THURSDAY 10/23
FUNK
THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS
The New Mastersounds combines a kinetic, boogaloo funk aesthetic with superb jazz-level musical chops. The group came out of Leeds, England, around the dawn of the 21st century. Since then, they have turned out a dazzling run of albums that showcase their superb taste, sharp compositional skills and versatility. The four-piece (Eddie Roberts, Simon Allen, Pete Shand and Joe Tatton) has worked as a self-contained unit and with vocalists like Corinne Bailey Rae. With more than ten albums to their credit, NMS has been a leading light in the funk and fusion world. This tour is billed as “Ta-Ta for Now,” signaling an end to touring. BILL KOPP
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $41. 479-1854.
BALLET
NIGHTMARE BEFORE NUTCRACKER
Christmas has long encroached on Halloween, the red and green items appearing on store shelves before the spooky season has even begun. It’s always delightful seeing Halloween fight back. Silent Night, Deadly Night and other yuletide slasher flicks enjoyed cult followings, and then The Nightmare Before Christmas took scary Noel mainstream. Now they’re pulling The Nutcracker into the hostile takeover, which isn’t a stretch with its Rat King and surreal settings. The Santa Cruz City Ballet, at the International Academy of Dance, presents this scary take on the ultimate Christmas classic. Goes through Saturday. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 7pm, The Landing, 251B Kings Village Rd., Scotts Valley. $21. 334-4522.
FRIDAY 10/24
CELEBRATION
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS DRAG SHOW
Dia de los Muertos is a special time to celebrate and honor those who have passed to the afterlife. It is a time where new cultures and practices can be embraced. To specially honor the contributions of Latinx artists, both of the past and present, the MAH is hosting a Dia de los Muertos Drag Show. Through movement, dance, games and, of course, drag performances, those in the afterlife may be welcomed and the living may build community. Attendees who come to celebrate life and death with the MAH are encouraged to dress up, but it is not necessary. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7:30pm, MAH, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. $20-$25. 429-1964.
AVANT-POP
STEREOLAB
British guitarist-keyboardist Tim Gane and French singer and multi-instrumentalist Laetitia Sadier launched Stereolab in 1990. Combining krautrock’s “motorik” beats with creamy electronic keyboard textures, Stereolab crafts a sound that bridges the gap between indie-pop and avant-garde stylings. The duo has expanded the group to include an array of supporting players, but Gane and Sadier remain the core of Stereolab. Though finding only moderate commercial success, the group’s influence is substantial and widespread. Since their 1992 debut album, Peng!, the group has released more than 20 albums; 2025’s Instant Holograms on Metal Film is their latest. BK
INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $40/adv, $45/door. 423-8209.
PERFORMANCE ART
SOMADICCS
As Halloween draws closer, it’s only natural for things to get a little bit weirder and a lot more dreamlike. Which is why this Friday’s Somadiccs performance at Satori Arts is the perfect evening for everyone who wants to dig a little deeper and get a little more artsy. The Somadiccs—Caitlin Johnston, Julie Oak, Kirk Glaser and Miranda Janeschild—are an improv troupe that performs “kinetic poetics.” They combine art, movement and words in a Lynchian way to create dreamlike and psyche-exploring autobiographical and fictional narratives. Expect the unexpected with this inquisitive performance that promises to be one of the more interesting shows of the month. MAT WEIR
INFO: 7pm, Satori Arts, 815 Almar Ave., Unit 9, Santa Cruz. Free. 314-503-8441.
SATURDAY 10/25
ROCK
NIGHT MOVES
When Minneapolis band Night Moves wrote their new album Double Life the name was very specific. On it, every song is about the tragedies the band dealt with in their personal lives since their last record six years ago. There was the death of family members, friends dealing with sobriety and incarceration, and their drummer “whose skin sloughed off during recording due to contact dermatitis.” Not to mention their van, which had its license plate stolen along with its catalytic converter not once, but thrice. What’s a band to do when trying to make front-page drive-in news? They’re joined by Sam Blasucci, one half of the California cosmic folk duo Mapache. MW
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $22. 704-7113.
GARAGE ROCK
TEEN MORTGAGE
One can’t help but marvel at the impressive amount of noise Teen Mortgage manages to kick up despite having half as many members as most of their garage rock peers. This drum-pounding, guitar-attacking, reverb-abusing duo are bringing their blistering, ferocious sonic assault to venues around the country journeying forth from their home in Washington, DC, where so much great hard and hooky music comes from. With social media posts that seem intent on launching another Satanic panic, their show in Santa Cruz this week promises to be wicked good fun. KLJ
INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $27. 713-5492.
SUNDAY 10/26
POP
JACOB COLLIER
Recognized as one of the most gifted young composers of our time, Jacob Collier is the “musician’s musician.” His technical skill and passion for music theory have earned him numerous accolades and five Grammy wins. Collaborations with everyone from Coldplay to SZA reveal his seamless movement between worlds, connecting disparate sounds with grace and style. Collier’s performances showcase his talents blending jazz harmonies, electronic textures and impressive polyrhythms into something unique, technically brilliant and pop-oriented. Each show is a celebration of music’s boundless possibilities. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 7pm, Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., Santa Cruz. $68-$105. 420-5240.
MONDAY 10/27
LITERARY
JULIAN BRAVE NOISECAT
With five years of on-the-ground reporting, Julian Brave NoiseCat’s stunning debut, We Survived the Night, is a hard-hitting portrait of contemporary Indigenous life through the lens of a father-son reckoning. NoiseCat uses beautiful, gritty prose and journalistic instincts to compose a heartfelt love letter to Oakland, and the Secwépemc Nation. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker and champion powwow dancer, traces his journey across the continent, correcting erasures while discovering himself through his father’s haunted past. In conversation with UC Santa Cruz Professor Caitlin Keliiaa, this evening promises soulful storytelling and an exploration of what it means to love through wounds and find home. SN
