THURSDAY 8/21
GARAGE ROCK
THE DARTS
Drawing comparisons to garage rock legends like The Cramps and Pacific Northwest pioneers The Sonics, all-female Seattle quartet The Darts serve up raw power, a sound rooted in gritty psychedelia, punk and proto-punk.Organist Nicole Laurenne and bassist Christina Nunez launched the group in 2016. The current lineup also features guitarist Meliza Jackson and Mary Rose Gonzales on drums. The band’s wild shows center on original songs exploring empowerment, revenge, lust, and rebellion—in other words, the good stuff. The band’s latest release is the raucous Nightmare Queens. Like-minded San Francisco garage rockers Hot Laundry open the show. BILL KOPP
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $18. 479-1854.
AMERICANA
DALLAS BURROW
Texas-based singer-songwriter Dallas Burrow is part of the musical storytelling tradition. His music draws from outlaw country and folk, and explores resonant themes like struggle, redemption, self-discovery, growth and the musician’s life on the road. He makes a point at each and every show of sharing a personal anecdote about his father. Burrow’s approach is informed by troubadours such as Kris Kristofferson and Townes Van Zandt. A gifted and prolific writer, Burrow has released four albums and four EPs to date. His latest release, Read ’Em and Weep, is a collaborative single with Ray Wylie Hubbard. BK
INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $25/adv, $35/door. 477-1341.
Eliza Gilkyson with Nina Gerber
She’s a luminary of the luminous Austin music scene, but singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson’s renown extends to the rest of the nation. Her songs have been covered by the likes of Joan Baez and Bob Geldof, and her activist streak can be seen in her new album, Dark Ages, which pulls no punches in commenting on the current efforts of a sitting president to dismantle our Constitution. Adding to the musicality of the evening, prominent folk guitarist Nina Gerber will provide accompaniment. SHARAN STREET
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $35/$45. 427-2227.
EXPERIMENTAL
ROBOPOCALYPSE
Puppeteers for Fears return with “Robopocalypse: The Musical!” a two-hour, R-rated cyberpunk puppet odyssey about the rise of artificial intelligence and the plucky teen hacker who accidentally started it all. Set in a neon-drenched near future, the show follows Jolie Daniels (screen name: Ha.G.) as she battles sentient appliances, rogue algorithms, and her own garage-built bot in a synth-scored quest to save the world. Fresh off a national tour, the Oregon-based troupe behind “Cthulhu: The Musical!” levels up with 13 new songs, an all-puppet cast, a Hype Bot Chorus, and plenty of analog weirdness. SONYA BENNETT-BRANDT
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $22. 704-7113.
FRIDAY 8/22
FOLK
VETIVER
Vetiver is the pet project of folk singer, songwriter and guitar strummer Andy Cabic and his merry crew of favorite producers and collaborators. This Friday, Vetiver will commandeer the Garden Stage at Crepe Place to celebrate their latest collection of songs, Up On High. With multiple guitars being strummed, and choruses that invite singing along this is the kind of folk music that lets audience members forget about the fast-moving world outside, and breathe awhile. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $22-$26. 429-6994
ROCK/SOUL
THE BUDOS BAND
The nine-piece Budos band blend Ethiopian-inspired rhythms, 1970s psychedelia and proto-metal, creating a style entirely their own. While blazing horns, driving bass lines and mesmerizing rhythms make up the band’s distinctive musical language, they embrace an approach to traditional music that they describe as “wrong.” After more than two decades of playing together, the Budos are back on the road with their first album in five years, VII. This new album comes with freewheeling confidence, punchy horns, fuzzy guitar and glimmers of electric organ. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8:30pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $35-$43. 713-5492
SATURDAY 8/23
JAZZ
DJANGATOS
This skillful swing trio breathes new life into legend Django Reinhardt’s hot club music. Featuring Robert Witmeyer, named “KFOX Best Guitarist in the Bay Area,” leading on guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals and luthier Ron La France holding it down on rhythm guitar. Djangatos combine swinging rhythms, intricate guitar and walking bass to create and preserve the “Jazz Manouche” sound. In the tradition of “Gypsy Jazz,” the musicians play without a drummer, with unique strumming styles driving percussion. A toe-tapping set is to be expected as the band celebrates the release of their debut album, Roulette. SN
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $33/adv, $43/door. 427-2227
SPOKEN WORD
STORYTELLING 2025
In this age of computer-generated images, and film budgets soaring into the hundreds of millions of dollars, a persona can still walk out on stage and with nothing more than their voice, share stories of their true (or true enough) experiences and captivate an audience, bringing roaring laughs, tears, and gasps. It’s the oldest art form and its popularity endures with storytelling shows packing theatres, and being shared on public radio as well. Brad Roades directs “NextStage Presents Storytelling 2025” featuring two different casts to give audiences a different show both nights. Performance on Saturday and Sunday. KLJ
INFO: 7pm, SC Actors Theatre, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz, $15. 431-8666.
WEDNESDAY 8/27
ROCK
NORTH BY NORTH
As a genre, power pop doesn’t get enough respect. Either it’s written off as “too bubblegum” or mildly thought about for a whole two seconds before it’s forgotten when discussing favorite types of music. However, power pop has had an important foothold on the evolution of underground music, particularly punk and new wave. And with bands like Chicago’s North By North keeping it alive, there’s hope the catchy yet crunchy genre might get the respect it deserves in 2025. This week, get a dose of the melody with them at Crepe Place as they are joined by Santa Cruz’s own indie pop group Far West and Americana rockers, Eyes Like Lanterns. MW
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 429-6994.
