THURSDAY 3/13
PUNK
BITCH
Dear Lord. It’s only been 52 days since the inauguration. Now, more than ever, the world needs punk rock, especially from the voices most affected by the barrage of policy changes. This Thursday is a chance to get a dose of no-bull, queer political feminism. Queer icon Bitch performs Moe’s Alley fresh from her Off-Broadway solo show Bitchcraft based on her 2022 album by the same name. Oakland queer collective Skip the Needle joins the party, celebrating their 11th year together and debuting their new EP, Wake Up Wake Up Wake Up. It’s a show sure to be as defiant as it is fun. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.
VICTIM’S FAMILY
Victim’s Family serves up a concoction of volatile punk and poignant (and often satirical) lyrics. Lead vocalist/guitarist Ralph Spight and bassist Larry Boothroyd have collaborated to create unique helter-skelter tempos and raw, jazzy rhythms for almost four decades. With roots in San Francisco’s underground punk scene, Victim’s Family continues experimenting with diverse sounds, refusing to be boxed in. The band’s most recent edition to their discography, In the Modern Meatspace, follows a 12-year hiatus but remains true to the signature blend of hardcore punk, jazz, funk and noise. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 9pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 429-6994.
FRIDAY 3/14
PERFORMANCE ART
BLAKE ANDREWS
Brooklyn-based game designer Blake Andrews presents an unconventional demo event, I Seem Agical, to showcase new apps and games. Andrews maintains an active presence in New York’s arcade and gallery scene and has published hundreds of web games. Part comedy performance and part interactive gaming, this live show features concepts including a downloadable phone gun, a device that claims to predict sexuality with perfect accuracy and a physical game involving a grand piano suspended by rope above other players. The event invites viewers to go beyond observing and become immersed in an exciting evening of haptic play. SN
INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. $16. 627-9491.
FESTIVAL
ALFRED HITCHCOCK FILM FESTIVAL
When Alfred Hitchcock moved to the US with his family, he settled in Scotts Valley. The local connection to Hitchcock has inspired an annual Alfred Hitchcock Film Festival, held in conjunction with Alfred Hitchcock Week and offering various screenings, panel discussions, talks and documentaries for both the casual viewer of Hitchcock’s work and the cinephiles. The event kicks off with his granddaughter, Tere Carrubba. Film screenings include The Wrong Man, The Lodger and television episodes directed by Hitchcock. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with other local fans of Alfred Hitchcock and local history. Runs March 14–16. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 6pm, Landing, 251B Kings Village Rd., Scotts Valley. $25-$110. 438-1000.
BURLESQUE
SALOONIVERSE
Audience members may think they’re playing Red Dead Redemption III—a super realistic, virtual reality version—but no, they’ve just stumbled across Dam Circus’s presentation of Salooniverse, where drag, burlesque and circus fun (minus the animal abuse) all coexist within a heavy ‘Old West’ vibe. Audiences are encouraged to wear their best Western duds for the complete immersive experience, and if their wardrobe is wanting, they need not fret; vendors are on hand. For those who’ve been before, four new characters and five new songs are promised as the wagon train returns to Santa Cruz, where some carefully selected local performers will join the show. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 6pm, 418 Project, 155 River St., Santa Cruz. $50-$82. 466-9770.
SATURDAY 3/15
ROCK
LUNCHBOX
For over 20 years, Oakland-based duo Tim Brown and Donna McKean have been making records based on ’70s radio pop, from bubblegum tunes to mod tracks. Their latest album, 2024’s Pop and Circumstance, continues to win the praise of indie critics with its post punk hooks and intoxicating riffs. Joining them are Bay Area trio the Neutrals and Oakland’s indie-pop band Artsick. The Slumberland Records showcase is presented by Santa Cruz boutique Redwood Records, who will also throw in a couple of their favorite DJs. Saturday promises to be a twisted trip down a psychedelic slide of pop. MW
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.
SLOW JOY
With his therapist’s advice, Esteban Flores started making music to process grief. After a pair of well-received singles using the Slow Joy moniker (2022’s “Crawling” and “Soft Slam”), Flores released the Wildflower EP. That release combines space rock, grunge, emo and shoegaze with a modern feel, juxtaposing melancholy and roaring guitar firepower. A second EP, 2023’s Mi Amigo Slow Joy, built on that creative success. Slow Joy is currently in the midst of an extensive US tour. Also on the bill are NVM (emo/screamo from Utah) and melodic hard rockers Chain. BILL KOPP
INFO: 6pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $19. 713-5492.
SUNDAY 3/16
AUTHOR EVENT
RICK STEVES
Rick Steves has found a way to make ‘Explorer’ a workable career choice in this era rather than merely a Halloween costume, and he’s been at it since the ’70s, when he, at the tender age of 23, followed the famed “Hippie Trail” from Istanbul to Kathmandu. Did he find enlightenment, adventure, himself? In his latest book, On the Hippie Trail, Steves looks back on his diary and photos from almost half a century ago and shares the tales from this formative time before he became a popular travel writer specializing in making exploring Europe accessible for the average American. KLJ
INFO: 4pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $40. 423-8209.
MONDAY 3/17
JAZZ
SULLIVAN FORTNER TRIO
Two-time Grammy-winning pianist Sullivan Fortner landed his first major musical role as a Stefon Harris band member. The New Orleans-born musician went on to play with Roy Hargrove’s quintet from 2010 to 2017. In 2015, he won the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz. Fortner began releasing albums under his name that same year, and 2023’s Southern Nights is his latest. The Sullivan Fortner Trio, featuring upright bassist Tyrone Allen and drummer Kayvon Gordon, won the prestigious DownBeat Critics Poll for Rising Star Jazz Group in 2024. BK
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $47. 427-2227.
