For the fifth year in a row, Liquid Kitty on Pico has won Citysearch's title of Best Martini in LA. Liquid Kitty harkens back to LA's dark, Chandleresque side, with dim lights and strong drinks. It reminds me of both the rat pack martini bar Olive, and a little bit of Yee Mee Loo's, an historic Chinatown bar. The Hollywood speakeasy feel is enhanced by the lack of any kind of sign out front with... more ›

James Ellroy (reading) @ Skylight Books A Tribe Called Quest @ Wiltern Willie Nelson, Ryan Adams, Neko Case @ Hollywood Bowl Tracy Lawrence @ House of Blues Polyphonic Spree @ The Henry Fonda Carlos Guitarlos @ The Liquid Kitty Jews & Mexicans @ Mr. T's Bowl La Traviata @ Dorothy Chandler Bonnie Raitt @ Santa Barbara Bowl Megadeth, Lamb of God, Overkill @ Hyundai Pavilion photo by the slow wonder via flickr... more ›

Unless otherwise noted, all shows are free of charge.


SUNDAY, 11/13




• The
  Angeli Duo perform
  for LACMA's Sunday
  Live series. The concert begins at 6 PM in LACMA's Leo S. Bing
  Theatre. For info, call (323) 857-6234.


• Catch acoustic blues from Nathan James and Ben Hernandez at Café
  Boogaloo. The show starts at 8 PM. Call (310) 318-2324.


• Jazz saxist Louis Van Taylor performs at Hal’s
  Bar & Grill at 8 PM. For information, call (310) 396-3105.

Unless otherwise noted, all shows are free of charge.


SUNDAY, 10/30



• Songa
  Lee-Kitto, Su-a Lee, and Chie Nagatani perform for LACMA's Sunday
  Live series. The concert begins at 6pm in LACMA's Leo S. Bing
  Theatre. Call (323) 857-6234.


• New Valley Symphony Orchestra
  performs Puccini’s La Bohème with vocalists from Opera
  of the Foothills and L.A. Lyric Theater at 1:30pm. The show is not free,
  but the proceeds benefit free concert series at Forest Lawn’s
  Hall of Liberty and free youth concerts at San Fernando Valley high schools.
  It's a worthy cause that allows things like this "free gig guide" to exist.
  For tickets call (818) 789-5466.


• Rosemary's Billygoat,
  Stigmeta, Brendon Small's Deathclock and Dropsonic perform
  at Spaceland at
  9pm. For details, call (323) 661-4380.

Music is the best elixir to kick the proverbial autumnal malaise. Don't let
the shorter days or dipping mercury get you down. Check out these free local
gigs instead.

SATURDAY, 10/1

• DJs Michael Stock and Benjamin White of Part Time
  Punks continue their residency at
  MOCA. The show
  starts at 6pm. It's free with general museum admission. Call (213)
  621-1734.
  
• The Groovy Rednecks play at S.W. Hill Country at 6pm. Call (323) 256-2500.
  
• Sean Newhouse performs the Overture to Verdi’s La Forza
  del Destino, Bloch’s Schelomo with cello soloist Elizabeth Willey,
  and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. at Glendale's Alex Theater at 7pm. Call (310)
  859-7668.
  
• Concert organist Yoon-Mi Lim performs works by Bach, Duruflé, Widor,
  Brahms and James Hopkins at the Pasadena Presbyterian
  Church at 7:30pm.
  Call (626) 793-2191.
  
• Enjoy live music with DJ Chocolate Cassanova at the Apple
  Store on the
  Third Street Promenade. The DJ spins tunes from 8-10pm.
  

SUNDAY, 10/2

• Mews Small & Her Fabulous Females take the stage at the Unurban Coffeehouse
  at 1pm. For details, call (310) 315-0056.
  
• The Luckman Jazz Orchestra
  performs at the Luckman Fine arts Complex at
  6pm. Call (323) 343-6600.
  
• The legendary conguero Poncho Sanchez performs
  live with is Latin jazz ensemble at Amoeba
  Records at 2pm.
  
  For information, call (323) 245-6400.
• Carlos Guitarlos plays at The Liquid Kitty
  at 10pm. Call (310) 473-3707.
  
• Pianist James Boyk and clarinetist Margaret
  Thornhill plays
  at the LACMA Sundays
  Live Series.
  The show starts at 6pm. Call (323) 857-6234.
  
• The Eagle Rock Music festival starts at 7pm in the Center for the Arts.
  Call (626) 795-4989.
  
• DJs Michael Stock and Benjamin White spin post-punk, mutant disco and
  indie 80s-90s at the echo at 10pm.
  For info, call (213) 413-8200.
  

Autumn officially starts this week... what better way to chase away the 5-degree
temperature fluctuation than some hot music? Unless otherwise noted, all performances
are free.

SATURDAY, 9/17

• Listen to Molly Howson & the Grits, Bucksworth, Skeeter Truck, Kingsizemaybe,
  Soda & His
  Million Piece Band, King Straggler, and 50 Cent Haircut at the Third
  Street Farmers Market at 3pm. For details, call (323) 933-9211.
  
• DJs Michael Stock and Benjamin White of Part Time
  Punks continue their two month residency at
  MOCA. The show
  starts at 6pm. Odd Nostrom of Anticon takes the stage at 8pm, followed
  by a screening of Rize.
  The evening is free with general museum admission. Call (213) 621-1734.
  
• Catch the Latin jazz of conguero Francisco
  Aguabella at
  One
  Colorado in Old Pasadena,
  from 9pm to midnight. Call
  (626) 564-1066.
  

SUNDAY, 9/18

• Mews Small & Her Fabulous Females, Brad Kayand Justefanie play
  at Unurban
  Coffeehouse at 1pm. Call (310) 315-0056.
  
• The USC Thornton Wind Ensemble, H. Robert Reynolds, principal conductor,
  and Sharon Lavery, resident conductor, perform works by Lauridsen, Piston,
  Milhaud, Hartmann and Grantham at USC
  Thornton School of Music at 4pm. Call (213) 740-2167.
  
• The Second Annual Bolero Festival features performances by Los Dandy’s,
  Mariachi Divas, Yari More y Su Orquesta, Trio Casablanca and Trio Guadalajara
  in the Exposition
  Park Rose Garden at 6pm. Call (213) 473-2304.
  
• Members
  of Chamber Music Palisades play at the LACMA Sundays
  Live Series.
  The show starts at 6pm. Call (323) 857-6234.
  
• DJs Michael Stock and Benjamin White spin post-punk, mutant disco and
  indie 80s-90s at the echo at 10pm.
  For info, call (213) 413-8200.
  
• Carlos Guitarlos plays at The Liquid Kitty at 10pm. For details, call (310)
  473-3707.
  

MONDAY, 9/19

• The Oohlas continue their residency
  at the
  echo. Doors open at 8pm but there's no cover after 10pm. For
  details, call (213) 413-8200.
  
• Run Run Run also continue their
  residency at Spaceland.
  Doors open at 8pm and the show begins at 9pm. Call (323) 661-4380
  
• One Of The Loudest
  Tragedies Ever Heard take the stage at the
  Silverlake Lounge at 11pm. Call (323) 666-2407
  

The days are getting shorter, but that's no excuse to stay at home. Have fun
without emptying your pockets. Unless otherwise noted, all performances are free.

SATURDAY, 9/10

• Shakti Foundation presents a program of classical Indian music and dance
  at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center at 6pm. Call (310) 781-7171.
  
• DJs Michael Stock and Benjamin White of Part Time
  Punks continue their two month residency at
  MOCA at 6pm. Kinky
  takes the stage at 8pm, followed by a spoken word performance by David
  St. John. The evening is free with general museum admission. Call (213)
  621-1734.
  

SUNDAY, 9/11

• Catch the Rainwater Bluegrass Band at the Hollywood Farmers Market, from
  8am-noon. Call (323) 463-3171.
  
• The Young Jazz Alliance perform at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena
  at 5pm. For information, call (626) 398-3344.
  
• Violinist
  Bing Wang and pianist Vicki Ray play for the LACMA Sundays
  Live Series.
  The show starts at 6pm. Call (323) 857-6234.
  
• DJs Michael Stock and Benjamin White spin post-punk, mutant disco and
  indie 80s-90s at the echo at 10pm.
  
• Carlos Guitarlos hits The Liquid Kitty at 10pm. For info, call (310) 473-3707.
  

MONDAY, 9/12

• The Oohlas continue their residency at the
  echo. Fly Better Broken open
  the night, with Toys That Kill and Tarzana wrapping
  up the evening. The doors open at 8:30pm and the show starts at 9pm. For
  details, call (213) 413-8200.
  
• Run Run Run continue their residency
  at Spaceland.
  Doors open at 8pm and the show begins at 9pm. Call (323) 661-4380
  
• Oliver Future and My
  Sexual Dad open for One Of The Loudest
  Tragedies Ever Heard at the
  Silverlake Lounge. The first show starts at 9pm. Call (323) 666-2407