Hi friends,
As part of the First Friday art tour in December, one venue will be hosting a “Didgeridoo Sound Bath.” Yep, despite all the changes in town, Santa Cruz is still Santa Cruz-ing.
Now, on with the show.
THIS JUST IN
Lots of great new shows were announced this week, just to make the future in Santa Cruz County look a tad brighter. A new film about the legendary Santa Cruz graphic artist Jim Phillips — the man behind both the “red dot” and Screaming Hand logos for NHS — comes to the Rio on Feb. 6. The great sax man and no-longer-quite-so-young lion Branford Marsalis drops in at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center on March 10. Just five days later, on March 15, another jazz great, Joshua Redman, plays the Kuumbwa. The wonderful singer-songwriter Neko Case comes to town, not to sing, but to read from her memoir, at the Rio on Feb. 7. The local legends of the Banana Slug String Band mark their 40th anniversary with a big show at the Rio on March 29. Two top-name West Coast rap icons, Too $hort and Andre Nickatina, play a double bill at the Santa Cruz Civic on April 18. The smooth jazz legend Bob James is due at the Kuumbwa on March 31. Vocalist Kim Nalley also plays the Kuumbwa, on March 3. If you’re into planning way out, look out for a special show coupling the 1980s alt band the Mekons with singer-songwriter Jill Sobule at Moe’s Alley on July 29. And, finally, last week we announced the big new Pink Floyd tribute show hitting the Civic on May 9, playing “Dark Side of the Moon” from beginning to end. Now we learn the same musicians will perform Floyd’s other masterpiece “The Wall” on the same day, also at the Civic. You’ll probably be comfortably numb after sitting through those two shows back to back.
Be sure to check out Lookout’s carefully curated and constantly updated planning guide, Down the Line, for the staggering riches and amazing choices awaiting Santa Cruz audiences. It’s our look ahead at the best shows, concerts and events through the rest of the year at clubs, stages and venues all over the county.
CHECK THIS OUT
Best 9: Top events for the week ahead in Santa Cruz County arts & entertainment, Nov. 21-28
THIS WEEK IN A&E
Porter Gulch Review celebrates new issue
The Porter Gulch Review, Cabrillo College’s long-standing literary magazine, is celebrating the publishing of its 40th issue.
‘In Some Dark Valley’ staged one weekend only
Accomplished actor and drama teacher Robert Bailey is on his way to Santa Cruz to stage a one-person original play called “In Some Dark Valley: The Testimony of Reverend Brand” at downtown’s Actors’ Theatre.
Downtown Holiday Parade arrives Dec. 7
As it does every year, the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz will be hosting the Downtown Holiday Parade, taking place on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon. The parade starts at Laurel Street and Pacific Avenue and proceeds north to the town clock.
Can ‘Christmas Carol’ christen a new Santa Cruz tradition?
Santa Cruz Shakespeare moves into the holiday season and into downtown Santa Cruz with the first of what it hopes will be many years of an annual tradition, the production of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol.”
Meet the ‘next Lin-Manuel Miranda’ — a Mountain Elementary 4th grader
On Thursday evening, Mountain Elementary School’s fourth grade class will be performing a musical about the building of the transcontinental railroad. While the school’s students perform a play every year, this one is different. The school’s principal thinks this will be the first time they […]
That’s all I got, friends. Come at me with comments, ideas, complaints, or thundering insights. Thanks to all Lookout members for your faith and support, and please, spread the word on what we’re doing.