Jim E. Brown describes himself as a 19-year-old alcoholic singer-songwriter from Didsbury, Manchester. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he is committed to the bit, as are his fans. There are rumors he may actually be a former animation filmmaker from Philadelphia named Max Marguiles, but Brown frequently denies this in interviews.
Like fellow Mancunian Morrissey, he’s fond of what the British refer to as moaning. His lyrics, filled with the miseries of his daily life, also include things associated with England like pub food, the bakery chain Greggs, and local supermarkets like ASDA. In addition to the music, he also writes books and makes short videos complaining about various things he finds out and about.
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (2/13-2/16/20)-
Thursday
As The World Berns, a fundraiser for candidate Bernie Sanders, is taking place at the Bootleg Theater with musical performances by Gold Star, Olivia Kaplan, Alex Lilly, Austin McCutchen & The Western Stars, Cornelia Murr, Clinton Patterson, Gus Seyffert and more
Moaning are playing a free (with RSVP) show at Moon Room
Hammer Museum is hosting The How and Why of Political Advertising, with LMU professor Fernando Guerra and campaign strategist John Thomas joining moderator and Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson to break down the politics and law behind campaign spending and advertising.
Poet and educator Shonda Buchanan is speaking at The Broad as part of its lecture series The Logic of Poetry and Dreams
Brazilian artist Sessa is playing at Zebulon with SK Kakraba
Pink Mountaintops, Corridor, KEEN, and Clear are playing a free show at Highland Park Bowl
Friday
Spend Valentine’s Day in Grand Park with a celebration of Lovers Rock with DJ Linafornia (free)
Hammer Museum is having a free screening of the film Moonlight
Tan Cologne are playing at The Hi Hat with Grant Earl Lavalley and Glances opening
Saturday
Winter are opening for Part Time and Garry Wilson at the Regent Theater with Bryson Cone
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA is hosting Brutally Early (it starts at 7:30am)- a free morning of conversations with artists including- Simone Forti, Kandis Williams, Shirin Neshat, Miles Brenninkmeijer, Patrick Staff, Rodney McMillian, and choreographers Gerard & Kelly- hosted by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Klaus Biesenbach (in addition, it begins with coffee and donuts and ends with champagne and ice cream)
As part of The Broad’sUn-Private Collection conversation series, artists Christopher Wool and Kim Gordon will be speaking with critic and curator John Corbett
Artist Joe Sola will be in conversation with author Jarett Kobek (I hate the internet) at Honor Fraser at noon
17 DJs (including Grimes) are performing in 5 rooms for Rhondavous A Lovers Ball at Catch One
If you are a fan of ambient music, Malcolm Cecil will be performing at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church with Cool Maritime and Yialmelic Frequencies opening
Sunday
For the last day of Phillip K. Smith III’s exhibition at Bridge Projects there will be a day of activities including a soundscape by William Basinski, a relaxation workshop, and a tea tasting as part of their Oasis programming (also on Saturday)
Hammer Museum is hosting the climate justice themed Panic Party, with DJs, cocktails, after hours gallery access, short films, artist activations, voter registration, vegan food and more
Lucy Arnell, Nico Yaryan and more are performing as part of a Benefit for Australia at Permanent Records Roadhouse
All Weekend
StARTup LA Art Fair returns to The Kinney Venice Beach on Friday evening. It is one of the better art fairs as it offers a chance to meet the artists (who take over rooms in the hotel) and buy from them directly
Art Los Angeles Contemporary opens Thursday running until Sunday and has moved to The Hollywood Athletic Club from the Barker Hangar
Spring/Break Art Show is taking place all weekend starting Friday at Skylight ROW DTLA
Felix Art Fair returns to the Roosevelt Hotel (opening night Thursday). Although last year it was free, this year tickets are $25
Frieze Art Fair runs all weekend but only has program tickets (no gallery tent) available for Saturday and Sunday
Artist Lizzi Bougatsos and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) will be performing sonic improvisations to accompany projections of Penny Slinger’s early experimental silent films at Blum & Poe (free)
Sidney Gish is playing at Moroccan Lounge with Julia Shapiro of Chastity Belt opening
Hollywood Night Market at Yamashiro is a lovely way to have some food and drinks while enjoying beautiful views of the city- free shuttles leave from the Mosaic parking lot
Friday
Ty Segall & Freedom Band are continuing their residency at Teragram Ballroom– tonight playing his new album First Taste and his 2010 album Melted. Vice Cooler is opening.
Better Oblivion Community Center are playing at The Wiltern with Taylor Hollingsworth opening
Metro Art’s Movements at Union Station continues with its final installment- this time featuring La Junta as their Los Angeles DJ collective. The event also includes a drop-in silkscreen stencil workshop led by Self Help Graphics & Art, a photo booth and food trucks.
UCLA Film & Television Archive continues its screenings in the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum with a night of programming that includes the 1961 film Nude on the Moon followed by Smut Without Smut: Bizarro Horror Night, a collection of “hardcore horror movies with the hardcore removed”. ($9)
The Underground Museum’sPurple Garden Cinema film this week is Wanda. Novelist Rachel Kushner will be there to give a special introduction to the film. (free)
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are playing at The Greek Theatre with Phosphorescent and Altin Gun opening
Friday and Saturday
It’s the 50th Anniversary of the Hollywood Bowl’s night of Tchaikovsky music with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conductor Bramwll Tovey, and the USC Trojan Marching Band performing plus fireworks ending the evening
Saturday
As part of Blum & Poe’s>BTWN x FILM + MUSIC< series, artist Jim Shaw and filmmaker/curator Jodi Wille will present shorts from the Counterculture Film Vaults followed by music by Shaw and friends within an installation of the artist’s creation (free)
For the closing of Barbara Stauffacher Solomon’s exhibition Relax into the Invisible at LAXART, L.A.-based artists Emily Mast and Barnett Cohen will present an afternoon of dance and theater inspired by Solomon’s work. Performances will take place from 3-5pm.
Artists Genevieve Gaignard and Samuel Levi Jones will be giving a walk through of their respective solo exhibitions at Vielmetter Los Angeles followed by a conversation with Leigh Raiford, associate professor of African American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. (free)
Fat Beats 25th Anniversary is taking place at The Regent Theater with performances by Dilated Peoples, Tha Alkaholiks, LA Breakers with J. Rocc, Cut Chemist, and more
Rosie Tucker and Skin Mag are opening for Pixx at Moroccan Lounge
Y La Bamba is performing at KCRW HQ in Santa Monica as part of their free Summer Nights party programming. There is also a free screening at 10pm of Good Boys (but you have to RSVP)
Saturday and Sunday
Hip-hop music festival Real Street is taking place in Anaheim with lots of big acts including A$AP Rocky, Cardi B, Future, Migos, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Meek Mill and more.
Blum & Poe are showing Richard Kovitch’s PENNY SLINGER: OUT OF THE SHADOWS, followed by a discussion with Penny Slinger
Independent Shakespeare Co. is having a free performance of the play Twelfth Night in Griffith Park tonight (Friday and Saturday they will be performing Pericles)
Death Cab for Cutie are playing at the Hollywood Bowl with Car Seat Headrest
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (2/22-2/24/19)-
Friday
Yacht Punk, ellle belle, and Compress Collide are opening for No Small Children at The Hi Hat
There’s a fundraiser and release party at the Echoplex for theLAnd- a new magazine by LA locals for LA locals created by an editorial collective of former L.A. Weekly employees- with performances by Open Mike Eagle, Baths, Nocando and more
Jenny O. is playing at the Bootleg Theater wit RF Shannon and Ferdy Mayne opening
Moaning are playing at Zebulon with David Scott Stone, Automatic, and French Vanilla
Friday and Saturday
In celebration of Black History Month, Hauser & Wirth is hosting Personal Problems, a free film series organized by LA-based artist Charles Gaines. Friday they are showing Black Girl, by Ousamane Sembène, and Until, Until, Until by Edgar Arceneaux. The screenings will be followed by a brief Q& A with Charles Gaines and Edgar Arceneaux. On Saturday at 2pm they are showing Personal Problems, directed by Bill Gunn, and at 7:30pm three short films will be screened along with the full length film Outside the Law, directed by Rachid Bouchareb.
Saturday
The 5th Annual Bob Baker Day is taking place in Los Angeles State Historic Park and will have puppet shows, DJ sets, workshops, carnival games and more, all free
GRMLN are playing at The Smell with Wellness and Lionmilk
Yuna, DUCKWRTH, Mikky Ekko and Che’Nelle are playing at Miyavi’s Record Release Show at the El Rey Theatre
Night Shop is playing a free early show at Gold Diggers with Sofia Bolt and Laena Geronimo
Sunday
It’s the last day to see Kahlil Joseph’s film Fly Paper at MOCA Pacific Design Center before it closes and the space itself closes for good
Zebulon is having a free screening of The Man Who Fell to Earth, starring David Bowie
The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) in Long Beach is having a free all day Afro-Latinx Festival, with performances, food, craft vendors, art workshops and more, plus free admission to the museum
Sunny War is playing a free early show with Lonesome Leash at Gold Diggers
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
NAVEL.LA (co-organized with Ghosting TV and WOAH) is hosting the premiere screening of ECLIPSECORE, 27 artists respond to the 2017 North American Eclipse, which will also include live music and a DJ set, and a discussion with researchers from NASA JPL (free but RSVP) and donate
It’s the first night of Echo Park Rising, a free multi-venue, all ages music festival. Too many bands to list them all but for each night I’ll put a few band listings- tonight’s highlights include- The Blank Tapes and Sextile at Taix; Creation Factory and Dungen at The Echo; and The Red Pears and Goon at The Echo Patio (schedule here)
Mt. Joy are playing at the Bootleg Theater with Avid Dancer and Dr. Doctor opening
Friday
Echo Park Rising suggestions for tonight- Veronica Bianqui, Fartbarf, and Hundred Waters are on the Liberty Stage; Cones, NVDES, and Meatbodies are playing at the Echoplex; Sugar Candy Mountain, BOYO, and Billy Changer are among the performers at Spacedust; Levitation Room and Creation Factory are playing late shows at Stories Books & Cafe; and Freedom Fry and HOLYCHILD are playing at The Lost Lot Venue (schedule here)
Terry Malts is playing with Business of Dreams, Real Numbers, and Wellness at The Hi Hat
Echo Park Rising suggestions for tonight- Jurassic Shark, Henry Clay People, Laetitia Sadier, and Surf Curse are playing at the Echoplex; The Paranoyds, Alice Bag, and The Buttertones are playing the Liberty Stage; The Los Angeles Police Department are playing at Taix; and Tennis System are playing at The Lost Lot Venue (schedule here)
LACMA’sMuse til Midnight party returns with DJ’s and late night access to the galleries ($25 members / $35 non)
X will be playing a free show with Meat Puppets at Pershing Square
Some Like It Hot is the outdoor movie at Hollywood Forever this week
Cinefamily is showing Liquid Sky (off site at the Vista) at midnight with cinematographer Yuri Neyman, and production/costume designer Marina Levikova in person
For Grand Performances this week, Daedelus will recreate EDM/IDM songs with an accompanying band and vocalists (free)
Echo Park Rising suggestions for tonight- Veronica Bianqui and Summer Twins are playing at Spacedust; Moaning are playing at the Echoplex; Dante Elephante and The Tissues are playing at Lot 1 Cafe; and Avi Buffalo and Brightener are playing at Taix; (schedule here)
Independent Shakespeare Co. is performing The Two Gentlemen of Verona free in Griffith Park (also Wed-Saturday)
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (7/20-7/24/17)-
Thursday
Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner & James McAlister are performing their album PLANETARIUM at Hollywood Forever
The band Kinky is playing a soundtrack they created for Weird Science at this installment of Bring the Noise, LACMA’s music and film program
Pasadena Museum of California Art is free, open late tonight, and includes a conversation between curator John David O’Brien and artist Rebecca Ripple about the current group exhibition Interstitial
Hammer Museum’s music program RebelRebel continues this week with Elohim and Suzi Analogue (free)
Mr. Elevator are opening for classic rock band Eric Burdon and The Animals at the Santa Monica Pier (free)
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA is hosting a free music night tonight with Zola Jesus, Lawrence Rothman, Smerz and DJ Michael Stock (make sure to RSVP)
Vundabar are opening for Rozwell Kid at The Hi Hat
Friday
MNDSGN is playing a free show at Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park
L.A. Live’s Dark Nights returns with live music and entertainment, live painting, a market, $5 drink and food specials, and more (free)
Santoros are having a Vinyl Release Party at The Echo with So Many Wizards and Wyatt Blair opening
It’s FYF Fest time and tickets are available at this writing for the Friday and Sunday shows- tonight’s lineup includes Missy Elliot, Bjork, Thee Oh Sees, Slowdive, Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, Flying Lotus, Beach Fossils, Angel Olsen and more
Odd Nights returns to the Autry Museum with live music, a market and late hours for select galleries ($5)
Saturday
Lo Moon is opening for Mondo Cozmo and Paul Oakenfold at KCRW’s Sound in Focus event in the park outside Annenberg Space for Photography (free but you must RSVP)
Bergamot Station is hosting Summer Celebration, an all day event that includes performances, artist talks, workshops, live music and more (free)
Beta Main is hosting a panel discussion with photographers Valerie J. Bower, Arlene Mejorado, and Desilu Muñoz moderated by Star Montana
The Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills is having a free Night Sky Festival with kids activities, Native American night sky stories, a science presentation and telescope viewings
Moaning, Soccer Mommy and Shannon Lay are opening for Stef Chura at the Bootleg Theater
Sunday
If you loved Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Theatre at the Ace Hotel is offering two chances to see creator Joel Hodgson and host Jonah Heston, along with Crow, Tom Servo, Gypsy and more, as they offer their running commentary on fan fave Eegah for the first show and a yet to be announced film for the second show
Check out the last day of FYF Fest with a lineup that includes Nine Inch Nails, Iggy Pop, Run the Jewels, Ty Segall, Temples, Solange, Blonde Redhead, Moses Sumney, and more
The Los Angeles Philharmonic will be performing a tribute to the musical work of Stephen Sondheim at the Hollywood Bowl for Sondheim on Sondheim, with special guests that include Vanessa Williams and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (5/25-5/28/17)-
Thursday
Band of Horses are playing at the Greek Theatre with Frightened Rabbit
At LACMA artist Michael Mandiberg and artist/researcher Lior Zalmanson will discuss “the connection between digital arts and online labor including its recent manifestations: crowdsourcing and the gig economy” (free)
The New Division are playing at Union Nightclub with FYOHNA opening
The Oracle Film Series continues at The Broad with Bruce and Norman Yonemoto’s film Kappa, a collaboration with artist Mike Kelley, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Sud Pralad (Tropical Malady)
Pantha du Prince is playing at The Echo with Telefon Tel Aviv and Newman Wolf
No Parents are playing a show at The Hi Hat with C ROY, Dumb Fucks, Enemy and Musty Boyz
Friday
Constitutional Happy Hour returns to the Hammer Museum– the topic this week is immigrant rights
It’s the last of the four part series Subject: Los Angeles at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. The theme this week is Los Angeles on Shifting Ground and “will examine the city’s habit of erasure, as well as forms of collective recall, through disaster footage, visualizations of local wind patterns, documentation of lost neighborhoods and landmarks, contemporary marketing schemes for “historic downtown,” and a 16mm presentation of Thom Andersen’s GET OUT OF THE CAR (2010), with an introduction from Thom.”
Moaning are playing with Prettiest Eyes and more at The Smell
Wafia is playing at The Echo with Demo Taped opening
Saturday
Sleepy Sun are playing at The Hi Hat to celebrate their new record Private Tales, with Big Search opening
Artists Pippa Garner and Zackary Drucker will be in conversation at Redling Fine Art
The Bowtie Project is hosting Beginnings Marathon,” a performative collage of beginnings and unfinished narratives” with artist Vlatka Horvat. Bring your favorite book and read aloud from the first page ( it can be from any genre, and in any language) or you can just listen to the performance and enjoy s’mores around the fire pit.
Or you could see Pulp Fiction outside of The Autry
Feminist collective PLAG (Play Like A Girl) is having an all ages, all day, all female and non-binary fronted music event at the Echoplex with Kitten headlining
Sunday
L.A. Zine Fest is at the California Market Center (free)
You can get your Memorial Day beach trip in and enjoy a festival at Fiesta Hermosa, the annual Hermosa Beach event (also Saturday and Monday)
French Vanilla are playing with Peach Kelli Pop, Mommy Long Legs and Rotten Blossom at The Smell
The Lovely Bad Things are playing at The Hi Hat with Wild Wing, The Red Pear, and Joos
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (4/27-4/30/17)-
Thursday
NE-HI are playing with Moaning and Weird Love at the Bootleg Theater
Hammer Museum is having an Open Projector Night- anyone is welcome to submit a film under 10 minutes, with comedian emcees the Sklar Brothers (free)
Gaz Coombes from Supergrass is playing a solo show at The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever
Jeff Mcllwain is performing his ambient electronic music as Lusine with Geotic opening at The Echo
Friday
At Bob Baker Marionette Theater this week is Subject: Los Angeles in the Streets, the second of 4 events with archival films, guest presenters, music and puppets- this iteration examines forms of public assembly and artistic intervention in the city
Tonight is the second night of the Magnetic Fields two night concert for their new album 50 Song Memoir (yesterday was 1-25, tonight it is songs 26-50) at UCLA’s Royce Hall
Miracle Legion, formed in 1983, are performing their first show in 20 years at the Echoplex with Noveller opening
The Buttertones are headlining a night of bands at the Hi Hat
Saturday
Brewery Artwalk returns to the complex with artist residents opening their doors to visitors (also Sunday)
Lia Halloran will be discussing her work with writer Jennifer Ouellette, as well as giving a walk through of her exhibition at Luis De Jesus Los Angeles (free)
The Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia, is performing at the Regent Theater
Santa Monica Art Studios is hosting Off the Clock 2017, a one night only reception and exhibition of photography (free)
The Godfather Part II is being shown at the historic Los Angeles Theater with DJs, live music, bars on all five floors, and a photo studio to go with the 1950s theme ($25)
Things to do in Los Angeles this weekend (2/23-2/26/17)-
Thursday
Former US poet laureate and author Robert Pinsky will be reading at the Hammer Museum with a book signing to follow (free)
Artist, architect, and filmmaker Alfredo Jaar, winner of the MacArthur and Guggenheim awards, discusses his recent work and reflects on “The Rwanda Project” at The Getty (free with RSVP)
Hippie Sabotage are playing with Branchez at The Novo
SCREEN: Hannah Black at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA presents recent video works from the artist/writer with a post screening conversation. While there you can check out the opening night preview of the LA Art Book Fair with special musical performances by Seth Bogart and Kembra Pfahler & Christian Music from The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black ($10 and includes a special edition by Mike Mills)
Karriem Riggins is playing at The Hi Hat with Peanut Butter Wolf and J Rocc opening
Split Single are playing at Resident with Imaad Wasif
Friday
Moaning, Jurassic Shark, Janelane, and Melted are playing at The Hi Hat for Oh My Rockness’s Hardest Working Bands 2016
Skirball museum is hosting Late Night Lichtenstein, a chance to see Pop for the People: Roy Lichtenstein in L.A. for free and get free exhibition swag
Artist/musician Billy Morrison and installation artist Plastic Jesus are showing 36 pieces of artwork for a free show titled Anesthesia: The Art of Oblivion at Gibson Brands Sunset (the former Tower Records)
