Celebrating live music, stand-up and storytelling in Santa Cruz since 1983

Email Pulse Productions

Upcoming shows

  1. Sandra Bernhard

    Caught Off Guard tour

    8:00 pmRio TheatreSunday, November 29, 2026

    Sandra Bernhard

    These are crazy, how-low-can-we-go-times and Sandy doesn’t like that vibe! 

    But she’s rising to the occasion, even when she’s CaughtOffGuard, which is on a daily basis. If you like staying high, getting carried away on perfumed breezes... Or if your setting is continental, a little sentimental, then Sandy is your girl. She’s there to guide you through these treacherous times, with a groove, beat and style you’ve become accustomed to. 

    Just when you think you can’t take it anymore, grab a seat for the one and only Sandy B.

    Maybe it won’t change the planet but it sure will elevate the conversation.

  2. Garrison Keillor

    with Heather Masse & Richard Dworsky

    8:00 pmRio TheatreSunday, December 13, 2026

    Garrison Keillor

    With cheerfulness and wit, the natural storyteller has endured the decades.

    The familiar, decent characters of Lake Wobegon will undoubtedly be woven 

    in to the evening, along with a limerick or two, and communal singalongs 

    to lift the spirits.

  3. On A Winters Night

    with Patty Larkin, Cliff Eberhardt, John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky

    8:00 pmRio TheatreSaturday, March 6, 2027

    On A Winters Night

    Presenting the reunion tour of "On a Winters Night" from veteran songwriters that remain among the brightest stars of the singer/songwriter movement for the past three decades.

    Patty Larkin, Cliff Eberhardt, John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky

  4. Paula Poundstone

    Back to Santa Cruz!

    8:00 pmRio TheatreFriday, August 27, 2027

    Paula Poundstone

    Iconic comedian Paula Poundstone is known for her smart, observational humor and a spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. She regularly plays theaters across the country, hosts a weekly comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone, and is a regular panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me.

All tickets are subject to applicable city taxes and service charges.

Beware of counterfeit tickets. We recommend buying only from this Pulse site or directly from the venue’s website.