THURSDAY 5/2
ROCK
CHARLES MOOTHART
Charles Moothart launched his career collaborating with fellow early-aughts Laguna Beach garage-psych legends Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin. When he’s not playing drums in Segall’s backing band or working on the pair’s hard rock project Fuzz, Moothart can be found recording his own songs with the Fast Band. Far Out Magazine writes, “Being sweet, harsh, and more than a little bit zany in places, Moothart’s latest shows promising signs that he may be able to go toe-to-toe with Segall in the next few years.” ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $16/adv, $20/door. 429-6994.
FRIDAY 5/3
EXHIBIT
ANN ALTSTATT: WHY IS THERE SOMETHING INSTEAD OF NOTHING?
Sometimes, it’s not clear when something is lacking. Sometimes, something is only understood through how it affects another thing or someone else. Taking a moment to explore something or someplace from different angles and different perspectives can reveal new details or new understandings of it. Not everything can be directly and fully known immediately and through one angle. Inspired by dark matter and “things that cannot be fully known,” Ann Altstatt explores temporary and hidden stories in their latest exhibition. Specifically, they look at the intersection of scientific inquiry and mysticism to find new ways to understand the material world and find new meanings and stories. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 5pm, Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. Free.
SATURDAY 5/4
AMERICANA
GRAHAME LESH & FRIENDS
Grahame Lesh, the son of Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, is Northern California royalty. The musician carries his father’s legacy as the vocalist and guitarist for multiple country-rock projects, including the Terrapin Family Band and Midnight North. The latter band’s latest offering, Diamonds in the Zodiac, features soulful arrangements, optimistic reflections and some highly respected collaborators. Phil Lesh appears on bass for the lead single “The Colors Here,” while producer Amy Helm, the daughter of drummer Levon Helm, provides vocals. Also memorable is the album’s centerpiece, a contemplative ballad called “Jupiter” set to lyrics Robert Hunter wrote. AM
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $22/adv, $27/door. 704-7113.
FAMILY
KIDS DAY
Downtown Santa Cruz brings in free family fun and education from noon to 4pm. Schools, after school activities, camps, artists, face painters and performers ring the area from Abbott Square and along Pacific Avenue. It’s a day for kids to strut their stuff. There are kid DJ’s, dancers, musicians, artists and actors taking center stage in an event that draws thousands of families. It’s also a chance for exhibitors to show what they offer for kids year round. The event has grown over the years and this year’s should be the most popular ever. Downtown businesses join in the celebration with special discounts for the day.
INFO: noon to 4pm. Free. Exhibitors will be lined up on Cooper Street and Pacific Ave (between Church St. & Locust St.)
AFRO-BRAZILIAN
SAMBADÁ
Brazilian-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Papiba Godinho has a long history of touring internationally and teaching capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art and game that includes dance, acrobatics, music and spiritual elements. He’s the founder and director of a local Raízes do Brasil Capoeira School and has led the band SambaDá since 1998. The group’s lead singer, Dandha Da Hora, is a master dancer, vocalist and percussionist. Born and raised in Salvador, Bahia, Da Hora has been a member of Ilê Aiyê, one of Brazil’s leading musical and cultural institutions, since she was six. The septet has developed an infectious blend of samba, reggae and funk. Though the group plays locally frequently, this is a unique and special Capoeira performance you won’t get at a typical SambaDá show. DAN EMERSON
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.
MONDAY 5/6
AUTHOR EVENT
DAVID SEDARIS
Mark Twain said, “Laughter without a tinge of philosophy is but a sneeze of humor. Genuine humor is replete with wisdom.” Today, one only needs to look at the work of David Sedaris to see how that truth cuts through time. Author, humorist, lecturer and stylish dresser, Sedaris can be described as the modern Mark Twain. His books, short stories and column musings deliver hard truths about being a person in a world of Covid, MAGA and people who use the word “awesome” too much. Make sure to bring a favorite Sedaris book (or buy a copy of his latest at the event), as he’s known for staying after shows, sometimes for hours, signing and drawing personal messages for fans. MAT WEIR
INFO: 7:30pm, Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., Santa Cruz. $30.50-$61.50. 420-5240.
JAZZ
JEFF HAMILTON ORGAN TRIO
A former protege of the late Mel Lewis, jazz drummer Jeff Hamilton has developed a reputation as a player who is a masterful accompanist while maintaining a distinctive style. Among his most high-profile gigs have been stints with singer Diana Krall, big bandleader Woody Herman, singer Rosemary Clooney and pianist Monty Alexander. He is also coleader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and a former member of the LA Four. Since 1992, Hamilton has recorded and released 16 albums as a bandleader. At Kuumbwa, Hamilton will be joined by organist Akiko Tsuruga and guitarist Steve Kovalcheck. DE
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $36.75/adv, $42/door. 427-2227.
WEDNESDAY 5/8
METAL
EXHUMED
The first thing to know about San Jose Deathgrind band Exhumed is that they are not for weak-stomached individuals. The second thing to know is they’re not for anyone without a bit of a twisted sense of humor. Anyone who meets the criteria will most likely love the absolute brutality that is Exhumed’s music and imagery. After all, not everyone can find solace in songs like “Dinnertime In The Morgue,” “Open The Abscess” and “Rapid Unplanned Disassembly,” but it’s guaranteed someone reading this is already looking up tickets. Exhumed’s 34-year onslaught has been defined by over-the-top gore and raging circle pits. This Wednesday, they launch an all-out assault at the Blue Lagoon with Skeletal Remains and Morbikon. MW
INFO: 7:30pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 423-7117.
COMEDY
COLIN QUINN
Long ago, in the days of yore, when television couldn’t be recorded without the proper VCR equipment, Saturday Night Live’s satirical news segment Weekend Updatehad but one host. His name was Colin Quinn, and he was wry, ironic . . . and maybe sometimes a little drunk? Quinn is a quintessential Irish New Yorker, with a thick Brooklyn accent and a self-deprecating bent to his humor. His ability to maintain a straight face while cracking big jokes is almost inhuman; the man even sat next to Will Ferrell in a wig and managed not to lose his cool, which makes Quinn even funnier. JI
INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $35-$45. 423-1854.
