THURSDAY 4/16
ART
THE PROBABILITY ENGINE As a part of the Ripple Effect Arts Festival, The MAH is hosting The Probability Engine. Taking care of the environment and taking care of each other are not as different as they may seem. This series of sculptures explores the connection between those environmental tipping points and collective care. It features work from artists micha cárdenas, Ian Costello, Ryan Li Dahlstrom, Tamara Duplantis, Star Hagen-Esquerra, Marcelo Diaz Viana Neto and Madison McCartha. This county-wide arts festival is meant to make provocative works accessible and build community around them. It gives space to reflect, discuss, and imagine what a more caring world could look like. Goes until 4/26. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: Noon, The MAH, 705 Front St, Santa Cruz. $10. 429-1964.
FRIDAY 4/17
DANCE MUSIC
HENRY FONG A turntable titular tycoon, Florida’s Henry Fong went from spinning at parties in colleges and learning to promote, market, and do event planning, to touring the world within a few years. Embracing a more global sound, Fong rests the needle in dancehall, electronic, Caribbean, reggae and Latin, and has fans on every continent. Fong’s popularity catapulted when his remixes started pouring over club dance floors. But it’s his high-energy show with bass house, hard dance, electro-house and speed house that keeps the crowd on its feet. An avid surfer, catch Fong at Steamer Lane before showtime. DNA
INFO: 8pm, Motiv, 1209 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. Free-$12. 226-1116.
HAWAIIAN SLACK KEY
GEORGE KAHUMOKU JR. & JIM “KIMO” WEST Grammy Award winner George Kahumoku Jr. is an acclaimed exponent of Hawaiian slack key guitar. Kahumoku boasts a substantial body of work, with solo, collaborative, and film soundtrack releases totaling more than 30. The title of his 2019 album, Renaissance Man, encapsulates his artistry. Subject of no less than three documentary films, he’s a leading light in the music of his native Hawaii. Jim “Kimo” West is a slack key guitarist whose work exemplifies (and ventures beyond) Hawaiian musical traditions. Emphasizing guitar interplay and harmony vocals, this special tour brings together the artistry of these two towering figures. BILL KOPP
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $42-$65. 427-2227.
SATURDAY 4/18
PUNK
BULL SHANNON Punk rock doesn’t have too many supergroups. Los Angeles’ OFF! and Santa Cruz’s own Seized Up both come to mind immediately. Another is Bull Shannon. Formed in 2022, Bull Shannon features Neil Hennessy (Lawrence Arms), Bob Vielma (Shinobu), Chris Candy (Chotto Ghetto) and thee Jeff Rosenstock, all of whom are powerhouses in their own right and come from amazing bands. While Bull Shannon only has two EPs (2022’s Chill Power!!!!! and 2025’s Stamina) consisting of 10 songs over 24 minutes, both are massive accomplishments. They traverse the gap between punk, hardcore and the roots of emo (ala Rites of Spring, Fugazi and Gray Matter), while keeping the music fresh and modern. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $15. 429-6994.
COUNTRY
EMMYLOU HARRIS Like a cast-iron skillet or Wrangler jeans, Emmylou Harris is made to outlast. Born in Birmingham and forged in honky-tonks and heartbreak, she has spent decades developing her unique blend of country, folk, and Americana. Her beautiful, lilting voice carries a knowing ache. Audiences across generations keep finding their way back to it. A collaborator by nature, Harris has orbited legends and elevated them in equal measure. She’s pulled her weight alongside legends Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt, leaving fingerprints on everything she touches. The songs linger. The phrasing stays with you. There’s a reason her musical presence is so enduring. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8pm, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church Street, Santa Cruz. $74-$127. 420-5260.
SUNDAY 4/19
ACOUSTIC
GILLIAN WELCH & DAVID RAWLINGS Gillian Welch was a young Deadhead when she first experienced the gestalt of the burgeoning Grateful Dead scene back in 1987 at Oakland Coliseum. Since then, Welch and guitarist David Rawlings have nine albums under their collective wings. Besides being in the outdoor splendor of the Quarry, this special show features the duo taking on the Dead’s acoustic album called Reckoning, a double album treat that came out in 1981, featuring all acoustic takes on songs like “To Lay Me Down” and “Ripple.” Welch and Rawlings are at the end of an 18-month world tour supporting their latest release, Woodland, and are about to dive deep into the land of acoustic Dead. DNA
INFO: 7pm, The Quarry, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz. $65. 459-4184.
MONDAY 4/20
METAL
PENTAGRAM Bust out the best black attire and get ready to headbang because the godfathers of American doom metal are back on tour and taking no prisoners. Pentagram has always been a litmus test for finding true metalheads. And those who know also know the infamous tales of singer Bobby Liebling, who was reported to have been arrested 25 times, rehabbed 35, and hospitalized over 200 times due to his wild, rocker lifestyle. While Liebling is the only original member left in the band, the rest of the Pentagram is a supergroup of Tony Reed and Scooter Haslip (Mos Generator) and Henry Vasquez (Saint Vitus). In 2025, they released Lightning In A Bottle. MW
INFO: 9pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, $38.39, 713-5492.
LITERARY
THE FUTURE IS PEACE Against the backdrop of the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, The Future is Peace is as welcome as it is timely. Authors Aziz Abu Sarah (from Palestine) and Israeli Maoz Inon have both lost family members in the conflict. They could have been sworn enemies. Instead, they have developed a deep friendship and mutual understanding. Their book takes a clear-eyed look at the seemingly intractable challenges faced by both sides and offers a message of hope. The ticket price includes a seat at the event, a hardback copy of The Future is Peace, and access to the signing line. BK
INFO: 7pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $39. 423-8209.
WEDNESDAY 4/22
SKA
RUNAWAY RICOCHET Minnesota’s Runaway Ricochet combines elements of punk and ska, along with jazz, midwestern emo and even prog rock for a flavor-packed punch of fun. Just look at their last album, 2024’s Diminishing Returns. In it, they explore a gamut of different styles, sometimes even within the same song. There’s a sense of organized chaos sewn throughout their music that is delightful. Like any good ska, there’s also a sense of humor, like in the opening to their song “Anchor,” where singer and bassist Erik Saxton says, “They say the devil is in the details, so let’s summon the devil!” Or maybe they’re just a cabal of evil Satanists, hellbent on turning kids onto horn music. MW
