Dave Margulies of High Sierra Music Festival. Photo courtesy of Gabriel David Barkin
By Jon Chown
The road to one of Northern California’s most eclectic music festivals will run straight through Santa Cruz this month as four emerging bands take the stage at Moe’s Alley.
The High Sierra Band Contest returns May 24 with a live “battle of the bands” event, where performers will compete for a coveted slot at the 34th High Sierra Music Festival, set for July 2–5 in Grass Valley.
Doors open at 6 p.m., with music starting at 7 p.m. The 21-and-over show will feature Trianna Feruza & The Heavy Hitters, Grace & The Grit, Space Heater and The Akoustiks. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
The Santa Cruz stop is one of several semifinal showcases taking place across the West Coast this month, part of an expanded effort by festival organizers to tap into regional music scenes.
“Santa Cruz has always been an area where we’ve gotten a lot of folks from through the years,” said Dave Margulies, producer of the High Sierra Music Festival. “It’s part of the High Sierra community.”
In addition to Santa Cruz, showcases are being held in Nevada City, Ashland, Oregon, San Francisco, Marin, Portland, Tahoe and the East Bay. Bands were allowed to choose which location they wanted to compete in.
“We try and choose areas that have a vibrant live music scene,” Margulies said.
More than 250 bands submitted entries for the contest this year, which organizers narrowed down to a few dozen semifinalists performing at regional showcases throughout May. Roughly 35 acts will ultimately compete for a slot at the festival.
Unlike traditional judged competitions, this year’s format puts the outcome largely in the hands of fans.
“The semifinalists were chosen by the High Sierra team,” Margulies said. “They will be judged basically by the audience, based on enthusiasm from the crowd. We are letting the audience decide this year.”
That means applause, energy and turnout at Moe’s Alley could make the difference for bands hoping to advance.
For Margulies, the contest reflects the same wide-ranging musical philosophy that has defined High Sierra for decades.
“There is no particular High Sierra sound,” he said. “It’s more of a state of mind. We have no limits on who we are or what you do. Excellence determines it. It could be any genre or style: improvisational jazz, psychedelic rock, funk, soul, indie rock.”
Margulies has been part of the festival since 1995, after first attending while working as a talent scout for Sony Music.
“I would always see Roy Carter handing out fliers, talking about the High Sierra Music Festival,” he said. “Eventually I joined the organization and now I’m kind of the last man standing.”
Carter, the festival’s founder, died before the 2023 event, and the festival has since relocated from its longtime home in Quincy to Grass Valley.
For up-and-coming artists, the band contest offers more than just bragging rights. Winners earn a spot on a professional festival stage, often performing alongside nationally touring acts — a potential launching pad for broader exposure.
And for local music fans, the May 24 showcase offers a chance to play a direct role in who gets there.