SANTA CRUZ
The Sadies come from up north to play Moe’s Alley
Although plenty of acts from Canada have become international superstars, the Great White North has a large musical ecosystem that mostly tends to remain popular within its own borders. Look at The Tragically Hip, for example: superstars in their own country, but cult heroes at best elsewhere.
And then there is The Sadies, a Toronto band that remains one of the most in-demand Canadian backing groups while recording their own albums as well. Plus, their sound — a mix of country rock and psychedelic rock — is very much in line with the musical tastes of Santa Cruz, so they will be playing at Moe’s Alley Thursday.
Formed in 1994 by brothers Travis and Dallas Good — the nephews of Canadian country group The Good Brothers — The Sadies have recorded many albums but have also collaborated with the likes of Neil Young, Neko Case and the late Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie. They have also won multiple Juno Awards and have played festivals such as South by Southwest and Static Roots. Their latest, 2022’s “Colder Streams,” was produced by Arcade Fire member Richard Reed Parry and released shortly after Dallas died of a heart condition. The album won a Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year. Opening will be Santa Cruz alt-country band Kentucky Mule.
The show is 8 p.m. Thursday at Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the show. This is a 21-and-older concert. For more information, go to MoesAlley.com.
It’s a Taylor Swift Dance Party at the Catalyst, just say yes
This year has already been a big one for Taylor Swift between her chart-topping album “The Tortured Poets Department” and her appearances at the Super Bowl as the guest of boyfriend Travis Kelce garnering a surprising amount of discourse. It also has marked the winding down of her Eras Tour, which has continued to pack stadiums across the world. While the chances of her coming to perform in Santa Cruz are slim, the Catalyst Club has the next best thing: a night to dance to her music.
This Friday, the Catalyst will host The Taylor Party, an evening of Swift songs from all eras spun by TSN Parties, which Swifties can dance to all night long. Dancers are encouraged to dress in their best Swift-inspired outfits. It will be a night for Swifties to shake their worries off and kick off what hopefully will not be a cruel summer.
The party is 9 p.m. Friday at the Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave. Doors open at 8:30. Tickets range from $18-$27. This is a 16-and-older show. For more information, go to CatalystClub.com.
Kuumbwa Jazz concert celebrates Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger is one of the most iconic folk singers of all time. He wrote songs like “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” which became big hits for others and championed causes like civil rights, the environment, fair labor and refraining from war in his music. Just about every folk singer from the ’40s onward owes a debt of gratitude to Seeger.
Thus, several musicians have come together to host “Sing Out for Pete’s Sake,” a tribute concert at Kuumbwa Jazz Sunday.
The lineup consists of activist duo Pat Humphries and Sandy O recording under the moniker Emma’s Revolution, Jaeger & Reid who have performed all over the world and Santa Cruz singer Aileen Vance. All have connections to Seeger. He praised Emma’s Revolution, Vance has had songs performed by Seeger, and Bob Reid of Jaeger & Reid played at a memorial to both Pete Seeger and his wife Toshi at New York’s Lincoln Center in 2014. As the title says, audiences are encouraged to sing along to Seeger’s most timeless compositions.
The concert is 3 p.m. Sunday at Kuumbwa Jazz, 320 Cedar St. Doors open at 2:15. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For more information, go to KuumbwaJazz.org.
YA author Marie Lu to promote new Sydney Cossette novel
For those who were fans of Marie Lu’s novel “Stars and Smoke” from last year, good news: Not only will she be releasing a sequel, “Icon and Inferno,” on Tuesday, but she will be at Bookshop Santa Cruz the day before for a discussion with “Loveboat” author Abigail Hing Wen.
“Icon and Inferno” continues the adventures of secret agent Sydney Cossette and international pop star Winter Young, who have not spoken since the events of the previous book. However, Cossette shows up at Young’s studio one day with a new mission to go to Singapore to rescue an operative, one who is alter learned to be a rogue agent and Cossette’s ex.
Lu is also the author of the best-selling “Legend” series, “The Young Elites” trilogy, “Warcross” series, “Skyhunter” series, “Batman: Nightwalker” and “The Kingdom of Back.” Hing Wen lives in Silicon Valley and is the author of the “Loveboat” series whose first entry, “Loveboat, Taipei,” has been adapted into a Paramount+ series.
The free event is 6 p.m. Monday at Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave. To register, go to BookshopSantaCruz.com.
This week’s calendar was compiled by Nick Sestanovich.