Things to Do in Santa Cruz: Nov. 16-22

ARTS AND MUSIC

PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE: ‘EMPIRE OF PAIN’ AND ‘ROGUES’ Bestselling author Patrick Radden Keefe’s Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty is a painstakingly ambitious dive into the Sackler family, the dynasty behind OxyContin, which subsequently became the ultimate variable that led to America’s ongoing opiate epidemic. Keefe’s Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks features 12 of the acclaimed journalist’s most intriguing stories from The New Yorker, including the pursuit to bring down a jovial international black market arms merchant, a vehement death penalty attorney and the intricacies involved in forging $150,000 vintage wines. While most of Keefe’s work focuses on people doing terrible things, his long-form journalism also shows readers there’s usually another side to stories that’s never been considered. Free (registration required). Wednesday, Nov. 16, 7pm. Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. bookshopsantacruz.com.

LACY J. DALTON WITH EDGE OF THE WEST “Crazy Blue Eyes” catapulted Lacy J. Dalton to superstardom and led her to become one of the most successful female singers of the 1980s. Dalton’s CMA-nominated anthem “16th Avenue” and a slew of her other hits, including “Takin’ It Easy” and “Everybody Makes Mistakes,” were always playing in the background, whether it was a packed bar on a Saturday night or a Sunday afternoon at Sears. Recently, Dalton scored a Platinum Record for her duet with Willie Nelson. She was announced as 2022’s Lifetime Career Achievement Award winner, which she’ll accept in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry. You could say that special guest band Edge of the West—Jim Lewin, Bill Laymon, Ken Margolis and Marty Carpenter—is a member of the Grateful Dead’s extended family, based solely on the number of times they’ve played Phil Lesh’s now-defunct Terrapin Crossroads and Bobby Weir’s Sweetwater. Additionally, EOW has performed several tributes to the Dead and New Riders of the Purple Sage. “[Edge of the West] is a manifestation of the old west pushed out towards the edge of California’s coast until it’s launched into a new dimension,” guitarist Lewin told me in 2015. “It’s roots-based Americana for the hippies from the old days and the hippies of the future.” $35/$40 plus fees. Thursday, Nov. 17, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. moesalley.com.

GIRL TALK WITH HUGH AUGUSTINE Lately, Greg Gillis, also known as Girl Talk, has been focusing on his collaborative work with rappers Wiz Khalifa, Erick the Architect (Flatbush Zombies), Smoke DZA and Don Q. But the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native hit the big-time in 2004 with his super slick, unexpected musical hodgepodges that run seamlessly through his album Unstoppable. Gillis sampled over 300 songs from just about every genre and era of popular music. The layered mashup is a unified collage unlike anything you’ve heard—or will hear in the future. In 2014, artists collaborated with Gillis during his Coachella set—performing their vocals over his mashups—for the first time. He was joined by Too Short, E-40, Juicy J and Busta Rhymes on the first weekend and Freeway, Waka Flocka Flame, Tyga and Busta Rhymes again on the second weekend. If you’re ever in Pittsburgh on Dec. 7, you’ll be able to celebrate “Gregg Gillis Day.” $36.50/$42 plus fees. Thursday, Nov.17, 9pm. The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. catalystclub.com.

JAKE BLOUNT Singer-songwriter Jake Blount is a two-time winner of the Appalachian String Band Music Festival and the 2020 recipient of the Steve Martin Banjo Prize. A specialist in the early folk music of Black Americans, Blount masterfully weaves spirituals, blues and string band music into his versatile sets. The musician’s understanding of the earliest clues of the sounds that flooded the land—before definitive “genres” were used to categorize those sounds—combines that similar mix of academia and creative curiosity that fueled Alan Lomax decades earlier. Blount’s 2022 essay for Rolling Stone explores the climate crisis’s effect on the touring industry. His subsequent record The New Faith is a manifestation of apocalyptic terror set on an unnamed island off the coast of Maine. Blount’s soundtrack to a film that doesn’t exist centers around an imagined religious ceremony performed by Black refugees following the downfall of civilization due to climate change. $26.50/$31.50; $15.75/students plus fees. Thursday, Nov. 17, 7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. kuumbwajazz.org.

SMOKE CHASER WITH THE SUBORBITALS Since 2003, the Suborbitals have been an on again-off again original “low-rock” outfit powered by Ryan Masters’ (guitar and vocals) poignant prose and the bellow of Ben Herod’s baritone sax. “Tell me your lies but don’t expect the truth out of me/ Spill your guts but don’t expect me to pick them back up,” Masters croons on “Incommunicata.” Smoke Chaser, a newly formed collab featuring the members of the Suborbitals and established Monterey singer Malinda DeRouen, is self-described as an “original rock band from Santa Cruz that creates lush, catchy psych-pop soundscapes.” The key word is “lush.” The group recently released their 2022 debut single “Highway One.” The carnival of Big Sur, Henry Miller—and sex—is just a taste of the eclectic band’s full-length debut, due out in December 2022. $10/$12. Friday, Nov. 18, 8pm. The Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. thecrepeplace.com.

BILL CALLAHAN WITH JERRY DAVID DECICCA Singer-songwriter and experimenter Bill Callahan—who performed under the name Smog from 1990-2007—is perpetually trying to scratch an itch that he can only reach between awake and dreaming. His latest, YTI⅃AƎЯ, is no exception. The dissonance and melodic discord of Callahan’s 12 compositions fuse with his trancelike baritone vocals, simultaneously concocting a shuddering, welcoming and familiar soundscape. Guitarist Matt Kinsey, bassist Emmett Kelly, B3 player and pianist Sarah Ann Phillips and drummer Jim White will join the prolific musician. (This show has been moved from the Rio. All tickets purchased for the Rio will be honored). $32/$36 plus fees. Monday, Nov. 21, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com.

COMMUNITY

O’NEILL COLD WATER CLASSIC The iconic O’Neill Cold Water Classic returns to Santa Cruz’s world-renowned Steamer Lane as a men’s/women’s qualifying series 1000 stop on the World Surf League tour. Check out some of the most talented up-and-comers as they compete for a spot on the WSL tour alongside several established local stars. Free. Wednesday, Nov. 16 through Saturday, Nov. 19, 7am-6pm. Steamer Lane at West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. worldsurfleague.com/events/2022/qs/88/oneill-cold-water-classic/main.

DEEP ROOTS DANCE FEST Recently, the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center hosted the first segment of the 2022 World Dance Festival at its Santa Cruz headquarters. The second portion of the festival will also highlight world dancers, but this time there will be a contemporary spin. “A Reimagining of Dance from the African Diaspora” will feature dance and musical groups performing works from Brazil, the Congo, Cuba and Haiti. The African Diaspora will present original contemporary works onstage, rooted in their traditional forms. “As dancers, artists in general, we’re always looking to progress the art form, take those traditions and flip them, spin them and turn them on their head,” Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center Executive and Artistic Director Micha Scott says. $30; $20/students and seniors plus fees. Saturday, Nov. 19, 7pm. Cabrillo Crocker Theater, 6500 Lower Perimeter Road, Aptos. cabrillovapa.universitytickets.com.

SANTA CRUZ WARRIORS VS. SOUTH BAY LAKERS You might not get the same dazzling show that you’d expect from a Golden State game amongst 18,000 riled-up fans cheering on Stephen and Draymond at the Chase Center. But the Santa Cruz Warriors—and whoever they play—are far from where the not-quite-good-enough-for-the-NBA players are sent to die. Nearly 50% of the NBA this season is made up of former G leaguers. It wasn’t long ago that Jordan Poole was suiting up for games at the Kaiser Permanente Arena. Now, he’s considered one of the top guards in the NBA. $27.20-$275. Saturday, Nov. 19, 7pm. Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St., Santa Cruz. santacruz.gleague.nba.com.

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