FRIDAY 6/21
COUNTRY
GRACEE SHRIVER
Like several other artists, Oklahoma native Gracee Shriver used a spot on NBC’s The Voice as a springboard to her music career. Since then, she has become a formidable singer-songwriter with a dozen albums to her credit and has toured with several major country artists. CMT chose Shriver for its Belmont Showcase Series, and she’s also participated in Oklahoma’s Women of Song Project. Her most recent song is featured on Spotify’s Women of Country playlist. DAN EMERSON
INFO: 8pm, Chaminade Resort & Spa, 1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz. $45. 475-5600.
HIP HOP
WEAPONS OF MASS CREATION
It’s a bit of an oversimplification to categorize Weapons of Mass Creation as hip hop; the 9-piece collective from Anaheim brings a dynamic fusion of R&B, Afro-Latino, soul, funk and cumbia to the stage, along with progressive lyricism that’s rooted in their experiences growing up in immigrant families. The group was formed in 2014 when Josh and Enrique Quiñonez joined forces with the six-sibling Franco family and the producer HiiKu. Upon releasing their 2019 record, Labor of Love, OC Weekly named them the best hip hop act of the year. Also note: Salinas legend Flaco el Jandro will be making an appearance. ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: 9pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 479-1854.
SATURDAY 6/22
COMEDY
ANTHONY JESELNIK
Anthony Jeselnik’s comedy is not for everyone, and that seems intentional; his brand of humor pushes the envelope, leaning in on sensitive topics. Jeselnik is a master of adding a surprising twist at the punchline, often ending with jokes about his callousness toward others. The comedian seems to have crafted a persona for the stage that emphasizes his lack of political correctness as a quality worth flaunting. In an era when comedians are constantly discussing where boundaries should lie, Jeselnik clearly falls on the side of wherever the comedian wants them to be. JESSICA IRISH
INFO: 7pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $57. 423-1854.
GARAGE
DAVILA 666
Davila 666 are rockers from Puerto Rico who combine heavy guitar licks, serious percussion and a chorus of shout-singing to create songs embodying the true spirit of rock ’n’ roll. Already popular in PR, Davila 666 are ready to take on the mainland with foot-thumping bangers and killer guitar solos. Most of their songs are in Spanish (think seis-seis-seis, not six-six-six) and evoke a revolutionary energy. Some are indie-influenced, sounding like a Devendra Banhart/Black Keys collab. All of their music is intoxicating. With seven band members, the sonic landscape of their partnership is complex, electric and oh-so-tasty. JI
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 429-6994.
SUNDAY 6/23
METAL
DEATH TO ALL
When it comes to death metal (the first metal to use guttural, growling vocals, heavy distortion, low tuning and lots of speed), few bands are as influential as Florida’s Death. In fact, most people attribute the genre to the band, particularly founder, guitarist and vocalist Chuck Schuldiner, who named the band to process his brother’s death. Throughout the ’90s, Death heralded underground metal until Schuldiner’s own tragic death in 2001 at the age of 34 from a brain tumor. Past bandmates have teamed up with Cynic vocalist Max Phelps to create Death To All, an uber-band playing fan favorites from every Death album. This is seriously not to be missed for any headbanger, hesher or hellion. MAT WEIR
INFO: 7:30pm, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $29.50/adv, $35/door. 713-5492.
MONDAY 6/24
METALCORE
ILLUSENCE
Google “Illusence,” and a few things pop up, like a four-piece metalcore project that some sites claim is from Vancouver, Washington, while others declare Portland, Oregon, as the group’s home. No worries—this melodic quartet delivers a clean, carefully crafted sound no matter where they lay their heads in the Pacific Northwest. This June, they dropped their new album, Permanence, with the single “No Way Out” surpassing 10k views on YouTube in only three weeks. To celebrate the new album, the boys are taking their metal/punk/mathcore fusion on the road with fellow friends Toarn. This Monday, they’ll slay brains and earholes at the Blue Lagoon with dark ambient players Sacred Void. MW
INFO: 9pm, Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 423-7117.
A CAPPELLA
TAKE 6
Since making their major-label debut in 1987, the vocal sextet Take 6 has blazed an influential trail across multiple music genres, becoming the most awarded a cappella group in history. Their crystalline harmonies, funky, syncopated rhythms and irresistible grooves have won them 10 Grammy awards, 10 Dove awards, a Soul Train award and membership in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The great Quincy Jones famously lauded the six as “the baddest vocal cats on the planet.” Take 6 has collaborated with all the greats, including Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald and Whitney Houston. DE
INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $73.50/adv, $78.75/door. 427-2227.
WEDNESDAY 6/26
FOLK
MARISSA NADLER
Now a prolific and decorated songwriter, Marissa Nadler began turning heads on the East Coast folk scene in the early aughts. With all her nine albums, from 2004’s Ballads of Living and Dying to 2021’s The Path of the Clouds, she has wowed crowds with her capacity for gothic storytelling. The songwriter’s latest offering comes from her experiences during the pandemic, when she moved to a new home in Nashville, experienced writer’s block, learned to play piano and watched hours upon hours of Unsolved Mysteries. The result of that strange period is Nadler’s first self-produced album—one inspired by true crime. AM
INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $20/adv, $22/door. 704-7113.
