Catch a double feature of retro-futuristic cool this Saturday, Nov. 15 at Alex’s Bar, when Toronto’s surf-rock sensations The Surfrajettes share the stage with the inventive Bethlehem Shalom.
The pairing feels almost cinematic — two acts with deep reverence for mid-century sounds and visuals, yet each approaching the past with an entirely distinct sense of style.
Formed in 2015, The Surfrajettes are an all-female quartet whose surf-rock instrumentals are as tight as their matching go-go boots and beehive hairdos.
Guitarists Shermy Freeman and Nicole Damoff founded the band with bassist Sarah Butler and drummer Annie Lillis, crafting a confident, playful sound from the start. Their viral cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” put them on the international map, leading to festival appearances and two full-length albums — 2022’s “Roller Fink” and “Easy as Pie,” released in 2024.
Sharing the bill is Bethlehem Shalom, a Los Angeles-based singer and producer whose music she calls “space age soul pop.”
Though she claims to hail from “the remote wilds of Bathtub, Alaska,” that origin story is as fictional as it is fitting.
According to this writer’s research, Bathtub, Alaska doesn’t actually exist — and that’s precisely the point. Shalom’s self-invented hometown underscores a creative ethos rooted in mythmaking and imagination.
Onstage, she blends vintage soul grit with futuristic pop sheen, pairing rich vocals with infectious grooves. These live performances, often accompanied by her own upcycled fashion designs, shimmer with energy.
Together, The Surfrajettes and Bethlehem Shalom promise an evening that bridges decades and aesthetics. The night’s combination of nostalgia and innovation is exactly what makes Long Beach’s music scene thrive.
Check out shorturl.at/pQfsk for tickets.
Bamboo Club
Get ready for loud, unapologetic, sweating-through-your-shirt vibes — plus a healthy dose of punk rock history — at The Bamboo Club on Sunday, Nov. 16.Anchored by Minneapolis-born Off With Their Heads, and bolstered by San Pedro’s own Toys That Kill plus the foundational legacy of F.Y.P (and supporting act Smug), this concert is a gathering of voices who continue to sustain the DIY punk ethos.
Off With Their Heads emerged in 2002, and though the lineup has shifted over the years, frontman Ryan Young has remained the constant.
They’ve released multiple full-length albums, built a reputation as “a band’s band” whose mission is honest in its cynicism and whose flourishes of melody coexist with screamed urgency.
At this show on Sunday, they’ll be celebrating the 15-year anniversary of “In Desolation,” revisiting a record that helped define their voice.
Toys That Kill, meanwhile, trace their roots to F.Y.P (Five Year Plan), which formed in the early 1990s in Torrance before metamorphosing into Toys That Kill at the turn of the millennium in San Pedro.
Their sound carries the spirit of records by The Buzzcocks, Cheap Trick, The Descendents — plenty of hooks and self-determination.
F.Y.P remain an essential part of the punk story, offering the early spark and attitude that helped fuel later bands.
In the broader context of Long Beach’s music scene, this show at The Bamboo Club matters. It’s not just nostalgia or revival — it’s affirmation that punk remains alive and full of purpose.
For more info, head to shorturl.at/Qahbk.
Japanese Garden
The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden at California State University Long Beach invites residents to slow down, sketch, and find inspiration in its winding paths and koi ponds.
The garden’s “Art Days” series, priced at just $2 admission, turns the serene location into an open-air studio where artists of all levels can create in a setting designed for mindfulness and reflection.
Each session centers on a different artistic theme or medium, encouraging repeat visitors to explore new forms of expression.
Next Thursday, Nov. 20, the focus shifts to watercolor, a natural fit for the garden’s tranquil scenery.
The delicate, steady flow of watercolor paint mirrors the rippling pond and the soft movement of bamboo in the breeze — an ideal match between medium and environment.
Unlike a structured class, Art Days are self-led, giving participants the freedom to find their own rhythm. Some basic supplies are provided, but artists are encouraged to bring their own sketchbooks, brushes, and paints.
The only stipulation here: All materials must be water-soluble. Oil and acrylic paints are not permitted, to preserve the garden’s living ecosystem.
Space is limited, so be sure to check out shorturl.at/YMOsS to register.