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Wednesday, May 7
Po' Girl
A melding of country yearning and punk rock attitude has won Po' Girl a place in the hearts of y'allternative people everywhere--and not just those who count themselves among the fans of guitarist Trish Klein's' other band, the Be Good Tanyas. Principal vocalist Allison Russell and multi-instrumentalist Awna Texeira sing gritty songs about searching, finding, loving and saying goodbye, all against a backdrop of banjo, clarinet, mandolin and the violin of Diona Davies. Comparisons to Ani DiFranco and Norah Jones might be inevitable, but they're not particularly applicable; the Po' Girl's sound is all their own. Don Quixote's; $12 adv/$14 door; 7:30pm. (Traci Hukill)
Thursday, May 8
Soja
Washington, D.C., outfit Soja is fueled by the righteous fury of the city's legendary hardcore scene, but the band's musical lineage owes far more to Bad Brains than Ian MacKaye or Minor Threat. Indeed, that influence is far more spiritual and political than sonic--Soja's sound is rooted in traditional roots reggae, not punk rock. All the same, the band's brand of positive uplift is stridently political, and releases such as Dub in a Time of War and Get Wiser stand as some of the most incendiary works of rasta resistance of our time. The band is a powerful testament to the way in which a potent message and righteous fervor can trump sheer loudness. Catalyst; $15 adv/$19 door; 9pm. (PD)
Friday, May 9
Threepenny Opera
Why do the names Polly Peachum and Lucy Brown seem so familiar? In fact, the two "ladies" are dramatic characters created 200 years apart: Polly in John Gay's Beggar's Opera of 1728, Lucy in Kurt Weill and Bertold Brecht's infamous 1928 celebration of scoundreldom, The Threepenny Opera. In both, the main man is Macheath, a.k.a. Mack the Knife. Maya Barsacq and the Santa Cruz Chamber Orchestra are thrilled to present a new production of the later work, fully staged with its cast of gangsters, pimps, beggars, thieves, song and dance, in three performances this weekend, directed by the acclaimed Daniel Helfgot. This weekend's "crystalline depiction of the urban underbelly" stars Igor Vieira, Lori Rivera, Bill Weish, J. Raymond Meyers, Elizabeth Russ, Sascha Joggerst, Krista Wigle and Tamra Paselk. Pacific Cultural Center; $20-30; 8pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sunday. (Scott MacClelland)
B-Side Players
There are plenty of acts exploring the interplay of Afro-funk and jazz, to varying effect; what can be transcendent in skilled hands can come off as a cheesy exercise when attempted by those less talented. The die-hards in the B-Side Players undoubtedly fall into the first camp, specializing in Latin-tinged, Afro-Cuban jazz that doesn't hesitate to rock when necessary but displays the imprint of consummate players who have made the study of music their life's work. With a passionate, politicized message and a charged sound that draws upon the finest of the world traditions that inspire the group, the B-Side Players handily deliver the goods. Moe's Alley; $15 Friday, $16/$20 Saturday; 9:30pm. (Paul Davis)
Expendables and The Lonely Kings
Local reggae-rock heroes the Expendables may take the headlining slot here (see story, page 51), but it's Santa Cruz emo-punk titans the Lonely Kings that are the most venerable act on the lineup. The band seemed on the cusp of something huge a number of years back, with slots on the Warped Tour and a number of adored, nationally distributed albums, but the pressures of their ascent led the band to burn out prematurely. Last year, the Lonely Kings returned revitalized, and while the members may now call Sacramento home, they remain Santa Cruz's reigning emo-rock stalwarts. With equal measures of hooks and bile and a purpose that is undiminished, there's little doubting the band's claim to the throne. Catalyst; $16 adv/$20 door; 7:30. (PD)
Saturday, May 10
Candy Apple
The great garage revival of the early oughts is now a thing of the past, with perhaps only the White Stripes reaping the long-term benefits. This doesn't mean that the appeal of a great garage-rock band has lost its charms, however. Shimmying around with a sense of abandon that is half innocent and half carnal, Chico's Candy Apple is thoroughly charming and addictive--though the band's members might take exception to the benign associations of the former. Awash in Farfisa organ and punched up with teen-pop brattiness, the band offers a refreshing, yet biting, concoction. Monterey Live; $7; 8pm. (PD)
Billy Martini's '70s Dance
Halloween is still a few months off, but Don Quixote's is getting into the spirit early this year. That's right, modesty will be thrown to the wind as '70s-theme costumes are distributed to brazen audience members and Billy Martini's band leads revelers in the worship of one of the most underrated decades of the 20th century. The confused cultural comedown from the '60s that saw the rise of disco, proto-punk and embarrassing fashion statements will be celebrated as Martini and Co. cover songs from luminaries ranging from David Bowie to AC/DC. Don Quixote's; 8pm; $7. (Steve Hahn)
Sunday, May 11
Baroque Fest
As far back as the late 12th century, in the era of French trouvères and German minnesingers, the legend of Tristan and Iseult was set down in Old French by Thomas de Bretagne and in Middle High German by Gottfried von Strassburg. The ancient Celtic tragedy that inspired Richard Wagner to one of his great music dramas will be recited in all its medieval mystery when presented by the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival in one performance only, this Sunday, at the UC-Santa Cruz Music Recital Hall. The flame of fatal love will be ignited by narrator and Celtic harpist Patrick Ball, with Shira Kammen playing medieval fiddle (vielle) and harp, and Tim Rayborn on lute, harp and psaltery. This rare opportunity to enter the world of magic, love and death reflects the allure of secular medieval sensuality and forbidden love. USCS Music Center Recital Hall; $25; 7:30pm. (SM)
Monday, May 12
Stanton Moore Trio
Years after Katrina, New Orleans remains a tragically blighted city, victim of disrepair, gentrification efforts and general bad faith. Yet even as the city fights to reclaim its soul, there is a contingent of artists who perform as living testaments to its rich traditions. Stanton Moore is one of those performers: a soulful jazz player who could have only been spawned from the Louisiana swamps, whose fluid yet progressive playing bears the indelible mark of the Big Easy. The drummer (and Galactic member) has played with some of the best--Charlie Hunter, Michael Ray and Will Bernard, to name a few--but with his trio, Moore's impressive talents can truly come to the fore. Kuumbwa; $22 adv/$25 door; 7pm. (PD)
Judith Owen
There's been a lot of talk this past year of declaring Canadian chanteuse Feist as the Joni Mitchell of our time, and though we love the Broken Social Scene's breakout star, Judith Owen deserves credit as being there first, only without the hipster cred or iPod commercials. Owen treads the same shattered emotional ground that Mitchell claimed to stunning effect when she was in her prime, yet in an idiosyncratic voice that marks her as her own artist. Owen may not be staking out completely unique artistic ground, but she delivers her originals and covers with such clear-headed conviction that it's difficult to mind too much. Don Quixote's; $15; 7:30pm. (PD)
