Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (1/21-1/24/16)-
Thursday
Giant Robot Biennale 4 at the Japanese American National Museum closes this weekend but today you can see it with free admission all day (last admission at 7:30pm)
Inspired by the ambient glow of Dan Flavin’s “monument” for V. Tatlin (1969), Monument is a yearlong series of performances by Los Angeles–based musicians and sound artists in the current installation of MOCA’s permanent collection. This week’s free performances are by Anenon (Brian Allen Simon) and $3.33 (Celia Rae Hollander)
New Yorker writer Larissa MacFarquhar will be reading from her book, Strangers Drowning: Grappling with Impossible Idealism, Drastic Choices and the Overpowering Urge to Help at Hammer Museum (free)
designLAb, at the Pacific Design Center, celebrates its fifth year on Friday, January 22, from 5 to 9:30 PM with new art, architecture, design, sound and taste exhibitions as well as one-night only special performances (free)
The Egyptian Theatre is showing a double feature of Kurosawa films- Rashoman and Ikiru
Sunday
Shigeto is playing at The Echo with Groundislava opening
Gehry and Science, at LACMA, features a conversation between Frank Gehry and acclaimed scientist Arnold J. Levine, the second of the talks the museum is having in conjunction with the Gehry exhibition (free but standby only)
Art Catalogues at LACMA is having a discussion and book signing with artists The Haas Brothers and Liza Lou
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (12/17-12/20/15)-
Thursday
Thee Oh Sees, Fuzz, and WAND are playing A Holiday Homeless Charity Event at Teragram Ballroom with proceeds going to LA Kitchen. It’s sold out, but there are always ways to find tix.
The Center for the Arts at Eagle Rock is hosting The Winter Solstice Sound Bath, which “offers audience members the opportunity to achieve a deep meditative state through the experience of pure sound” ($25)
For some different, less meditative sounds, EDM DJ Dillon Francis is at The Shrine with T-Pain, Valentino Khan, Anna Lunoe & Neo Fresco (or see him Friday with ILoveMakonnen)
Friday
Vince Staples is worth taking a trip to Santa Ana for, where he’ll be playing at The Observatory
At the Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (LACA) gallery they are having the opening for the exhibit Molybdomancy followed by a Holiday Party with Night Gallery which will have performances, DJs, and hot cider
Get in the holiday spirit with The Music Center’s free outdoor Holiday Sing-along (tickets are distributed to the line at 6pm)
Can’t get enough of Star Wars?- you can participate in Light Saber Battle LA 2015in Pershing Square (if you have one- they have sold out) or just check it out (free)
Downtown Art Walk is back- this time in addition to the art, you can check out a holiday concert on the world’s largest harp (at 6 and 8pm at City National Tower)
At LACMA, Art + Technology Lab grant recipient Nana Oforiatta-Ayim is launching phase one of her project, Cultural Encyclopaedia, a large-scale documentation and archive effort dedicated to mapping cultural production on the African continent. The second part of the program will feature a short film documenting Oforiatta-Ayim’s use of the kiosk as a model for the traveling museum as well as a collector of culture and history. (free but ticket required)
Friday
There is a free party hosted by the Triforium Project for the 40th anniversary of Joseph Young’s sculpture. There will be music, speakers, cake, and a chance to learn about the project which hopes to restore the sculpture to its former musical and light glory.
Fig at 7th is having a holiday market today and Saturday (free)
LACMA is showing Fritz Lang’s film M in conjunction with the exhibition New Objectivity: Modern German Art in the Weimar Republic, 1919–1933 ($10)
KROQ Locals Only is hosting bands Lights and The Mowgli’s at the Wiltern
Saturday
The Million Dollar Theatre is showing Die Hard and Gaslamp Killer is Dj’ing a pre-party with holiday cocktails
Bergamot Station is having a Holiday Open House with music, free portrait painting, food and drinks to enjoy while checking out the galleries
There are still tickets available for the Carol Bus which will make stops around downtown LA while you sing Christmas Carols guided by two professional singers from the LA Master Chorale. $55 gets you on the bus, cookies, hot chocolate, a song book and a stop at a bar for hot toddies/mulled wine
The Juan Maclean are one of the musical guests for A Club Called Rhonda at Los Globos
The 11th annual Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival is at LACMA with tons of free films and shorts showing on both days in two of their theaters
Additional tickets have been released for KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas– bands include Silversun Pickups, Foals, Cage the Elephant, The 1975, Weezer, and many more
Sunday
Peach Kelli Pop are playing at The Smell with Post Life, MELTED, and The Grinning Ghosts
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (12/3-12/6/15)-
Thursday
Starting Thursday night and running until Sunday, Machine Project has turned its theater into a sports bar and will be showing sports themed art videos (free)
Made by DWC (Downtown Women’s Center) sells unique products created by homeless and low income women and tonight they are having their annual holiday party with snacks and bubbly- get some Xmas gifts and support a good cause!
The Dandy Warhols are playing at the Teregram Ballroom (also on Friday, sold out Saturday)
Artist Sandow Birk will be in conversation with writer and editor Gary Dauphin about the former’s book American Qur’an at the Hammer Museum. For the book Birk transcribed the entire Qur’an, using traditional colors, inks, and formatting, and set it against a backdrop of illustrations from everyday American life (that work is on view at OCMA)
X are playing at the Roxy (also Friday, Sunday, sold out Saturday)
Friday
A Christmas Carol, performed by Will & Company, The Music Center’s educational touring ensemble, is at The Huntington and includes a pre-show sing-along of favorite holiday tunes ($15)
Booker T. Jones is playing with Black Joe Lewis at UCLA’s Royce Hall
White Reaper is opening for together PANGEA at the Echoplex
Power 106′s Cali Christmas is at The Forum and features Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Pharrell Williams, Ty Dolla $ign, Travis Scott, Dej Loaf and more
Gary Clark Jr. is playing at the Fonda Theatre (also Thursday and Saturday)
Saturday
Purity Ring are playing at The Shrine along with Baths and HANA
Artists Ed Templeton and Ethan Rafal will be signing their books at Arcana Books in Culver City
Artist and musician Phranc will be in conversation with curator Howard Fox at CAFAM (free with admission and RSVP)
DJ Four Tet AKA Kieran Hebden is playing a 6 hour set at Lot 613 downtown
Saturday and Sunday
Grand Central Market is having a pop up Holiday Marketplace with Santa, live music, and more. If you go on Saturday you can also see Elf at the Million Dollar Theatre afterwards.
MOCA Grand Avenue is hosting Sunday Studio, which will explore experimental film, photography, and collage through activities, performance and an artist talk with filmmaker Paul Clipson and musician Liz Harris (free)
LA Makers is having a holiday market at the Fowler Museum
Tacocat is opening for Sallie Ford at The Echo and !!! are at the Echoplex
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/26-11/29/15)-
Thursday
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the day in some relaxing way!
You can also volunteer for Gobble Gobble Give at The Echo, Echoplex and the Regent Theater. They are taking food and clothing donations and also need help serving and delivering food. It starts at 10am. More info here
If you are looking for bars that are open LA Weekly put together a list
The New Beverly has a double feature for the holiday- March of the Wooden Soldiers and Singin’ In the Rain
Friday
Papa is playing at the Echoplex with Astronauts, etc., Maxim Ludwig, and Grouplove (DJ)
The Hollywood Christmas Parade is a collection of randomness that should be seen at least once while visitingor living in Los Angeles. This year it’s co-hosted by Erik Estrada and Laura Mckenzie with Penn & Teller as the Grand Marshals. There are marching bands, giant balloons, cars with the casts of current TV shows and other celebrities and of course, Santa. Tickets are sold out but you can get a spot along the parade route for free. Keep in mind a lot of streets will be closed for this event so take the Metro if you can.
Public Image Ltd (PiL) are playing at the Fonda Theatre
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/19-11/22/15)-
Thursday
Broncho are playing at the Teregram Ballroom with The Shelters and Pearl Charles
Author Rick Moody will be reading from and discussing his new book Hotels of America at Skirball Cultural Center (free and free to see the new exhibit)
As part of the Hammer Museum’s film series I Am Armenian, they are showing Vodka Lemon. A Q&A with Dr. Carla Garapedian and linguistics scholar Amir Sharifi follows the screening and complimentary coffee, tea, and Armenian pastries will be served after the program (free)
Artist Pae White will speak about artist Manny Farber at MOCA where the latter’s work is currently being shown (free and free museum admission)
Alvvays are at the Echo with Los Angeles Police Department
Hunter Hunted are playing at Club Bahia with Steady Holiday
Joey Arias: Billy Holiday Centennial has the downtown New York cabaret singer, performance and drag artist performing Holiday’s songs in this cabaret production at REDCAT ($25)
Friday
Katherine Brinson, curator of contemporary art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, will provide an overview of Los Angeles-based artist Alex Hubbard’s practice and talk with him about his work as part of Artadia’s Art & Dialogue Program at LACMA (free)
It’s time for the annual Great Los Angeles Walk. This year it starts at the renovated Cliftons and then proceeds to take Olympic all the way to Santa Monica. A good way to get some exercise and get a new perspective on Los Angeles
Pancakes & Booze Art Show is back (also on Friday) downtown with artists, live music, body painting and of course booze and free pancakes ($5)
La Luz de Jesus Gallery is hosting a book signing, performance and screening to celebrate the release of the book People Like Us – The Cult of The Rocky Horror Picture Show by Lauren Everett. Songs from the musical will be performed by Claire McKeown (Honey Child), and there will be a screening of Frank-N-Furter’s Shadow and other short films. (free)
Sunday
Designer Con, the annual art and design convention that combines “collectible toys and designer goods with urban, underground and pop art” has its second day at the Pasadena Convention Center
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/12-11/115)-
Thursday
Cass McCombs is the band in Cinefamily’sThe Band & A Movie series. The movie he chose is Dusty and Sweets McGee– a “stark quasi-documentary look at the Los Angeles drug scene by featuring real-life junkies playing themselves” with short film Sean preceding it. ($20)
Artist Jennifer Pastor is speaking at the Hammer Museum (free)
LACMA is hosting Selfies, Sousveillance, and Participatory Countersurveillance a conversation with artists Hasan Elahi and Annina Rüst (free with reserved ticket)
The School for the Movement of the Technicolor People curator Robert Crouch and artists Ashley Hunt, taisha paggett and Kim Zumpfe will be in conversation at LACE in Hollywood focusing on the current installation and the artists’ collaborative process.
Downtown Art Walk is back and this time it’s featuring work from the Los Angeles Plein Air Festival
Tamaryn is at The Echo with LA bands Froth and Roses ($10)
DIEM: TALKS DESIGN is a “one-day design symposium presented by the West Hollywood Design District with discussions, panels and keynotes from leaders in the fields of design, decorative arts, fashion, architecture and fine arts” and it’s all free with RSVP
Andra Day is performing for Club Vinyl at Amoeba Records and there will be a half off sale on all vinyl releases from artists headlining 30 Days in LA
Yo La Tengo are reuniting with former member Dave Schramm for an acoustic show at the Ace Hotel
William H. Macy, Baron Vaughn, Chicano Batman, Matt Walsh,and Brian Huskey will all be a part of NPR’s Bullseye with Jesse Thorn event at the Hollywood Forever Masonic Lodge
Squeeze Acoustic – “The At Odds Couple” ~ An Evening with Difford & Tilbrook is at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre
Family Books is having a book signing with photographer Ryan McGinley for his new book Way Far
Depending on your feelings about crowds and Christmas celebrations you may want to check out or avoid The Grove Christmas. Seth McFarlane will be singing holiday songs along with special guests Meghan Trainor and Katharine McPhee with a 70 pieces orchestra and there will be a tree lighting, fireworks and more.
Artist Ned Evans is speaking at Craig Krull Gallery in Bergamot Station (rsvp by 11/12)
Sunday
Barnsdall Art Center Holiday Art Sale + Fundraiser will be selling prints, ceramics, jewelry, handcrafted cards and photography by students & faculty of the center. Free or a $5 ticket that includes a snack and drink, $5 for raffle tickets
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/5-11/8/15)-
Thursday
Artist Glenn Ligon is speaking for free at MOCA Grand Ave about work in their permanent collection, including his own recently acquired Untitled (America, America)
LACMA is screening the feature film Station to Station, about Doug Aitken’s 24 day project of the same name. For this project a train traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific making stops along the way where a “constantly changing group of artists, musicians, and performers took part in a series of unique happenings”. The screening is followed by a conversation between the film’s director, Doug Aitken, and Film Independent curator, Elvis Mitchell with an opening performance by Sun Araw. $25 general admission tickets available here
For CraftNight: Handmade & Foraged, L.A. Papermaking at the Craft & Folk Art Museum you can sample edible creations using foraged ingredients from “food revolutionaries” Josey Baker, Mia Wasilevich, and Pascal Baudar. Afterwards dye pulp with local plants and materials under the guidance of Hiromi Paper International to create handmade paper samples- $8 includes food, drink and supplies. RSVP here
Eleanor Friedberger (of The Fiery Furnaces) is playing El Cid with Fay
Reptar are playing Club Bahia with Holiday Mountain, Breathers and Green Gerry
Thursday-Sunday
Only in Hollywood Music + Arts Festival has a HUGE list of events going on throughout the weekend, most of them free. One of the opening night parties is at Festival Hub Space 15 Twenty and there are multiple art gallery pop-ups, live music and comedy as well. Also make sure to get a button for $1 that gets you great discounts including 2 for 1 drinks at Aventine, $3 off any purchase over $5 at Amoeba Records, free truffle fries with your burger at Umami, percentages off purchases at many local businesses, and more.
Friday
Sleepless: The Music Center After Hours has an impressive amount of late night activities (beginning at 11:30pm and running until 3am), including Daniel Lanois performing a “breakthrough ambient/electro visual experience” on the penthouse floor, DJ sets on the 2nd and 3rd floors, a dance party, a music and scent experience curated by The Institute of Art and Olfaction, on site screen printing and lots more- try your luck on standby line to get in for free or pay $20 to skip the regular lineand get a pillowcase to screenprint
Beach Party are playing a free show downtown at One Santa Fe
Friday and Saturday
The Hammer Museum is having ENGAGE MORE NOW!, a free international conference on the subject of public
engagement. “The symposium will convene a group of experts to consider ongoing practices initiated by artists and museum professionals—both within and outside of institutions—that are designed to engage the public in discursive projects that may take the form of social practice, performance, or artistic intervention.”
Saturday
Top Acid in Santa Ana is throwing the free Way Too Fun Fest with 4 music stages and bands including The Lovely Bad Things, So Many Wizards, Gap Dream and more
Saturday and Sunday
To start your Christmas shopping early there’s The Jackalope Art & Craft Fair, which returns to Old Pasadena with over 200 local artisans who were hand selected by jury members. Free with free art workshops as well.
Sunday
Kendrick Lamar is part of 92.3′s The Real Show at The Forum along with Future, Rae Sremmurd, Jeremih, Rich Homie Quan, Ty Dolla $ign and Jidenna. Tickets are only resale but there are plenty of those as of this writing ( $76+)
At LACMA author Nina Ansary and artist Shirin Neshat discuss women in Iran in general, as well as Neshat and her work followed by a booksigning for Ansary’s book Jewels of Allah (free)
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (10/29-11/1/15)-
One quick note before the list- check out my Halloween and Día de Los Muertos post for what there is to do around town for those holidays
Thursday
The Night Gallery downtown is screening Zara Hayes film about painter Derek Boshier “What Do Artists Do All Day?” followed by a Q&A with her, Boshier, and Christoper Finch
Mexican artist Astrid Hadad’s cabaret performances begin at REDCAT (through Sunday 11/1)
Swedish band Vulkano are opening for British band Cheatahs at The Echo
Machine Project is teaming up with CAFAM for a night of pumpkin carving and “some exciting and ghastly chemistry experiments“, $20 includes the pumpkin
Ska orchestra Western Standard Time are playing a free show at One Santa Fe downtown
A Club Called Rhonda is having a pre-Halloween event called Death Becomes Her at the Globe Theater downtown with a lot of indie-electro DJ fun ($35 pre-sale/$50 at the door)
Lot 1 Cafe is hosting “A Nightmare Before Halloween”, a free show with Dante Elephante headlining
Friday through Sunday
Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo is back at the LA Convention Center. Stan Lee, Carrie Fisher, Elvira, William Shatner and more will be in attendance
Saturday (not too many non-Halloween events- for Halloween go here)
Hard Day of the Dead EDM festival begins- Deadmau5 is headlining Saturday with Hot Chip, Future, Flying Lotus, Nero and more; on Sunday Skrillex headlines with A$AP Ferg, Glass Animals and Groove Armada among the many other performers
Jello Biafra & the Guantanamo School of Medicine are playing along with Fartbarf and others at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach (also Friday)
Johnson Hartig, founder of the clothes label Libertine, is in conversation with famous clothes designer Bob Mackie at LACMA for Hartig’s book Libertine: The Creative Beauty, Humor, and Inspiration Behind the Cult Label (free)
Kristen Hersh is in conversation with LA Weekly’s Andy Hermann at Book Soup for her book Don’t Suck Don’t Die: Giving Up Vic Chesnutt and playing later at The Echo
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (10/22-10/25/15)-
Thursday
Slothrust is opening for Heartless Bastards at the Fonda Theatre
LACMA is hosting Digital Memory and Memorials, a talk with artists Gabriel Barcia-Colombo, Joseph DeLappe and scholar Marita Sturken (free but standby only)
Día de Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever claims to be the biggest in the country. This year Lila Downs is headlining, and there will be dance performances, art shows and altars as well as food and drink all around the cemetery to celebrate ($20)
Grand Ave Arts All Access has several events going on from 10am-5pm including a working orchestra rehearsal of LA Opera’s production of the new opera Moby-Dick, architectural tours of the Broad Museum, free entrance to MOCA and more
If you are downtown you can also attend the free Sixth Street Bridge Farewell Festival and Concert with performances by War, Aloe Blacc, and others and a fireworks show at the end to say goodbye to the iconic bridge that will soon be demolished
Hammer Museum is having Hammer Bash to celebrate the opening of two new exhibitions of work by Frances Stark and Lawren Harris. DJs, drinks and food from 8-10 (free)
Saturday and Sunday
The Observatory in Santa Ana is hosting the awesome 2-day event Beach Goth 4– bands include The Growlers, Grimes, Die Antwoord, Juicy J, The Drums, FIDLAR, DIIV, Cherry Glazerr, Warpaint, and many, many, more ($100 for both days)
Luna are playing at the Teregram Ballroom with Quilt. For Sunday’s show the band will be the performing album Penthouse in its entirety
Sunday
LACMA is having a special screening of Claes Oldenburg’s Possibly a Special on the Bag which goes behind the making of his famous giant ice bag (free)
Artist Frances Stark will be at Hammer Museum to discuss “the political subtext and artistry” of the film Casa de mi Padre starring Will Ferrell. He will be there along with the director, writer and producer “for a post-screening conversation about the distinctly unfunny
consequences of America’s appetite for drugs, including drug-related violence in Mexico”(free)
