THURSDAY 10/9
INDIE POP
EMILY HENRY
Emily Henry knows how to work the music business in 2025. The indie pop singer-songwriter streams three times a week on Twitch, has been featured on the hugely popular fiction podcast “Welcome to Night Vale,” and recently released an album of acoustic versions of her tracks as chosen by her fans. She also builds her following the old-fashioned way, crossing the country to reach her listeners’ ears, with devotees frequently hitting the road themselves to catch multiple shows. Out-of-state plates on cars sporting Emily Henry bumper stickers are sure to be showing up in Santa Cruz this week. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $15. 429-6994.
FRIDAY 10/10
FUNK
COOL COOL COOL
Who names their band Cool Cool Cool? This Brooklyn septet, that’s who. Born from the ashes of funk act Turkuaz in 2022, Cool Cool Cool earns their name by blending R&B, funk, and house, all with a ’90s flavor for smooth beats and cavity-inducing sweet melodies. The band has gotten some big accolades, including people like Jerry Harrison (Modern Lovers/Talking Heads) and Adrian Belew (King Crimson/Talking Heads/David Bowie). When they announced the 40th anniversary tour of the Talking Heads’ Remain in the Light, they got Cool Cool Cool to not only be the supporting act but also the backing band as well. MAT WEIR
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $30. 479-1854.
ART
FESTIVAL OF DREAMS
The fourth Festival of Dreams kicks off on October 10 at the MAH. This annual event brings together local and international dreamers to network and explore the power of their nighttime dreams and learn about the International Association for the Study of Dreams. Everyone dreams. Taking the time to study and learn about your dreams can help you build stronger connections with yourself. This event is the perfect opportunity for those curious about the power of dreams. The festival opens on Friday with the first round of presentations and art opportunities, followed by a no-host networking opportunity. The weekend will be filled with art, workshops, presentations, and networking opportunities. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 9pm, Santa Cruz MAH, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. $178 429-1964.
SATURDAY 10/11
ACOUSTIC
SCHOOLCRAFT & MURRAY
Add one part Flight of the Conchords, crack in a couple of Smothers Brothers, add a dash of yacht rock ala Blue Jean Committee (Fred Armisen and Bill Hader’s SNL band), and let it settle. The result is the smooth ’n’ hilarious Schoolcraft & Murray. They’re like if Tenacious D got into Steely Dan and Robert Hunter instead of Dio and Metal. Their songs are funny, and the boys bring charisma, but they are not a joke band by any means. These guys can actually play and sing, just with the added punch-up of songs like “Booty Call,” “STFU” and “Get Off The Phone.” MW
INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Ave., Soquel. $30/adv, $40/door. 477-1341.
EXPERIMENTAL
MARIA CHAVEZ
Deejaying as high art, including improvisation, accompanying installations of sculpture and other visual arts, with a healthy serving of abstraction and risk taking are all part of the gig when Lima, Peru born, New York City based turntablist/DJ/sound artist Maria Chavez employs her Deep Listening approach, following in the footsteps of her mentor Pauline Oliveros while also carving her own path. Utilizing shards of broken and scratched records and allowing chance to play a role, no two Maria Chavez sets are going to come out the same. Oakland’s Syrnx opens the show. KLJ
INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St., Suite 119, Santa Cruz. $20. 509-627-9491.
JAM BAND
LAMP
Guitarist Scott Metzger honed his skills playing with Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, one of the most acclaimed Grateful Dead cover bands in a sea of GD cover bands. He joined forces with drummer Russ Lawton and organist and clavinet player Ray Paczkowski, who had already bonded with musically during their time with Trey Anastasio Band as well as their own Soule Monde duo. The three discovered in each other a key to unlock a special kind of jam in the recording studio and on stage. Felton Music Hall lists the venue as standing room, but one assumes there’ll be space for some twirling as well. KLJ
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $30. 704-7113.
SUNDAY 10/12
SOUL
LET THE CAGED BIRD SING III
“The caged bird sings/with a fearful trill/of things unknown/but longed for still.” These immortal words from the late Maya Angelou made her a household name overnight. Her story of resilience, strength and autonomy in the face of racist oppression is one that seems to be needed now more than ever. This weekend Kuumbwa Jazz presents the third annual Let The Caged Bird Sing concert, bringing together the talents of local singers from The Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative like Gina René, Anthony Jones, and teen sensation Jocelyn Reyes. Backed by Nextie Musician of the Year Mak Nova and band, this intimate performance of covers and originals showcases the collective healing of art for Domestic Violence Awareness month. MW
INFO: 5pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Center St., Santa Cruz, $50/adv, $60/door. 427-2227.
TUESDAY 10/14
HIP HOP
SHORELINE MAFIA
Shoreline Mafia captures Los Angeles’ street culture with bars and beats. Debuting as a quartet, the four began rising to popularity in the late 2010s with honest and passionate rhymes. In 2018, they were signed to Atlantic Records and released their Billboard-charting Party Pack Vol. 2 in 2019. Soon after their studio debut, Mafia Bidness, made the US Top 30, the group disbanded, but OhGeesy and Fenix Flexin’ would reunite as a duo. The two first connected tagging and skating around LA, and after Shoreline Mafia’s hiatus, they picked up right where they left off. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 7pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $59-$280. 713-5492.
WEDNESDAY 10/15
JAZZ
JEONG LIM YANG
Virtuoso and bassist Jeong Lim Yang leads the Zodiac Trio, featuring pianist Santiago Leibson and drummer Mark Feber, in a performance melding together precision and spontaneity. The evening will showcase Yang’s latest record, Zodiac Suite: Reassured, a reimagining of Mary Lou Williams’ 1945 album Zodiac Suite. Yang’s lyrical and melodic approach to the bass mixes avant-garde jazz and chamber music to create something wholly her own. Poised and percussive, the trio will orbit the zodiac from Aries to Pisces, exploring each sign through improvisational interplay. Yang’s compositional leadership honors William’s visionary spirit while transforming the composition into a unique contemporary piece. SN
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $29-$32. 427-2227.
LITERARY
FESTIVAL OF MONSTERS
It’s that time of year again. The air is crisp. The veil between realms is thinner. And the Festival of Monsters is back with a full lineup of creepies, crawlies, and things that go bump in the night. This year, it kicks off with a free-to-the-public lecture at the MAH with keynote speaker David Livingston Smith, author of Making Monsters: The Uncanny Power of Dehumanization. There are three more public events—a writer’s panel at Bookshop Santa Cruz, an artist signing at Atlantis Fantasy World, and game play at GAME Santa Cruz, all held on Saturday, Oct. 18. MW
INFO: 5:30pm Santa Cruz MAH, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. Free. 429-1964.
