Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (3/29-4/1/18)-
Thursday
Mereba will be performing a free show at Zebulon along with Rocco DeLuca, and a screening of three films from 27Transmissions
As part of MOCA’sArtists on Artists Series, Awol Erizku will be discussing the exhibition Adrián Villar Rojas: The Theatre of Disappearance at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (free)
Mary Ocher is performing at The Hi Hat with Rachel Mason opening
Jarina de Marco, Amindi K. Fro$t and Hunnah are playing a benefit for CARECEN LA at The Hi Hat
Flora & Fauna are hosting Disco Dining Club-a free daytime party to celebrate Spring at the Ace Hotel Downtown with DJs, tarot readings, and “immersive, interactive pagan Spring characters”
Holy Shit, The Pesos, and Raderson are playing a free show at Zebulon
Sunday
Alice Boman is performing at Moroccan Lounge with Russian Red and Runner
Gordon Parks was an incredible photographer whose influence continues to be felt in photography today. He had a long creative career that also expanded beyond photography to include writing several books, composing music, and directing films- the most famous being Shaft.
The Gordon Parks Foundation recently hosted the exhibition ELEMENT, which focused on several of the photographs that inspired Kendrick Lamar’s video from his album DAMN, seen below. The photo pictured above can be seen as part of the exhibition of Gordon Parks’ work I Am You Part 2 at Jack Shainman Gallery in New York. It is from his series Segregation Story for Life magazine which focused on the daily lives of three black families in Alabama in 1956.
The photo below is a still from Kendrick Lamar’s Element. The video was directed by Jonas Lindstroem and The Little Homies (Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free).
To see more of Parks’ work and the work he has influenced, The Gordon Parks Foundation’s website is a good resource for upcoming exhibitions around the world.
Photographer Matthew Rolston will be discussing his exhibition Art People: The Pageant Portraits at Ralph Pucci in Hollywood, with arts writer and editor Katya Tylevich. RSVP here
Darlingside are playing at The Echo with Henry Jamison opening
Grammy award winning musical director of the LA Opera, James Conlon will be discussing his recent collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet, and making the mythology of Orpheus and Eurydice modern at the Hammer Museum
Palm are playing at the Echoplex with The Spirit of the Beehive and Jerkagram opening
Friday
ArtNight Pasadena returns with a night of free museums, performances, music, and more- with free shuttles to take you around
Moaning are having a record release party at The Echo with Froth and Numb.er opening
Union Station is hosting Josh Nelson & The Discovery Project’s multi-disciplinary artistic collaboration and presentation- combining video, performance art, light and art installations with his original music (free)
ICA LA’s event Art Buzz, is a happy hour tour of the exhibition Skip Arnold: Truffle Hunt followed by “libations and tastings” (free but RSVP)
Orb, Flat Worms, and Hooveriii are playing at Zebulon
Ghostface Killah will be performing at the Echoplex’s 2ooos era Hip Hop Party-Echo Flex
Current Joys are playing with Celebrity Crush at Lodge Room
Saturday
Protomartyr are playing at the Teragram Ballroom with Shame and GLAARE opening
ICA LA is partnering with Crayon Collection to host a free all ages workshop with artist Pearl C. Hsiung focused on crayon creations
No Win and Luke Rathbone are opening for Criminal Hygiene at the Bootleg Theater
The Aero Theatre is playing a double feature of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
The Wedding Present are playing at The Echo with Terry De Castro opening
Saturday and Sunday
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the East LA Walkouts, Fowler Museum along with the Chicano Studies Research Center will have two days of free programming- on Saturday there will be a speaker’s program with Walkout participants and scholars and on Sunday there will be screenings of the 1995 documentary Taking Back the School, and the 2005 HBO film Walkout! with a Q +A to follow
Sunday
Artist Luchita Hurtado will be in conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist at Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG)– free but RSVP (1pm with light refreshments at 2pm)
MOCA Community Day at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA will include activities, performances and two panels with artists and activists- one discussing Art as Transformation and the other Envisioning a Different Framework– both focusing on LA’s homelessness crisis. Free but bring white tube socks to donate.
Bootleg Theater is hosting Lancaster– jazz music by Eric Revis, Jeff Parker, Joshua White and Guillermo Brown
Hibou are playing the Echoplex with Death Bells, Floating Room, and Alien Boy
Haunted Summer are playing at the Moroccan Lounge with Alyeska and Gold Casio opening
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (3/2-3/4/18)-
Friday
For the second of the Natural History Museum’s First Fridays– Superet are opening for Mondo Cozmo as well as a performance by Shannon Lay. The programming will also include a special tour and a lecture on the upcoming possibilities of the 2028 LA Olympics.
Burger-A-Go-Go is a two night event at 1720 with bands The Coathangers, Death Valley Girls, The Flytraps and Feels performing tonight
Griffith Observatory their free first Friday program All Space Considered, where the curatorial staff discuss astronomy and space science
Ex-Cult are playing at the Lodge Room with Lars Finberg, and The Side Eyes
It’s the last weekend to see the Cuba Is, photography exhibition at Annenberg Space for Photography and tonight there is a closing celebration with live music, free Cuban coffee and treats, and extended hours (6-8pm)
Burger-A-Gogo continues its two night event at 1720 with bands Dengue Fever, Winter, Summer Twins and Patsy’s Rats performing tonight
The 2018 LA IPA Fest at Mohawk Bend is a great way to sample beers from over 60 breweries (also Sunday)
Air + Style Two Day Festival taking place at EXPO Par at LA Coliseum is not cheap ($149 for both days, $79 for one), but there are a lot of good bands playing including Cut Copy, Mura Masa, Twin Peaks, Ex-Cult on Saturday, and Sunday’s lineup includes Phoenix, Gucci Mane, Washed Out, Cloud Nothings, and Phantogram
Sunday
For MOCA’s Artists on Artists series, photographer Paul Mpagi Sepuya will be guiding a tour and discussing the recently opened exhibition Real Worlds: Brassaï, Arbus, Goldin
Beta Main is hosting the free workshop Mindfulness and Self-Care Tools for Healthy and Joyful Living, facilitated by Victor Narro, Project Director of the UCLA Labor Center, and Laureen Lazarovici, writer and managing editor for the Kaiser Permanente Labor Management Partnership
Tall Juan is playing at The Echo with Gabriella Cohen and The Pantones opening
CLARA-NOVA is playing at The Moroccan Lounge with The Mynabirds and Rainstorm Brother opening
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (2/23-2/26/18)-
Friday
If you are free earlier in the day The College Art Association is hosting Distinguished Artist Interviews from 3:30-5:30, with Catherine Opie interviewed by Helen Molesworth; ThePromise Piece, Ten Years Later– A message from Yoko Ono; and Judy Baca interviewed by Anna Indych-López (free)
The Regent Theatre in Westwood has two screenings of The Room with Tommy Wiseau in person
ICA LA (Institute of Contemporary Art) is hosting Art Buzz: Harald Szeemann– a happy hour tour of the exhibit led by The Good Works Executive Director Elsa Longhauser and Director of Learning and Engagement Asuka Hisa (free but RSVP)
Basia Bulat is playing at the Bootleg Theater with Hayley Gene Penner opening
American Pets are playing at the Moroccan Lounge with LEAN and Tim Atlas
Saturday
Mister Heavenly are playing at the Lodge Room with Healing Gems and Velour Afternoon
It’s the Fourth Annual Bob Baker Day– a free all day carnival celebration that includes marionette performances, musical entertainment, a marching band puppet procession led by DJ Lance Rock of Yo Gabba Gabba, games, workshops, and more
Fowler Museum is hosting an all day event- Symposium: Blackness and the Art of Empowerment in Bahia Brazil, with speakers, artist presentations, a book signing and more
MOCA is hosting the all day event- Feminism and the State: Art, Politics, and Resistance– with a keynote address by artist Martha Rosler, two talks and a roundtable discussion
Skinny Lister are playing an early show at The Echo with Will Varley opening
Hammer Museum is hosting a free screening of Chocolate Babies, Stephen Winter’s political satire, with a Q and A to follow with Tisa Bryant and Ernest Hardy to follow
Artist Mike Kaplan (who created the A Clockwork Orange movie poster) and LA Times film critic Kenneth Turan will be discussing The Art of the Movie Poster at LACMA Art Catalogues (free)
The Lodge is hosting an artist talk and film screening with Chad Attie in conjunction with his current exhibition The Last Island
As part of FLAX (France Los Angeles Exchange) Zebulon is hosting a free event that includes a screening of Animal Glisse by Bertrand Dezoteux, and a performance by Katie Gately
Henry Wolfe and Lucy Arnell are opening for Zoe Sky Jordan at the Bootleg Theater
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (2/15-2/18/18)-
Thursday
Getty Museum is hosting Sexuality, Sanctity, and Censorship: A Conversation with Artist Ron Athey (free but ticket required)
Gabriella Cohen is playing a free show at Zebulon with Full Flower Moon Band
As part of FLAX (France Los Angeles Exchange)’s event programming, The Dialectic of the Stars – Wrong Ped Xing, LACE is hosting a program in 3 sections- a screening of Teherangeles by Arash Nassiri, a performance by Geneva Skeen, and a motorcycle concert by Fouad Bouchoucha
The Hammer Museum is having a free screening of short videos by artists included in their exhibition Stories of Almost Everyone
Gavlyn is headlining a night of bands at the Echoplex that includes Girl Pusher, Wasi and Blimes Brixton
Curls are playing with Fatal Jamz and Gabriel Delicious at the Moroccan Lounge
Feels are playing at The Echo with Los Bolos and MANE
LACMA has a free screening of The Party and a conversation with writer/director/actor Sally Potter
Friday
Jazz percussionist Antonio Sanchez will recreate his Grammy winning score for the Oscar winning film Birdman while it plays on screen at UCLA’s Royce Hall
Los Angeles Poverty Department is screening I Am Not Your Negro, the documentary about author James Baldwin, at the Skid Row History Museum and Archive (free and free popcorn and coffee)
Shame are playing at The Echo with Egrets on Ergot and Goon opening
Diet Cig are playing with Great Grandpa and The Spook School at the Lodge Room
Orchin, Justus Proffit, Matter Room, and The Chonks are playing a show at The Smell
Saturday
Doug Tuttle is opening for Morgan Delt at The Hi Hat
Royal Blood are opening for Queens of the Stone Age at The Forum
Dan Auerbach & The Easy Eye Sound Revue ft. Robert Finley are playing at The Wiltern
Sunday
For the closing week of Lezley Saar’s exhibition at CAAM, artist Maurice Harris, founding creator of floral design company Bloom & Plume, will activate the exhibition with a performance featuring spoken word as well as readings of passages from books that inspired Saar’s surrealist works, including Madwoman in the Attic and Monad
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are playing at The Echo with Steady Holiday opening
The Egyptian Theatre is showing a double feature of Mystery Date and Secret Admirer
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (2/8-2/11/18)-
Thursday
Roger Guenveur Smith is will be presenting his solo performance Frederick Douglass Now at CAAM (get there early- they are expecting a large turnout!)
LACMA has a free screening of Anna Deveare Smith’s film of her performance piece, Notes from the Field, with a discussion with Smith to follow (free)
Art historian Thomas Crow will be discussing religion in contemporary art at Hammer Museum
Fu Manchu are playing a free live set at Amoeba Hollywood before their show at The Troubadour on Friday
Friday
Dead Prez are playing at The Roxy with Lyrics Born opening
YACHT are playing at the Lodge Room with French Vanilla opening
Writer Laurie Penny will be discussing science fiction, sexual liberation, intersectional feminism and more at The Last Bookstore (free)
The Big Pink, Collapsing Scenery and Palm Springsteen are playing a free show at Zebulon
Saturday
Artist Catherine Opie will be in conversation with architect Michael Maltzan, and deputy director and curator of LAXART Catherine Taft at Regen Projects
Picture This, at The Virgil, is a live comedy show where the stand-ups are drawn live by animators and cartoonists with unpredictable results (free)
For Rock Lottery, taking place this time at The Echo, 25 different musicians meet at 10 am and are divided into groups of five to create and rehearse songs that are then played at a show that night. This event’s musicians include Mikal Cronin, Mike Watt, Patty Schemel, and Kelcey Ayer.
Simian Mobile Disco and Matthew Dear are playing DJ sets for the LAMP 5 year Anniversary party at 1720
Sunday
Spendtime Palace are playing at the Moroccan Lounge with Santoros, The Bash Dogs, and Bear Call opening
Broken Hearts Circus at Angel City Brewery will combine drinks and food with games, a stilt walker, circus performers, live music and more (free)
Froth are one of the bands playing at Part Time Punk’s My Bloody Valentine Nite at The Echoplex
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (2/2-2/4/18)-
Friday
Beastie Boys Mike D and Ad-Rock will be at the Egyptian Theatre for the double screening of Fight for Your Right Revisited and AWESOME; I FUCKIN’ SHOT THAT
UC Santa Barbara professor Jan Nederveen Pieterse is giving a lecture on contemporary art and globalization at the West Hollywood Public Library as part of Cal Arts WHAP! Lecture Series
Girlschool 2018 runs all weekend at the Bootleg Theater with panels, workshops and bands that tonight include Kristin Kontrol, Drum & Lace, Marian Mereba and more
Saturday
Forest Lawn is hosting a free performance for Black History Month of WITNESS: The John Edgar Wideman Experience (also you can hear him discuss the work at CAAM on Sunday)
The Annenberg Space for Photography is hosting a film screening of Run Across Cuba– a film which follows Cuban born professor and marathoner Alexis Garcia as he runs more than 1000 miles, from the eastern most tip to the western most tip of Cuba. A Q & A with Garcia and his wife will follow. ($12)
Jay Som, Moon Honey, Soccer Mommy and more are playing at tonight’s Girlschool 2018 event at the Bootleg Theater
Writer John Edgar Wideman will be in conversation with former LA Times book editor David Ulin at CAAM
The Good Works Executive Director Elsa Longhauser will be at ICA LA to give a tour on the opening day of Harald Szeemann’s legendary exhibition Grandfather: A Pioneer Like Us
The Rock N Roll Flea Market returns to the Regent Theater
Anna Meredith is playing at the Bootleg Theater with Silentshout opening
The Mynabirds are playing at the Moroccan Lounge with Doe Paoro and Hayley Coupon opening
The High Curbs, The Ombres, Ariel View and The Chonks are all playing at The Smell
Sun Seeker are opening for Jessica Lea Mayfield at The Echo
Saturday
Night on Broadway is a great annual free arts and music event starting at 3pm with many of the theaters opening their doors for performances and art installations as well as outdoor stages on Broadway and musical performances that include- The B-52s, War, La Santa Cecilia, Madame Gandhi, Buyepongo, Combo Chimbita + tons more things to see and do
As part of Night on Broadway’s free programming- the Orpheum Theatre has a great list of bands playing including Sugar Candy Mountain, Morgan Delt, Frankie and the Witch Fingers and The Entire Universe
Lyle Ashton Harris will be signing his book as well as having a discussion with Walead Beshty, Charles Gaines and Naima J. Keith at Arcana Books
Hammer Museum is having an opening celebration for its Winter Exhibitions (free but register)
Facial and dimber are opening for Piebald for The Hi Hat’s 2nd Anniversary
It’s SoCal Museums Free-For-All Day and a good chance to check out participating museums that include the Grammy Museum, MOCA, LACMA, and Descanso Gardens
Artist Skip Arnold will be giving a free talk at the Institute of Contemporary Art in conjunction with his exhibition Truffle Hunt
Curatorial Associate Rebecca Matalon is leading a walkthrough of Welcome to the Dollhouse, the current exhibition at MOCA Pacific Design Center
There are still tickets to Ty Segall’s show at the Teragram Ballroom with Lamps opening
Boy Harsher are playing with High-Functioning Flesh and DIN at the Echoplex
Here Lies Man are opening for Combo Chimbita at Resident
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (1/18-1/21/18)-
Thursday
Tennis System and Souvenirs are opening for Teenage Wrist at The Hi Hat
Artist Gala Porras-Kim will be discussing her work from A Universal History of Infamy with curator Megan O’Neil, at LACMA (free but ticket required)
Also at LACMA is a screening of John Carpenter’s classic They Live
Guards and Veronica Bianqui are opening for The Soft White Sixties at The Echo
At REDCAT, LA-based performers Rubén Martínez and Raquel Gutiérrez will be performing VARIEDADES, “an interdisciplinary performance that brings together music, spoken word, theater, comedy and the visual arts, loosely based on the Mexican vaudeville shows of early 20th century”
Friday
Surfer Blood are playing at The Hi Hat with Terry Malts opening
Sociologist and writer Greg Snyder will be discussing his book SKATEBOARDING LA at The Last Bookstore with some of the professional skateboarders profiled in the book joining him (free)
The Women’s March is taking place in downtown LA- moving from Pershing Square to City Hall
Joyce Manor are playing two shows at Union Station– tickets are still available for the earlier one (3pm) with Surf Curse and Peach Kelli Pop
For the final weekend of Mike Kelley: Kandors 1999-2011 at Hauser & Wirth, Extended Organ, Lonely Street and Telecaves will be performing (free)
There are still tickets available for the later show at The Broad of En Cuatro Patas: The Formaldehyde Trip, a work by Mexico City artist Naomi Rincón Gallardo, that includes songs and videos dedicated to murdered Mixtec activist Alberta “Bety” Cariño, performed live with props (part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA)
Wolf Parade are playing at The Fonda Theatre with Charly Bliss opening (also Friday)
Worn-Tin is playing at the Moroccan Lounge with Small Forward and runnner opening
Hammer Museum is showing the experimental short films of Narcisa Hirsch as part of Los Angeles Filmforum’s Ism Ism Ism: Experimental Cinema in Latin America, part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA (free)
Death of Lovers (members of Nothing) are playing at the Echoplex with Choir Boy opening
