FELTON

Hoodoo Gurus come up from down under

While North Americans have always had a fascination with Australia, especially due to its rich landscapes and unique wildlife, that interest exploded in the ’80s with the success of “Crocodile Dundee,” an expansive tourism campaign and an explosion in music. Yes, Olivia Newton-John was a big star and Men at Work’s “Down Under” was a No. 1 hit in 1983, but Australia also had a pretty substantial modern rock scene, which would transform bands like INXS and Midnight Oil into international hitmakers and also launched a Sydney quartet called Hoodoo Gurus who were a mainstay on college stations in the ’80s and will be playing Felton Music Hall Thursday.

Formed in 1981 by members of other Australian punk bands, Hoodoo Gurus released their debut album “Stoneage Romeos” in 1984, which contained the single “I Want You Back,” a top 20 hit on the UK indie singles chart. The band’s power pop melodies and fast-paced guitars made them a big hit in the growing alternative rock scene where they continued to have success throughout the decade and into the early ’90s with singles like “What’s My Scene,” “Miss Freelove ’69” and “Come Anytime,” the latter a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock chart. The group initially disbanded in 1998 but reformed five years later and were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame in 2007.

The show is 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 8. Doors open at 6:30. Tickets are $32 in advance and $37 the day of the show. This is a 21-and-older concert. For more information, go to FeltonMusicHall.com.

SANTA CRUZ

Catalyst Club has that Subhumans touch

The Catalyst Club has long been a hotbed for up-and-coming and classic punk bands to perform and transform the venue into a mosh pit. That will be the case when the venue, in conjunction with satirical punk news website The Hard Times, brings in UK hardcore punks Subhumans to bring a ruckus to the stage Sunday.

Formed in Warminster in 1980, Subhumans were part of the anarcho-punk scene that also included bands like Crass, Poison Girls and The Expelled, recording three albums during their initial run through 1985. The band would continue to have a cult following with fans including members of Blink-182, Queens of the Stone Age and NOFX, and reunited briefly in 1991 and 1998 before permanently reuniting in 2004. Since then, they have recorded two albums — 2007’s “Internal Riot” and 2019’s “Crisis Point” — proving the spirit of anarcho-punk is alive and well. Opening will be Bad Waitress, Give You Nothing and The Vaccines.

The concert is 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For more information, go to CatalystClub.com.

Author Gary Griggs to discuss state’s natural catastrophes

California has attracted people due to its diverse geography and moderate weather, but it still has its share of natural disasters. Earthquakes, wildfires, floods, landslides and more have been frequent issues in the Golden State for a long time, which UC Santa Cruz professor Gary Griggs explores in his new book “California Catastrophes: The Natural Disaster History of the Golden State.” He will be discussing the book at Bookshop Santa Cruz Monday.

Griggs, a distinguished professor of Earth and planetary sciences at UC Santa Cruz who also writes the “Our Ocean Backyard” column for the Sentinel, explores the many natural hazards that have caused damage to California over the years, especially amid the current climate crisis and increasing environmental inequalities. The book goes over why these events occur, geologic risks in each region, features historic maps and photographs and provides a call to action to readers to ensure a safer future. The event is co-sponsored by The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz.

The free talk is 7 p.m. at Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave. To register, go to BookshopSantaCruz.com.

Seattle songwriter Damien Jurado to perform

With 21 albums released over 27 years, Damien Jurado is a busy man. Still, the Seattle singer/songwriter also finds time to perform in intimate settings, which he will be doing with his set at Kuumbwa Jazz Wednesday.

Jurado began recording songs on cassettes in the mid ’90s before grabbing the attention of Sunny Day Real Estate singer Jeremy Enigk who brought him over to seminal Seattle label Sub Pop, which released his debut album “Waters Ave S.” He has had songs featured in TV shows and movies like “House M.D.,” “The Dilemma” and “The Holdovers” and has worked with the likes of Moby and Pedro the Lion. Last month, he released two non-album singles, “I’ve Never Known Alice” and “Call Me, Madame” and has been touring up and down the West Coast.

The concert is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Kuumbwa Jazz, 320 Cedar St. Doors open at 6:45. Tickets are $46.78 in advance. For more information, go to KuumbwaJazz.org.

This week’s calendar was compiled by Nick Sestanovich.