This town is filled with struggling musicians. Throw a quarter and they pop out of the woodwork like pigeons chasing bread. (I’m not being mean—I am one.)

But one band has found a way to make it big, playing great music here for 40 years.

How did the Banana Slugs do it? Our writer, DNA, talked to them to find out the how, why and wherefore. There’s a lesson here for all of us trying to live on the arts.

One thing they did right was playing educational music for kids. There’s virtually no one who has been in school for the past 40 years who hasn’t seen them play entertaining and educational music. They were so smart to fill that niche. But they also have the real chops to play other music.

“The Banana Slug String Band integrates as much kinetic movement—craft theatre, glimmering costumes, endearing puppets, interactive sing-along—as possible into their performance,” our writer DNA says in his cover story. “Truly flooding the zone. At every show, it’s no time at all before the audience is spontaneously adding their own flourish and dance.”

One of their side projects, featuring Larry Graf, is called Painted Mandolin, which is one of the best Grateful Dead and Phish cover bands anywhere. They also play great originals.

Meanwhile, they have a 40-year legacy in this town, where so many musicians have to work day jobs to get by. We congratulate them. Also, the Grateful Dead and Dead and Co’s photographer, Jay Blakesberg, took the photos for this issue. That would make it a keepsake for everyone!

In other news, the Crêpe Place is getting a new face and body. We have a great story by Richard Stockton on one of Santa Cruz’s finest food and music emporiums.

In the not so great news department, we are watching as federal cuts start hitting closer to home. The CEO of the Second Harvest Food Bank seems optimistic about the county’s efforts to keep the food flowing despite massive cuts. Isabella Blevins covers it in our news section.

On the fun side, our Street Talk column asks what words you dislike or like. We could do a whole issue on that one.

And for a spiritual refresh, check out our article on SoulCare studios. You’ve worked on everything else, now there’s a place to check in on the big one—your soul.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

PARK AT DARK  This is the covered bridge in Paradise Park. Photograph by Larry Campbell

GOOD IDEA

The Central Coast is poised to become a hub for advanced aviation and aerospace innovation, driving economic growth and high-wage job creation. The roadmap to fully realize that vision will be the focus of a panel discussion at the upcoming Lift Summit, March 26–28 at the Monterey Conference Center. In an exploration of how regional collaboration, policy initiatives and infrastructure development are shaping California’s aerospace future, their discussion will delve into strategies to expand industry opportunities, attract investment, and develop a skilled workforce to meet the needs of this evolving sector. Info: mbdart.org

GOOD WORK

After a 60-year career, the Grateful Dead is now the topic of a Stanford University course, available live online and taught by noted Dead expert David Gans from April 8 to May 13. The course has special guests who have played with and studied the band. “My approach to teaching—which, by the way, is very new to this college dropout—is to focus on the experience of making and consuming the music. We listen to music in the class and we talk about how it’s made. I often share bits of interviews from my archive,” says Gans. For more information, check an interview in Goodtimes.sc. To register, search Stanford and Gans.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Art is a lie that makes us realize truth.” —Pablo Picasso