The festive winter season is upon us! So what if the big holidays are still a few weeks away? According to this lineup of awesome shows in town this week, the party has already arrived. Time to celebrate.
Friday, December 2
Drivin’ South Farewell Show at The Crepe Place
Aptly self-described as a “good road trip mixed tape”, Santa Cruz-based Drivin’ South have become a local favorite. Their music is an enthralling mix of rock, soul, dance hall, and Americana with a twinge of surf rock that sounds new and nostalgic at the same time—think Chuck Berry meets Otis Redding with a little bit of The Cramps and Southern Culture on the Skids. If the previous comparisons didn’t clue you in, these guys are known for putting on a live show that is an absolute sweat-inducing, dance-inspiring blast, and this is sadly going to be their last one ever. Whether it’s your first time seeing them or you’ve been a long time local fan, come give these guys the Santa Cruz-style farewell they deserve.
Show at 9pm. Tickets $8.
Friday, December 2
Beats Antique at The Catalyst Club Main Stage
To try and describe Beats Antique’s sound or history in a single paragraph would be an affront to their groundbreaking work and the colorful and storied history of each of the members. Instead, we’ll settle for convincing you to see the show. Born in 2007 in San Francisco, Beats Antique consists of three members who each have their own long music career before industry legend Miles Copeland (the mastermind behind Sting and The Police) greenlit their album “Tribal Derivations.” Beats Antique’s unique style of combining centuries old instrumental world music with new age hip hop, electronic, and folk instantly made them internationally appealing. Their first album was one of the top ten most downloaded artists under the Middle East and World Dance and one of the top 20 most downloaded electronic albums on Amazon—at the same time. Since then, Beats Antique have traveled the world, playing everywhere from the desert of Burning Man to the jungles of Costa Rica. Their live show is thrilling masterpiece that appeals to audiences all over the world.
Show at 9pm. Tickets $30 adv/$35 at the door.
Saturday, December 3
Flobots at Moe’s Alley
“I can ride my bike with no handlebars, no handlebars, no handlebars….” If you didn’t immediately launch into the next verse of Flobots’ chart-dominating hit “Handlebars”, then you need to hit the Internet and treat yourself to one of the best genre-bending songs and 3D animation music videos of the late 2000’s. Flobots made their big break back in 2007 with their debut album “Fight With Tools”. Its socially progressive message and blend of Americana, alt-rock, and hip-hop struck a powerful chord during the beginning of Obama’s first Presidential campaign. Although they haven’t been able to repeat the success of their first album, Flobots has maintained a solid following due to their popular live show, which features everything from emcees and hip-hop headbanging to classical music samples and live violin players.
Show at 9pm. Tickets $12 in adv/$15 at the door.
Sunday, December 4
10th Annual How The Grouch Stole Christmas at The Catalyst Main Stage
The Grouch has always been one of the most philanthropic underground emcees in a cutthroat hip hop industry, so it makes sense for him to do something Christmas related for his scene. In his own words, the Grouch explains, “When I started, there weren’t many Hip Hop acts touring at that time of year. I wanted to do something that showcased independent artists like myself as well as up-and-comers or long-time pros that are putting in good work and maybe not being heard as much as I feel they should be.” Ten years later, the stage and the names have gotten a lot bigger but the message and method are the same. This show features Aesop, Bicasso, Eligh, Luckyiam, Scarub, and Sunspot Jonz, as well as Evidence and Grand Tapestry (the tour has a history of bringing in special guests to every city stop as well).
Show at 8pm. Tickets $30 in adv/$35 at the door
