Weekend: First ‘First Friday’ of the year, anti-racist author speaks locally, song for waterlogged times

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Hi friends,

Someone wiser than me once said, the only thing worse than not getting what you want is getting what you want. I’m sure we’re all thinking along the same lines when, after months of drought, we receive what can only be described as biblical rain. It looks like it could have been a lot worse than what we got, so count our blessings so far. Still, I’m getting used to sleeping in wetsuits. Stay safe.

Now with the show.

It just happened!

Best-selling author Ibram X. Kendi (How to Be an Anti-Racist) has written a new book, in collaboration with novelist Nic Stone, in How to Be a (Young) Anti-Racist. Both writers are on tour with the new book and they will come to the Rio Theater at an event presented by Bookshop Santa Cruz and the local NAACP chapter, scheduled for February 5. Other reasons to look forward to include another local appearance from Santa Cruz Native country/bluegrass singer AJ Lee and her band Blue Summit will come to Moes Alley on April 14th. If you like that sort of thing, the Central Coast Fighting Championships will be at the Santa Cruz Civic on February 4th. (over 40) punk band The Exploited are set to land at the Catalyst on June 2.

B9

Here they are, nine pieces of information needed for the coming week, the first of 2023. This is the B9:

1. Who is who and what in the local Santa Cruz tech scene? The folks at Santa Cruz Works have it all for you in a roundup of the best companies to watch in 2023. 2. Call it First First Friday. January’s version of Santa Cruzs DIY monthly art tour takes place Friday at various locations around the county. 3. One of Santa Cruz’s all-time great party bands, the great SambaDa, lights up Felton Music Hall on Saturday night. 4. Poetry collective Hive introduces us to two beautiful local poets at an event next week at Bookshop.5. How many times did Y&T shake the Catalyst? We can’t even count that high. Fortunately, they still go there. See them Saturday.6. Do you like David Bowie? Then you are probably already aware of the bigBowie Bash happening at 418 Project Saturday.7. What could be better on a rainy winter night than a good warm vocal jazz, this time from the Italian Roberta Gambarini? 8. After postponing twice for health reasons, we finally got to see the luminous Miss Judy Collins perform live. 9. Reggae fan alert: Toots Hibbert Jr., known as Junior Toots, is coming to Moes Alley as a tribute to his father.

Three-point Gazette

The Hearts of the Arts auction returns for the first time in several years. Hearts was, at one time, a major fundraiser for what used to be called the Santa Cruz County Cultural Council (since renamed the Arts Council). Artists are invited to donate an original work, on the theme of hearts or love. These pieces will then be auctioned off just before Valentine’s Day (of course). For more information or to register your donated artwork, go here

A reminder that 8 Tens @ 8, Santa Cruz’s beloved 10-minute game festival is reviving this month, starting January 20 and running through mid-February. You may remember that a year ago, the Omicron variant shut down the festival at the last minute, which was followed a few weeks later by the resignation of its top executives at the Actors Theatre. With a new board, the Actors Theater has pulled itself together and relaunched the postponed 8 Tens festival last fall. Now we’re back with a brand new show, new plays, and new actors and directors. Get your tickets and support local theater here

Earworm of the week

With water suddenly all around us, falling over our heads and swirling around our ankles, this week’s EWW delves into the weird American country/folk genre known as the killer ballad, with water as its theme. major. The song that comes to mind is called Little Water Song, by singer Ute Lemper and songwriter Nick Cave, a dark, theatrical song told from the perspective of a woman drowning under the her lover’s hand. Lemper is the German singer best known for starring in one of Cabaret’s definitive performances. Unsurprisingly, she delivers a haunting performance that turns into an air of melancholy angst until she drops her devastating final line. The song was also featured in the 2005 film Romance & Cigarettes, with an absolutely breathtaking lip-synch performance by Kate Winslet underwater. It’s a beautiful and disturbing song that will haunt you, especially in these gray soaking days.

Where am I in Santa Cruz County?

So how do you notice the little things when you walk around Santa Cruz County? Well, post some footage from publicly accessible locations somewhere in Santa Cruz County. You tell us where it is, as accurately as possible or, even better, send us your own photo of the same.

Here’s something you probably haven’t seen.

unless you spend a lot of time around a certain community college with a controversial name.

Response from last week:

Lifes a Beach is typical California attitude, but this particular sign will point you to a specific beach.

It’s along the secret walkway to the beach in the Seacliff area known as Beach Gate, at the end of Beachgate Way at Coates Drive. You can take this to see what’s left of the cement ship.

That’s all I got, folks. Come to me with comments, ideas, complaints or amazing ideas. Thank you to everyone at Lookout for your faith and support, and please spread the word about what we do.

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