Thursday | 6/3

DAVE HOLLAND QUINTET

One of the most venerated jazz musicians ever to set forth from British soil, Dave Holland is a monster on the bass with a half-century of know-how. Raised in and out of London's famous jazz haunt, Ronnie Scott's, Holland found his niche in the late '60s under the wing of Miles Davis himself. After that, he worked the rounds—Chick Corea, Stan Getz, Anthony Braxton, Kenny Wheeler—but by the 1980s, Holland wasn't joining bands, he was leading them. His current quintet features Chris Potter on saxophones, Robin Eubanks on trombone, Steve Nelson playing vibes and marimba and drummer Billy Kilson—as polished a set as any on the road today. Kuumbwa; $25 adv/$28 door (half-price for student night); 9pm. (Curtis Cartier)

Friday | 6/4

CITAY

Considered apart from its cultural baggage, much of contemporary indie rock is basically '70s classic rock tarted up in American Apparel. The members of Citay proudly wear their '70s influences on their sleeves, turning out melodic rock that could sit comfortably between ELO and Styx on a '70s AM station. The results might be derivative if not for Citay's secret weapon, guitarist Tim Green. Formerly of the Fucking Champs, Green is as close to a shredding guitar-god as indie rock will allow, and his guitar duels with fellow axman Ezra Feinberg raise Citay's music from pleasant tribute to a vital concern. Crepe Place; $8; 9pm (Paul M. Davis)

DIRTY PENNY

A frizzy patchwork wig of hair metal influences, Santa Cruz quartet Dirty Penny pumps out the same mascara-enhanced sleaze rock that ran through the streets of L.A.'s Sunset Strip in the '80s. Frontman Binge Daniels is a leather-clad assault on the senses. Croaking out numbers like "Dead at 16" and "If I Were You, I'd Hate Me Too," he drives home the lock-up-your-daughters-and-hide-your-booze mentality that remains a crucial tenet of the rock & roll creed. The rest of the group isn't any subtler, making up whatever it lacks in original songcrafting skills with a combination of volume, distortion, tight pants and hair spray. Catalyst; $10 adv/$12 door; 9pm. (CC)

CROOKED STILL

With a voice that rivals Allison Krauss' in sweetness, singer Aoife O'Donovan puts the icing on the cake of this dynamic young quintet from Boston. Squeezing through the bars of tradition, Crooked Still mixes fiddle and banjo with the unlikely cello, blending orchestral arrangements with adroitly plucked banjo. Whether you call it "nu-folk" or "alternative bluegrass," this innovative band from the woody East is navigating fresh new musical territory. This tour follows the release of the band's fourth album, Some Strange Country, which combines original tracks with nuanced covers of traditional songs. Kuumbwa; $19 adv/$23 door, 7:30pm. (Maria Grusauskas)

Saturday | 6/5

SAGE FRANCIS

New England rapper Sage Francis has never been an ordinary hip-hop artist. Since the beginning of his career, he has dealt with topics that many other rappers wouldn't touch, making music that is poetic, introspective and deeply personal. He has also been an outspoken and aggressively political figure, especially in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Though Francis' attitude hasn't changed much, his latest album, Li(f)e, represents a departure from his previous work. It features such deliberately un-hip-hop elements as indie-rock instrumentation and music written by Yann Tiersen (composer of the Amélie soundtrack), among that of many other songwriters. Catalyst; $16 adv/$20 door; 9pm. (Sean Conwell)

THE INCITERS

Originally of Santa Cruz, this 11-piece soul band is bringing its show back home after touring and gaining a sizable audience throughout America and Europe. Inspired by rock, ska, the Stax sound and especially Northern Soul, that late '60s English take on Motown, the Inciters are a dance band through and through. With three female singers and one male vocalist, some very funky guitar playing, a heavy beat and of course a great big horn section, they have succeeded in bringing the sound of classic soul into the 21st century. Don Quixote's; $8; 9pm. (SC)

Sunday | 6/6

SNAIL

Snail is one of the most successful Santa Cruz bands you may have never heard of: formed in 1967, the band toured behind its sturdy blues-rock into the early '80s, earning a slot opening for then-rock-gods Styx in 1980. Alas, legal troubles arising from label difficulties sank the band before it had its big break and put the act into deep-freeze for decades. Despite a handful of reunion shows, nothing took hold until 2009, when lead singer and songwriter Bob O'Neill brought the original lineup back together. The trio may be older and craggier, but it suits the band's no-nonsense, Cream-inspired blues. Tonight's show follows Snail's Saturday afternoon performance at the Redwood Mountain Faire. Moe's Alley; $10 adv/ $12 door; 4pm. (PMD)

Monday | 6/7

DONNY MCCASLIN TRIO

The lot of child prodigies to burn out at an early age, but Donny McCaslin is an exception. The son of Santa Cruz jazz institution Don McCaslin, he played the Monterey Jazz Festival three times before he hit 18, which for many players would be a career pinnacle. Not for McCaslin, who has remained on an upward trajectory. Over the past two decades, McCaslin has played with some of the best in the business, such as the Gil Evans Orchestra. Now taking center stage, the saxophonist has revealed himself to be a stunning soloist and a promising composer, proving equally adept at both contemporary jazz and classical music. Kuumbwa; $20 adv/$23 door; 7pm. (PMD)

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