Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: August 4-7
(
Skirball Cultural Center
)
Our Picks
This past weekend’s Jesus Christ Superstar performances at the Hollywood Bowl really, ahem, exceeded expectations. Cynthia Erivo got a several-minute-long standing ovation following her literally showstopping performance of “Gethsemane” in the second act. Adam Lambert was the perfect punk rock Judas, and the creative staging and lighting features made any seat in the Bowl a great one. Andrew Lloyd Webber himself even came out to take a bow on the first night. I’m not sure how they can top it next year!
Bloom watch at the Huntington Library has ended for the corpse flower "Green Boy," but you can still see a time lapse here or read about what an LAist reporter experienced when visiting. In less smelly news, longtime concert promoter Sid The Cat announced they are opening a new venue in South Pasadena, so keep your eyes open for some great music and arts coming to that neighborhood soon.
We also have great music listings from our friends at Licorice Pizza: Monday, Shakira and the Black Eyed Peas kick off two nights at SoFi stadium, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso play The Novo on Tuesday and Wednesday, plus my favorite pick – New Orleans bounce legend Big Freedia at the Masonic on Thursday.
More from LAist: read up on the Hollywood composer connecting people on the autism spectrum through bluegrass, get food and culture writer Gab Chabrán’s take on the Yelp list of best sandwiches in L.A., and learn how to grow native plants at home.
Support for LAist comes from
Events
Wednesdays, 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Wednesday Jazz Night
The Chestnut Club 1348 14th St., Santa Monica
COST: $10; MORE INFO
(
Chris Bair
/
Unsplash
)
Wednesdays mean jazz at Santa Monica’s speakeasy-like Chestnut Club, hosted by Jazz Link. Cool cocktails, cozy downstairs space and talented jazz musicians from around L.A. — sounds like a perfect date night.
Monday, August 4, 4 p.m.
Family Game Night
Florence Library
7807 Compton Ave., Florence
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
(
txking
/
iStock.com
)
Move family game night from the dining room to the Florence Library, where you can meet other board game fans, learn a new game and meet some new friends and competitors! Take your pick of games at the library, whether you want to show your prowess at Monopoly, Scrabble or something off the beaten track.
Support for LAist comes from
Tuesday, August 5, 7:30 p.m.
Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo Girls: Yes We Are Tour
Greek Theater
2700 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz
COST: FROM $43.50; MORE INFO
(
Jeremy Cowart
)
There will be some serious female vocal power and epic sing-alongs at the Greek when '90s folk rockers and queer icons Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo Girls take the stage for their L.A. tour date. Those of us of a certain age will forever associate the Indigo Girls with the epic Lilith Fair summer of 1997 (to my surprise, Etheridge didn’t play the festival, according to a quick Google search). And everyone had “Closer to Fine” stuck in their heads all last year when it made an iconic appearance in the Barbie movie (director Greta Gerwig is clearly familiar with said epic Lilith Fair summer). Etheridge had a one-woman show on Broadway in 2023 and released a two-part documentary last year. The two acts head to Costa Mesa for a second show on August 9.
Thursday, August 7, 7 p.m.
Sunset Concerts: Say She She and Jojo Abot
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A.
COST: FREE, PARKING $20; MORE INFO
(
Skirball Cultural Center
)
Brooklyn retro-funk band Say She She brings their '70s-inspired stylings to the last summer sunset concert of the season at the Skirball, with Ghanaian-born, L.A.-based musician Jojo Abot getting things started. These late sunsets make the perfect backdrop for a post-rush hour party at the museum, plus the galleries are open late, so check out the Jack Kirby and Diane von Furstenberg exhibits while you’re there.
Thursday, August 7, 7:30 p.m.
Lovett or Leave It
Dynasty Typewriter
2511 Wilshire Blvd., Koreatown
COST: $29; MORE INFO
Support for LAist comes from
(
Crooked Media
)
What is a trivia and comedy lover’s dream? Jeopardy! superfans, get ready. Jon Lovett’s regular stint at Dynasty Typewriter for his podcast, Lovett or Leave It, has some special guests this week, including an all-star trivia nerd lineup of Ken Jennings, Amy Schneider and more.
Thursday, August 7, 7 p.m.
Rose Players: Village Wooing and How He Lied to Her Husband
The Shakespeare Villa
171 S. Grand Ave., Pasadena
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Community theater in L.A. is alive and well; just pay a visit to the Rose Players to see why. The group performs staged readings of plays ranging from Shakespeare to modern works each month at the Shakespeare Villa in Pasadena. Both professional and amateur actors get one rehearsal and one performance for each show. The next reading includes two George Bernard Shaw short plays: Village Wooing and How He Lied to Her Husband.
Outdoor Pick
August 7-9
USLA: National Lifeguard Championships
Huntington State Beach
21601 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach
COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Support for LAist comes from
Look, there’s nothing I’m happier about this week than Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson finding love on set. Real-life Baywatch, however, is what’s happening at Huntington Beach with the start of the USLA National Lifeguard Championships. Learn about lifesaving and watch our heroes with the orange floaties show their skills.
Viewing Pick
Thursday, August 7, 7 to 10 p.m.
Cinema Botanica: Giants Rising
California Botanic Garden
1500 N. College Ave., Claremont
COST: $19; MORE INFO
Learn about our beloved redwood trees at the Cinema Botanica screening of Giants Rising at the California Botanic Garden as you catch a film outside amongst the flowers. The real reason I’m excited about this: every paid ticket includes a free popcorn with optional native plant-infused topping, from Atriplex BBQ or Parmesan Black Sage to Caramel Mesquite.
Dine & Drink Deals
Wednesday, August 6 (West L.A.) and Thursday, August 7 (Koreatown), 1 to 4 p.m.
Hakkaisan Dodgers Sake x Yama Narumi Craft Sake
Yama Sushi Marketplace West L.A. – 11709 National Boulevard, West L.A.
Yama Sushi Marketplace Koreatown – 3178 Olympic Boulevard, Koreatown
COST: $49.95
(
Hakkaisan
)
Premium sake brewery Hakkaisan might look familiar from Dodgers games, and at this special Yama Sushi Marketplace event, fans can sample and purchase the sake typically available only at Dodger Stadium. Paired with Yama’s very own Narumi Craft Sake, they are offering a special “Sake Double Play” bundle (valued at $78) for $49.95.
Through Sunday, Sept. 14
Saltie Girl x Fly By Jing
Saltie Girl
8615 W Sunset Blvd., Hollywood
COST: $44; MORE INFO
Saltie Girl is bringing Maine to California and beyond with the fusion taste of the Fly By Jing lobster roll. Through September, the seafood hotspot is putting a bold Szechuan twist on their signature lobster roll, featuring crispy fried lobster, aromatic spices and the unmistakable flavor of Fly By Jing’s Sweet + Spicy Chili Crisp.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Heavy rain is expected to fall in the L.A. area between tonight and Thursday. So take your poncho if you're headed to Dodger Stadium. -
First aspiring spectators must register online, then later in 2026 there will be a series of drawings.
-
It's thanks to Tropical Storm Mario, so also be ready for heat and humidity, and possibly thunder and lightning.
-
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass suspended a state law allowing duplexes, calling more housing unsafe. But in Altadena, L.A. County leaders say these projects could be key for rebuilding.
-
L.A. County investigators have launched a probe into allegations about Va Lecia Adams Kellum and people she hired at the L.A. Homeless Services Authority.
-
This measure on the Nov. 4, 2025, California ballot is part of a larger battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
![A Black woman sits at a dais with a flag in the background. A name placard in front of her reads: Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kell[um].](https://scpr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5425437/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6298x3897+0+0/resize/640x396!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscpr-brightspot.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com%2F76%2F00%2Febed9a7a4fbd9e5ba12997e51d59%2Fgettyimages-1258669633.jpg)
Best of LAist