Events

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

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.

12pm – 5pm

Enjoy tastings of beer & wine right in the heart of Pleasure Point while strolling through some of your favorite shops! Rain or shine event.

Details

Tickets are limited. Get Yours Now
($40 in advance / If not sold out in advance, then $45 day of event per person)
Must be 21 or older with valid ID.

5:30-7:30pm

Santa Cruz based Americana band Flypaper Blues is straight out of your grandfather’s rifle barrel. A little whiskey, coffee grinds, 2-in-1 oil and whole lot of fiddle. Driving drums, bass rhythms. This 100% homegrown, local band brings influences from traditional bluegrass, post punk, ragtime, to alt-county genres. Songwriting is personal, comedic, and inspired by the existential need to transcend the hazards and pitfalls of modern life with soul nourishing music.

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

4/29: Stay Tuned!

Movies in the Taproom Every Monday!

5:45pm start time

4/29: TBD!

Next Trivia Night: 4/30
6:30-8:00pm
Hosted by Michael Cahalan

3:00-5:00pm

7th Wave is a very musical, acoustic band with three lead singers, three guitars, flute and percussion. Each member is vocally featured and beautifully blended to create stunning three part harmonies backed with finely executed instrumentation. 7th Wave’s song choices span the spectrum of many decades from the 60’s to present. Together the three musicians create a synergy of harmony, charisma and fun in their performances.

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

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.

5:30-7:30pm

Axe & Acoustic is a new local band with classic covers, fun originals, harmonies, harmonicas, all kinds of strings and drums.

5:30-7:30pm

Honest American Roots Music with Travis Cruise.

Expect songs from Steven Graves CD, “All Alone,” plus some new Nashville tunes and unrecorded gems!

‘American roots music, compellingly honest, beautifully crafted and fully realized songs that just happen to be in the Americana realm. Really good stuff. — Dennis McNally | Grateful Dead Publicist

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

Love Creek is a folk-rock/jam band from Santa Cruz, California. Current band members consist of Malakai Lawton (vocals/guitar), Alex Bahler (lead guitar), Ryan Jensen (bass/vocals), Ed Levy (keys), and Rob Borella (drums).

Love Creek pulls from a musical headwaters of jam band and folk rock influences, creating original material that is both heartfelt and powerful, both lyrically and instrumentally. Along with a growing repertoire of original songs, Love Creek also performs music written by artists such as: Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, Jerry Garcia Band, The Cure, Van Morrison, Marshall Tucker Band, Rusted Root, America, as well as many others.

6:30-7:30pm
Every Third Wednesday! Next Antiques Sideshow Trivia Night: 5/15

Clark’s Auction Co. presents “Antiques Sideshow” Trivia Night – an evening of Art, Antiques, One-of-a-Kind Prizes and, of course, Beer! History, Art, Jewelry and Antique buffs – this is your night to shine!

Trivia questions will cover the time periods, techniques, and stories behind real antiques, art, and jewelry that are coming up for auction. Win one-of-a-kind auction item prizes, learn something new, and sip your favorite Discretion brew!

12:00-3:00pm

Enjoy a beer in support of Karimu Foundation! Proceeds from 5/19 will go toward building school kitchens at Ufani school with fuel-efficient stoves so that students can receive daily meals, cooks will no longer have to prepare food over open fires and risk respiratory diseases, and less firewood will be used which reduces deforestation and school expenses.

About Karimu:

Karimu founders Don Stoll and Marianne Kent-Stoll first visited Dareda Kati in 2007 as tourists, curious about life in an African village. They had no idea that they would be welcomed by the whole community and invited to come back. Shocked by some of the challenges facing the villagers—for example, Ufani Primary School’s 230 students had just two usable classrooms—they felt obligated to return.

Back in California, Don and Marianne founded the nonprofit Karimu International Help Foundation in 2008. The Swahili word karimu, meaning “generous” and “welcoming,” aptly describes Dareda’s people.

Don and Marianne thought it was important for people besides themselves to experience what they had, so Karimu’s annual trips have always included volunteers—as few as 15 and as many as 35. These volunteers work hard during their 12 or 13 days in the village, but the great bulk of the managerial and physical work on Karimu’s projects is executed by year-round Tanzanian residents to whom Karimu pays salaries or hourly wages. Their original host in Dareda Kati, Kahembe, was consistently the most crucial Tanzanian contributor to Karimu’s work, overseeing the efficient execution of one project after another.

Enjoy Discretion on a boat! For schedule of beer cruises, visit the links below. We’ll see you out on the ocean…

Chardonnay Sailing Charters

Discretion sails on 5/11, 6/8, 7/20, 10/19

O’Neill Yacht Charters

Discretion sails on 5/26, 6/28, 7/27, 8/25, 9/14, 10/12

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

This beloved local band has been entertaining locals here in Santa Cruz for over 9 years. Their sound is a rich acoustic mix of varied musical genres. Local guitarist Bryan Shelton’s folksy picking style along with Kate Mullikin’s evocative lyrics and smokey vocals, make their performance a fresh listening experience. For this outside, afternoon performance, they’ll be accompanied by stand-up bassist, Devon Pearce and Fiddle and Mandolin player Tommy Lee Baker.

Go to www.wildirissantacruz.com to listen to their past and latest albums.

5:30-7:30pm

The Paperback Ryders are an acoustic harmony power-trio. Accurate harmonies from many notable bands.

5:30-7:30pm

Brotherhood of Freaks plays the music of Chris Robinson Brotherhood. If you know the music of CRB, you’ll be stoked to hear it played live again by musicians who love playing these songs. If you’ve never heard CRB, it’s just great danceable music, in the vein of the Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, the American rock & roll catalog, and good ol’ psychedelic music. CRB disbanded after the tragic passing of Neal Casal in 2019. Brotherhood of Freaks was formed to keep that treasure trove of musical bliss alive and rockin’.

Based in Santa Cruz County, Brotherhood of Freaks features Steve Sofranko (China Cats, Stu Allen & Mars Hotel) on keyboards and vocals, Mike Cross on vocals and rhythm guitar, Mike Johnson (Cosmic Pinball, Kava Jah, Crate Diggers) on lead guitar, Paul Garcia (Puffball Collective, Slugs & Roses) on drums, and Kyle Gorath (Velour) on bass. We have embraced the CRB catalog and hope to lovingly play it for your listening and dancing pleasure! “Let the (music of) CRB set you free!”

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

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.

5:30-7:30pm

Chiseled is three pretty cool guys from San Jose who play original music with some stylized covers. Call them indie folk, but you’ll also hear straight folk, country, and indie rock out of them.

3:00-5:00pm

Toe-tapping Americana and Folk Rock covers – Perfect for sipping a brew and chatting with friends.

5:30-7:30pm

Junebug Bayer with Dave De Leon on drums

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

Based in Santa Cruz, The Shady Characters have been playing together for nearly 10 years.

They feature many styles of popular music from such artists as Lucinda Williams, Marvin Gay, Eilen Jewel, Boz Scaggs, The Cure, Black Keys, Rolling Stones, Hall and Oates, and many others, and enjoy choosing songs that will inspire dancing!

The Redwood Mountain Faire – the Annual Music and Art Festival benefiting local community organizations throughout the San Lorenzo Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains is BACK, and Discretion will be there pouring you beer!

Join us for a weekend-long, family-friendly music festival with 20 bands and arts & crafts fair that benefits local nonprofit organizations. The Faire features live music on two stages, kids’ area, locally made food, beer, cider and wine in an open field surrounded by redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Kids 12 and under FREE!

Get Tickets & Info Here

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.

5:30-7:30pm

Eyes Like Lanterns is a four piece Indie-Folk Rock band that seeks to bring a new sound to the Northern California Folk Rock scene by blending Indie-Rock influences with Southern Blues styles to create a fresh take on an age-old genre.

3:00-5:00pm

Formed in 2022, Rivets & Rust are a Santa Cruz Rock, Folk, Americana band. Their music encompasses a unique variety of singer-songwriter originals as well as a collection of classic covers. The band’s delivery of a mellow vibe with soaring vocals and smoking guitar passages resonates with a wide range of audiences. Rivets & Rust are: Tim Bennett-guitars/lead vocals, Angela Bennett- keys/harmony vocals, Heather Clark-drums, Glenn MacPherson- lead guitar, Eric Mauerman- bass, and Matthew Merrill- rhythm guitar.

5:30-7:30pm

Hunny Pot (Jim Lewin and Diana Z) brings together worlds of folk, rock, Celtic, reggae, bluegrass, Americana and more, featuring Diana’s lush vocals, Jim’s intricate picking, duet harmonies and a wide variety of songs from various backgrounds.

5:30-7:30pm

Power Strip is a project since September 2010 with Noise Clinic and Junk Sick Dawn founder Tait Reed (after returning from Japan in 2008), and internationally touring artist and musician Sayaka Yabuki.

Power Strip was the featured band at the 2012 Santa Cruz Nexties awards. At the 2011 Calamari Fest at India Joze, Power Strip played their opus “The Call Of Cthulhu” operetta based on the science fiction horror story by HP Lovecraft. They have opened for Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s awesome side project band Elettrodomestico at The Catalyst and played in the Catalyst atrium the same night that blues legend BB King played the main stage.

Power Strip is known for playing bent, stripped down covers of songs they like – anything from The Cure to The Germs, to Roy Orbison to Ennio Morricone, to Bernard Hermann to Julee Cruise. Sometimes they have guest players add to the mix, but for their performance at Discretion, Power Strip will be at its most stripped down: guitar, violin, synth, voice, and a headful of wild ideas.

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

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.

5:30-7:30pm

Singer/guitarist James Patrick Regan of the Deadlies

FREE* DAY (frē dā)

1. A day off
2. Discretion Brewing’s annual Independence Day celebration.
3. An IPA brewed to a different recipe every year and released on Free Day.

Let’s relax and celebrate freedom & togetherness!
Saturday 7/6 from 12-9pm

• Expanded Beer Garden
• Live Music
  • 12:30-3:30 Dirt Rakers
  • 3:30-5 Virgil Thrasher
  • 5-8pm Seven Shades of Grey
• Outdoor Cash Bar
• Release of our 2024 Free Day IPA
• Beer Garden Games

*Free, as in Freedom/Independence; Not the cost of our products 😉

5:30-7:30pm

Based out of New Orleans, LA, The Silver Lining Serenaders play traditional jazz and swing as well as Western swing and jug band music. Bringing harmonies and fresh arrangements to tunes from the first half of the 20th century.

5:30-7:30pm

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!

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.

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.

3:00-5:00pm

Cali-style lounge rock

5:30-7:30pm

The Velvet Underpants is a tribute to one of the most influential bands in the history of rock, The Velvet Underground. Hardly recognized in their day, the songs of The Velvet Underground still reverberate a half-century later as a timeless reminder of what rock & roll once was, still is, and always will be. The Velvet Underpants attempts to bring these sonic gems to life, with all the quirks and flaws of the real thing and then some

5:30-7:30pm

“A lifelong guitarist, I am a fingerstyle player performing acoustic instrumentals and vocals with Americana, blues and jazz roots. My fingerstyle playing is inspired by Tommy Emmanuel, often referred to as the greatest fingerstyle musician today. My vocals feature covers of my other music heroes, James Taylor and Paul Simon. Audiences appreciate my fancy fingerstyle songs combined with a range of soulful and upbeat vocals.”

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

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

5:30-7:30pm

The Trolley Drops play songs from the good-time, prohibition-era folk jazz genre known as Jug Band music, which blends the call and response of gospel with the drive of the delta blues and the ruckus sounds of New Orleans Jazz.

3:00-5:00pm

The Crate Diggers band unearths trendsetting tunes from a variety of genres, then turns up the dial with funky, gritty, soulful grooves — both timeless and new. The instrumental powerhouse features keyboardist Josh Salesin (Funk Ur Soul, Plan B), guitarist Mike Johnson (Kava Jah & the Remedy, Brotherhood of Freaks), bassist Pete Novembre (Om Trio, Quasimodal) and drummer Kevin DiNoto (Aza).

Crate Diggers Band is based in Santa Cruz, CA. For upcoming shows and additional details, visit: cratediggersband.com

5:30-7:30pm

Lake Eagles Blues Band is a side project which began July of 2022. Its base consists of Michael Curry on bass, vocals, and harmonica; Jake McBain on guitar; and Brent Nunn on drums. Jake and Michael are both currently members in The Stone Drifters. Michael also currently plays with local bluesman, Lloyd Whitley. Bringing in a tasty blend of classic and modern Rockin’ Blues, with a nice serving of funk, some soul, and some other flavors to spare! The band’s joy and energy comes from the honor of entertaining others through music. Some of their influences include Freddie, BB, and Albert King, Tom Petty, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Record Company, and Sonny Boy Williamson II.

3:00-5:00pm

“Jazz with a Twist”

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

3:00-5:00pm

High energy covers of favorites from all genres and eras

5:30-7:30pm

El Sol is a 10 piece band devoted to Salsa music – especially Salsa Dura NY-style. We play original arrangements of classic 70’s songs from Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto, and Willie Colon as well as Latin standards and even a few Beatles songs. Our two singers, two trombones, flute, bongo, conga, timbale, keyboards and bass create an infectious groove that will bring you to the dance floor.

5:30-7:30pm

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

5:30-7:30pm

Throughout the course of their exciting journey as a group, the members of Medicine Road have won over the hearts of music lovers around the Bay Area, performing at a variety of venues and making countless public appearances. A talented rock band, Medicine Road has earned the admiration and affection of critics and fans alike from Santa Cruz to San Francisco. Medicine Road formed in their hometown of Boulder Creek, California in 2007. Since then they evolved into popular and versatile talented group of musicians.

They consist of 4 members, Pablo Eagle (singer-songwriter, guitarist), Jonathan (Skippy) Sherred (bass guitar, vocals), Doug Underhill (drums, background vocals), and Sean Woodward (lead guitar, background vocals). The sound can be anything from psychedelic, country, hard rock, jazzy, and or folky, all in one show. The band will not and never has wanted to be one style of music, and pleases people of all ages and musical tastes. They take pride in being an original music band, and playing the music they love, and it shows! A Medicine Road show is like non other, and not to be missed!

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.

5:30-7:30pm

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

Featuring:

John Bouwsma-Saxophone
Jamie Brudnick-Double Bass
Shawn Medeiros-Drums

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.

5:30-7:30pm

Adam Behan – Power Pop songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from Monterey, California

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.

3:00-5:00pm

They have made quite the name for themselves this year – doing 2 hour shows at breweries and wineries all over California from Sacramento to Modesto (their home town) to Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Twain Heart, and soon Olfactory Brewery in San Francisco.

Nerdy is also staying busy with new recordings on his YouTube channel: Officialnerdymusic

Nerdy describes his music as “Romantic Ambient Christian Inspired Folk Pop.”