The Catalyst is one of Santa Cruz's biggest music venues, and books a very eclectic range of talents. The club is mainly a large, flat open area, and two small balconies on either side of the stage for the 21+ crowd. Local bands are welcome to play (and often do) in the smaller room, called the Atrium, for very affordable prices (usually $5-$15 a ticket). The vibe is consistantly laid back, and there's no pressure to dress up like you're going to a club. Smoking area is in front of the club, and only open to the 21+ crowd. There's also a pizza kitchen (called Rocker's Pizza Kitchen) if you're hungry on the way out.
| Main styles: | Everything! Punk, hardcore, dubstep, rock, rap, anything goes here. |
| Overall feel: | Laid back, eclectic mix of people |
| Acoustics: | Large room, big speakers. |
| Avg. crowd size: | Never empty but plenty of room to dance |
| Avg. age of crowd: | 16-32 |
| Stuff to do around there: | It's downtown, so restaurants, bars, shopping. |
| Jam Session? | No |
| Avg. age of musicians: | 20-50 |
| Skill of musicians: | Average to very good |
| Notable past acts: | Tiger Army, Snoop Dogg, Agent Orange, Steve Aoki, Datsik, The Pack, Bassnectar, Against Me! |
