The New Shockwaves bring surf music to Balefire Brewing Co.

Santa Cruz outfit led by drummer Jeff 'Stretch' Riedle performs instrumental psychedelic surf tunes

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The New Shockwaves, a local surf music outfit led by drummer Jeff 'Stretch' Riedle, is bringing their unique brand of instrumental, psychedelic surf music to Balefire Brewing Co. in Santa Cruz this Saturday. Riedle, who has been a surf drummer for over 40 years, discusses the history of the band and the evolution of surf music in Santa Cruz.

Why it matters

Surf music has long been a part of Santa Cruz's cultural identity, with the city's close ties to surfing and beach culture. The New Shockwaves represent the continued vibrancy of the local surf music scene, blending traditional surf sounds with more experimental, psychedelic elements to appeal to a wider audience.

The details

The New Shockwaves was formed by Riedle after the disbanding of his previous band, The Shockwaves, in 1992. While drawing on his 15 years of experience in surf bands, Riedle wanted to take the group in a slightly different direction, incorporating covers of well-known tunes like the Batman theme and Pearl Jam's 'Better Man' alongside original compositions. The band's new album 'From the Beginning' showcases their unique, instrumental psychedelic surf sound.

  • The New Shockwaves will perform at Balefire Brewing Co. on Saturday, February 11, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.

The players

Jeff 'Stretch' Riedle

The drummer and leader of The New Shockwaves, Riedle has been a surf drummer for over 40 years and was the original drummer for the precursor band The Shockwaves.

The New Shockwaves

A local Santa Cruz surf music outfit that blends traditional surf sounds with psychedelic and experimental elements.

The Shockwaves

The precursor band to The New Shockwaves, which Riedle was the original drummer for starting in 1985.

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What they’re saying

“Everyone knows surf music when they hear it. It's all instrumental and heavily based with reverb. There's a standard drum beat that repeats. And if you can play that, you can be a surf drummer like I've been the past 40 years.”

— Jeff 'Stretch' Riedle, Drummer and leader of The New Shockwaves (santacruzsentinel.com)

“With no lead singer, there's still a front person. The guitarist is considered your lead. Sometimes you get guitarists who blend in really well with the bass and drums. And other times, you get a guitarist with an ego, and then you have a regular band.”

— Jeff 'Stretch' Riedle, Drummer and leader of The New Shockwaves (santacruzsentinel.com)

What’s next

The New Shockwaves will be performing songs from their new album 'From the Beginning' at the Balefire Brewing Co. show on Saturday.

The takeaway

The New Shockwaves' performance at Balefire Brewing Co. showcases the continued vitality of Santa Cruz's surf music scene, as the band blends traditional surf sounds with more experimental and psychedelic elements to appeal to a new generation of listeners.