Metro Santa Cruz, a free-circulation weekly newspaper published in Santa Cruz, California from 1994 to 2009, was renamed the Santa Cruz Weekly on May 6, 2009. The weekly continues, under its new name, to cover news, arts and entertainment in Santa Cruz County, a coastal area that includes Capitola, Aptos, Boulder Creek, Scotts Valley and Watsonville.
Popular features of Metro Santa Cruz included Nuz, a free-wheeling un-bylined political column, the "ClubGrid" music calendar and Muz, a music column. The Nuz name was retired upon the publication's renaming.
Locally based in Santa Cruz, the alternative weekly is owned by Metro Newspapers, a company started by UC Santa Cruz graduate and former Santa Cruz publisher Dan Pulcrano. The company also publishes Metro in the adjacent Santa Clara Valley, a.k.a. Silicon Valley and the North Bay Bohemian in the Sonoma/Napa/Marin area.
The newspaper commemorated its 15th anniversary in April 2009 with a photographic tribute to prominent Santa Cruzans, including wet suit inventor Jack O'Neill, musicians Greg Camp and Dale Ockerman, former California secretary of state Bruce McPherson and others. The essay was photographed by Santa Cruz native Dina Scoppettone. The issue was the last one published under the Metro Santa Cruz name.
Oo-wee how did I lose
Talkin' about a night in Santa Cruz
Oo-wee how did I lose
Talkin' about a night in Santa Cruz
Well I came to coast from L.A.
Just to give a little music to boo me away
Hey J.J. can you play Cocaine
Do After Midnight it's all the same
Oo-wee how did I lose
Talkin' about a night in Santa Cruz
Oo-wee how did I lose
I'll tell you about the night in Santa Cruz
Well we didn't play long it booed too soon
I can't do right no matter what you do
A girl in the crowd, at the finale
Shouted at me had I even turned
Another man left 'cos he didn't stay long
I thought we had played his favorite song
Hey you, pull that weight
A soon as it's cleaned up then I'll fade away
My friends and I hope you're glad to see
Me and friends coming off the street
Play, Richard
I don't mean a man can't lose
Just stay by the night in Santa Cruz
Just stay by the night in Santa Cruz