Hi friends,
In a stunning statistic that I completely made up, 94% of America’s political-thriller novelists have left the profession so far in 2024. Said one formerly successful political writer who doesn’t really exist, “Competing against reality these days is like Salieri attempting to out-compose Mozart. Why even try?”
Now, on with the show.
THIS JUST IN
Comedian and actor Paul Scheer (“The League”) will come to Bookshop Santa Cruz on Aug. 9 to talk about his new memoir. Three days prior, singer-songwriter David Dondero will also come to Bookshop in the wake of the publication of his new book, in an event co-sponsored by Streetlight Records. The soulful singer-songwriter known as The White Buffalo is to play back-to-back dates Nov. 15-16 at Moe’s Alley. Andy Falco and Travis Book of the band Infamous Stringdusters play together at Felton Music Hall on Oct. 5. And, on the same date, Oct. 5, the Santa Cruz Comedy Festival returns to the Rio Theatre, with comics Amy Miller, Beth Stelling and Sam Miller.
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.
Here they are, nine necessary know-abouts for the week ahead. It’s the Republican National Convention-hangover B9:
Grandparents, where are you?
Are you a long-distance grandpa or grandma who is also a homeowner in Santa Cruz County? Are you frustrated with not being geographically closer to your adult children, or having to choose between your grandkids and staying in Santa Cruz? Have you moved away, or are considering moving away to be closer to family? Or, have you figured out a solution to this underreported conundrum of the ongoing housing crisis?
If any of this applies to you, please let me know. I’m interested in exploring the topic and offering long-distance grandparents some options. Reach out to me at wallace@lookoutlocal.com.
Pedro the Santa Cruzan
For almost 30 years now, David Bazan and his band/artistic persona Pedro the Lion have been attracting a loyal national audience with his emotionally resonant/lo-fi indie sound. This year, Pedro the Lion has a new album out, and it’s called “Santa Cruz.”
It turns out Santa Cruz played a key role in Bazan’s upbringing and artistic development. I had a chance to chat with him about his roots and his experience locally, in advance of his Monday performance at Felton Music Hall. Check it out.
Happening here
I’m betting Google searches for “Sinclair Lewis” are reaching an all-time high in Santa Cruz this week, as local lefties re-familiarize themselves with the brilliant and progressive author of “Babbitt,” “Elmer Gantry” and more to the point, “It Can’t Happen Here,” a dystopian what-if novel about a right-wing dictatorship coming to America, first published during Hitler’s rise to power in the mid-1930s.
The novel was adapted into a play, which will now be performed across the country, including in Santa Cruz by several local elected officials — we’re guessing Jimmy Panetta is a natural at theater. See what happens with “Happen” on Friday.
In the meantime, a Sinclair Lewis book club might be a worthwhile venture for someone to get started this summer moving into the fall election season. Lewis had some penetrating insights into the complacency of capitalism and the often exploitative nature of fundamentalist religion. It appears that not much has changed in the good old USA in a hundred years. I’ll get back to you on whether that’s encouraging or depressing.
The lure of Lehrer
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I want to congratulate my friend and colleague Richard Stockton on his insightful search for the soul (and body) of the great Tom Lehrer. Richard himself is famously a comedian who uses music to get his point across, so it felt right that he would go on a quest to find out more about the enigmatic Lehrer, a 1960s-era superstar in the realm of musical satire who became the spotlight-shunning math professor at UC Santa Cruz. So what ever became of Lehrer? Is he still alive? Is he still in Santa Cruz? Richard’s engrossing and entertaining piece has the answers.
‘Tis theater season
Yes, I’ve been banging the drum awfully loudly lately about local theater this summer. But this is a golden opportunity to throw some support to the local arts community — and a ton of fun to boot. Santa Cruz Shakespeare and Cabrillo Stage are both just getting started, with SCS bringing Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” and Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” to its stage at DeLaveaga, both opening this weekend (with “Hamlet” coming later this summer), and Cabrillo Stage lighting it up with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights,” now shaking the rafters at the Crocker Theater. See one, see them all.
Folklorico conference
Santa Cruz County is fortunate to be home to one of the most ambitious and energetic traditional Mexican folklorico dance organizations in all of Northern California. Esperanza Del Valle will be staging two big folklorico performances at Cabrillo College and the Mello Center in Watsonville in August. As part of that, Esperanza and Cabrillo will be co-hosting a folklorico conference event, featuring classes and presentations with folklorico performers from Veracruz, Mexico. The 10-day “Reinforcing Cultural Identity” conference takes place Aug. 15-25.
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.