Growing Pains
When Earl hops on stage like he did May 13 at the Catalyst, the audience looks to him like a prophet. A crowd, made up mostly of teenage boys, hangs on his every word. They move when Earl asks, fall silent when he calls for...
When Music and Poetry Mix
Hundreds of students made their way through Stevenson College’s lower quad and spilled onto the knoll. Tables set up for face painting and screen printing led to clumps of students sitting, standing and dancing while gazing at the stage that overlooked the Monterey Bay. Stevenson...
The Tallest Man on Stage
Taped above the low-hanging back door of the Catalyst’s main stage is a sign that reads “HIT HEAD HERE.” Last Friday night, after a rousing opening set by the Pittsboro, North Carolina folk rockers Hiss Golden Messenger and a restless 30-minute intermission, singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson...
The Brilliance of Bad Taste
The last time John Waters visited Santa Cruz was in 1970. “I came — this is a terrible thing to say — to ride on the roller coaster the day after somebody died on it.” Clearly, the filmmaker and self-proclaimed “filth elder” doesn’t fear...
Transcending the Sound Barrier
Synesthesia –– a rare condition that jumbles the senses — exists in those who can taste auditory stimulation or see colors while hearing particular pitches. While this condition is rare, it’s easy to appreciate the beauty of feeling the music, as local band Boostive mixes...
Acquirefest Takes The Stage
“Every group is different,” said fourth-year Acquire member Michel Gellad. “They all have their own identity, so it’s nice to bring together all the different groups onto one stage.” The natural follow-up to that statement is, “So, what’s Acquire’s identity?” Multiple members of the group...
Cultural Arts and Diversity’s Eve of Jackie Opens Tonight
In “The Eve of Jackie,” Chester Gregory will recreate soul singer Jackie Wilson’s last night on stage and unveil a concert that takes you back in time when R&B was pulsing in the ether. “It’s really one man and one mic, really playing to Jackie...
Los Jóvenes Navegantes
Ditching capes in favor of white ruffled tuxedo shirts and black bowties, the members of Chicano Batman delivered their eclectic mix of Brazilian Tropicalismo, cumbia and ‘70s soul below purple lights on the small stage inside Moe’s Alley on April 5. The space was...
A Case of the Travelling Ills
What started as a New Year’s resolution in 2014 quickly became a lifestyle for singer Cassandra Cronin, guitarist Connor Cronin, drummer Jared Frazier and bassist Dan Cato. The Travelling Ills, or The Ills for short, has brought its unique blend of sounds to the Central...
Prepare for Takeoff
The crowd’s murmurs lulled as the sounds of planes slowly filled the Stevenson Event Center on Thursday night. After five weeks of preparation, the African American Theater Arts Troupe (AATAT) premiered “Black Eagles” to a crowd of about 150 people on opening night. As the...