THURSDAY 1/8
PUNK
PINFALL Pinfall might have just celebrated their first anniversary as a band, but one would never be able to tell after listening to their four-song EP, Figure Four. The songs are tight, neatly written and solidly built, expected from a band that would have more years under their belt. There’s a definite, nuanced humor in pop punk that seems to have been lost to most bands, but Pinfall manages to find the line and rail grind it. This is gonna be an old-school Santa Cruz punk show with newcomers SC Riot on the bill with veteran wrestling punks The Randy Savages in a trifecta of madness that only the Blue Lagoon can contain. MAT WEIR
INFO: 9pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 423-7117.
FRIDAY 1/9
FAIR
FUNGUS FAIR A celebration of all things fungi, the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair is a three-day event filled with fantastic food, demonstrations and informative speakers. A mix of scientific exhibitions and artistic installations, fungi will be arranged in a beautiful re-creation of their natural woodland habitat. Visitors diving into the vast world of these peculiar organisms are reminded that bread, cheese, beer and wine owe their existence to fungi. With a touch of whimsy, the fair takes everyday fungi and spins them into educational narratives, offering up new fun facts, culinary delights and more. Goes until Jan. 11. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8am, London Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. $10-$15. 420-5030.
SINGER-SONGWRITER
CHUCK BRODSKY With the exception of a trio of records he released in the final years of the 20th century, Chuck Brodsky has long been the model of the independent, do-it-yourself artist. It’s just that now, the music business as a whole is catching up with his approach. He crowd-funded his last four albums, the most recent of which is 2022’s Gravity, Wings, and Heavy Things. He’s a singer/songwriter who pens heart-on-sleeve songs with a social conscience, but he’s equally likely to serve up an original tune about baseball. Brodsky possesses a keen wit that sets him apart from the pack. BILL KOPP
INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $30/adv, $40/door. 477-1341.
PUNK
SWINGIN’ UTTERS Punk rockers Johnny Peebucks and the Swingin’ Utters started in Santa Cruz in the late ’80s, and shortened their name to Swingin’ Utters. Their classic working-class punk sound found an audience in the SF Bay Area scene, and then around the world. They’ve had a break now and then to raise families, there’ve been lineup changes, with frontman “Peebucks” their only original member, but they’ve continued to draw a crowd (and a mosh pit) through the ebbs and flows of punk’s popularity over three decades. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.
SATURDAY 1/10
HIP HOP
BERNER Rapper Berner is defined by underground grit with mainstream ambition, West Coast narratives and hazy production. His verses weave street tales with introspective moments, chronicling struggle and success. With a raspy flow and an alignment with the spirit of Bay Area rap, he creates atmospheric tracks that blend gangster rap and modern trap. His discography is vast, and dozens of projects feature rap legends like Bun B and Wyclef, Chris Brown, and Wiz Khalifa. An entrepreneur at heart, his ventures go beyond music, featuring street clothing lines with FreshKo and Cookies. Switching between street anthems and contemplative cuts, Berner mixes hustler narrative with genuine reflection. SN
INFO: 9pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $49-$99. 713-5492.
FOLK
DUO QUARTET The name might seem confusing, but it’s accurate: Two members of this group—guitarist Nina Gerber and multi-instrumentalist Chris Webster—have worked as a musical duo for decades. Guitarist Jeri Jones and multi-instrumentalist Pam Delgarno have played music together for the same number of years. Now the four have teamed up as the Duo Quartet, bringing together two vast repertoires of original and well-chosen cover material that spans folk, jazz, pop, Americana and blues. Their shows make the most of versatility, with quartet, duo and solo numbers figuring into the harmonic and lively mix. BK
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $30. 427-2227.
INDIE FOLK
RAINBOW GIRLS A group of young people sharing a house while going to college in Southern California, a house known as The Rainbow House, decided to start a weekly open mic night in their home. Playing music together and separately, every week, the Rainbow House mic eventually morphed into a band, and Rainbow Girls was born. They put in some serious road miles, busking and couch surfing around Europe, and now they meld their instruments and three harmonizing voices like family as heard on their latest album, 2024’s Haunting. KLJ
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.
MONDAY 1/12
LITERARY
ADINA MERENLENDER Adina Merenlender’s already go-to guide for California’s natural history (The California Naturalist Handbook) is now updated with new images, expanded discussions and new insights on stewardship. Natural history and science are not just for those with related degrees. With this journal and practice, anyone can help build ecosystem resilience so the native species can thrive. The book highlights the importance of diversity and inclusivity in outdoor spaces and within conservation messaging. It covers topics such as geology, native plants and animals, conservation biology, and the effects of pressing environmental issues. These topics are presented through the voices of naturalist leaders, who include women, Indigenous peoples and naturalists of color. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free, 423-0900.
TUESDAY 1/13
GUITAR
MIKE DAWES It’s truly amazing how versatile the guitar can be. The same instrument can deliver the flesh-ripping buzz for metal songs or climb the melodious scales of arpeggios. Folk, jazz, cumbias and so much more can be played on these strings. It’s even more amazing when in the hands of someone truly great who can play all these styles with ease. Englishman Mike Dawes is that musician. Join him for one night only at an all-seated show in the Santa Cruz Mountains as he performs an intimate night of music from around the world and time. MW
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. $30. 704-7113.
