ARTS AND MUSIC
SUPERSUCKERS WITH VOLK “You’ve heard our name, you’ve seen our records, our t-shirts and our stickers,” Supersuckers frontman Eddie Spaghetti says. “We’re probably the favorite band of someone you know, and yet maybe we’re still a mystery to you. Well, my friend, that’s okay; you’re at the right place to get to know the greatest rock-n-roll band in the world. Just remember to wear clean underwear, ’cuz we’re gonna rock the pants right off of you!” The Tucson, Arizona, cowpunk rockers have been at it for 35 years, and bassist/singer Spaghetti remains the one constant—the current lineup also features guitarist Marty Chandler and drummer Christopher von Streicher. From Willie Nelson to Eddie Vedder, the Supersuckers have collaborated with just about everyone who’s someone in the rock and roll galaxy. Thrash-and-twang duo Volk opens with an innovative mashup of glam rock and cowpunk. $18/$23 plus fees. Sunday, Nov. 27, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. moesalley.com.
THE MOTHER HIPS “That’s one of the magical parts of music,” Mother Hips frontman Tim Bluhm said before a Big Sur show a few years back. “When people can all play well together, and it creates a singular sound from multiple sources, it’s organic and the result of playing so many thousands of shows together.” After nearly three decades, the Hips retain that “singular sound,” as heard on their 11th record, 2021’s Glowing Lantern. While some tunes wrestle with the angst of the times, the album has an overall comforting sentiment. “The songs are weighty, abstract ruminations wrapped in unflagging optimism, bittersweet streams of consciousness delivered with a palpable sense of brotherhood,” the band relays in liner notes. That camaraderie runs deep in the Hips and is ever-present throughout Glowing Lantern. The Bay Area group has already recorded a follow-up, When We Disappear, to be released on Jan. 27, 2023. Co-founders Bluhm and guitarist Greg Loiacono wrote and produced the nine-track LP together at the Kitchen Sink in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “I believe both Greg’s and my own subconscious worlds revealed themselves,” Bluhm told Relix of the title track, which sounds like the Traveling Wilburys performing in Bakersfield. “The music is simple and loose, helping with the devil-may-care attitude of the singing.” The Hips will perform two complete sets at Moe’s. $28/$32 plus fees. Saturday, Nov. 26, 9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com.
CEREMONY WITH SPY A few years ago, Ceremony opened for New Jersey punk rockers Titus Andronicus at the Catalyst Atrium. The Rohnert Park band brought noise, and they delivered it loud enough to strip the paint from the walls. Frontman Ross Farrar unleashed hardcore-tinged Cookie Monster snarls, growls and barking—Farrar is why Ceremony’s cover of Nirvana’s “Tourette’s” works so well. The band could make eardrums bleed with a hurts-so-good level of loudness. The intensity, the theatrics and even the catchiness of songs like “The Pathos” are undoubtedly bastard inspirations of Black Flag. But Ceremony’s simple fuzz riffs were punk rock to the max. Long story short: This band was hard to define. The group’s 2022 In the Spirit World Now isn’t hardcore or punk. It’s an abstract composite of glam, post-punk (whatever the hell that means) and Beach House-like dream-pop with meandering synth running down the center of the record. The 2022 Ceremony is unashamedly influenced by Ian Curtis in the same way; just a few years earlier, they were blatantly motivated By Keith Morris and Greg Ginn—it’s a complete musical makeover! $17. Saturday, Nov. 26, 8pm. Urbani Cellar, 140 Encinal St., Santa Cruz. urbanicellar.com.
THE MURLOCS WITH SHANNON LAY If you’re a fan of the infectious psychedelic Aussie collective King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, you’ll dig the Murlocs. It makes sense; two members also play with Gizzard. Strapped with fuzzy guitar riffs, intense basslines and you-know-it-when-you-hear-it hallucinogenic sunniness, the 12 tracks on their new record Rapscallion create another dimension, partly inspired by frontman Ambrose Kenny-Smith’s younger years as a roving skate kid. The wildly squalid odyssey’s outrageous cast of junkyard dwellers and truck-stop transients are repugnant yet captivating. The self-produced album was recorded during the pandemic at Kenny-Smith’s home studio with Callum Shortal (guitar), Matt Blach (drums), Cook Craig (bass) and Tim Karmouche (keys). $20/$25 plus fees. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com.
DUMA WITH MASMA DREAM WORLD AND ONLY NOW Yes, there is an East African metal scene, and Duma is at the forefront of the Kenyan-Ugandan industrial grindcore and noise scene. Vocalist Martin Khanja (Lord Spike Heart) and guitarist-producer Sam Karugu experiment with “sonic aggression” and disregard musical styles. “The Kenyan noise band’s debut is inventive and abrasive, a timely distillation of global chaos and techno-dystopian dread,” Pitchfork wrote of the twosome’s self-titled 2020 debut. Meanwhile, Masma Dream World’s 2020 debut Play at Night is the brainchild of artist and reiki practitioner Devi Mambouka. The Brooklyn-based musician mixes vocals and electronics with elements related to butoh—a Japanese performance art in which Mambouka is trained—and the theta frequency, which supposedly induces a trance in listeners. Mambouka’s nonprofit, America Mambouka, provides art supplies to an after-school program in Harlem that connects artists, musicians and DJs with underprivileged kids. Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon were a couple of the first artists to join the organization. $18. Tuesday, Nov. 29, 8:30pm. Indexical, 1050 River St., #119, Santa Cruz. indexical.org.
COMMUNITY
SANTA CRUZ COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET The downtown market showcases the “best in regional organic produce, pasture-raised meats, eggs and dairy, sustainably harvested seafood and artisan-made goods.” You are stocking your fridge with the best quality items, supporting local jobs, spending your money locally and promoting the area’s strong farming tradition. As they say, “What’s good for you is good for your community.” Free. Wednesday, Nov. 23, 1-5pm. Downtown Santa Cruz. cityofsantacruz.com.
WINTER WONDERLAND AT THE BOARDWALK Santa Cruz County’s largest holiday celebration features tons of holiday family fun. On top of the usual rides, arcade games, mini golf, sweet treats and Boardwalk fun, Winter Wonderland also means it’s time for the beloved three-story Christmas tree to come out of hibernation. Of course, Santa will be on hand for photos, too! In addition to a rotation of classic holiday movies showing at 5pm on Dec. 3 and 4, the Santa Cruz City Ballet at International Academy of Dance will perform a mini-Nutcracker on the Boardwalk’s Colonnade Stage. Free (visit the website for special event days and times and to get tickets). Thursday, Nov. 24 through Jan. 1. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. beachboardwalk.com/Winter-Wonderland.
WEST CLIFF HOLIDAY OUTDOOR MARKET There might not be a better way to do your holiday shopping; food trucks, sweeping ocean views overlooking Steamer Land and some of the most unique, one-of-a-kind gifts you’ll find anywhere! The market also features a chance to win free tokens every hour to be used towards any vendor. Free. Friday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Nov. 26, 10am-4pm. Lighthouse Point and Surfers Parking Lot, 701 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. brotherspromotions.com.
Email upcoming events to aj*****@we*****.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adam Joseph at least two weeks beforehand.
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