Center, 2815 Porter St., hosts a Psychic and Healing Arts Fair every second Sunday of the month at 11am. A Tarot Practice Group meets every second Thursday through Oct. 3, 5:45-7:45pm. Call 831-325-7321 or visit avalonvisions.com.
Malcolm Harris, the journalist and bestselling author of Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World, introduces his new book and guide for navigating the political chaos of the climate crisis: What’s Left: Three Paths Through the Planetary Crisis. Amid the seemingly paralyzing problem of climate change, Harris takes a practical approach and offers three solutions: progressive, socialist and revolutionary. He shows how they can be effective yet are not stand-alone solutions. Harris hopes to help people see how humanity can move toward a brighter future. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 7pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.
AMERICANA
MARTY O’REILLY
Should the music played by Marty O’Reilly be called Soulful Americana or is Bluesy Folk more accurate? Whatever name is slapped on it, it slaps, with hard-strumming acoustic guitar and an emotive voice that can simmer intensely before dramatically escalating. O’Reilly lets it all out, giving audiences a roller coaster ride of emotions delivered by a performer who feels every word and every note with every fiber of his being every time he takes the stage. This week’s show at Crepe Place should be no exception. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
For those not paying attention, the Blue Lagoon has been the place to see underground Chicano, Latin and Mexicano music. Not only do they have a monthly cumbia night (Firme Friday featuring hosts Mothership Connection and DJ XXIIIHRS), but the club also has been booking several acts from Mexico like Amantes Del Futuro. This week, they host romantic psych solo artist Jesús Guerrero, better known as a founding member of Tijuana-based act Ramona. Guerrero’s solo work takes the same dreamy musical approach as Ramona but is more personal, with songs about what it means to grapple with identity and the struggles of being a living, caring, loving human being in the harsh, uncaring world today. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15. 423-7117.
JAZZ
SAXMAN Gary Barth blows into Kuumbwa on Friday. PHOTO: Brian B+ Cross
GARY BARTZ
Listening to the 45 albums of Baltimore-born jazz saxophonist Gary Bartz should earn one a degree in jazz history. This living legend has rubbed elbows and traded licks with jazz greats like Miles Davis, Max Roach, Charles Mingus and Art Blakey. This year, he’s making his way toward his 85th birthday, having navigated a career that has seen him play a role in jazz’s evolution from swing into bebop and cool jazz. He was a particularly influential player in the jazz fusion movement that gained popularity in the ’60s and ’70s, and he managed to take home two Grammy awards along the way. KLJ
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $52.50. 427-2227.
DANCE
SHADOWS ACROSS OUR EYES
Bodies are moving, active, restrained, fragile and confused. Michelle Kranicke’s Shadows Across Our Eyes is an aggressive, abstract dance performance that creates a visceral tension between the performers and the audience. Fragmented narratives are formed through stand-offs and active self-bindings. Performers are challenged to complete movements while their hands are bound or while they wear uncomfortable heels. Their restricted movements give space for the audience to inwardly create their own stories based on their personal experiences rather than assuming a story built solely by the dancers. Performances go until Sunday. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7pm, Satori, 815 Almar Ave., Unit 9, Santa Cruz. Free, $20. 314-503-8441.
SATURDAY 4/26
METAL
EYEHATEGOD
Emerging from the New Orleans metal scene, EYEHATEGOD brings their corrosive, sludgy metal sound to the Catalyst. Drawing inspiration from Melvins, Black Flag and Black Sabbath, EHG mixes tortured vocals with heavy, bluesy riffs. Lead vocalist Mike IX Williams’s lyrics are honest confessions with some stream-of-consciousness thrown in the mix. With a presence dating back to 1988, EHG has mostly maintained the same lineup, but continues to pay tribute to their longtime drummer, Joey LaCaze, who died in 2013. Come ready to rage and mosh. SN
INFO: 2:30pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $53. 713-5492.
SINGER-SONGWRITER
SONGS OF LOVE AND LONGING Sean Hayes plays Saturday at Moe’s Alley. PHOTO: Paige Green
SEAN HAYES
Sean Hayes is a Petaluma-based singer-songwriter with a knack for playing soulful folk, blues and indie rock. His passionate, raspy voice is the perfect delivery for his heartfelt lyrics—often about love and longing. A New York native who grew up in North Carolina, Hayes relocated to the Bay Area, where he cultivated a following via up-close-and-personal performances and self-released records (ten to date; his latest is 2022’s Bibliography). Hayes’ recordings showcase his skillful rhythmic guitar playing and talent for spinning melodies. Even after all these years, his music continues to be warm, organic and personal. BILL KOPP
Every multimillion-dollar stadium headlining act started somewhere. That’s why it’s important to support the local scene as much as possible. Who knows? The band playing the free gig one day might become rock stars the next. And what better place to see a beginning band than at the friendly neighborhood record store? This week, Streetlight Records hosts up-and-coming prog-psych metal act Prussia. This power trio doesn’t have much of an online presence, but they already have the chops of heavy shredders. MW
From Portland, Oregon, funk band Jay Si Proof was launched in 2019 by singer-trombonist Jeff Chilton. The deep-groove band sports a sound that draws from funk, jazz and R&B, while also mixing in catchy melodies and lush harmonies. Alongside Chilton, the group features JD Erickson (sax and flute), Corey Heppner (guitar) and Lucas James (drums). Jay Si Proof’s incredible live show earned them the label “Earth jazz alchemists,” along with a growing fan base across the West Coast. The band plays two shows on Sunday. BK
Sometimes it doesn’t take much to sneak a smile onto your face. In this case, it was a tiny Dixie cup filled with bright, fragrant and refreshing strawberry lemonade.
The surprise free lemonade appeared on the counter at teacup-sized Crepe Cones (in front of Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave.), which I have been stalking because it stocks big-value, fresh-to-order crepes like its banana-nutella and grilled cheese, for just $6.
Hours are normalizing for owner-operator Matt McCabe, and here’s hoping he helps normalize good old-fashioned kindness.
The little splash of citrus and sweet went a long way on a warm day, and served 1. as a microcosm of the welcoming vibe and comforting fare in the kiosk spot; and 2. as a modest antidote against understandable cynicism given less-than-generous national leadership.
Meanwhile, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom just announced another antidote that’ll help keep Crepe Cones affordable: The Golden State won’t be unlawfully hit with tariff taxes without a fight, and my own lemonade toast with the Tom Scribner statue next to the crepe stand.
The Salty Otter Sports Grill opens 4pm Thursday, April 24—and will be open 10am–midnight daily to start—which is huge news for downtown Santa Cruz, particularly later night eaters. The Otter will occupy the former CT City Lights and Firefly Tavern at 110 Walnut Ave., which locals still think of as 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall. Rachael Carla Smith is among those locals, having both visited as a regular and a three-decade-long restaurant pro who dreamed of someday running the spot. She’s importing the formula that works at The Salty Seal on Cannery Row: lots of draft taps, sports on the screens, live music, billiards, and good pub food starring signature burgers and seafood chowder inspired by her native Bermuda.
ACID TESTAMENT
Award-winning docu-series Chef’s Table returns to Netflix April 28, with an installment titled “Legends,” and including Thomas Keller, José Andrés, Alice Waters and Jamie Oliver. Keller, who once told me, “You can judge a kitchen by its chicken,” dropped some other pearls across a back-in-the-day Q&A: 1. Me: “Hardest lesson—and maybe most important—you’ve learned in your career?” Keller: “Restraint.” 2. “Most Zen-like cooking practice for you?” “Filleting fish.” 3. “Three things you can’t live without in the kitchen?” “Seasoning: salt and acid. Knives. Spoons.” 4. “Out of the kitchen?” “Enough time; time is critical. Sleep. Exercise.” 5. “Last meal?” “Bibb lettuce salad, quesadilla, roast chicken, lemon tart and chocolate tart,” netflix.com.
WINNING PLAYS
Slice Project (300 Main St., Watsonville) has opened its second spot at The Hangar (45 Aviation Way, Suite 6, Watsonville), sliceprojectpizza.com…The Santa Cruz Warriors season has ended, but big brother Golden State journeys on, with SeaDub favorites like Gui Santos and Quentin Post getting big playoff minutes, and one lively place to follow along on game nights, complete with SCW raffle prizes hosted by their staff (!!) and $3 pints (!!!), is Pono Hawaiian Grill (120 Union St, Santa Cruz)…Resilience Grants for restaurants and catering companies in the Monterey Bay area are now possible thanks to the California Restaurant Foundation, and more than 230 independent restaurants will be selected for $5,000 grants (for equipment, technology, employee training, etc.) but the application period closes soon (April 26), craf.communityforce.com…UCSC Baskin School of Engineering’s Climate Week hits a high point with Sustainable Demo Day noon–2pm Thursday, April 24, in the Baskin Courtyard, engineering.ucsc.edu/events/climate-week…More Pacha Mama love: free and family-oriented Earth Day Watsonville happens in Watsonville Plaza noon–3pm Sunday, April 27, around the theme “Our Power, Our Planet,” watsonville.gov…Wendell Berry, take us home: “The Earth is what we all have in common.”
Originally a house repurposed into a business and then sold to its namesake founder, the now iconic Jack’s Hamburgers holds down the meat-between-buns game in the heart of downtown. When Jack passed away, current owner Connie Hutchinson and her late husband, Scott, beat out multiple other bidders for the chance to carry on the legacy and have been doing so for 35 years and counting.
A former administrative assistant turned restauranteur, Connie considered selling when she became widowed in 2012, but says she ultimately decided to keep the restaurant to maintain its integrity and retain all the great employees. With indoor and outdoor seating available, she says her spot combines an old-school diner feel with a motto of “just really good fast food.” The burgers of course headline the menu, available in singles and doubles with cheese, bacon and avocado add-on options, and they also offer veggie and plant-based patties as well.
The very popular Jack’s special sauce zips their burgers together, described by Connie as a kind of seasoned relish-less Thousand Island dressing. Their fries are also a major hit, double-dipped to achieve textural contrast. Other favorites are classic grilled cheeses and hot dogs, tri-tip steak on a French roll, and turkey and salmon sandwiches. Beverage pairings include sodas and oversized-straw-equipped milkshakes in flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, salted caramel and Oreo.
How have you seen downtown evolve?
CONNIE HUTCHINSON: We bought the place right after the earthquake of 1989, and unfortunately, it took a long time for the town to rebuild. But when the Cinema 9 was built, we really felt an uptick in business. Since then, we’ve always done well, even through multiple recessions and the pandemic. Now, with all the local high school sports and Santa Cruz Warriors games, we are usually busy and have a great local following that we are very grateful for. And we’re not far from the beach, so we get tourists too.
What makes your business successful?
What we are all about at Jack’s is good food at a fair price made by really good employees who take pride and ownership in what they do. We have a great location and place high priority not only on food safety and cleanliness, but also on affordability, which our customers remark on and really appreciate.
202 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz, 831-423-4421; jacks-hamburgers.restaurants-world.com
ONE VOICE Mak Nova sees rap and hip hop as a vehicle to express her own originality in its purest form. Photo: Zsolt Fekete
Fun, sexy, sensual, deep, bright and refreshingly authentic—a Mak Nova show is something to experience. There isn’t a dull moment as she grabs her crotch and stares straight into the crowd, flipping her braids and turning her backside to the crowd to twerk while she sings, “Damn, I like your sexy mouth.”
“Nova is a powerhouse. She is driven and her confidence shows through in her performance and her music,” says local singer and producer Andy Pankakes, who was a roadie for Mak Nova at the Joshua Tree Music Festival in May 2024. “She’s a very energetic performer but she’s also happy and sensitive as well. She has a vulnerability, you know, that she’s brave enough to share.”
Mak Nova is bringing all this energy to a big venue this Saturday, playing at UCSC’s Quarry Amphitheater, which can accommodate a crowd of 2,600. Even bigger is the headlining act: Parliament Funkadelic, featuring George Clinton—a truly original musician who broke ground with his P-funk sound, mixing classic funk rhythms with elements of jazz, rock, pop, classical and gospel,.
Nova came into 2025 fully loaded with creative ideas and is getting ready to drop her debut full-length. Her quick rise to the music scene didn’t happen without putting in the work.
“I’ve been fully consumed by the new album,” she says. “If I’m not making music, I’m watching a music documentary. I’m so one-track. I hope that when I come up for air, I’ll have other pastimes and hobbies.”
Nova was a late bloomer in the music scene. She was born in LA but grew up in Sonoma. At first, Nova’s focus was on theatre and dance. Upon landing in Santa Cruz, she auditioned and joined the Evocation Sacred Art Troupe. In her first performance, Nova says she “had the most lucid experience of her life…a part of me had died on stage and I had to figure out how to re-emerge as a new being. I came out of it, like, who I am now, strong and content and more tuned into myself.”
It wasn’t until 2019 that she started evolving from playing songs on guitar to producing tracks on keyboard with Logic, a widely used production software. Her first performance as a rapper was at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in an all-women showcase featuring Gina René and Tammi Brown, a local jazz and soul singer who passed away this month. It was at a dance class that she met Congo-born guitarist and singer Elie Mabanza. He invited her to play with him and some other local musicians.
“We hit it off, and he kept inviting me to jam,” Nova says. Mabanza helped Nova produce and form her own sound, bringing musicians together for her live band. She didn’t have any recordings out at the time, and having a band was a way to get her music heard. First she played with the Kings, then the Homies.
“It’s easy to work with her,” Mabanza says. “We can change things easily when it’s not working. It takes time to be on that level. Because a lot of people are attached to things they have done.”
As a female rapper and producer, Nova is inspired by the simplicity of rap and hip hop as a vehicle to express her own originality in its purest form—a beat and a voice—and adding instrumental embellishments after the essential story is told.
“Our core being is as storytellers. And we’re still doing that. I love that I get to be a part of it. It feels important for me to honor the roots of the genre. That’s been my big intention,” Nova explains. “For me at the core, that’s being truthful—and poetically telling a damn good story.”
Getting into the creation of the new album, Nova realized she didn’t have a clear vision. “I had the mentality of a band. I had to make the transition in real time. I can’t say the chorus like ten times in a rap song, like I could with a jam band,” she says. “The beats are first now, and it used to be the band was first. It’s basically setting a foundation for myself.”
On the new album, Mak Nova steps up her game, doing all the backup vocals. “Recording tracks for my album was intense work,” she says.
Nova wants people to hear her songs and unflinchingly classify her as “a rapper doing hip hop.” Her songs should be able to follow a Kendrick Lamar track or to be the transition to, say, a Doja Cat cut, she says. Part of redefining her sound has been redefining her band and its place in her music. “I lost my nine-piece band to get to where I am today. There’s only Elie from the old band. He really is the core of my sound. It’s like its own universe. It’s an alternative reality,” Nova explains.
At the April 26 show, Mak Nova will debut music from the upcoming 10-track album, due for release later this year. The band includes Mabanza on guitar, Dan Robbins on bass, Frankie Matson on backup vocals, Rowan Graves on drums and guest artist Robert Jackson on keys.
Bringing in new collaborators in addition to Mabanza and videographer/photographer/producer Zsolt Fekete was essential. Nova sought out Oakland producer Stephen Iwebema and San Jose–based sound engineer Deegan Adams—who is no lightweight, having worked with the likes of E-40, Snoop Dogg, Too Short and Chamillionaire.
When I ask her about where she gets inspiration musically, she says, “rap music is not what I listen to. I like R&B and neo soul. I listen exclusively to Cleo Sol. Like all day, every day—she makes me religious,” she proclaims. “I have also been into Megan Thee Stallion; she’s like a universal alter ego,” Nova says.
Another central figure and mentor has been Genoa Brown, who previously worked with Nova, doing backing vocals on recorded songs and live shows. Brown is a local music coach and co-owner and creative director at Everyone’s Music School in Santa Cruz. “I went to her when I started the album…I knew it was going to be a lot of work. It was like a spiritual journey…so much personal growth. She gave me tools that I could work with for the rest of my life,” Nova says.
Brown believed Nova should do her own singing: “She looked right into my soul and told me what I needed to hear that I wasn’t ready to accept. Now I can go anywhere in the world and record my backing vocals with confidence.”
Labels are not for her, says Nova. “I am a spiritual being having a human experience. My spirit is not a man or woman, it’s a being and it’s limitless. I support my queer community and people being whoever the fuck they want to be. Love who you want. Wear what you want. And hopefully society can grow up and find a compassionate way to integrate the full spectrum of human expression into society,” Nova says.
Mak Nova will open for Parliament Funkadelic with George Clinton on April 26 at the Quarry Amphitheater on the UCSC campus. Doors open at 6pm with DJ Nola Cruz; the show begins at 7pm. Tickets $59–$118.21. To book Mak Nova, email mu***@***il.com.
Headed up by local farmer Sam Earnshaw, a crew of workers recently spread out across the seven-acre Hikari Farm on Freedom Boulevard, where organic Fuji apples grow.
Gareth Shepherd was one of the 12 founding members who joined the Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai in late 1988 and helped organize their first annual bonsai exhibit.
Should the music played by Marty O’Reilly be called Soulful Americana or Bluesy Folk? Whatever name is slapped on it, it slaps. Thursday at Crepe Place.
