Hi friends,
Our next Lookout Trivia Night is comin’ ’round the bend — Wednesday, Aug. 6 at Abbott Square — and we’re going to have a tough time topping the amaze-balls event we had last time when we attracted a crowd of about 10,000 people (Note: if the president can wildly exaggerate crowd sizes, then who’s going to stop me?).
This time, as my guest co-host, we’re welcoming the great Michael Gaither who reigns as the county’s master trivia host (his homefield gig is Thursdays at El Vaquero). I’ll be quizzing Michael on a topic of his choosing, 1980s horror films, and he’ll be trying to humiliate me on the subject of 1970s California soft rock. Come join us. It’s free.
Now, on with the show.
THIS JUST IN
Bookshop Santa Cruz promises to be fabulous on Sept. 10 when it welcomes Lil Miss Hot Mess, a drag queen and author hawking her new book, “Make Your Own Rainbow: A Drag Queen’s Guide to Color.” It’s a big hip-hop double bill at The Catalyst Dec. 12 with the Bay Area-based Souls of Mischief and Cunninlynguists. SoCal stand-up comic Rene Vaca visits The Rio Sept. 26. On that same date, bluegrass and punk collide noisily with Water Tower performing live at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. And Santa Cruz favorite son and everybody’s friend Richard Stockton brings his stand-up comedy vibe to The Crepe Place Sept. 18.
Check out our curated list of the best in upcoming performances and appearances in Santa Cruz County in 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.
It’s Cabrillo Fest season
With apologies to Santa Cruz Shakespeare and its current show, Santa Cruz’s longest recurring midsummer night’s dream is the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, an artifact from the era when the brilliant avant-garde composer Lou Harrison was the star around which the local music community revolved.
The Cabrillo Festival begins its 63rd season and Harrison — a world-renowned figure who lived in Aptos for decades before his death in 2003 — is fittingly on the schedule this summer (Aug. 9).
The big news this year is a new conductor of the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra — at least for the first weekend. Cabrillo’s music director and conductor Cristian Macelaru is handing the baton over to Serbian-born conductor/composer Daniela Candillari, who is an alumnus of CFCM’s Conductor/Composer Workshop, and has since conducted major orchestras around the world.
One of the great traditions at the Cabrillo Fest, and a terrific way to get the lay of the land, is the festival’s annual “Meet the Composers” event, in which guest conductor Candillari will sit down with a panel of this year’s featured composers, including John Corigliano, Rene Orth, Stacy Garrop, Aleksandra Vrebalov and Missy Mazzoli, Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. It’s not only free, it will be live streamed.
Note: Do yourself a favor and check out Friday’s concert beforehand, so the discussion will be that much meaningful. Be sure to make your plans to attend the festival’s concerts. Maybe somewhere Lou Harrison will be watching.
Rage on West Cliff
Deftly borrowing from the most defiant political rock band of all time, Indivisible Santa Cruz continues its political action on Saturday with “Rage Against the Regime.” The protest against the fast encroaching rise of authoritarianism in the U.S. will take place on West Cliff Drive. Organizers are stressing that they are not marching, but instead attempting to line up along West Cliff from Gharkey Street to Natural Bridges, single file and make noise for passing cars. The action is set for 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. They’d like to know if you’re coming.
CHECK THIS OUT
Best 9: Top events for the week ahead in Santa Cruz County arts & entertainment, July 31-Aug. 7
THIS WEEK IN A&E
Santa Cruz’s Radius Gallery hosts photo exhibit to celebrate the beauty of aging
To celebrate the beauty of aging, local photographer Jana Marcus invites the public to the Radius Gallery at the Tannery Arts Center on Aug. 16 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to view her 50 Women Over 40 project.
Photo essay: Behind the curtain at Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Lookout photojournalist Kevin Painchaud captured the cast of Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ production as the actors prepared for opening night.
Meet the Squigglers, career-changers who found their true calling: How Santa Cruz’s John Flores made the leap from hairstylist to watercolor artist
In a Lookout Q&A, John Flores talks about his zigzag from hairstylist to watercolors, his inspirations and his advice to other would-be Squigglers.
Moonlight and Mischief in Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s delightful ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a hilarious, crowd-pleasing comedy full of playful magic. This moonlit romp through love and mischief is a midsummer treat.
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.