Thursday | 12/31

TRULIO DISGRACIAS AND MONKEY

It's hard to imagine a more fitting band to ring in the New Year than Trulio Disgracias: led by the incomparable Norwood Fisher of Fishbone and featuring a rotating cast of funk, rock, jazz and ska luminaries that includes members of P-Funk, it's certain to be a bacchanalian affair. The entire night is loaded with heavy hitters, including DJs spinning throughout the night in the Fireside Lounge, as well as opening act Monkey, San Jos–based traditional ska revivalists who are known to ska aficionados around the world but make it to Santa Cruz far too rarely. Brookdale Lodge; $25 advance/$30 door; 6pm. (Paul M. Davis)

THE DEVIL MAKES THREE

There has always been a little punk rock in bluegrass. Cheap whiskey, contempt for authority and don't-take-me-alive attitudes prove that the wandering cowboy and the train-hopping squatter punk share a kindred spirit. Santa Cruz's own The Devil Makes Three celebrates this union with foot-stomping rockabilly and country jams complete with a hearty helping of banjo, standup bass and plainspoken lyrical wit. With four albums under its belt since 2002, and the latest, Do No Right, garnering solid reviews around the country, DM3's New Year's Eve show will be a hometown victory lap for the boys and girl in black. Catalyst; $15 advance/$18 door; 9pm. (CC)

THE BONESHAKERS

Urban funk outfit the Boneshakers recorded two highly acclaimed albums in the '90s but quickly disintegrated following the release of 1997's Shake the Planet. The band's core duo, guitarist/songwriter Randy Jacobs and vocalist Sweet Pea Atkinson, went on to launch illustrious solo careers, but legions of Boneshakers fans were left bereft by the breakup. Happily, the Boneshakers are together once again, cooking up an infectious dish of old-school grooves and irresistible rhythms. For the fans' sake, let's hope this New Year's performance is a sign of shows to come. Moe's Alley; $18 advance/$20 door; 9pm. (Garrett Wheeler)

Friday | 1/1

CYRIL PAHINUI

Like father, like son—Cyril Pahinui has become known as one of the most prominent Hawaiian slack key players of our time, taking after his dad, the esteemed Gabby Pahinui. Granted, Cyril has had a few advantages over his peers, such as the opportunity to study at the feet of one of the form's most revered players. But he has carved his own path, subtly incorporating elements of rock & roll into his work. Though Pahinui has been known for decades in Hawaii, only in recent years has he devoted himself to a broader touring route, so this is a special treat for those of us don't share his tropical habitat. Don Quixote's; $14 advance/ $16 door; 8pm. (PMD)

Saturday | 1/2

THE JACKA

With catchy flows and ample backup, it's no wonder that Jacka has made such a splash in the Bay Area. Born in Jamaica, Jacka got his start in C-Bo's Mob Figaz, which released its first album in 1999. Since then, side projects and solo albums have kept Jacka busy as well as allowed him to polish his rhymes on money, fame, women and even Islam. Currently promoting his newest album, Tear Gas, Jacka is coming to the Catalyst with Traxamillion and Erk Tha Jerk. Oh, and don't worry, that's not a gat in his pocket, he's just happy to see you. Catalyst; $18 advance/$22 door; 8pm. (Brian Harker)

HOUSE OF FLOYD Pink Floyd cover bands may be a dime a dozen, but few of them give whole-hearted attention to both the musical and the visual facets of psych rock's most beloved act. The seven members of San Francisco's House of Floyd remedy this oversight by pairing their epic and precise performance with an ambitious stage show that includes deranged videos, laser lights and, most recently, a giant inflatable pig recalling the cover of the album Animals. The septet's act, through relentless touring, has become something of a legend in Northern California, and while we're not saying that someone should show up having consumed a mind-altering substance, we're not saying they shouldn't, either. Don Quixote's; $15; 8pm. (CC)

Wednesday | 1/6

TERRY BOZZIO

With roots stretching back to his glory days as drummer for Frank Zappa and Missing Persons, Terry Bozzio has remained a monster in the world of percussion, partly for his ridiculously large drum kits but mostly for his creative and syncopated rhythms and unorthodox time signatures. Onstage also are Allan Holdsworth, Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto, two of whom were catapulted into the limelight in the '70s as part of English classic rockers King Crimson. Fusing rock and jazz as only a veteran squad of superstars can, this is a top-notch act and a great start to the New Year for Kuumbwa. Kuumbwa; $28 advance/$31 door; 7 and 9pm. (CC)

LIBROS EN FUEGO

This local seven-piece freak jazz outfit manages to touch on everything from reggae, jazz and rock to funk, blues and even standup comedy. The concoction, though at times rather haphazard, still goes down smoothly and leaves the listener with a nodding head and a cocky smirk. Members of the ensemble fancy themselves as Zappa-esque—and the label sticks, at least in the way that Frank Zappa never wrote the same song twice. Whatever your feelings on Zappa, there's no denying that Libros en Fuego is one of Santa Cruz's most unique acts. Moe's Alley; $5 advance/ $8 door; 9pm. (CC)

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