Santa Cruz Good Times

Wednesday | June 19
Kenny Butterill
Back in 2000, Kenny Butterill debuted a collection of carefully crafted folk/blues tunes titled No One You Know. Shortly after, countless Americana aficionados not only knew of Butterill, but praised his additions to the genre, looking forward to his rustic rock ’n’ roll. Even so, the singer-songwriter retained his modesty, releasing another winner, Just a Songwriter—which offers a rather original and unforgettable perspective in “Vegetarian Dead Cow Blues”—a few years later. Though that song involves cattle, Butterill prides himself in keeping true to his country music roots and producing heartfelt material. “No Bull Songs” will be found here, Butterill’s website proudly boasts. | CEO
INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $8. 429-6994. 

Thursday | June 20
Amy LaVere will perform at 7:30 p.m. at Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. Tickets are $12/adv, $15/door. For more information, call 603-2294. Photo: Joshua Black Wilkins
>> See: Feature Article >

Thursday | June 20
Gaudi
Gaudi has performed numerous times in Santa Cruz, and it’s no wonder why—locals dig his seamless (and infectious) fusion of dub, worldbeat, electronica and reggae. Known for his high-energy performances and positive vibes, Gaudi knows how to get fans on the dance floor and stay there. His most recent album, released in May, In Between Times, features collaborations with Michael Rose of Black Uhuru fame, the infamous Lee Scratch Perry, Jahmai, Danny Ladwa and more. Otherworldly and catchy, Gaudi’s beats are one-of-a-kind—just follow your pulse to The Catalyst. | JENNA BROGAN
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $15/door. 423-1338.

Friday | June 21
Jonn Hart Be Our Guest
IAMSU! was on the Catalyst marquee last week, and now his fellow Bay Area-based friend, the “Who Booty” suave singer-songwriter, Jonn Hart, is on deck. Once part of R&B group Tha Outfit, Hart is making quite a name for himself with his signature, infectious “R & Bay.” Though the Heart 2 Hart mixtape dropped this past spring, it is Hart’s live performance that will set the bar for showcasing his music on a personal and authentic level. It’s a good thing he is scheduled to rock the Catalyst Atrium after school is out for summer, because this is one Sunday you won’t want to cap your fun (and your killer dance moves) with a lame curfew. | CEO
INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 423-1338. WANT TO GO?: Visit the Good Times Facebook page before 11 a.m. on Friday, June 21 to find out how you can win two free tickets.

North Pacific String Band
INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, June 21. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 479-1854.
>> See: Love Your Local Band >

Gin Blossoms
Gin Blossoms’ chart-topping pop/rock hits “Hey Jealousy” and “Follow You Down” were the soundtrack to the ’90s, and this week, Santa Cruzans will have the opportunity to relive those magical years at the Boardwalk when the band takes the stage. Expect to hear fan-favorites, and possibly some new ones, if the band decides to unveil any from its forthcoming record. If you’ve never experienced the Boardwalk’s Free Friday Night Bands on the Beach series, get there early to snag a spot on the sand. | JB
INFO: 6:30 & 8:30 p.m. Boardwalk, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. No cover. 423-5590.

Radical Food Jam
Attention foodies: The Museum of Art & History will host a Radical Food Jam on Friday, where people of all ages can eat, drink and play with food. Attendees can experiment with a special MaKey MaKey invention that allows users to make music with everyday objects—including fruit—via the Internet, then design their own Penny Ice Creamery cone, take part in a kale eating competition, make a PB&J with random ingredients, try mystery foods, and more fun activities. Information about probiotic drinks, pedal powered food processing, and the Santa Cruz agricultural industry will also be on hand. In a nutshell—food has never seemed so fun. | JB
INFO: 4-8 p.m. Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. $5/general, $3/students, seniors and kids, Free/MAH members and under 4. 429-1964.

Friday-Sun. | June 21-23
Macbeth’
This weekend, the Scotts Valley Performing Arts Youth Shakespeare Program will tackle one of the playwright’s most celebrated works: “Macbeth.” Under the direction of Shakespeare Santa Cruz’s own Gina Marie Hayes and accompanied by guest artist/Shakespeare Santa Cruz actor Justin Tandy, the young actors will bring the supernatural and psychological drama—seasoned with special effects, action, witches, and meaningful themes—to life. Entertaining for audiences of all ages, the play features original music composed by Emily Intersimone and will be performed in the intimate setting of St. Philip the Apostle Episcopal Church. | JB
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, plus 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. St. Philip the Apostle Episcopal Church, 5271 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley. $15/adult, $12/senior and student, $10/kids under 10. For tickets, visit svpaa.org.

Saturday | June 22
Peter Case with Deep Ellum
Known as the frontman for both the 1970s power pop group The Nerves and also alt-rock sensation The Plimsouls, Peter Case is a living legend. The singer-songwriter has been performing solo for nearly 30 years, and, during that time, he has converted numerous audiences into dedicated fans with his dexterous guitar-plucking and limitless repertoire of folk rock hits. On Saturday, locals can catch him at The Crepe Place, where he will perform songs from throughout his extensive discography, with the support of Deep Ellum, a Santa Cruz-based Americana outfit with a whole lot of Texas soul. | CYNTHIA ORGEL Photo:  Ann Summa
INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 429-6994.

Katdelic
When it comes to bringing the funk, the more the merrier. That must have been RonKat Spearman’s logic when he formed the 10-person funk rock group Katdelic. During the course of the vocalist/multi-instrumentalist’s career, he has been a member of Parliament Funkadelic, was nominated for a Grammy, and was awarded the title of “Songwriter of the Year” by BMI. With such an impressive resume and knowledge of soul, R&B, gospel, and more, you can bet his Saturday night set will be off the charts. | CEO
INFO: 9 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $10/adv, $12/door. 479-1854.

Jack Williams
After 54 years of playing folk, rock, jazz, R&B, and classical music, Jack Williams is considered one of the most dynamic performers in the folk scene. His guitar chops, weathered baritone, and gift for songwriting are widely praised, and have earned him the opportunity to collaborate with some of the world’s best musicians, including the late John Lee Hooker, Hank Ballard, Harry Nilsson, the Shirelles, the late Mickey Newberry and more. With nine solo albums of original music in his repertoire, Williams will head to The Ugly Mug on Saturday for a night of musical storytelling, guitar picking, and reflection. | JB
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $15/adv, $18/door. 499-9441.

Flapper Dan
While in the jazz studies program at the University of Oregon in 2010, Joshua Wilson and Andy Page had a vision for a band that would create magnetic improvised music that is both accessible and exciting for the jazz buff and the pop enthusiast. Fast forward nine months and Flapper Dan was born. The pair eventually invited Sam Hunt (trumpet), Corey Adkins (bass) and Ben Hampton (drums) to join the group, and together, they play a funky fusion of modern jazz—a fitting complement to a hot coffee at The Abbey. | JB
INFO: 8 p.m. Abbey, 350 Mission St., Santa Cruz. No cover.

The Garden Faire
The 2013 Garden Faire—a celebration of sustainable gardening and landscaping—will kick off on Saturday at Skypark. The admission-free educational event features presentations, workshops and demonstrations by local gardening and ecological landscaping groups, in addition to a children’s activity booth and live entertainment. Visitors can also check out a marketplace of plants, garden tools, products, services, arts and crafts, and healthy food and beverages. With an emphasis on the health of individuals, the community and the planet, The Garden Faire was created to teach area residents about implementing new ideas and techniques that assist and enhance the growth of plants, while sustaining the earth and the environment.
JENNA BROGAN INFO: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Plus music until 7 p.m. Saturday, June 22. Skypark, 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley. No cover. Visit thegardenfaire.org.

Woodies on the Wharf
Car enthusiasts will flock to the Santa Cruz Wharf on Saturday for one of California’s largest displays of classic surf cars: Woodies on the Wharf. The 19th annual event boasts more than 200 cars, all made between 1915 and 1952, and will also feature music and prize drawings. The epitome of surf culture in Santa Cruz, Woodies on the Wharf gives locals and visitors from across the country an opportunity to admire the ornate vehicles and reminisce about the good old days. | JB Photo: bob barbour
INFO: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Santa Cruz Wharf, 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz. No cover.

La Lunada
Several talented local artists will have the opportunity to show off their skills come Saturday, when “La Lunada” hits the stage at Springfield Community Grange. The showcase will feature performances by De Mentes, a hip-hop outfit from Watsonville, spoken word artist Tara Trudell, poet Tom Calderon, storyteller Maria del Toro, high school senior and singer Jackie Lopez, and the live rock/reggae/hip-hop/folk project, AHA Beat. | JB
INFO: 7-10 p.m. Springfield Community Grange, 10 Werner Road, Pajaro. $5-10 sliding fee; no one turned away for lack of funds.

Sunday | June 23
Five Women/Five Life Stories
It’s not often that five impressive female vocalists will share a stage, let alone their life stories. But Don Quixote’s will offer both this weekend. La
p steel guitarist Patti Maxine, Jan Luby—a founding member of the Santa Cruz Street Performers Guild—experimental folk rocker and Gail Rich Award winner Pipa Piñon, “Lady” Michal Lauren—a Berkeley-born singer-songwriter and political activist—and first-rate folk musician and dulcimer player Laura Devine Burnett will participate in the music and spoken word showcase. Prepare to be amazed and inspired. | CEO
INFO: 7 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $15/adv, $17/door. 603-2294.

Monday/Tues. | June 24/25
Benny Green will perform at 7 p.m. at Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $22/adv, $25/door. For more information, call 427-2227. >> See: Feature Article >

Wednesday | June 26
Dave Alvin Acoustic Trio
Dave Alvin is the definition of a versatile guitarist. He’s played with roots rock band The Blasters, punk rock outfit X, country band The Knitters, and punk rockers The Flesh Eaters, to name a few. It’s no wonder he’s won a slew of awards—including a Grammy—and is lauded worldwide for his guitar chops and songwriting skills. Watch the magic unfold Wednesday at Kuumbwa Jazz. | JB
INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $25. 427-2227.

DEADLINE: Friday, July 12.
Public Art Opportunity
Professional artists residing in Santa Cruz County are invited to submit a proposal for Phase 4 of the “Outside the Box” public art program. The program seeks to enliven and beautify traffic-signal controller boxes in the unincorporated areas of the county. Proposals are currently being sought for seven boxes; locations and dimensions of each can be found on the county parks website. Artists must address how they would handle all four sides of a particular traffic box. Selected artists will paint their proposed imagery directly on a traffic box. | JB
INFO: Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, July 12. Visit scparks.com/TBA_Call.html for traffic box locations and application details. 454-7901.

Monday | July 24-30
Young Actors’ Theatre Camp
Eleven years ago, Shawn Ryan and John Ainsworth founded Young Actors’ Theatre Camp as a way to give back to the community and teach students how to pursue a life in the performing arts. This summer, students ages 8-18 can participate in one of three sessions, which run June 24-July 20, taught by more than 40 talented television and theater stars—from actors to choreographers to animators to stuntmen—including Darren Criss (Blaine from Fox’s “Glee”), Jim O’Heir (Jerry from NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”), and Sutton Foster (Michelle from ABC Family’s “Bunheads”). Campers will participate in hands-on classes, including singing, acting, dancing, filmmaking and improv comedy to hone their skills and incite their creative imagination. | JB
INFO: Session dates are June 24-July 3, July 8-18, and July 20-30. Camp Sempervirens, 20161 Big Basin Hwy, Boulder Creek. For tuition information and to register, visit campyatc.com. (925) 858-3548.

Saturday | June 22
Fatoumata Diawara
A spellbinding star in the world music scene, Fatoumata Diawara blends elements of jazz, pop and funk with her ancestral Wassoulou tradition of Southern Mali. Her debut album, Fatou, which showcases her enchanting voice and guitar chops was released last summer to critical acclaim. Attendees of Saturday’s show at Don Quixote’s can expect to hear tracks off both Fatou and her 2011 EP, Kanou. | JB
INFO: 8 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $20/adv, $25/door. 603-2294.

In The Queue
Freestone Peaches, Bay Area tribute band performs Allman Brothers hits from 1969-1971-Friday at Don Quixote’s
Catherine Russell, This award-winning, smoky vocalist is also the daughter
of Luis Russell (Louis Armstrong’s musical director)-Saturday at Kuumbwa Jazz
Adrian Costa Blues Persuasion, This talented blues guitarist/vocalist hails from Spain-Saturday at The Pocket
Patty Griffin, This Grammy award-winning folk singer-songwriter knows how to captivate an audience-Saturday at The Cocoanut Grove
Monterey Americana Festival, An all-star lineup featuring Jason Isbell, Todd Snider, Joe Ely, Jim Lauderdale and more-Saturday-Sunday at Monterey County Fairgrounds