THURSDAY 3/6
SOUL
JASON JOSHUA
Someone must be something special to have a nickname as cool as La Voz De Oro (The Golden Voice)—someone like Miami’s Jason Joshua. With Puerto Rico-born, Chicago-raised parents, the golden-voiced one grew up with diverse influences from which to spin his sweet takes on Latin soul, adding flavors of pop, funk and salsa. On his latest bilingual album, also called La Voz De Oro (because why wouldn’t it be?), Joshua plays multiple instruments and produces, lest anyone think he’s just another pretty voice. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.
FILM FESTIVAL
WATSONVILLE FILM FESTIVAL
The Watsonville Film Festival, back for its 13th year, continues to promote underrepresented voices in media, focusing on the Latine and Indigenous experience. See page 14 for more. Runs March 6–8. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: CineLux Green Valley Cinema, 1125 S. Green Valley Rd., Watsonville. $75/all access.
THEATER
EDGAR ALLAN POE SPEAKEASY
Drink in the chilling genius of Poe’s twisted tales along with icy dark potions in the historic Palomar Ballroom, made into a moody speakeasy to celebrate four classic stories—“The Telltale Heart,” “The Black Cat,” “The Raven” and “The Masque of the Red Death.” Admission includes four crafted cocktails: Pale Blue Eye, Edgar’s Twisted Brandy Milk Punch, The Nevermore and The Red Death. Additional shows on Friday and Saturday. JOHN KOENIG
INFO: 10pm, Palomar Ballroom, 1344 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $48-$55 at feverup.com. 426-1221.
FRIDAY 3/7
PUNK
THE EXPLOITED
Few punk musicians have lived the life and are still around to talk about it at 67 years old. But Wattie Buchan—the mohawked lead singer for Scottish punk legends the Exploited—isn’t an average human. Despite his brother Terry as the band’s original founding singer, Wattie soon took over and made a name for the band during the second wave of British punk with tracks like “Fuck the Mods,” “Exploited Barmy Army” and “I Believe in Anarchy.” Their debut album, Punks Not Dead, continues to be a trusted building block in any punk’s musical evolution. And thankfully, Wattie is still pressing on with the boys for future generations of growing punk youth. MAT WEIR
INFO: 8pm, Vets Hall, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. $29/adv, $36/door. 454-0478.
DRUM ’N’ BASS
THE GARDEN
Combining jungle and drum ’n’ bass, Southern California twins Wyatt and Fletcher Shears are the Garden. While their painted-face aesthetic might suggest KISS (or Insane Clown Posse), the duo makes music that owes a stylistic debt to more adventurous styles. The Garden’s debut album, 2013’s The Life and Times of A Paperclip, is as much a punk album as anything else. The duo’s speedy tunes showcase a sound that’s all their own. Their devil-may-care attitude shines through even in album titles like Kiss My Super Bowl Ring (2020) and 2022’s Horseshit on Route 66. Iceage opens. BILL KOPP
INFO: 9pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $48. 713-5492.
SATURDAY 3/8
BLUES
DISCRETION BREWERY 12TH ANNIVERSARY
Important things come in packs of 12. Eggs are purchased by the dozen. A trial needs 12 jurors. And let’s not forget the most important thing to come in packs of 12: beer! If anyone needs more reason to drink beer, Discretion Brewery’s 12th Anniversary Party is just the occasion. Come rain or shine; they’ll have the Back Porch Boys playing, followed by the Marin County Breakdown, a family band that plays traditional bluegrass, jazz and rock. Kick back with their 2025 Anniversary West Coast Pils or a Submarine Canyon (Meyer lemon and sea salt IPA) in a celebratory pint glass that can also be purchased. Top it off with some catered food from Sugo and a game of cornhole for a right proper party. MW
INFO: Noon, Discretion Brewery, 2703 41st Ave. Ste. A, Soquel. Free. 316-0662.
OUTSIDER FOLK
DAN AND PEGGY REEDER
The father-daughter team of Dan and Peggy Reeder are wonderfully quirky. Born in Louisiana and raised in California, Reed Senior resides in Nuremberg, Germany. After an absence of 15 years, he’s back stateside touring with his visual art and music played on homemade instruments like steel-string guitars, banjos and PVC trombones. He was signed by Oh Boy Records when label founder John Prine himself first discovered his demo in the early aughts. Reeder is one of a kind, following his own whims, and he currently feels like harmonizing with his daughter and sharing joy with others. KLJ
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton, $35. 704-7113.
THEATER
THE PANZA MONOLOGUES
The Barnstorm Theatre is bringing The Panza Monologues to life. Originally written and compiled in 2004 by Virginia Grise and Irma Mayorga, Maddie Farias directs this collection of stories of women and their panzas, “[the] roll of belly we all try to hide!” In line with Barnstorm’s mission to integrate different political, social, cultural and academic perspectives through the theatrical process, the show highlights Chicana thought and reflects on how the panza offers insight into a range of topics. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 7:30pm, B100 Studio Theater, 453 Kerr Rd., Santa Cruz. $0-$20. 459-2974.
MONDAY 3/10
JAZZ
BRANFORD MARSALIS
Three-time Grammy winner Branford Marsalis is a saxophonist, band leader, Broadway composer, classical soloist and a giant in 21st-century jazz. One of his recent and high-profile projects was scoring for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Amid his myriad projects, the group he launched in 1986, the Branford Marsalis Quartet, remains his chief means of artistic expression. The Quartet’s latest release, 2019’s The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul, has predictably earned plaudits, but it’s onstage with the Quartet (featuring pianist Joey Calderazzo, Eric Revis on bass and drummer Justin Faulkner) where Marsalis does his best work. BK
INFO: 8:30pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $84. 427-2227.
WEDNESDAY 3/12
AUTHOR EVENT
DR. NIA IMARA
Dr. Nia Imara discusses her new book, Painting the Cosmos: How Art and Science Intersect to Reveal the Secrets of the Universe, an immersive and educational work. Dr. Imara, an artist and astrophysicist, received her PhD in astrophysics at UC Berkeley and now holds a professorship in astronomy at UC Santa Cruz. With the Distinguished Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics Raja GuhaThakurta, Dr. Imara will explore evolving views of the natural world and ask questions about how principles of art and science can combine to shape our views of reality. SN
INFO: 7pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.
