There are too many people that don’t care about the old-school flavor that we had before the earthquake. Phoebe Schmalfuss Marquez, Lost Coast, Self-Employed           The rent, traffic and homeless problems are terrible. David Marquez, Lost Coast, Special Projects Director,       It’s always going to be a classic surf town,...

Win tickets to The Misfits at The Catalyst on SantaCruz.com In 1977, a little-known punk band named the Misfits recorded their debut album, Static Age. Unable to find a record label to release it, the band didn’t give the album a proper release until 1997—after they had long-since established themselves as legends of the horror punk...

“I haven’t heard a Santa Cruz band that has the sound we’re putting out,” says Isaac Romero, front man for the postpunk, dance rock band Arrows. “But it doesn’t matter. We’ve played a few shows with all metal bands and had a great reception.” Normally this might sound like the regular boasting of musicians, but with...

Advertising invades politics in uneven ‘Our Brand Is Crisis’ In politics, as in so many other aspects of modern culture, it’s all about salesmanship. Questions of governance, leadership and morality are all trampled underfoot in the rush to sell a bill of goods to the voting public. Everything hinges on perceived (not actual) value, or villainy,...

Made of Oak’s emotive sound pushes the evolution of electronic music Electronic music was originally defined by its adherence to computers and synths, but now the genre is so much more complex and nuanced that when it comes to understanding the music, the hardware is useless. What’s more important now is the response it evokes. Made...

Traditional Jamaican recipes arrive with a twist Jamaican food has finally made its way into the Santa Cruz dining scene, thanks to Tattoo Omen owner Tim Buonagurio and Aaron Bistrin, who opened Jerk House on Oct. 23. Jerk chicken is, of course, the staple dish, but we spoke with Buonagurio about what else the Jerk House...

A family trip to the Gold Country in mid-October included a birthday celebration. And what better way to celebrate another trip around the sun than with a bit of bubbly? In this case Byington Vineyard & Winery’s 2013 Pinot Noir Sparkling Rosé ($39). Produced in the méthode Champenoise style, this exotic sparkler is an absolutely gorgeous...

Holistic Veterans search for alternative path to healing With a warm smile and a full brown beard, U.S. Navy veteran Paul Damon looks perfectly healthy in body and spirit, and comes across as the kind of guy who always has been. Despite appearing well on the surface, though, Damon—a yogi, activist, and even a 2007 Grammy...

Local playwrights add some twists to Cabrillo’s take on holiday classic ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ What’s so ambitious about the Cabrillo College Theater Arts Department’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life is the risks it takes while re-imaging a beloved holiday classic. In line with the Depression-era film, the musical version incorporates the housing collapse and...

City and county look for balance on vacation rentals An empty hammock hangs idly on the front porch of a modern home overlooking a garden. A block away, beach lovers pedal, jog and push strollers up and down West Cliff Drive. The house would be big enough to house a decent-sized family or a group of...