THURSDAY
ROCK
FLACO EL JANDRO
It’s hard not to fall in love with the mixture of irreverence and beauty that Flaco el Jandro brings to the world. A Chicano songwriter based in Salinas, he and his band Los Perros Callejeros have a gritty yet gorgeous mixture of rock, vintage boleros, punk and cumbia going on. The local legend has recently seen national attention, having been selected to perform at this year’s NPR Tiny Desk Contest On The Road Tour. It’s a great time to see this artist on the rise. Just beware: Flaco el Jandro can really deliver a love song. ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.
THURSDAY
FOLK
JAMIE DRAKE
Jamie Drake pulls from various strands of folk and, in her latest work, some bossa nova influences. Her music is deeply emotional and ranges in tone, yet each song connects with different aspects of the human experience. Songs explore a myriad of simple and complex feelings, such as processing guilt while maintaining hope or how to keep the childlike wonder of the world. Her music tells her story while giving space for the audience to reflect on their own experiences. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 8pm, Lille Aeske, 13160 Highway 9, Boulder Creek. $25/adv, $30/door. 703-4183.
FRIDAY
ELECTRONIC
CLAIRE ROUSAY
Combining ambient sounds found in nature with noises that occur every day of our lives (jangling car keys, for example), Claire Rousay earns her title as an experimental musician. Her vocals are auto-tuned and edited to create a muffled but powerful energy, not unlike the sound that a muzzled wild animal might make while dreaming of escaping its cage. Droning combined with pop-song energy is just a part of what Rousay delivers; she captures a certain kind of morose eroticism in her music, the kind that any artistic twenty-something might feel mired in—or sanctified by. JESSICA IRISH
INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. $16. 627-9491.
FRIDAY
INDIE
CAROLINE ROSE
Like all great artists worth their value, Caroline Rose took a series of heartbreaks and life-transforming moments and processed everything the only way they knew how: through writing. The result is a therapeutic collection of somber and introspective songs more reflective than their previous pop-influenced indie rock work. It treads lightly through heavy subjects of self-loathing, depression, loss and moving on, with voicemails of hope and love left by Rose’s grandmother sprinkled throughout the album. Rose’s live performance of this material will probably be as vulnerable and breathtaking as the record itself. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $31.50-$105. 423-8209.
SATURDAY
MUSEUM
HISTORIC LANDMARK BLUE PLAQUE AWARDS
Anyone strolling around downtown Santa Cruz and its surrounding neighborhoods might notice something about the houses in the area: not only are they sweeping, beautiful Victorian and Edwardian mansions recalling the glory days of horse-drawn carriages, but they also have little blue plaques attached to their entrances. Those plaques denote buildings of historical significance, and a few new ones will be bestowed this very weekend. Buildings of a certain age have stories to tell, so guest speakers will share their knowledge of Santa Cruz’s legendary architecture while this new round of plaques is distributed. Huzzah! JI
INFO: 1pm, Museum of Art and History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. Free. 429-1964.
SATURDAY
BRASS
REBIRTH BRASS BAND
Inspired by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s progressive, high-energy sound, brothers Phillip and Keith Frazier (along with trumpeter Kermit Ruffins and other classmates from Joseph S. Clark High School in New Orleans) founded Rebirth in 1983. Arhoolie Records released Rebirth’s debut album a year later, drawing critical raves. The constantly touring street ensemble has become one of the great brass bands of the modern era, updating NOLA’s traditional second-line music with funk, jazz, soul and hip-hop elements. Mission Delirium opens the show. DAN EMERSON
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. $32/adv, $37/door. 704-7113.
SUNDAY
CLASSICAL
SONGS OUR MOTHERS TAUGHT US
Music is one of the most versatile art forms, whether made for entertainment or pulling every emotional string until the listener breaks. It also acts as a record of humanity, with different styles and genres representing various periods. This Sunday, Mariposa Cafe and Santa Cruz’s Musical Soulmates present Songs Our Mothers Taught Us, a matinee of crafted beverages, specialty foods and music spanning time and the globe. Movements by Beethoven will be paired with music by Ethiopian nun Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou. Poetry by Lyla June and Santa Cruz’s Danusha Lameris will complement the music of African American composer Carlos Simon and many more. MW
INFO: 3pm, Mariposa Coffee Bar, 1010 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 316-3026.
MONDAY
BLUES
CHRIS CAIN BAND
Growing up in San Jose, singer-songwriter and guitarist Chris Cain immersed himself in the blues music coming from his father’s stereo. He took up guitar at the precocious age of eight and became a pro ten years later. Cain’s 1987 debut album won four Blues Music Award nominations, and he went on to win many more awards. Signing with the top blues label Alligator Records took him to new heights with his album Raisin’ Cain. Cain’s bluesy guitar and vocal style mark him as a disciple of the late B.B. King (like many other players). DE
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St. $31.50/adv, $36.75/door. 427-2227.
TUESDAY
INDIE
ALVVAYS
Canadian indie power pop dreams come true this Tuesday as Alvvays makes its jangly, shoegaze-y way to the Catalyst stage. With lead vocalist and guitarist Molly Rankin bringing beautiful melodies, the band is a pure emotional force guaranteed to bring tears to many an eye and comfort to many a heart. Their album Blue Rev marked a triumphant step forward in their evolution, with the single “Belinda Says” scoring them their first Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Performance. Upon its release, Pitchforkdescribed the album as “one last dizzying teenage reverie before early-onset adulthood.” AM
INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $32/adv, $37/door. 713-5492.
