Events

Next Trivia Night: 1/21/25
6:00-7:30pm
Hosted by Michael Cahalan

5:30-7:30pm

With a big map and no planned destination, this trio of seasoned improvisers from the jazz and jam band worlds use song and structure the way spacecrafts use planets: not to land and stay, but to SLINGSHOT around and be propelled back out into the galaxy. During this mostly-improv show, a familiar song could materialize at any time. Or not. All we can promise is that nobody knows what’s going to happen.

Slingshot is:

Guitar and Vocals: Matt Hartle (China Cats, Painted Mandolin, Shady Groove, Grateful Sundays with Matt Hartle and Friends)
Bass: Pete Novembre (OM Trio, Coffee Zombie Collective, Aza, Elephino)
Drums: Bret Bailey (Shady Groove, Elephino, Cosmic Pinball, BlissNinnies)

5:30-7:30pm

Faulty Plan is an acoustic cover band out of San Jose playing a wide variety of music including Grateful Dead, Phish, Neil Young, Bowie, Stones, Clapton, The Band, Dylan and much more. Popular and deep cuts.

3:00-5:00pm

Cap Quirk is a one-man band, rhythmic story-teller. His timeless folk-americana style is embellished by his captivating lyrics and musical inventiveness. Born and raised in the small town, family culture of rural Indiana, Cap is a dreamer and a creator; someone who relates to a piece of everyone.

3:00-5:00pm

Acoustic rock trio, ranging from The Beatles to Chuck Berry to very catchy originals. You may find yourself wanting to get off your bar stool and dance.

Stormin Norman is long time lead singer for Stormin Norman & the Cyclones. Ken Kraft is lead player and singer for the Cyclones, plays with the White Album Ensemble and was formerly with the legendary Snail band. Jo Jo Fox is bass player and singer for the Cyclones and also with Karen Phoenix Band.

Every Monday our brewers select a Keg of Honor, and YOU enjoy $5 pints from it all day long (until it’s gone)!

1/27: Stay Tuned!

Movies in the Taproom Every Monday!

5:45pm start time

1/27: Announced Soon!

5:30-7:30pm

Moonshine Crossroads plays Rollicking Americana Music – everything from jazz standards and doo-wop classics to outlaw country and classic rock. With strong vocal harmonies and vibrant electric guitar and kanzoo solos, their eclectic repertoire is sure to include a song that is “your” song and will get your toes tapping.

3:00-5:00pm

The Dirt Rakers (acoustic trio) are an Americana band featuring Erik Rozite (guitar and vocals), Jayne Williams (mandolin and vocals), and Sean Woodward (lead guitar), a home-brewed group out of the redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountains, blending a high octane / cask-fermented feel, purdy harmonies, and a deep love of all rootsy genres of music. Rock, country, bluegrass, and folk all swirl together in their magical musical brew.

3:00-5:00pm

The BACK PORCH BOYS dig into the glorious roots of American music from the Delta blues in Mississippi to New Orleans up to Memphis over to Austin and jumpin’ to Chicago. Singer-guitarist RICH COWAN and harmonica enthusiast VIRGIL THRASHER put their combined 90 odd years of playing music on display. You will hear the likes of Tampa Red, Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Fats Domino among other icons from the early days.

5:30-7:30pm

As the lead guitarist for the China Cats and Painted Mandolin, Matt Hartle has established himself as the preeminent jam band guitarist for Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. You can also find him hosting a weekly deep dead jam, where he welcomes Bay Area players for Grateful Sunday shenanigans. Matt’s unique voice and intricate playing style always gets the audience on their feet and feeling their groove. You’ll be dancing to songs from legends like Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, as well as rock, blues, jazz, americana, and of course some Matt Hartle originals. Stop by for a “Thursday after work” brew and some hot hartle licks.

5:30-7:30pm

Local Honey is a Santa Cruz-based band that drips with honey sweet harmony and hums with tight, inventive musicianship. Local Honey’s repertoire pays homage to some of the the big voices of the last seven decades, including Big Mama Thornton, Rachael Price, Gladys Knight, Stevie Nicks, Grace Slick, and Amy Winehouse, among other divas. They seek out feel-good songs with strong vocals and infectious beats and make them their own. Though Local Honey is a new band, all of them are veterans of the Santa Cruz and Monterey music scenes. Members have worked with Honeytone, Ten O’Clock Lunch, Come Together, Backyard Birds, Menage, and Bay Bop. Over the years they’ve played in different combinations at many venues, including Michael’s on Main, Chaminade, Davenport Roadhouse, Hallcrest Vineyards, Joe’s Bar and the Food Lounge.

3:00-5:00pm

Raging Stone is a roots reggae band formed in Santa Cruz, CA in 2018. They play a wide range of different sub genres of reggae music, anything from ska and rocksteady to dancehall and dub.

3:00-5:00pm

An offshoot of Santa Cruz’s iconic rock band Snail, the Messiahs’ original melodies, hot guitar riffs & killer vocals will transport you to rock nirvana. Featuring Bobby O’Neill, Ken Kraft & Craig Owens.

5:30-7:30pm

THE JAMISSARIES – Featuring Arindam Krishna Das’ originals as well as funked-up versions of music they love by the likes of The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, Cream, Donovan, Joe Cocker, David Bowie, Tenacious D and more…

With Arindam on guitar/keys/vocals, Devii Grace DiMarco on violin/vocals, Jonathan Kessler on bass/vocals, Rob Borella on drums/vocals and Alex Bahler on lead guitar, their funky, sweet, sticky, psychedelic Jamz will get your Soul grooving and your body moving!

3:00-5:00pm

The Trolley Drops Brass Band will be playing dance music from the 20s and 30s, hokum blues & novelty tunes on banjo, guitar & bass, trombone, clarinet, trumpet & percussion and kazoo, (jug band music without a jug).

3:00-5:00pm

The Owls are Bob O’Neill—songwriter & founding member of Snail—on vocals & guitar, Craig Owens–bass player and vocalist extraordinaire and Harpin Jonny– virtuoso harmonica player & vocalist in the Larry Hosford band and many others.

This unique trio has come together to create a brilliant balance of blues, R&B, and original tunes. The Owls will take you on a fascinating musical flight!

5:30-7:30pm

With a big map and no planned destination, this trio of seasoned improvisers from the jazz and jam band worlds use song and structure the way spacecrafts use planets: not to land and stay, but to SLINGSHOT around and be propelled back out into the galaxy. During this mostly-improv show, a familiar song could materialize at any time. Or not. All we can promise is that nobody knows what’s going to happen.

Slingshot is:

Guitar and Vocals: Matt Hartle (China Cats, Painted Mandolin, Shady Groove, Grateful Sundays with Matt Hartle and Friends)
Bass: Pete Novembre (OM Trio, Coffee Zombie Collective, Aza, Elephino)
Drums: Bret Bailey (Shady Groove, Elephino, Cosmic Pinball, BlissNinnies)

5:30-7:30pm

Lucas Lawson is a young contemporary folk artist who grew up on a farm just north of Santa Cruz, California. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, while spending time alone on the farm, Lucas developed the 5 songs that make up his debut EP, Revisited Harbor. This isolation encouraged him to complete the process of recording Revisited Harbor by himself. Once finalized on October 23rd of 2020, Revisited Harbor came to the ears of Lucas’s growing community.

Lucas’s upbringing on an organic farm exposed him to the balance and harmonies that all living things have to offer. At a young age, Lucas began attending bluegrass barn dances on the farm, where he first learned to play the guitar alongside local group, the County Line Pickers. When those sadly came to a halt in March of 2020, Lucas found himself writing songs more than ever.

3:00-5:00pm

Harpin’ and Clark are Jon Troutner and Peter Clark. They are a guitar and harmonica duo playing Americana, jazz, blues, ragtime, country and folk. Mixing carefully selected traditional and popular tunes with original songs, their combination of chromatic and blues harmonica and fingerstyle guitar provides a uniquely listenable musical experience. Jon and Peter have been developing their craft and entertaining Santa Cruz audiences for over forty years.

3:00-5:00pm

“Jazz with a Twist”

The Jenny O’Leary Quartet is led by the swinging and talented vocalist Jenny O’ Leary. Jenny sings standards, blues, and bossa novas while accompanied by guitar, bass and drums.

5:30-7:30pm

A longtime Santa Cruz local, Billy Reese is a multi-instrumentalist playing an eclectic mix of rock, folk, americana, country, and blues. He has spent the last several years performing with bands in the Pacific Northwest, California and beyond.

5:30-7:30pm
Every 1st Thursday of the Month!

About Matt Hartle:

As the lead guitarist for the China Cats and Painted Mandolin, Matt Hartle has established himself as the preeminent jam band guitarist for Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. You can also find him hosting a weekly deep dead jam, where he welcomes Bay Area players for Grateful Sunday shenanigans. Matt’s unique voice and intricate playing style always gets the audience on their feet and feeling their groove. You’ll be dancing to songs from legends like Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, as well as rock, blues, jazz, americana, and of course some Matt Hartle originals. Stop by for a “Thursday after work” brew and some hot hartle licks when Matt returns to Discretion Brewing for 1st Thursdays of the month this summer.

12-9pm
Celebrate 12 years of Discretion (rain or shine!)

Enjoy the company of a Discretion-loving community in an our expanded, heated Beer Garden (dog & family-friendly).

Live Music throughout the day:

• 12-2: Back Porch Boys – blues roots featuring Rich Cowan on vocals & guitar and Virgil Thrasher on the voodoo harmonica
• 3-5: Marin County Breakdown – family band who loves contemporary and traditional bluegrass, plus some old time, country, blues, rock, and jazz
• 6:00-8:00: Brod Och Vatten – folk/bluegrass

Celebratory Beer Releases:

• Anniversary 2025 (TBD!)
• Submarine Canyon (Meyer Lemon & Sea Salt IPA — benefit beer for Save Our Shores)

Interactive Save Our Shores Table:
Staff on site 2-6pm

Commemorative Pint Glasses:
$8 glass only | $12 w/ beer fill

Outdoor Cash Bar:
Selling Anniversary 2024 & Submarine Canyon on tap and in 16oz cans to-go

Italian Finger Food Menu from Sugo

Corn Hole & Other Beer Garden Games

Join the convo and see who’s attending, on the Official FB Event Page!

3:00-5:00pm

Lefty Rosa was born in Santa Cruz county but has traveled far and wide to perfect its dreamy brand of original Americana music. It features Ezzie DeGiovanni (acoustic guitar/vocals), Joel Murach (Telecaster/vocals/harmonica), Chris Weinress (upright bass), and Tom Murach (drums).

5:30-7:30pm

With a big map and no planned destination, this trio of seasoned improvisers from the jazz and jam band worlds use song and structure the way spacecrafts use planets: not to land and stay, but to SLINGSHOT around and be propelled back out into the galaxy. During this mostly-improv show, a familiar song could materialize at any time. Or not. All we can promise is that nobody knows what’s going to happen.

Slingshot is:

Guitar and Vocals: Matt Hartle (China Cats, Painted Mandolin, Shady Groove, Grateful Sundays with Matt Hartle and Friends)
Bass: Pete Novembre (OM Trio, Coffee Zombie Collective, Aza, Elephino)
Drums: Bret Bailey (Shady Groove, Elephino, Cosmic Pinball, BlissNinnies)

5:30-7:30pm

Redwood Express is a collection of some of the Bay Areas finest jam band musicians (China Cats, Rosebud, Aardvark, Grampas Chili) and fronted by blues singer/songwriter Michele Murphy, playing their unique brand of originals and classic rock favorites.

3:00-5:00pm

Untangled plays original acoustic “Americana Pop” songs by Peter Thomas that playfully untangle life

5:30-7:30pm

dandeline, the duo of Sheila Schat and Dan Olmsted, fashions an engaging blend of original and traditional songs, combining elements from Americana to country to blues and hot-club jazz and klezmer music, played with guitar, violin, cello, and lots of harmony singing.

Sheila and Dan are musical veterans of local and Bay Area acts that include Tiny, Loretta Lynch, Liar, The New EZ Devils, The Violets, Carmaig de Forest and Mushroom. Dandeline has shared the bill with acts including Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Camper Van Chadbourne, Penelope Houston and many more.

5:30-7:30pm

The Fangers are a 3-piece surf folk band bringing tasty, coastal tunes!

5:30-7:30pm

Jazz Quartet focusing on Standards and songs from the American Songbook with an emphasis on improvisation and collaboration.

5:30-7:30pm

Jazz On Tap plays jazz standards from The Great American Song Book. Featuring crooner Rocky Pase on vocals, Richard Robinson (sax, clarinet), Preston Brahm (piano) Thom Nold (Bass) and Bruce handloff (drums). Come out, enjoy a beer and swing with us!

3:00-5:00pm

Fan-coined “Americana-meets-Vaudeville” singer-songwriter trio

Original story-songs, dramedy, stellar vocals, sweet harmonies, great entertainment!

Bonny June & Bonfire are an original music trio that sing together like birds on a wire. Their entertainment style has been coined by fans as “Americana meets Vaudeville”. Bonny’s wild storytelling blends sweet & saucy, drama & comedy with fantastical characters such as cowgirls & pirates, heroes & villains, lovers & monsters. Beloved local guitarist/singer/producer Ken Kraft established popular bands Snail & The White Album Ensemble. Excellent bassist/singer Craig Owens’ varied history includes The Messiahs & Lacy J Dalton. With stellar vocals, beautiful harmonies and seasoned players, a Bonfire show is sure to have you listening & laughing, crying & drinking, singing & swaying and fully entertained!

5:30-7:30pm

With a big map and no planned destination, this trio of seasoned improvisers from the jazz and jam band worlds use song and structure the way spacecrafts use planets: not to land and stay, but to SLINGSHOT around and be propelled back out into the galaxy. During this mostly-improv show, a familiar song could materialize at any time. Or not. All we can promise is that nobody knows what’s going to happen.

Slingshot is:

Guitar and Vocals: Matt Hartle (China Cats, Painted Mandolin, Shady Groove, Grateful Sundays with Matt Hartle and Friends)
Bass: Pete Novembre (OM Trio, Coffee Zombie Collective, Aza, Elephino)
Drums: Bret Bailey (Shady Groove, Elephino, Cosmic Pinball, BlissNinnies)

5:30-7:30pm

Singer/Songwriter Gary Blackburn returns to our Beer Garden.

Central Coast celebrated singer songwriter based in Santa Cruz, Gary Blackburn, brings together his smooth vocals, and stylized guitar picking to his original compositions, and cool covers in the Country, Rock, Folk, Blues genres. Blending old school with contemporary, the Gary Blackburn Band will weave a memorable musical performance of songs that tell stories of love, forgiveness, and the paths that we choose. With a well-rounded repertoire, Gary will show both his versatile soft folk blues side along with his high energy rock side.

5:30-7:3opm

Aardvark is a jam band indigenous to the SF Bay Area that has been channeling the spirit of the Grateful Dead and like-minded music with choice songs, sweet vocals and transcendent jams since 2011.

Aardvark features the talents of Jon “Skippy” Sherred (bass), Robert Parker (drums), Ben Hollin (keys), and Greg Gavalakis (guitar), often joined by tasty percussionist Paul Stevens and exceptional vocalist Jenifer Freebairn. As the popularity of the Grateful Dead has grown over the years, so has the number of Grateful Dead musicians in the Bay Area. Aardvark distinguishes itself with a consistent lineup, persistent rehearsing, and hair-splitting dedication to authentic renditions of the material. Aardvark performs several times in a typical month, and has played hundreds of shows at various venues, private parties and festivals.

5:30-7:30pm

Junebug Bayer is a singer/songwriter from Santa Cruz, California who specializes in folk-fusion fingerstyle guitar, occasionally adding harmonica, tap dance, autoharp, kazoo, ukulele, and banjo into the mix.

5:30-7:30pm

Rock, Americana, Jam, & Outlaw Country from the heart of the Bay Area.

3:00-5:00pm

High energy covers of favorites from all genres and eras

5:30-7:30pm
Every 1st Thursday of the Month! Dan Robbins joins Matt Hartle on 1/2 for an evening of funk fusion.

About Matt Hartle:

As the lead guitarist for the China Cats and Painted Mandolin, Matt Hartle has established himself as the preeminent jam band guitarist for Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. You can also find him hosting a weekly deep dead jam, where he welcomes Bay Area players for Grateful Sunday shenanigans. Matt’s unique voice and intricate playing style always gets the audience on their feet and feeling their groove. You’ll be dancing to songs from legends like Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, as well as rock, blues, jazz, americana, and of course some Matt Hartle originals. Stop by for a “Thursday after work” brew and some hot hartle licks when Matt returns to Discretion Brewing every First Thursday!