Best things to do this week in Los Angeles and Southern California: June 15-18

British-born (but longtime Angeleno) artist David Hockney died last week, but he forever captured the spirit of Los Angeles in his work and left an indelible mark on the city. From his regular gallery shows at the L.A. Louver to retrospectives at LACMA to set designs for the L.A. Opera to his influence on films like Steve Martin’s Shopgirl, his bold colors pop up everywhere. Honor his spirit and go see some local art, hop in a turquoise pool, or take a hike up Nichols Canyon!

Music picks from Licorice Pizza for the week include electropop duo Sylvan Esso’s four-night run at Sid The Cat Auditorium starting Monday, and singer-songwriter Em Beihold is at the Troubadour.

Tuesday’s a good night for ‘90s rock fans of various kinds, with Metric, Broken Social Scene and Stars at the Greek Theatre, while Our Lady Peace with the Verve Pipe are at the Belasco. Piano legend Bruce Hornsby will also be playing his first of two shows at the Troubadour.

On Wednesday, Glinda herself, Ariana Grande, is at the Forum (she’ll also be there over the weekend), and Thursday, there’s digicore star Jane Remover at the Fonda, alt R&B artist Choker at the El Rey and viral one-man band ZEP at the Echo — he'll be there Saturday too.

Elsewhere on LAist, we have all your World Cup Fan Fest info, free tickets to the Casa México Viewing Party at LA Plaza with LAist for the Mexico vs. South Korea match on Thursday and Larry Mantle’s Film Week recs.

Events

Lovett or Leave It podcast taping

Tuesday, June 16, 6 p.m.
Interwoven Studios Hollywood
800 Seward Street, Hollywood
COST: $12.51; MORE INFO 

Jon Lovett will host a live podcast recording this week.

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Paul Morigi

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Getty Images for Crooked Media

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Pod Save America host Jon Lovett’s other popular podcast, Lovett or Leave It, discusses the week’s events, and you can be part of it as it shoots live in Hollywood. This week, Lovett welcomes Myki Meeks, Mark Indelicato, Atsuko Okatsuka, Bruce Vilanch and Brendan Scannell to the mic.

L.A. Dance Project: City of Dance

Wednesday, June 17, 7 p.m.
Hollywood Forever 
6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood 

Thursday, June 19, 12 p.m.
Gloria Molina Grand Park
200 N. Grand Ave., Downtown L.A.
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

L.A. Dance Project is bringing dance off the stage and into public spaces across L.A. this month, with two performances this week at Hollywood Forever and on the plaza at Jerry Moss Plaza Jerry Moss Plaza at the Music Center. Both shows will incorporate the city’s surroundings into unique outdoor performances that reflect the landscape, views and cultural memories of these L.A. landmarks.

Bloomsday 2026

Tuesday, June 16, 7:30 p.m. 
Hammer Museum 
10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood 
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Geoffrey Barker

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CC BY-SA 4.0

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James Joyce and his landmark book Ulysses are celebrated on June 16 at bookworm events around the world, so join the fun at Hammer for their 17th annual Bloomsday event. A cast of veteran actors will celebrate Molly Bloom, delivering dramatic readings from the novel interspersed with songs. Get there before the museum closes at 6 p.m. and check out the excellent Several Eternities in a Day exhibit first.

California Light and Space 

Through August 1
David Zwirner Gallery
606 N. Western Ave., Melrose Hill
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Courtesy David Zwirner Gallery

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California’s art scene was put on the map with the “Light and Space” movement of the 1960s and '70s, with artists like James Turrell, Robert Irwin and others who reimagined art for the West Coast. David Zwirner Gallery’s new show thinks about the movement in a more modern context, bringing in 21st-century artists for a sweeping exhibit. Rodney McMillian, Catherine Opie, Manuel López and a dozen other accomplished West Coast-based artists bring their version of California inspiration to the light-filled space in Melrose Hill until August 1.

Before Sunrise 

Tuesday, June 16, various times
Frida Cinema
305 E. 4th Street Ste. 100, Santa Ana
COST: FROM $10; MORE INFO 

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Courtesy Warner Bros.

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Happy Celine-meets-Jesse Day to all those who celebrate. It’s me, hi. The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana is screening the first in Richard Linklater’s trilogy — the 1995 opus Before Sunrise, starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke — three times on Tuesday. Honestly, if I lived closer to Santa Ana I’d probably be there all day and watch it three times.

Hip-Hop Block Party

Tuesday, June 16, 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. 
Grammy Museum 
800 W. Olympic Blvd., Downtown L.A. 
COST: N/A; MORE INFO

Schyler O’Neal speaks at last year's Hip-Hop Block Party

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Randy Shropshire

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Getty Images for the Grammy Museum

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The massive hip-hop block party at the Grammy Museum is (officially) sold out, but keep an eye out for returns or a waitlist. This year’s celebration features an L.A. Drumline performance, panels on Black music and film criticism, a poetry open mic, comedy, trivia games and much more.

Joyce Kwon

Thursday, June 18, 7 p.m.
Burbank Public Library (Buena Vista Branch)
300 N. Buena Vista Street, Burbank
COST: FREE; MORE INFO

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Gianina Ferreyra

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Singer, songwriter and gayageum player Joyce Kwon will perform with bandmate and baritone guitarist Brandon Bae in a free show at the Burbank Library. The program is “illuminated by narratives from books that inspired the performance.”