THURSDAY 7/2
COUNTRY
ELLIS BULLARD Somewhere along the line, Nashville lost the plot. Over the last several decades, country music became distilled, watered down and turned into toothless, gutless pop music. So that’s why we got to thank our lucky stars for artists like Ellis Bullard for keeping the true honky tonk flavor bold, spicy and at the forefront. For almost the entirety of the past decade, Bullard has toured across these United States, giving the people what they want: cowboy boots, broken hearts, lap steel guitar and plenty of ruckus. With a voice like Waylon, Bullard keeps the tradition of old school country alive with songs like “What’s a Man to Do?” and “It Ain’t Easy Needing Green.” MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15-$20. 479-1854.
AMERICANA
GOLDPINE Nashville duo Goldpine is the wife-and-husband team of Kassie and Benjamin Wilson. Goldpine’s first big break was a win at the Rocky Mountain Songwriter Contest. The duo followed that up with an appearance on NPR’s “Mountain Stage.” Goldpine’s third and latest album is Three, described as “aggressive Americana.” The album showcases the duo’s sharp and emotionally resonant songwriting chops and captures them in the best possible light. The album features performances recorded on the road in 2024 in front of enthusiastic audiences. Goldpine’s current tour brings the duo to an assortment of intimate venues and concert halls. BILL KOPP
INFO: 7pm, The Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $20. 477-1341.
FRIDAY 7/3
ROCK
JAMES DURBIN & THE LOST BOYS WITH TED WELTY Some of our readers out there might remember a time when Santa Cruz was the happening place for the Fourth of July. However, over the past 24 years, it’s been varied at best. Thankfully, we still have some rockers in town, and this weekend the shenanigans kick off with some of the best in the biz. James Durbin and The Lost Boys play everyone’s favorite hard rock anthems throughout the decades just as fresh as when they were released. So, start the weekend off with a free show, food trucks, beer, wine, and even a raffle at Lighthouse Field. And maybe, just maybe, we can make the holiday a big one in town once again. MW
INFO: 2pm, Lighthouse Point Lawn, 701 West Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz. Free. 420-5030.
THEATRE
ESCAPING QUEENS A story written by Capitola’s very own, Joe Ortiz, comes to life at The Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre. Escaping Queens follows an immigrant family as they navigate the challenges of poverty and a father’s problems with gambling, alcohol, and women. The musical paints a cast of colorful characters, from neighborhood bookies to a doo wop group to all the shades and personalities in a mixed Italian and Puerto Rican family. Based on OrtizOritz’s own memoir, Pastina—My Father’s Misfortune, My Mother’s Good Soup, the emotional turbulence of navigating an escape from New York is presented as a compelling and sophisticated story that asks if children are fated to repeat their parents’ mistakes. SN
INFO: 7pm, Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre, 1001 Center Street, Santa Cruz. $32-$35. 431-8666.
SATURDAY 7/4
CELEBRATION
FREE DAY 2026 Come celebrate freedom with Discretion Brewing. But let’s be clear. The beer is not free. This is about Discretion Brewing’s yearly brand-new IPA, which that will be available. Starting at 2:30, the band This Close will be cranking out covers of Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead and more classic freedom-inducing tunes. Can you bring your dog? Yes. Can you bring your kids? Yes. Can you bring your dogs’ kids? Take it easy. Freedom has its limits. Cornhole, pizza, and sandwiches are prerequisites for freedom, so those bases are covered. Santa Cruz is lucky to have such a safe space for beer, music, and well, freedom. DNA
INFO: 12pm, Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave., Ste. A, Soquel. Free. 316-0662.
INDIE ROCK
MORILLO Artist/composer/drummer/DJ Zach Morillo spent four years playing drums with a reggae band called Jahfe. Eons ago, Morillo was playing Bar Mitzvahs, b. But his training as a traditional jazz drummer has served him well. Morillo toured the world as a drummer for Childish Gambino and Rhye and performed at Red Rocks, Coachella and other jaw-dropping festivals and venues. For the last few years, Morillo has explored a new side of his syncopated soul. With three albums, three EPeps and a boatload of singles out on revered labels, Morillo’s inner sound has now infiltrated dance floors across the globe. DNA
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton, $26. 704-7113.
TUESDAY 7/7
LITERARY
A HISTORY OF RAILROAD DOGS Humans weren’t the only creatures riding trains across the continent by the 1860s. Stray dogs rode these trains across the country, hopping on and off at will. These canine vagabonds are considered to be “America’s first true canine celebrities,” as their stories were documented by rail crews and newspaper writers. Working-class people saw these dogs, such as Railroad Jack and Owney, as heroes. They embodied a level of freedom that most people of that time could only dream of. Dr. Paul Koudounaris uncovers and brings these fascinating stories of daring pups living lives along the rails to the surface with his new book, Go West, Young Dog! ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 5:30pm, The MAH, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. $20. 429-1964.
WEDNESDAY 7/8
R&B
TAE AND THE NEIGHBORLY Tae and the Neighborly offer up tracks that skink into the soul. Blending R&B, soul, pop, and rock, their music is ripe with nostalgic melodies, warm guitar, and twinkly keys. At the center is Tae, whose rich voice ripples with emotion and soulfulness as she sings ballads of time gone by, love, and caring for one another. The group united over the neighborly generosity of offering a requested cup of sugar. This sentiment of neighborly generosity is seen throughout their lyrics, with songs that advocate social change and self-love. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz. $29-$32. 427-2227.
AMERICANA
DYLAN LEBLANC Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and paying his musical dues there and in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, alternative country singer-songwriter Dylan LeBlanc has punk roots. His original music weds the immediacy of that style to bleak and visceral lyrics. The title track of his fourth album, Renegade, climbed to the #31 spot on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay (AAA) chart in 2019. His fifth and latest album is 2023’s Coyote. That record earned widespread praise from critics at American Songwriter, MOJO, Uncut and PopMatters. LeBlanc’s current tour crisscrosses the U.S. with jaunts to France, Sweden, Ireland, England, Scotland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. BK
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $20-$25. 429-6994.
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