Every week I listen to the majority of bands and artists playing in Los Angeles to decide which shows to recommend for the Los Angeles Weekend Planner. I then create a playlist (or playlists) for that month of the music I liked.
The above are December’s selections.
Every week I listen to the majority of bands and artists playing in Los Angeles to decide which shows to recommend for the Los Angeles Weekend Planner. I then create a playlist (or playlists) for that month of the music I liked.
The above are November’s selections.
Destroy Boys- American River
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (12/19-12/22/19)-
Thursday
Writer Vickie Vertiz will be speaking at The Broad as part of their series The Logic of Poetry and Dreams (free but reserve ticket)
The Underground Museum is having its 3rd Annual Holiday Block Party from 6-11pm
Art historians Matthew Milliner and Alexei Lidovwill be at Bridge Projects discussing Phillip K. Smith III’s work and its lineage with Byzantine & Gothic traditions
Plaid are performing at 1720 with John Tejada and Nordic Soul
Friday
No Age are performing the soundtrack to the self-funded skateboarding movie Ye Olde Destruction at Zebulon
The last of the free Cocoa Concerts at Union Station takes place tonight with a performance by Quitapenas
Get in the holiday spirit with a screening of It’s A Wonderful Life at The Egyptian
Reckling are opening for DZ Deathrays at Moroccan Lounge
Saturday
Destroy Boys are opening for Together Pangea at The Roxy with No Parents and Cowboy Social
The Paley Center for Media is celebrating the holidays with screenings of holiday TV programs, free hot cocoa, Santa, a candy cane forest, holiday activities, and more (running until 1/5/20)
The Joy Formidable are playing at the Teragram Ballroom with Twen
Leaving Records is having a 10 Year Anniversary Party at Lodge Room with performances by Sam Gendel, Sam Wilkes, Julia Holter, Black Taffy, Mndsgn, Sudan Archives, Odd Nosdam and many more
Tourist are performing at Catch One with Matthew Dear
Sunday
Until 12/25 Grand Park’s Winter Glow has multiple night time public art installations set up for the holiday season (free from sunset to 10pm)
No Age are playing at The Smell with DADDY, Julia Gulia, and Mr. Wright & The El Salvadorians
The Egyptian is showing the double feature of The Apartment and Tangerine
Zebulon is hosting a free screening of The Wachowski Sisters’ film Bound with musical guest P22
100 gecs- money machine
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (12/12-12/15/19)-
Thursday
Goon are playing at The Hi Hat with Girl Friday, Sarah Tudzin, and Justus Proffit
Allah-Las are playing at The Mayan Theater with Mapache and Tim Hill
Poet and playwright Sholeh Wolpé will be speaking at The Broad as part of their series The Logic of Poetry and Dreams (free but reserve ticket)
Bennett Simpson will give an exhibition walkthrough of The Foundation of the Museum: MOCA’s Collection at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA location (free)
Downtown LA Art Walk returns with its monthly event with galleries open late
The Paranoyds and SadGirl are playing a free show at The Cinema Bar in Culver City ) register here
Sea Moya are playing at The Echo with Fever The Ghost, Sunny Gummy Hands, and The Shaking Hands
Friday
100 Gecs are opening for Brockhampton at The Hollywood Palladium
Author Michael Eric Dyson will be speaking at the California African American Museum
Z Berg & Friends (Ryan Ross, Bruce Hornsby, Johnathan Rice, Avalon Lurks, KERA, and Brad Oberhofer) will be performing a Friday The 13th Christmas Show at Pico Union Project
Automatic are playing at Zebulon with Peanut Butter Wolf and Mo Dottie
The Hi-Fi Honey Drops are playing for Union Station’s free Cocoa Concert this week
Robyn Hitchock & Friends are performing at Largo at the Coronet
Goldie is performing at 1720 to celebrate 25 Years of Metalheadz
Saturday
Artist Hugo Crosthwaite will be speaking at Luis de Jesus Los Angeles at 2pm in conjunction with his solo exhibition at the gallery
Bergamot Station is having a Winter Open House and 25th Anniversary Celebration from 11-6pm with artist talks, live music, and a chance to check out the current shows in the galleries
Shop Artisinal’s Holiday Makers Market is taking place in the Playhouse Lot in Pasadena and includes snow and Santa selfies, kids crafts. and more, as part of its free programming
Flat Worms, L.A. Drones, Nice and Fimes are playing at Permanent Records Roadhouse to benefit Youth Emerging Stronger (formerly LA Youth Network)
Fox Academy are playing at El Cid with Ruby Haunt and Johnny Goth
New York Night Train w/ Jonathan Toubin is happening at Zebulon
Saturday and Sunday
Rolling Loud is two days of hip hop at Banc of California Stadium Grounds with performers that include Chance the Rapper, Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug on Saturday and Future, A$AP Rocky, Meek Mill, YG, Da Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Yachty, Doja Cat, and many more on Sunday
Sunday
The Aero Theatre has a double feature of Motherless Brooklyn and Primal Fear with a discussion between films with actor-director Edward Norton and producer Hawk Koch
Until 12/25 Grand Park’s Winter Glow has multiple night time public art installations set up for the holiday season (free from sunset to 10pm)
Motel Radio are playing at the Moroccan Lounge with Beauty Queen opening
French Vanilla are playing at The Echo with Heaven Pegasus opening
Queen of Jeans- Only Obvious to You
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (12/5-12/8/19)-
Thursday
Artist Catherine Opie is giving a walk-through of Lari Pittman’s exhibition at Hammer Museum at 6pm
The Make-Up are playing at Zebulon with Seth Bogart
If you missed Visual AIDS’s screening of STILL BEGINNING for Day With(out) Art you can see it tonight at MOCA Grand Avenue (free)
Director Jazmin Garcia will be speaking at The Broad as part of their series The Logic of Poetry and Dreams (free but reserve ticket)
Lisa Prank is playing at the Bootleg Theater with Rose Melberg, and Worriers
Protomartyr and Show Me The Body are opening for Daughters at the Belasco Theater
Sasha Sloan is playing at the Fonda Theatre with Winnetka Bowling Club
Friday
Constitution Happy Hour returns to Hammer Museum with UC Irvine political science and law professor Rick Hasen discussing the First Amendment and campaign misinformation.
The Theatre at The Ace Hotel with CAP UCLA is screening Dawson City:Frozen Time with a live score composed by Alex Somers and performed by Wild Up. The film tells the story of the discovery of over 500 silent film reels from the 1910s and 20s in Dawson in north western Canada in the 1970s by a construction crew who found it buried in a subarctic swimming pool.
Cocoa Concerts continue at Union Station with latin jazz group Conganas. There will also be a cocoa bar, Santa selfies, a Candy Cane Lane and more (free)
Surfbort are playing at Lodge Room with Dumb Fucks and Nice
Sonny & The Sunsets are playing at The Hi Hat with The Gonks and The Flusters
Saturday
Queen of Jeans are opening for From Indian Lakes at the Moroccan Lounge
Earl Sweatshirt will be at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA for a conversation on art, music, and life with Cheryl Harris (his mom). (free, 1-3pm)
Artist Frank Ockenfels 3 will be signing his book at Fahey Klein from 2-4pm
Photographer Todd Hido will be signing his book, House Hunting (Remastered) at Arcana Books from 4-6pm
Union Station is having a Holiday Festival and Artisan Market
Apsara DiQuinzio and Suzanne Hudson will be in conversation about the work of Harvey Quaytman, moderated by Lindsay Preston Zappas, at Blum & Poe.
Hammer Museum and UCLA Film & Television Archive are showing a double feature of the 1980s classics Back to the Future and Desperately Seeking Susan ($9)
Mike Krol is playing at the Bootleg Theater with Jess Cornelius and Night Shop
Mount Eerie is playing at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Frankie & The Witch Fingers are playing at Zebulon with Kevin, and Perfection
Sunday
Public Access Christmas presents a feature length program of holiday themed videos from the world of public access television at Zebulon
CicLAvia is taking over the Valley this time- Sherman Way from Canoga Park to Reseda will be shut to car traffic from 9-3pm
Get some holiday shopping done at West Coast Craft taking place in the South Lot at ROW DTLA (free also on Saturday)
CHVRCHES are playing at The Wiltern with Dominic Fike
Nothing are playing at the Echoplex with Launder, No Swoon and Sprain
Justus Proffit- Hole
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/29-12/1/19)-
Friday
Justus Proffit is playing a free show at the Monty Bar to celebrate the release of his new EP Return to Zero- with additional performances by The Freakees, Macko, and Laundry Boys
Bob Baker Marionette Theater is celebrating its Grand Opening at its new location in Highland Park with a day of free puppet shows on the hour starting at 11am, celebrating the six decades of the theater. Additional exhibits, activities, and more will occur throughout the day, with historic Bob Baker photography and a virtual reality Bob Baker experience next door at MorYork. At 7:30pm is the ticketed event, Rise of the Harlequins! The BBMT Season Kickoff, which includes behind the scenes videos, a puppet show, a party with a DJ and cake and more.
Zebulon is hosting a free screening of the 1970 Czechoslovak New Wave film Valerie and Her Week of Wonders followed by a dance party
Saturday
Mar Vista is hosting a Music & Art Walk from 4-10pm
Rhondavous, a one night festival, is taking place at Catch One with 14 DJs, 4 rooms and 2 floors + they are having a Black Friday sale on tickets.
Kah-Lo and Kennedi are opening for Bea Miller at the Fonda Theatre
Saturday and Sunday
Jackalope is having a free Underground Art Fair at Grand Central Market, a chance to buy unique goods from independent makers
Sunday
Hammer Museum and MOCA are partnering with Visual Aids for the 30th Annual Day With(out) Art. This year the program is STILL BEGINNING featuring seven newly commissioned videos responding to the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic by Shanti Avirgan, Nguyen Tan Hoang, Carl George, Viva Ruiz, Iman Shervington, Jack Waters/Victor F.M. Torres, and Derrick Woods-Morrow (free).
The Broad will be presenting a screening of artist and filmmaker Isaac Julien’s short video, This is Not an AIDS Advertisement (1987, Super 8 transferred to video, 10 min), hosted and co-organized by West Hollywood’s poet laureate, Steven Reigns. Following the screening, Reigns, along with author Meliza Bañales aka Missy Fuego, award-winning author Bernard Cooper, and writer, musician, and choreographer Brontez Purnell, will speak to how HIV and AIDS have impacted their lives personally, and present examples of their own work. (free)
Fowler Museum is screening How to Survive a Plague, having two dance performances, and more for World AIDS Day. This is in addition to the weekly storytelling performances that are part of their exhibition Through Positive Eyes
The Hollywood Christmas Parade is taking over Hollywood Blvd with balloons, floats, marching bands, performers, and more (free)
Craft Contemporary is having a Holiday Marketplace and admission to the museum is free
Feels are playing at Resident with Reckling and Slaughterhouse
Dynasty Handbag’s Weirdo Night is happening at Zebulon with performances by artist Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs, Charles Galin, Melanie Magenta and more tba
Julia Jacklin- Pressure to Party
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/21-11/24/19)-
Thursday
Devon Welsh of Majical Cloudz has a new solo project and is performing at Bootleg Theater with Sorry Girls. Get there early for a screening of Moses Sumney’s new music video Virile with a behind the scenes Q & A at 6:30pm (free with RSVP).
There are still free tickets available to see LA based educator, writer, theater actor, and documentarian Carolina Rivera Escamilla read her work in conjunction with Shirin Neshat: I Will Greet the Sun Again, for The Broad’s series The Logic of Poetry and Dreams
Union Station is having it’s annual holiday tree lighting (with snow) and the first of this year’s cocoa concert series, starting at 6:30pm
Bloc Party are performing their 2005 album Silent Alarm at the Hollywood Palladium
Music producers Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Young will be performing together at The Midnight Hour at Lodge Room
The Get Up Kids are playing at the Echoplex with Kevin Devine and The Whiffs opening
Friday
Curator Jamillah James will be leading a tour of No Wrong Holes: Thirty Years of Nayland Blake followed by a happy hour with light refreshments at ICA LA for their monthly Art Buzz event (free but register)
Our Girl are playing at the Bootleg Theater with Particle Kid and a DJ set by SadGirl
Moon Duo are playing at Lodge Room with Umberto opening
Saturday
Artist Thomas Joshua Cooper, who has exhibitions currently on view at Hauser & Wirth and LACMA, will be in conversation with Michael Govan at Hauser & Wirth at 11:30am (free but register)
Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) is having a cyanotype workshop with educator Marissa Gonzalez Kucheck at 12pm.
The Great LA Walk is your annual chance to walk across Los Angeles county with a group of other energetic walkers. This year’s route runs from Arcadia, through Pasadena and onward to City Hall.
Cultural Traffic Arts Fair is happening at Delicious Pizza, free from 12-8pm
Death Valley Girls and Crocodiles are playing at Lodge Room
Creature Feature Festival II is happening at the Bootleg Theater with performers that include The Blank Tapes, Early Evil, Young Creatures and more
L.A. Drones, Death Hags, and Big Fun are performing at El Cid
Saturday and Sunday
Renegade Craft Fair returns to Los Angeles State Historic Park with its free holiday market
Sunday
Julia Jacklin is playing at the El Rey Theatre with Christian Lee Hutson
Bootleg Theater is screening a double feature of Louis Malle’s God’s Country, about the farming community in Glencoe, Minnesota in 1979, which was thriving at the time. Forced to abandon the project early, Malle returns in 1985 to follow up, and finds that things have taken a dark turn during the Reagan era. The second film is Lee Grant’s The Willmar 8 a film about “a group of eight women who, in 1981, carried out the longest bank strike in American history to protest gender discrimination at great cost to their reputations, marriages and livelihoods in the 14,000-person town of Willmar, Minnesota- 60 miles north of Glencoe”.
Kanye West is premiering his new opera Nebuchadnezzar at the Hollywood Bowl, directed by performance artist Vanessa Beecroft and feature music from West’s Sunday Service choir.
Looking for some new music to listen to this weekend? Every month I listen to the majority of bands/musicians that play in Los Angeles before deciding which shows to recommend. Songs are then added to a playlist for that month. If there are a lot of good bands/performers, it gets split into two. These are October’s selections.
Tierra Whack- Unemployed
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/14-11/17-19)-
Thursday
Ronald Rael, the Chair of the Department of Architecture at UC Berkeley, will engage in a presentation and discussion about art making at the US_Mexico border with W|ALLS featured photographer, designer, craftsperson, and founder of Art Made Between Opposite Sides (AMBOS) Tanya Aguiñiga at Annenberg Space for Photography. (free but register)
Artist Vishal Jugdeo will be discussing his work at The Hammer
Maxo Kream is performing at the Echoplex with Q Da Fool and Slayter
The KVB, Numb.er, and Houses of Heaven are playing at The Echo
Filmforum at MOCA (Grand Avenue location) is showing All That You Can’t Leave Behind, a program of films both personal and political featuring new works by Essi, Ja’Tovia Gary, Darol Olu Kae, Rhea Storr, Sara Suarez, and ariella tai. Filmmakers Suarez and Kae will be in-person to discuss their work.
Polo & Pan are performing at The Novo
Twin Peaks, Post Animal, and Ohmme are playing at the Teragram Ballroom
Friday
Sylvan Esso are performing WITH at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with Hand Habits opening (also Thursday)
Constitutional Happy Hour returns to The Hammer with Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson discusses impeachment—Article II. (free)
Metro Art is having a free screening of Richard Linklater’s animated film Waking Life
Frankie Cosmos is playing at 1720 with Stephen Steinbrink, Dear Nora, and Lomelda
James Supercave is playing at Civic Center Studios with “surreal dance act” CAPYAC
Hovvdy are playing at Moroccan Lounge with Nick Dorian and Carolyn Says
Friday and Saturday
Adult Swim Festival 2019 is taking place at Banc of America Stadium in DTLA. On Friday performers include Dethklok, Captain Murphy, Leikeli47, Health, and more. On Saturday Vince Staples, Jamie XX, 2 Chainz, Tierra Whack, clipping., Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, and more will perform, along with a live version of The Eric Andre Show. There will also be screenings, games and attractions, and more.
Spaceland and Other Music are hosting The Get Together 2019 Label Fair and Music Festival at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. On Friday Joe Kay, Marco McKennis, and Full Crate are performing. On Saturday is the Record Label Fair and performances by Anna Wise, William Basinski, and more. In the evening, Lee Fields will be perform backed by El Michels Affair, as well as Bobby Oroza, Brainstory and Holy Hive.
Saturday
Artists Gilbert & George will be in conversation with critic Jonathan Griffin at Sprüth Magers (free but RSVP)
GRMLN are playing at The Smell with Foliage
Jidenna is performing at the Belasco Theater
Artists Constance Mallinson and Jeffrey Vallance will be discussing collecting, curating and making art at Edward Cella Art & Architiecture
For the 7th year, Gabba Gallery is having its affordable art show Wishlist and tonight is the opening
Jonathan Bree is playing at Lodge Room with Ryder the Eagle and Nico Turner
Mating Ritual are playing at the Teragram Ballroom with Superet and Low Hum
Saturday and Sunday
Bridge-s, is a performance series at The Getty curated by Solange Knowles and features a new performance by Gerard & Kelly, with a special musical score by Solange featuring Cooper-Moore, brought to life by a group of dancers and musicians across Getty’s iconic architecture. The performance piece takes place all day around the center and also includes film screenings and an artist talk with British-Ghanaian philosopher Kodwo Eshun.(free)
Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair returns for two days to Pasadena’s Central Park
Sunday
From 12:30- 2:20pm LACMA is offering a free taste of the Japanese Nebuta Festival with a large paper lantern float depicting Japanese folk hero Kintoki by Nebuta Master Hiroo Takenami on display and a series of short performances by taiko drummers, flute and hand cymbal players, and dancers taking place in front of the float.
LAXART is hosting a performance of the in progress, debut play Lives of the Performers, by critic and writer Hilton Als. Free, first come first served. (also on Monday)
The Annual Tree Lighting celebration with performances and fireworks is happening at The Grove
Ghostland Observatory are playing at The Regent Theater with MUNYA
The Ocean Blue are playing at the Echoplex
IDK- Digital
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (11/7-11/10/19)-
Thursday
Photographer, artist, and director Frank Ockenfels 3 will be giving a talk at ArtCenter’s Hillside Campus in Pasadena
REDCAT is screening a program of the works of artist Nao Bustamante- Nao Bustamante is DELUSIONAL
Skegss are playing at the El Rey Theatre with Le Shiv
Matt Lipps and Catherine Opie will be in conversation at Euclid at HGA in Santa Monica
Justus Proffit is playing at The Satellite with Behavior and Lovesick
The Echoplex is hosting An Evening With Robert Forster (of The Go-Betweens)
Beach Goons are opening for Matt and Kim at The Novo
Friday
Hayden Thorpe (formerly of Wild Beasts) is performing at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
It’s the last weekend (closing 11/11) to see Christian Marclay’s fun interactive exhibition Sound Stories and Mary Corse’s A Survey in Light and tonight there is also free jazz with a performance by Al Williams Jazz Society (LACMA is free for residents with ID starting at 3pm weekdays and is open Fridays until 8pm)
The Hollywood Bowl is hosting a screening of Disney’s Coco with a live orchestra accompanying the film (also on Saturday)
San Fermin are playing at Lodge Room with Joyero
YACHT are playing their new album Chain Tripping in its entirety, followed by other favorites at Zebulon
Worn-Tin is performing at the Echoplex with Yung Heazy
Saturday
Keystone Art Space is having an open studios event from 6-9pm
Girl Gang Craft is having a holiday market at Grand Central Market (free and also on Sunday)
Arroyo Arts Collective and Avenue 50 Studio are hosting a holiday art market in conjunction with NELA’s Second Saturday Art Walk
DROELOE are performing at The Novo with MEMBA and Eastghost
Instrumental rock groups MONO and The Album Leaf will be performing at the Regent Theater
L.A. Drones! and CHUD are playing a free show at Gold Diggers
Saturday and Sunday
Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw is taking place at Dodger Stadium with a great lineup that includes- IDK, FKA twigs, YG, BROCKHAMPTON, Thundercat, 21 Savage, DaBaby, Yuna, yasiin bey and more, plus carnival games
Tropicalia Fest is happening a bit further afield in Pomona with two days of music- performers include Natalia Lafourcade, Zoé, La Santa Cecilia, Quitapenas, and more on Saturday and on Sunday bands include Oh Sees, Wallows, The Drums, Surf Curse, FIDLAR, Skegss, Beach Fossils, Hockey Dad, The Red Pears, The High Curbs and many, many, more
Sunday
The Wende Museum is having an all day opening celebration for their exhibition The Medea Insurrection: Radical Women Artists Behind the Iron Curtain with a tour, reception and panel discussion with artists from the show
Hunter Shaw Fine Art is hosting a party for the release of Carla Issue 18- which includes music, drinks, and free copies of the magazine
Art critic and painter Peter Plagens will be discussing the work of Mary Corse with a special after hours viewing of her exhibition at LACMA which closes on 11/11 (free but ticket required)
Kanye West’s Jesus is King Sunday Service Experience is happening at The Forum
Teebs is performing at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Sloan are playing at The Echo