THURSDAY 10/22
COUNTRY
LOS HERMANOS MENDOZA Bouncy, down-home strings, warbling melodies, and a West Coast flair, Los Hermanos Mendoza carries the legacy of country into a new generation. Born in Ventura and raised in Bakersfield, the band of brothers are first-generation Mexican Americans whose sound was shaped by the likes of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Dwight Yoakam. Their witty lyricism, tight rhythms, and deep respect for tradition are highlighted by their stage presence. They wear sequined suits and cowboy hats and banter with the audience. Their songs and style make the audience feel like part of the family. SHELLY NOVO.
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $32. 704-7113.
FRIDAY 10/23
AMERICANA
LIZ LONGLEY If you have never taken the trip up the mountain to Lille Aeske in Boulder Creek, take it! Besides the harrowingly beautiful drive, Lille Aeske is an extremely unique handcrafted venue. Musical singer/songwriter Liz Longley is out of Nashville and has that voice; once you hear her deeply emotional songs, they grab you. Longley emits a pure DIY vibe. She raised money on Kickstarter to fund her sixth album, Funeral for my Past and even won the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship Competition. A mother, a self-touring musician, and a new rising voice in the Americana landscape. DNA
INFO: 8pm, Lille Aeske, 13160 Highway 9. Boulder Creek.$30-35. (408) 309-0756.
HIP HOP
LYRICS BORN When it comes to West Coast rappers, nobody does it like Lyrics Born. Originally from Tokyo, his family relocated to America just as hip hop was exploding and his roots in Berkeley, California, shaped him into the MC he was destined to become: one of the greatest alive. With his smooth delivery and his bottomless vocabulary, Lyrics Born changed the game by bringing knowledge and wisdom to party bangers and dance beats. It’s only appropriate that he brought Santa Cruz’s own Alwa Gordon to open for him. Gordon continues the tradition with his own blend of mind-meets-body rap that gets the party started while simultaneously leaving the audience smarter than when they walked in. MAT WEIR
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $30. 479-1854.
SATURDAY 10/24
ALTERNATIVE
THE RUMBA MADRE A transnational, multicultural project born out of punk urgency and Latin soul, The Rumba Madre blends flamenco, rumba, cumbia, mariachi, and polka into something loud, sonorous, and magnetic. Switching between English, Spanish, Basque, Galician, and Portuguese, the band delivers lyrics that are satirical, witty, and electrifying. Their debut album Prisiones y Fugas was produced by Grammy-winner Iván Gutiérrez. From acts with the full band to David Vila Diéguez’s solo performance playing anything from bagpipes to seashells to the “drumcycle,” The Rumba Madre is a cultural celebration. SN
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz. $15. 429-6994.
PODCAST
BIGFOOT LIVES! Many people have speculated about Bigfoot. Some see him as a mythological creature. Some see him as a mysterious hominid or extradimensional being. Some even see him as a figment of the collective imagination. Daniel Noah will explore these various perspectives on the mysterious creature, Bigfoot. He will bring in a panel of specialists, including but not limited to Bryce Johnson (Expedition Bigfoot), author Ron Morehead (Voices in Wilderness and purveyor of the Sierra Sounds recording), Joshua Cutchin and Timothy Renner (Where the Footprints End), and professor David Mitchell, M.S., PhD (author of Sasquatch in the Psyche and Assistant Director, Integral Noetic Sciences Program at the California Institute for Human Science). These specialists will discuss all the ways we, as a society and culture, understand Bigfoot. This is a live podcast recording for SpectreVision Radio. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7:30pm, 418 Project, 155 S. River St., Santa Cruz. $15-20. 466-9770.
SUNDAY 10/25
NEO SOUL
LET THE CAGED BIRDS SING IV Brought to the stage by Musical Soulmates, the beloved annual Let The Caged Bird Sing concert returns for its fourth year. From the first note to the final refrain, this evening of immaculate Neo Soul is centered around songs that honor survivors of domestic violence, racism, and colonialism. These songs have been curated with the intention to empower, restore, and heal the listener. The set is packed with heat and music from artists like Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, and AUTUMN the Band. With powerful voices and skilled instrumentalists, this performance is sure to inspire catharsis and joy. SN
INFO: 5pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz. $39. 427-2227.
COUNTRY
JESSE DANIEL The Son of the San Lorenzo rides again! And this time he’s keeping it lean, mean and acoustic. The Santa Cruz Mountain’s own Jesse Daniel is back in his element and he’s keeping it real country on the heels of his new album, Looks Like Rain, which dropped Oct.16. It’s a collection of personal songs, stripped down and recorded entirely on analog tape, so that vinyl copy is going to be sounding mighty fine when it hits the turntable. This special show is going to be a matinee with limited seating, so don’t sleep on buying tickets. These will be gone before you can say “Jesse Daniel is my kind of country!” MW
INFO: 5:30pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $32. 704-7113.
MONDAY 10/26
LITERARY
MIDNIGHT MAAS It is almost time! The release day for the highly anticipated sixth book of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series is coming soon. To celebrate the new book, Bookshop Santa Cruz will be bringing the world of Prythian to Santa Cruz. This fantastical party will include themed activities, tarot card readings, a pop-up tattoo station, music, cocktails and mocktails, desserts, shopping, and at midnight, a copy of A Court of Splintered Harmony. Come dressed as the most magical fae and see what other surprises are waiting. Gather the inner circle and prepare yourselves for the most wondrous night out! ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 10pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $75. 423-0900.
WEDNESDAY 10/28
COUNTRY
LYLE LOVETT It was already announced that at the upcoming 56th Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala, one of the inductees would be Taylor Swift and another would be Lyle Lovett. Seeing Lovett’s name next to one of the biggest stars on the planet gives gravitas to how influential and vast Lovett’s range is. A 4x Grammy Award winner, Lovett has a wide variety of sounds, from jazz to country to rockabilly to swing. A true American icon who proved through his marriage to Julia Roberts that even odd-looking people are attractive. DNA
