This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Here are 20 of our favorite events happening in L.A. this week. If you need additional suggestions, then check out our May Guide, too.
MONDAY, MAY 9
LOU DOILLON (Music)
Singer-model-actress Lou Doillon plays The Roxy on Monday to support her latest album, Lay Low. Draemings open the show. Doors at 7 pm show at 8 pm. Tickets: $15. All ages.
ISLAND LIFE (Music)
Island Life is a concert on Monday at the Fonda Theatre hosted by Pete Wentz and features performances by Mike Posner, The Karma Killers, That Poppy and a special guest on Monday night. All ages. Doors at 6:30 pm. Tickets: $20.
SPEECHLESS (PowerPoint comedy)
Speechless returns to L.A. on Monday at 9 pm at Nerdmelt. The show features comedians or actors improvising a PowerPoint presentation that they’ve never seen before on the spot. The audience chooses the topic and everything snowballs from there. This week’s performers include: Kate Berlant, Guy Branum, Caitlin Gill, Joe Wengert and others. Special guest judges are Dave Nadelberg (Mortified) and Colleen Smith (Jim Henson’s Puppet Up). Tickets: $8-$10.
CHEMICAL CUT - World Premiere 2016 Slamdance Film Festival from Marjorie Conrad on Vimeo.
HUNKY DORY + CHEMICAL CUT (Film)
The Arclight and Slamdance continue the Slamdance Cinema Club film series this week with two films. On Monday at 8 pm, there’s a screening of Hunky Dory—about a glam rocker finally forced to grow up—followed by a Q&A with Michael Curtis Johnson (filmmaker) and Tomas Pais (filmmaker and star). On Tuesday at 8 pm, there’s a screening of Chemical Cut, a narrative built around L.A.’s cutthroat fashion industry. There’s a Q&A to follow with Marjorie Conrad and Barret Hacia (filmmakers). Tickets: $11-$15.
TUESDAY, May 10
THIS CRIME IS TELEVISED (Panel discussion)
Why are we so obsessed with crime, punishment and criminal justice? The Ikar Culture Series takes on that question at its next event—This Crime is Televised—on Tuesday night at the Silent Movie Theater. Guests Jenji Kohan (Orange is the New Black, Weeds), Howard Gordon (24, Homeland), Richard Cabral (American Crime) and Rabbi Sharon Brous discuss the power of crime storytelling from the Bible to today’s pervasiveness in pop culture. This Crime is Televised begins at 8 pm (doors at 7:30 pm) with a reception to follow. Tickets: $15-20.
PARENTAL ADVISORY (Comedy)
Parental Advisory is a parenting-themed comedy show that takes place on Tuesday night at 8:30 pm at the Comedy Store in Hollywood. Consider it a night out to commiserate with other parents, and those without kids can come and listen to reasons why birth control is important. On the bill are: Kira Soltanovich, Darren Carter, Jeremy Craven, Todd Rexx, Maz Jobrani and Ali Wong. Tickets in advance for $12 or $20 at the door. Ages 21+. Two-drink minimum. Proceeds from the night will go to S.P.E.A.K., a leadership development program for teens and young adults.
SCIFIOLOGY (Classic film)
Scifiology is a new musical that premieres at The Second City Hollywood on Tuesday at 9 pm. The satirical comedy about a girl who meets a band of Scifiologists, falls in love and gets wooed into a fictitious religion. The show includes original songs like "Brainwashed," "Xena" and "Blame the Hatans." Tickets: $10.'
TANGERINE (Music)
The Seattle-based Tangerine—comprised of sisters Marika and Miro Justad, and Toby Kuhn—brings its guitar-inflected pop to the Satellite on Tuesday night in support of the band’s latest EP, Sugar Teeth. Sui Zhen opens the night. Doors at 8:30 pm, show at 9 pm. Tickets: $8. Show is 21+.
DOROTHY (Music)
The L.A.-based rock band Dorothy headlines a show at the Echo on Tuesday night in advance of its debut album ROCKISDEAD out on June 24 on Roc Nation Records. The full-length album features the single “Raise Hell” which is currently featured in the Now You See Me 2 trailer. Opening the show on Tuesday: Spelles and Dead Dawn. Show at 8:30 pm. Tickets: $9.50-$11.50. Ages 18+.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 11
ASK ME ANOTHER (Variety + Trivia)
KPCC presents Ask Me Another—the comedy, trivia and music show from NPR and WNYC—live at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm. Hosted by Ophira Eisenberg, the show asks guests and listeners to take on nerdy challenges in order to be crowned the episode’s Ask Me Another champion. The music’s provided by house musician Jonathan Coulton, with special guests at the Ace include Maika Monroe, Jeff Goldblum and 'Weird Al' Yankovic. Tickets: $28.50-$38.50.
BEAT CONNECTION (Music)
The Seattle-based Beat Connection returns to L.A., playing Wednesday night at Resident in DTLA. The band plays to support its sophomore album Product 3. Also on the bill: Harriet Brown, Vokes. Tickets: $8-$10. The event is 21+.
DON DELILLO (Book talk)
On Wednesday at 7:30 pm,Writers Bloc presents playwright, novelist Don DeLillo (White Noise, Mao II) in conversation with author Rachel Kushner (Telex from Cuba, The Flamethrowers). They’ll discuss DeLillo's new book, Zero K, “a life-affirming meditation on the impermanence of life, and meeting death on our own terms.” The event is being held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. Tickets $20; special price with book, $40.
LIGHTS (Music)
L.A.’s own Lights, brings her electro-pop tunes to The El Rey for two acoustic nights (Wednesday and Thursday) this week. She’s currently on tour with her new album Midnight Machines, which includes six acoustic songs from her album Little Machines, plus two brand new songs. Lolo opens the shows. Tickets: $25. All ages. Doors at 7 pm.
DIRTY 30 (Comedy)
TheDirty 30 stand-up comedy showreturns to the Upright Citizens Brigade (Franklin) on Wednesday at 8 pm. Hosted by Sam Jay, the show features sets from some of L.A.'s top up-and-coming comedians as well as a 30-minute set from a headliner working out new material. This week features stand-up from Amanda Seales, Chinedu Unaka, Cody Metzger, Ramsey Badawi, and a long set from Zainab Johnson (Last Comic Standing, Live at Gotham). Tickets: $5.
OH SNAP (Photography)
Oh Snap! West Coast Hip Hop Photography is a new exhibition that opens at the California African American Museum on Wednesday. The exhibition pays homage to the “distinct flavor, evolution and influence of hip hop” and explores the most influential musical genre and cultural movement in recent history. The more than 40 works are centered around the West Coast Hip Hop of the 1990s, featuring music icons such as Easy E., Dr. Dre, Yo Yo, Tupac, E-40 and others. The exhibition runs through Sept. 18.
THURSDAY, MAY 12
JUNGLEPUSSY AND DAN DEACON (Music)
Think of the The Broad’s experimental pop music series, Callings Out of Context, as an aural complement to the museum’s pop art collection. The series continues on May 12 at the Teragram Ballroom in DTLA with sets by Junglepussy and Dan Deacon, artists whose “restless experimentalism is matched only by their high-octane live performance styles.” 8 pm. Tickets: $20.
JAVIER COLON (Music)
Singer/guitarist Javier Colon—the first winner of The Voice—plays The Mint on Thursday night at 8 pm to support his latest pop/rock/R&B CD, Gravity, which was released just last month. Tickets: $14-$18. 21+.
EAGLE-CON (Sci-fi)
Eagle-Con returns to Cal State L.A. from Thursday to Sunday to celebrate science fiction, fantasy, speculative media and comic books. This year’s theme, “Pushing Boundaries: Gender, Identity, Expression” explores issues of identity and representation from cultural and academic perspectives. Tickets for non-students: $15 for one day, $25 for both days and $30 for the entire weekend. Free for CSULA community.
IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT (Camera)
The Impossible Project rescued and refurbished the last Polaroid factory in the Netherlands more than eight years ago, and now the Impossible Project launches the I-1—its first instant camera, “designed to reinvent analog instant photography for the digital age.” To celebrate the launch, the Impossible holds a pop up for the exclusive west coast launch of the I-1 at Austere in DTLA. The pop-up runs through June 5, and a full range of instant film and refurbished Polaroid cameras will be available for sale at the space. There’s a party on Thursday from 7-10 pm to celebrate the launch and will feature an exhibition of LA photography by Andy Reaser, who will also be making large format 8x10 instant portraits on the night.
STARRING EUROPE (Film series)
The American Cinematheque and participating European Union countries present the film series Starring Europe: New Films from the EU for a week beginning on Thursday with a screening of the Belgian film, Belgica, at the Egyptian at 7:30 pm. (Opening night reception in the courtyard starting at 6 pm.) The series features short- and feature- festival award winners from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland and Spain. Tickets: $11.
Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
