Live music highlights for the week of June 20, 2018.
WEDNESDAY 6/20
LATIN-FUNK
BROWNOUT
When Public Enemy released Fear of a Black Planet in 1990, it was the perfect statement for the Reagan/Bush era of conservatism, racism and the “war on drugs.” Now in the Trump era, Austin Latin ensemble Brownout has appropriately released Fear of a Brown Planet. It’s a cover (of sorts) of Public Enemy’s classic record, but performed as an instrumental live funk band. It works as a subtle protest record, as there are no lyrics, just the knowledge as you listen that a group of Texas Latinos (formerly Grupo Fantasma) are kicking out some potent dance music that will remind you of one of the greatest protest albums ever created. AC
INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.
WEDNESDAY 6/20
HIP-HOP
RICH HOMIE QUAN
Rich Homie Quan has performed, collaborated and toured with a slew of who’s who in the hip-hop world, from newcomers like Young Thug and YG to established heavyweights like 2Chainz. Yet, a bad contract ensured Quan couldn’t release any new music between 2015 and 2017. But it was more than enough time for him to work on his debut full-length, Rich as in Spirit, which dropped this past March. MAT WEIR
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/door, $60/VIP. 429-4135.
WEDNESDAY 6/20
FUSION
JEREMY KITTEL TRIO
Years ago, I asked a classically trained musician friend what the difference between a fiddle and a violin was. His response was, “It’s all how you play it.” Jeremy Kittel is described as a renowned American fiddler and violinist, which implies that he’s comfortable with different styles, techniques and sounds. The one-time member of the Turtle Island Quartet, Kittel draws from jazz, Celtic, electronica, rock, traditional roots, classical and more. His collaborators include a diverse roster of artists from My Morning Jacket to Yo-Yo Ma, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn. For Kittel’s Santa Cruz appearance, he performs with mandolinist Josh Pinkham, who was dubbed “the future of the mandolin” by Mandolin Magazine, and guitarist Quinn Bachand. CJ
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $18/adv, $20/door. 479-9777.
FRIDAY 6/22
AMERICANA
HARMED BROTHERS
For the better part of a decade, the Harmed Brothers have been a huge part of the ever-evolving Northwest Americana sound: Part traditional folk, part laid-back hippie vibes, lots of sweet harmonies. Last year’s self-titled full-length saw the group expand in size and in its sound into a more layered indie-folk ensemble. The group remains as personal and heartfelt as ever, but gives the music a deeper musicality, more harmonies and intricate guitar work underlining these songs, which are American roots music at their core. They’ve added so much beauty to their music, it’s hard to put it down. AC
INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 429-6994.
FRIDAY 6/22
FOLK-ROCK
SHAWN COLVIN
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Shawn Colvin is “Riding Shotgun Down the Avalanche.” The song is one of those era-defining tunes for me that brings to mind a specific place and time—namely, riding around with my sister, singing our hearts out. It’s Colvin’s most well-known song, but if that’s all you know of the singer-songwriter, dig deeper. Colvin is a master songsmith who is fearless when it comes to sharing glimpses into her perspective and emotions. She also possesses a smart sense of humor and sarcasm that balances the hyper-personal nature of her lyrics. CJ
INFO: 8 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $32/gen, $47/gold. 423-8209.
SATURDAY 6/23
ROCK
PETTY THEFT
Tom Petty’s unexpected death last year sent a shockwave through the music and art community offset only by the decades of musical gems he left behind. While we no longer have the man, we can still celebrate his music with killer tribute bands like Petty Theft. Formed in San Francisco in 2003, they are the premiere Bay Area group for everything Petty related. Whether you want that last dance with Mary Jane or you’re running down a dream, this is the night to skip to the point, stand your ground and learn to fly. MW
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $22/door. 429-4135.
SATURDAY 6/23
POP/COUNTRY
MIRA GOTA
Way back when, the Osmonds introduced the idea of being “a little bit country, a little bit rock ’n’ roll.” The rock ’n’ roll part may have been a bit of an overreach for the sibling duo, but the phrase (and song) stuck in the pop archives. Singer-songwriter Mira Gota takes the country/rock angle and throws in pop sensibilities for good measure. Hailing from Northern California, Gota is now based in Nashville, where her fun and catchy sound fits nicely into the Music City scene. If radio-friendly pop/country is your thing, put Gota on your radar. CJ
INFO: 8 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15/adv, $18/door. 335-2800.
SUNDAY 6/24
JAZZ-FUNK
FAREED HAQUE & HIS FUNK BROS
There aren’t a lot of true guitar legends among us now. Fareed Haque’s style is informed by jazz, Latin, and classic guitar, and while he isn’t as flashy as the dudes that normally wear the “guitar god” emblem, his work is at least as if not more impressive. He played with Sting for a while and then formed Garaj Mahal, a jazz-fusion jam band. His new band he’s bringing to town, Fareed Haque & His Funk Brothers, is still a project of diverse influences and impressive fusion elements. Not to worry funk lovers, there is plenty of that too in this mix of musical mastery. AC
INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.
MONDAY 6/25
JAZZ
ERIC REVIS
If Kuumbwa’s chairs came equipped with seatbelts, this concert would start with a reminder to buckle up. Eric Revis has held down the bass chair in Branford Marsalis’s trio and quartet for some two decades, but he’s always maintained a separate musical identity on jazz’s wild and wooly experimental edge. Now he’s touring with a quartet bristling with musical explorers who are prolific bandleaders themselves. Saxophonist and MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Ken Vandermark has been at the center of the Windy City’s improv scene for 30 years, and Philly drummer Chad Taylor came up in Chicago, where he made a name for himself playing with AACM giants like saxophonist Fred Anderson and bassist Malachi Favors. Rounding out the quartet is pianist Kris Davis, a thoughtful and immensely resourceful improviser whose 2016 album Duopoly features her duo encounters with a succession of masters, including Bill Frisell, Craig Taborn, Tim Berne, Don Byron, Julian Lage, and Angelica Sanchez. ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $26.25/adv, $31.50/door. 427-2227.
IN THE QUEUE
ANTSY MCCLAIN & THE TRAILER PARK TROUBADOURS
Master storyteller/songwriter and his band. Thursday at Flynn’s Cabaret
ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY
Guitar-driven smooth jazz. Friday at Kuumbwa
DONAVON FRANKENREITER
Singer/songwriter/surfer out of Southern California. Friday at Catalyst
KATDELIC
Funk outfit led by Ronkat Spearman from P-Funk. Saturday at Moe’s Alley
HIGHLAND EYEWAY
Vancouver-based psych/garage rock band. Sunday at Crepe Place
