Calendar of Events | X marks the spot at Rio Theatre

SANTA CRUZ

X marks the spot at Rio Theatre

Long before X became the new name for Twitter, the letter was synonymous with a Los Angeles band that earned acclaim with its blend of punk and rockabilly and off-kilter dynamics of vocalists John Doe and Exene Cervenka. X will be performing Friday at the Rio Theatre.

X were major players in the L.A. punk scene of the late ’70s that also brought bands like Black Flag, The Dickies and The Germs. After their 1978 independent single “Adult Books/We’re Desperate” turned them into major players in that scene, they were signed to Slash Records where they recorded their debut album “Los Angeles,” produced by former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek. The band put out six more albums between 1981 and 1993, combining poetry reminiscent of Charles Bukowski with a punk edge and then-married couple Doe and Cervenka’s harmonies. X went on hiatus between 1997 and 2004, but have toured rather consistently for the past 19 years, even playing festivals such as Coachella, South by Southwest and the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience. In 2020, the band recorded its first full-length album in 27 years: “Alphabetland,” which received positive reviews from critics.

X will perform 8-11 p.m. Friday at the Rio, 1205 Soquel Ave. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $37 for general admission and $57 for Gold Circle members. For more information, go to RioTheatre.com.

It’s Hot Laundry Day at The Crepe Place

Having given audiences a rollicking St. Patrick’s Day with a concert earlier this year, San Francisco garage rock sextet Hot Laundry will be returning to The Crepe Place for another evening of high-octane rock and roll to be paired with sweet and savory crepes Friday.

Led by Janette Lopez, the group is a blend of multiple nostalgic genres. As their website states, “The band is dishing out hi-octane rock n roll with hints of Motown, revved up guitars in the vein of MC5, and a heavy dash of delta boogie.” They even count cult filmmaker John Waters among their fans. Their latest album, 2022’s “Pawn Shop Gold, is available on all streaming platforms. Opening will be Santa Rosa band Hunting Lions.

Additionally, this concert is a holiday toy drive, so concertgoers are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys to make somebody’s holiday awesome.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Friday at The Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave. Tickets are $10 at the door. For more information, go to TheCrepePlace.com.

Ozomatli return to the Catalyst

Los Angeles fusion band Ozomatli are no strangers to the Catalyst Club. They played the venue as far back as 2000 and as recently as last June. Be sure to give them that familiar Santa Cruz welcome when they return Saturday.

The band plays just about every style: Latin rock, rap-rock, reggae, funk and more. They also opened for Santana on the “Supernatural” tour, served as the house band for Gabriel Iglesias’ “Stand Up Revolution,” their 1998 song “Cut Chemist Suite” was featured on “Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3” and they have performed all over the world. Opening will be Kruel Summer and ¿Qiensave?.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $27 in advance and $32 at the door. This is a 16-and-older concert. For more information, go to CatalystClub.com.

FELTON

Patterson Hood making drive back to Felton

For the past 27 years, Patterson Hood has been a driving force — so to speak — behind the Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. As the group’s guitarist and one of its primary vocalists and songwriters, he has been responsible for numerous songs depicting detailed, honest vignettes of life in the Deep South, which have netted the band several Grammy nominations and given them a following through their famous three-hour concerts.

On occasion, Hood will embark on a solo tour. He had previously played at Felton Music Hall when it was Don Quixote’s in 2013 and will be returning there Friday.

In addition to his work with Drive-By Truckers, Hood has put out three solo albums, formed the Downtown 13 collective with members of R.E.M., Widespread Panic and Drive-By Truckers to release a single protesting the construction of a Wal-Mart in his native Athens, Georgia; acted in the 2020 indie film “The Dark Divide,” wrote an op-ed for the New York Times on the Confederate flag’s controversial history and contributed a short story to the car-themed crime anthology “The Highway Kind.” Drive-By Truckers released their 14th album, “Welcome 2 Club XIII,” which saw the band move away from the political themes of its previous three albums to a more autobiographical tone.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. Friday at Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $27 in advance. This is a 21-and-older concert. For more information, go to FeltonMusicHall.com.

This week’s calendar was compiled by Nick Sestanovich.