Live music highlights for the week of June 27, 2018.
WEDNESDAY 6/27
AMERICANA
AMANDA PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS
Hailing from Asheville, North Carolina, the Honeycutters have been accused of making their hometown a new roots music hotspot. Led by frontwoman and vocalist Amanda Platt, the band takes all of the ingredients of rocking Americana—country, rock, folk, blues—and whips them up into swinging, emotionally charged songs about death, loneliness, loss, and, as one reviewer put it, “getting the shit kicked out of you by love.” An artful storyteller making her mark on the international roots scene, Platt is one of the underexposed stars of the genre. CJ
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michael’s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.
THURSDAY 6/28
REGGAE
NATTALI RIZE
Musician, producer and political activist Nattali Rize got her start as a street percussionist in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia in the early-aughts. She has since built an international reputation for incorporating spirituality, politics and a global awareness into her high-energy, reggae-infused music. Touring the debut album with her current band, Rize hits Moe’s this Thursday. Also on the bill: Jamaican-born artist Kelissa. CJ
INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 479-1854.
FRIDAY 6/29
JAZZ
CHRISTIAN McBRIDE’S NEW JAWN
It’s a miracle that bassist extraordinaire Christian McBride still finds time to tour, given his commitments as an educator, broadcaster, and artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival. Looking for a new musical challenge after his trio had run its course at the end of 2015, he assembled New Jawn, a pianoless quartet featuring the thrilling tandem horns of spitfire trumpeter Josh Evans and passionately heady saxophonist Marcus Strickland. Joining McBride in the roiling rhythm section is longtime friend but first-time bandmate Nasheet Waits, a mesmerizing trap set artist best known as a founding member of pianist Jason Moran’s Bandwagon. ANDREW GILBERT
INFO: 7 and 9 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $31-$42. 427-2227.
FRIDAY 6/29
NORTEÑO
LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE
One of the best, most respected Norteño bands of all time is from right over the hill in San Jose. I’m talking about Los Tigres Del Norte. The group was started by Jorge Hernandez and some of his brothers and cousins after immigrating to San Jose in the late ’60s. They started scoring hits in Mexico and the U.S. in the ’70s and have been a key group in modernizing the genre, mixing it with cumbia, conjunto and bolero. AC
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $67.50-$94.50. 429-4135.
SATURDAY 6/30
PUNK
DWARVES
For a genre birthed in controversy, today’s punk doesn’t have many bands as controversial as the Dwarves. Then again, they’ve also had 30 years of practice. This year, they released their 13th full-length album, Take Back The Night, showing they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Or maybe behind guitarist’s HeWhoCannotBeNamed’s mask, since he doesn’t wear anything else when he performs. Yes, you read that correctly. So believe us when we say this is one show that will be hard to forget. MAT WEIR
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 429-4135.
SATURDAY 6/30
FOLK-ROCK
ANI DIFRANCO
Ani DiFranco was ahead of her time. Way back in 1990, the fiercely independent singer-songwriter launched her own record label, Righteous Babe, to release album after album of songs that challenged gender norms, brought conversations around bisexuality into the mainstream, drew attention to the impact of outsourcing and war on local communities, and more. In doing so, she became one of the unofficial spokespeople of her generation. With 20 albums now under her DIY belt, DiFranco remains an innovative artist and activist hell-bent on positive social change. CJ
INFO: 8 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $42. 423-8209.
SATURDAY 6/30
INDIE
QUINTRON + MISS PUSSYCAT
Quintron is a one-man-band in the vein of Devo playing surf-rock while taking acid. Miss Pussycat is a performance artist and demented puppeteer. The twosome basically shares the stage all the time and provides a show of weird music accompanied by weird performance/visuals. The show has everything: homemade instruments, puppets, oddball props, catchy yet creepy pop songs to get you on the dance floor. Oddly enough, it’s not two separate acts going on. It’s commingled nicely, and Miss Pussycat also provides vocals and percussion. A lot of insanity for just two people. AC
INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 429-6994.
SUNDAY 7/1
BLUES
ELECTRIC FLAG
Although the original lineup only lasted for about a year, Electric Flag left a major impact on music. Not only did they write the insanely psychedelic soundtrack to the 1967 Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson and Roger Corman film The Trip, they played the legendary Monterey Pop Festival. This year, three of the original members—Barry Goldberg, Nick Gravenites and Harvey Mandel—reunite for the 50th anniversary of the band. This rare performance is a must for any blues or classic rock fan, just don’t forget it’s an afternoon show. MW
INFO: 4 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.
MONDAY 7/2
ALT-COUNTRY
RENEE WAHL
If you ever take a trip to Nashville and want to see some live country music, you need to ask yourself whether you want East or West Nashville. If you choose East Nashville, i.e., the rawer “alternative” country that resembles classic country more than pop, you’re likely to catch budding star Renee Wahl and her group Sworn Secrets. Her music has just the right amount of twang, blue collar struggle and heart-on-the-sleeve emotional outpouring. She even served on the U.S. Air Force at one point, so you know she takes her country music seriously. AC
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Flynn’s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15. 335-2800.
IN THE QUEUE
ANDRE THIERRY
Bay Area zydeco favorite. Wednesday at Flynn’s Cabaret
$TEVEN CANNON
Los Angeles-based rapper. Thursday at Catalyst
TO LEONARD WITH LOVE
Tribute to Leonard Cohen. Thursday at Michael’s on Main
LUME
Post-hardcore trio out of Chicago. Thursday at Crepe Place
B-SIDE PLAYERS
“Afro-Latin-Reggae-Cumbia-Funk.” Saturday at Moe’s Alley
