The silver screen has given us plenty of iconic Rock God moments. Our favorites are Billy Cruddup yelling, “I am a golden god!” moments before jumping off a roof in Almost Famous and when Mark Wahlberg’s character in Rock Star forgot which city his wife lived in—“This is Seattle?!” While they may seem a little ridiculous and far-fetched, sometimes priceless moments aren’t all scripted. For example, this exchange was overheard at a local venue:
Door Guy: “Hey man, how many performers in your group tonight? I’m gonna get you some drink tickets and wristbands.”
Musician: “Hmm, I don’t know man.”
Door Guy: “Do you guys have guest musicians or did someone say they might not make it?”
Musician: “ Nah man, I don’t really pay attention to that stuff, I just play the drums. Ask the guy in the blue jacket.”
Clearly that rock star lifestyle is alive and well even in Santa Cruz.
Thursday, September 29
Liquid Stranger at The Catalyst Club Mainstage
Martin Staaf is a legendary Swedish electronic musician who has been described by Generation Bass as, “the epitome of Transnational Dubstep covering everything from Latin, Asian, Eastern European and Jamaican Dancehall dubs.” [source] Don’t worry, if that means absolutely nothing to you you’re not alone, and you can still have a blast. For those that know him Martin Staaf is a cult classic `a la Lost Boys. Staaf was instrumental (pun intended) in the spread of Dubstep and EDM in US starting in 2003 with his first release It Came From the Desert. Liquid Stranger’s live set is no slouch, having been polished at every high ranking electronic venue and festival for the last decade. He utilizes multiple elements of electronic styles like dubstep, ambiance, and psychedelic with a heavy dose of big band jazz and dub reggae vibes, making for some seriously interesting tunes that even the casual EDM observer can enjoy.
Show at 9pm. Tickets are $12 in advance/$15 at the door
Friday, September 30
Dizzy Wright at The Catalyst Club Mainstage
A decade into his rap career, Dizzy Wright is just hitting his stride at the ripe old age of 21. Yup, you read that right. This son of a Las Vegas concert promoter mother, who also helped him pen some of his first bars, has been rhyming since he was only eight years old. After winning the BET “Wild Out Wednesdays”, then 17-year-old Dizzy’s career took off on the back of his clean rhyme schemes, old school flow, and a mature stage presence that far exceeded his age. Since then Dizzy has released multiple mixtapes and two studio albums to critical acclaim. His live shows have their own reputation for being pretty crazy parties. Try to read between the lines: If you have asthma or sensitive lungs, this might be one to avoid.
Show at 9pm. Tickets $20 in advance/$25 at the door
Saturday, October 1
Sun Foot at The Crepe Place
Portland-based Sun Foot are very lo-fi, their shows filled with existential sketch comedy sketches and guitars played at low volume through amps that are too small. Everyone in the band trades instruments throughout the show, and the drum set consists of a hand drum, metal pan lids, electronic triggers, and a solitary cymbal. As weird as that all sounds, it totally works. They sound like The Beach Boys meets The Kinks but interpreted by Bedouin nomads with homemade instruments. If you’re looking to see something unique and underground, look no further.
Show at 9pm. Tickets $15 at the door
Saturday, October 1
My Homie’s House Party at The Blue Lagoon
One of the more cleverly-named theme nights we’ve seen in awhile, My Homie’s House Party seeks to recreate the atmosphere of a house party at The Blue by bringing together five Santa Cruz and Bay Area DJs for a full night of spinning in a laid back and friendly atmosphere—except the beer doesn’t run out and you don’t have to worry about breaking his parents’ glassware with the bass level or your clumsiness. Fr!ez, Devil’s Advocato, Christian Alexander, Legit Soda, and Numerous will all be displaying their sonic talent on the Wheels of Steel from 8:30p.m. to 12:00a.m. for only 500 cents. We hear they’ll even give you a red solo cup at the door. Don’t forget to tell your parents that you’re sleeping at a friend’s house.
Show at 8:30pm. Tickets $5 at the door
