THURSDAY 5/29
ROCK
DETROIT COBRAS
Vocalist Rachel Nagy and rhythm guitarist Mary Ramirez kept hard-hitting Detroit rock alive with their fuzzy garage-rock covers of ’50s and ’60s rock and roll, earning respect from luminaries like rocker Jack White and super producer Don Was, who even sat in with them on bass for one gig. Sadly, Nagy died in 2022. This seemed like the end of the road for the Cobras, but at a celebration of life, Marcus Durant stepped to the mic and impressed Ramirez with the way he kicked out the jams. She felt he could do Nagy’s memory justice. So far, so good. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 9pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz. $20. 429-6994
TROPA MAGICA
Tropa Magica brings a high-energy, danceable set that pulls together ’90s grunge, southern psychedelic synth and ’60s cumbia guitar. The band members grew up listening to traditional Latin music, which informs their unique sound. But they find ways to keep experimenting, like weaving in orchestral sounds—think Hans Zimmer—and play it in a rock ’n’ roll vibe. While they have received criticism for not sticking to a traditional cumbia sound, Tropa Magica knows how to make magic happen, creating something that feels quintessentially them. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $26/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.
FRIDAY 5/30
DANCE/ELECTRONIC
SOOHAN
Getting his start DJing house parties up and down the East Coast, Stephen Suchan (aka Soohan) has grown to be a globally recognized performer, these days appearing at top-tier festivals like Envision, Lightning in a Bottle and Burning Man. Soohan takes listeners on a journey with a musical blend that spans cultures and timelines, holding everything together with 808s and upbeat basslines. Soohan’s specialty is Baltimore Club, but in the spirit of bringing everyone together and creating a community dance floor experience, he often mixes in electro bangers, dubstep, juke, and dancehall. SN
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $20-$25. 704-7113.
ART
THREADS OF LOVE
This is the 50th anniversary of Santa Cruz Pride, and the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History celebrates the continuous commitment to justice, mutual support and well-being with the new art exhibition Threads of Love. The idea started when local high schoolers wanted to see the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The quilt acts as a centerpiece to the exhibit, a celebration of the Santa Cruz queer community’s past, present and future. Along with the quilt, art made by local students and community members will be featured. Visitors are invited to learn and continue to combat stigma around HIV/AIDS. The exhibit goes until June 29. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: Noon, Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St, Santa Cruz. 429-1964.
COUNTRY
ERIC PASLAY
Eric Paslay is a country singer-songwriter known for penning deceptively simple, relatable lyrics. Abilene, Texas-born Paslay signed a record deal in 2011; by 2014, he had scored his first hit, “Friday Night” (#5 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart). The song was included on his self-titled debut album, which would spawn two more well-received singles. Notably among his Nashville peers, Paslay writes his own material and has provided songs for many other big-named artists, including Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Amy Grant and Lady Antebellum (who recorded “Friday Night” before he did). Paslay’s most recent release is the 2023 EP Perfect Stranger. BILL KOPP
INFO: 8pm, Chaminade Resort & Spa, One Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz. $65. 475-5600.
SATURDAY 5/31
PUNK
MOTHFEST
When local musician Dan Lamothe tragically died two years ago while training for the fire department, his friends and family wanted to do something to honor his memory. Thus, Mothfest was born. Last year, they brought West Virginian horror punk band Blitzkid to Santa Cruz for the first time in nearly a decade. Now, Mothfest has done it again with Mad Marge and the Stonecutters. Originally formed in 2004 and disbanded in 2015, Mad Marge was an infamous psychobilly band that Lamothe loved. Joining them for the Second Annual Mothfest are local Latin punk trio Fulminante, country folk punks Diggin’ Trails, and horror punks Dark Ride, featuring Lamothe’s ex-Stellar Corpses’ bandmate, Emilio Menze. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20door. 479-1854.
THEATER
SNAPSHOTS
Voice teacher, actor and conductor Alice Christine Hughes started as a child actor. She spent a lifetime in musical theatre, eventually serving for 20 years as the Visual and Performing Arts chair and director of Choral Music at Pacific Collegiate School. In Snapshots, an original one-woman play, Hughes is accompanied by pianist Kylan deGhetaldi as she makes use of songs selected from classic musical plays alongside poetry written by her mother to tell a woman’s life story. KLJ
INFO: 7:30pm, The Landing, 251B Kings Village Rd, Scotts Valley. $25. 566-9411.
SUNDAY 6/1
PUNK
FOGLINE
This year, Santa Cruz will be celebrating its 50th anniversary as one of the country’s longest-running Pride marches and parties with its annual parade, street performances, dances, movie screenings and more. This Sunday, Streetlight Records will host a free show with local punk act Fogline to keep the celebration going. While still new to the scene, this woman-fronted quartet released a four-song demo late last year, and if it’s an indication of where they are going, we hope to see plenty more of them in the near future. Perfect for fans of Bikini Kill, Fugazi and Bratmobile. MW
INFO: 3pm, Streetlight Records, 939 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 421-9200.
MONDAY 6/2
JAZZ
MONTY ALEXANDER
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, pianist Monty Alexander is an acclaimed jazz musician. After relocating to New York City in the early ’60s, Alexander gained fame working with Frank Sinatra, Milt Jackson and Ray Brown. Today, he boasts a catalog of more than 75 albums, showcasing his synthesis of bebop and blues-flavored jazz with a Caribbean flavor. Among his most notable releases are his 1970s albums for the venerable MPS label. Alexander typically works within a trio but has also made forays into larger-format ensembles. His 2024 album D-Day commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings that turned the tide of World War II. BK
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $52. 427-2227.
