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Here are 24 of our favorite events happening in Los Angeles this week. We’ll be back on Thursday with our Weekend Planner column to help you plan—what else?— the weekend ahead.
MONDAY, SEPT. 29
HORROR FILM: Beyond Fest continues at the Egyptian on Monday at 7:30 pm with the L.A. premiere of the horror film Starry Eyes (2014) by directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer (who will appear in person). On the same horror double-feature bill is the cult classic Possession from director Andrzej Zulawki, starring Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill. Tickets: $11.
CITYLAB: CityLab: Urban Solutions to Global Challenges, a two-day summit organized by the Aspen Institute, The Atlantic and Bloomberg Philanthropies, brings together politicos and “urban visionaries” to discuss ways to make urban areas more livable and sustainable. On Monday night at The Theatre at Ace Hotel, CityLab presents a public ticketed event: CityLab: Making L.A.with speakers that include Mayor Eric Garcetti, Rick Caruso, Roi Choi, Meg Gill (Golden Road Brewing) and Michael Govan, Executive Director, LACMA, among others. General admission $50; Taste of L.A. tickets at $150 includes reserved seating, bites from Alma Restaurant and cocktails from Greenbar Craft Distillery. Doors at 6 pm.
FILM+MUSIC: Kino Lorber presents a screening of the film Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction (2012), directed by Sophie Huber, at the Grammy Museum on Monday night at 7:30 pm. The film covers some of the actor’s 250 films and his own versions of American folk songs. After the screening, there’s a panel discussion (and jam session) with Stanton, Jamie James (guitar), Don Was (bass) and Huber moderated by Scott Goldman, VP of the Grammy Museum and MusiCares. Tickets: $15.
LIP SYNC: Westside Comedy presents a Lip Sync Extravaganza on Monday at 9:30 pm. Cole Stratton hosts the free show, which is basically a lip sync contest with costumes, props and music. The evening’s performers include Mike Betette, Chelsea Hogan, Byron Kennerly, Samm Levine, Laraine Newman and many others.
FILM NOIR: The Landmark presents a double feature of 1940s film noir classics with the psychological murder mystery Laura (1944) starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews and Vincent Price at 7 pm. It’s followed by White Heat, which stars James Cagney as a gangster in a “Freudian melodrama.” The evening’s special guest speaker is film historian Alan K. Rode who discusses the films. Tickets: $13.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 30
MUSIC: Singer-songwriter-violinist Lili Haydn celebrates the release of her latest album Lililand with a party and show held in collaboration with Americares on Tuesday night at the Sayers Club. The party, which celebrates her first album in six years, runs from 8-10 pm with the performance at 9 pm. Also performing on Tuesday are Mereki and Verre. Tickets/tables run from $15-$1,000.
BOOKS: ***Vromans has moved this event to Oct. 11 at 4 pm.On Tuesday at 7 pm, Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena presents Aarti Sequeira (a former LAist contributor!) who presents and signs her new book Aarti Paarti: An American Kitchen with an Indian Soul. The Next Food Network Star winner shares her collection of 101 recipes, stories and secrets that make Indian flavors more accessible to U.S. palates.
COMEDY: Can I Kick It? is at NerdMelt on Tuesday at 9 pm. The evening is a narrated and “hilarious journey through the Golden Age of hip hop.” Comedians Al Jackson, Joe DeRosa, Tone Bell, Joe Derosa and guests review some choice videos from hip-hop’s “awkward phase” during the ‘80s and ‘90s. Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
FICTION: Red Hen Press is at Boston Court in Pasadena on Tuesday at 7 pm for an evening of fiction, featuring writers Ron Koertge (his new book of flash fiction Sex World was recently released), Ron Carlson (Return to Oakpine, The Signal) and Aimee Bender (The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, The Color Master). Tickets: $10 general/$5 students and seniors.
TV: On Tuesday at 7:30 pm, Film Independent at LACMA screens the first two episodes of Gracepoint, a 10-episode mystery series on FOX, based on the British series Broadchurch. Following the screening, there’s a panel discussion with the cast and crew, including Anna Gunn, Nick Nolte, Jacki Weaver, Michael Peña, Virginia Kull, Kevin Rankin, Jessica Lucas, and executive producers Chris Chibnall, Anya Epstein and Dan Futterman. The screening is free; standby tickets only.
PARTY: STK throws a party from 6:30-8:30 pm on Tuesday to honor October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For a suggested donation of $20, guests will get cocktails and appetizers and 100 percent of all donations will benefit breast cancer research. And for the rest of the month, buy a Strawberry Cobbler Cocktail (vodka, muddled strawberries, graham cracker crust) and proceeds will also benefit breast cancer research. RSVP for the cocktail party: BBorchard@togrp.com.
LIT: Journalist and author Naomi Klein is at the Hammer Museum on Tuesday at 7:30 pm to discuss her latest book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate. A writer for Harper’s, Rolling Stone and other outlets, Klein is also the author of two best-sellers No Logo and The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. The event is free.
COMEDY: Good Looks is a free monthly comedy show that takes place every last Tuesday at play in DTLA’s Arts District. Standup comedy by Pete Holmes, Kate Berlant, Joe Wengert, Matt Ingebretson, Brandon Wardell and a surprise guest. Doors at 7 pm. Show at 8 pm. Cash bar available and ice cream for sale by Cream Dream.
MUSIC: The Japan/NYC duo Cibo Matto plays a rare show at The Roxyon Tuesday night to support the release of Hotel Valentine, their first release since 1999. The night also features music by Nels Cline and Talk in Tongues. Tickets: $25
STORY: At 8 pm at Mack Sennett Studios, KCRW presents Unfictional Live with people telling hilarious or heartbreaking tales. The evening is hosted by KCRW's Bob Carlson, for a taping of UnFictional, KCRW's storytelling program. Hear stories told live, on stage from storytellers: Thomas Middleditch, star of HBO's Silicon Valley; Jay Chandrasekhar, director of Super Troopers; comedian Julian McCullough; writer Jamie Brunton (writer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show); Moses Stom (This is Your Show) and actor and playwright Joanne Willette. Tickets: $40 (includes complimentary beer and wine before the show). The show is 21+.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1
FILM: The Santa Monica Museum of Art presents a bike-in screening of Bogotá Change, in advance of Sunday’s CicLAvia. The film is a look at the terms of Mayors Antanas Mockus and Enrique Peñalosa, who addressed social issues and transformed the city of Bogotá, Colombia, in less than 10 years. “From mimes in place of traffic police to a burst of bicycle paths and green spaces, these unorthodox officials championed the use of creative solutions for complex social problems.” The film also examines the original ciclovías, which originated in Bogotá. (Biking to the free event is not required, but welcome.) The happy hour runs 6-7 pm and the screening is from 7-8 pm.
LIT TALK: On Wednesday, The Writers’ Room with Reza Aslancontinues its series of conversations with writers at DBA in WeHo. Joining Aslan in conversation is political correspondent and Chief National Correspondent for The New York Times Magazine Mark Leibovich. Just in time for election season, they’ll discuss Leibovich’s bestseller This Town, and his upcoming Citizens of the Green Room. The evening ends with a Q&A with the audience. The house band begins at 7:30 pm and the talks begin at 8 pm. Tickets: $30. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
STORY: Moth storyteller Brian Finkelstein brings his solo show First Day Off in a Long Time to the Steve Allen Theater for four nights only, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 1, Oct. 8, 15 and 22. It’s a comedy—about suicide. He recounts his four years at a NYC suicide hotline, his own [obviously failed] suicide attempt and a call from a 19-year-old college student that changed his life. Tickets: $12.
Actual Size Gallery opens an exhibition of new works by Viviana Druga and Tata Christiane. (Image: Courtesy of Actual Size)
ART: Actual Size Gallery in L.A. presents 22+1 Exhibition and performance by Viviana Druga on Wednesday from 8-10:30 pm. For the past two years, Berlin-based artists Viviana Druga and Tata Christiane have staged performative photo sessions to recreate the tarot cards, specifically, the Tarot de Marseille, which dates back to the 15th century. Though inspired by the cards, the artists added their own touches in the collaborative project that includes digital photo collage and tableaus. On opening night, Druga performs readings for visitors.
LIT DEATH MATCH: Literary Death Match returns to Largo at the Coronet at 8:30 pm for a screenwriters-reading-prose edition of the lit competition that pits writers against each other. Each of four writers are judged on their work of 7 minutes or fewer. Judges for this week’s event are Jonathan Ames (literary merit); Fred Savage (performance) and Kathryn Hahn (intangibles) who will be presiding over works by Liz Meriwether (creator of New Girl); Megan Amram, writer for Parks & Recreation; Graham Moore, screenwriter of The Imitation Game and comedian Carol Leifer. Doors at 7 pm, show at 8:35 pm. Tickets: $30.
THURSDAY, OCT. 2
STORYTELLING: Eat Your Words is a live storytelling event, hosted by Greg Walloch, is at The Standard, Hollywood’s Cactus Lounge from 8-10 pm on Thursday. The evening features stories that are inspired by a food theme, told by storytellers and comedians with special guest appearances by LA area chefs, bartenders and other foodies. Storytellers include: Sharon Houston, Shawna Dawson Beer, Beth Lapides, Drew Hubbard and Ben Waters, Deana Barone and Walloch. Free, but RSVP needed.
COMEDY: An Evening with Judd Apatow & Friends is at Largo on Thursday night. The comedy show, featuring Apatow, raises money for the Stuart House—an organization that brings comprehensive care to rape victims and sexually abused kids. Tickets: $40-$100. Doors: 7 pm and show at 8:30 pm.
FILM: Beyond Fest continues with an interesting double feature on Thursday at the Egyptian at 7:30 pm, beginning with My Life Directed by Nicholas Winding Refn. The documentary by Liv Corfixen, follows her husband’s (Nicolas Winding Refn) journey directing the film Only God Forgives (starring Ryan Gosling). The night ends, naturally, with a screening of Only God Forgives. There’s a discussion between films with filmmakers Refn and Corfixen. Tickets: $11.
ART: Rise Art, an online gallery, presents work IRL during a pop-up show at The WNDO, a project space in Venice. The week-long exhibition, Beyond Realms, connects New York artists and LA collectors and features the work of Burton Machen, Danielle Frankenthal, Lisa Piasecki, Geraldine Neuwirth and Joseph Heidecker. The opening reception is on Thursday from 6-8 pm.
Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
