Jane Wiedlin has got the beat. As the rhythm guitarist for the Go-Go’s since the all-female new wave band’s inception, she also has got plenty of stories to share about her love of music, the industry and the Los Angeles punk scene of the late ’70s and early ’80s.

She will be doing all of that, and performing with local musicians for an intimate concert July 17, when she comes to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History for the first installment of Event Santa Cruz’s new bimonthly Legends Live & Local series.

Matthew Swinnerton, the founder of Event Santa Cruz, said the idea came about through Jennifer Otter Bickerdike, an author, fandom scholar and rock historian who grew up in Santa Cruz but now resides in the United Kingdom. In addition to providing commentary on music programs on everything from the BBC to SiriusXM, Bickerdike has also written books on musical luminaries ranging from Britney Spears to Joy Division. Her most recent book, “Eternal Flame,” is an authorized biography of fellow female LA pop rockers The Bangles.

“(She) knows every single musician that I loved from the ‘80s and ‘90s, like The Smiths, The Cure, Depeche Mode,” Swinnerton said of Bickerdike. “She’s just in that world.”

Swinnerton talked about working together on an event where well-known musicians were brought to Santa Cruz to share stories in an in-depth interview and also perform with hand-picked local musicians.

“It’s not just rehearsals that they get,” he said. “They actually get almost a full day of spending time with a musician to get mentored by them and help them with their career. That was kind of the main focus. I mean, it’s enjoyable, but the main focus is to help our local musicians.”

To kick off the Legends Live & Local series, Swinnerton and other Event Santa Cruz staff came up with a list of people Bickerdike knew and could easily get in touch with. They felt Wiedlin would be a good choice as she lives in Northern California, and Bickerdike has worked closely with her.

“We jumped on a Zoom with Jane, and we discussed logistics and if it could work,” he said. “She’s really a big advocate for local musicians and for the craft, and that’s why she was on board. She was probably one of the most eager out of everybody. Everything came in alignment that she would be a perfect start.”

Wiedlin joined the Go-Go’s in 1978, and their blend of power pop and new wave set the tone for the transition from the ‘70s to the ‘80s, especially with their 1981 debut album “Beauty and the Beat.” It became the first record by an all-female band writing their own music and playing their own instruments to top the album charts. The Go-Go’s went on to have a string of top 20 hits over the next few years, including “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips are Sealed,” “Vacation” and “Head Over Heels.” After their initial breakup in 1985, Wiedlin launched a solo career where she had a top 10 hit with “Rush Hour,” played Joan of Arc in “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and the singing telegram girl in “Clue” and also collaborated with fellow Go-Go’s guitarist Charlotte Caffey to co-write Keith Urban’s first No. 1 country hit “But for the Grace of God.”

The Go-Go’s have reformed numerous times and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 and the California Hall of Fame in 2024.

“Having somebody from the Go-Go’s, can’t get any more epic,” said Swinnerton.

Event Santa Cruz also sent Wiedlin 15 videos submitted by local musicians, and she selected the ones she most wanted to work with.

She will be performing with a supergroup of local musicians including Gabi Bravo on background vocals, Mak Nova on rap and background vocals, Sarah Rose on keyboards, Jared Fox on lead guitar, David De Silva on bass, Dylan Von Elgg on drums and Marek Fulop-Furlano on guitar. The band will perform three songs chosen by Wiedlin.

Prior to the performance, Wiedlin will be interviewed by Bickerdike on a variety of topics.

“It’s a feel-good, amazing time to hear the real stories of what was going on in the ‘70s and ‘80s in her career and in Los Angeles,” said Swinnerton. “That was the MTV era, and just to get a little glimpse of what was really happening during that time is gonna be amazing.”

The event will also feature a cocktail party and will close with a New Wave Rave dance party featuring a set of alternative classics from the ‘80s. Swinnerton said Wiedlin also offered to perform a solo acoustic version of “Our Lips are Sealed,” which she co-wrote with Specials frontman Terry Hall.

“That’s one of my favorite songs by them, so she’s gonna play that acoustically at the end, which I’m really looking forward to,” he said.

Swinnerton is planning on bringing Legends Live & Local to Santa Cruz every other month and already is looking at 10 potential musicians for subsequent shows, although none have been confirmed yet. As for who those other musicians are, Swinnerton’s lips are sealed.

“We’re keeping it secret,” he said. “We’re gonna announce them one at a time.”

In addition to giving audiences insight into the lives of musicians, Swinnerton said shows like this will provide them with a more personal experience than they would get from seeing artists in large arenas.

“This is a super intimate venue that they’ll have a special moment that hopefully they’ll remember forever,” he said.

Legends Live & Local is 6:30 to 10 p.m. July 17 in the atrium at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St. Tickets are $38 for general admission and $53 for VIP. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite through santacruzmah.org/events.