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Here are 20 of the coolest events happening this weekend in L.A. If you need more suggestions, check out our February Guide.
FRIDAY, FEB. 19
THE FORBIDDEN ROOM (Film)
Arena Cinema presents the L.A. premiere of Guy Maddin’s The Forbidden Room, co-directed by his long-time collaborator Evan Johnson. The film is a mystery, comedy drama all wrapped up in a wild ride. Indie distributor Kino Lorber notes: “Honoring classic cinema while electrocuting it with energy, this Russian nesting doll of a film begins (after a prologue on how to take a bath) with the crew of a doomed submarine chewing flapjacks in a desperate attempt to breathe the oxygen within. Suddenly, impossibly, a lost woodsman wanders into their company and tells his tale of escaping from a fearsome clan of cave dwellers.” It screens at 9:25 pm on Friday with a limited one-week run. Tickets: $12.
PROJECT MAYHEM (Rock Musical)
Creating Arts Studios presents Project Mayhem, the Knockout Underground Rock Musicalheld in the basement of the Sayers Club. Beginning on Friday and running until March 26, the immersive theater cabaret experience is part boxing match and part rock musical. Tickets start at $40. Doors open at 7 pm for live music, pre-show entertainment and cocktails with the show starting promptly at 8 pm.
THE MATT MCCOMEDY SHOW (Experimental Comedy)
The Matt McComedy Show is an experimental comedy show hosted by comedian and writer Matt McCarthy and features videos, variety acts, talk show segments, stand up, dance routines, interviews and more. We hear that you never know quite what to expect when Matt's alter ego, Matt McComedy, enters the room. Guests this week include: Kira Soltanovich, Drennon Davis, Noah Gardenswartz and others. The show takes place on Friday night at 8:30 pm at Basic Flowers, a DTLA art space on Broadway. Tickets: $5.
UNDERGROUND USA: INDIE CINEMA OF THE 80s (Film)
Cinefamily, with co-presenter Cinespia, has a great series running now through April 16. Underground USA: Indie Cinema of the 80sfeatures films and special appearances by guests including Penelope Spheeris, Wayne Wang, Alex Cox, Allison Anders, Lizzie Borden, Ross McElwee, Robert Townsend, Richard Kern and John McNaughton. This weekend, Cinefamily hosts John Sayles for “A Weekend With John Sayles” that includes classic film screenings and a master Filmmaker Class. Friday night: Brother From Another Planet (with John Sayles in person) and Piranha (intro by Roger Corman). The films begin at 7:30 pm. Tickets: $15.
STUNTWOMAN (Reading + Talk)
Author Mollie Gregory discusses and signs the book Stuntwoman: The Untold Hollywood Story at Book Soup on Friday night at 7 pm. The book is the first history of stuntwomen in the film industry from the silent era to today. From Book Soup: “Stuntwomen showcases the absorbing stories and uncommon courage of women who make their living planning and performing action-packed sequences that keep viewers' hearts racing.” On Friday night, Gregory will be joined in conversation by Julie Ann Johnson (Charlie’s Angels, McMillan & Wife, Smokin’ Aces), Jadie David (Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Escape from L.A, The Blues Brothers) and Leslie Hoffman (Airplane!, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Star Trek).
KING (Music)
King—the trio that’s composed of sisters Paris Strother and Amber Strother, with friend Anita Bias—bring their psychedelic soul to The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever on Friday night. LAist named their album We Are KING, one of the top 10 L.A. albums we're excited about in 2016. 8 pm. Tickets: $20.
SATURDAY, FEB. 20
AIR + STYLE (Sports + Music)
Shaun White, Olympic champion, brings his Air + Style festival back to Los Angeles, this time to EXPO Park on Saturday and Sunday. The two-day action sports competition, fashion and tech show, and music fest features performances by J. Cole, Incubus, Kaskade, HAIM, Big Grams, All Time Low, Action Bronson, Rudimental, A-Trak, Gramatik, Netsky, A$AP Ferg, Danny Brown, Flatbush Zombies, Travis Barker, The Struts, Migos, Allie X, Kaneholler and Bas, Cozz & Omen. Tickets/passes: $75-$220+fees. Children younger than 10 are free with paid adult admission.
LONG BEACH COMIC EXPO (Comic Books)
The Long Beach Comic Expo takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Long Beach Convention Center. Expect vendors selling their wares, artists signing on Artists Alley, panel discussions and more. Advanced tickets: $30 for a Saturday only ticket; $20 for a Sunday only ticket and $45 for a weekend ticket.
ERIC JOYNER (Art)
Corey Helford Gallery presents the newest body of work by San Francisco-based artist/illustrator Eric Joyner on Saturday night. The Sweet Dominion collection features 20 new pieces that feature vintage robots and the classic American glazed donut. The opening reception for Sweet Dominion is on Saturday from 7-11 pm. Music provided by KCRW/Sirius XMU DJ Chris Muckley.YOUNGARTS LOS ANGELES (Performances)
The National YoungArts Foundation celebrates the talented youth of LA with its fourth annual YoungArts Los Angeles series of performances this weekend. On Friday night at 6:30 pm, there’s a Visual Arts + Photography Exhibition Opening curated by John Tain; and then at 8 pm, there’s a Dance, Theater + Voice Performance, directed by John Heginbotham. Both events are free (but ticketed) and take place at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. Check the YoungArts site for the complete events list.
THE WHEEL SHOW (Comedy + Variety)
The Wheel Show returns to NerdMelt on Friday night at 7 pm with special guests musician Kate Nash and stand-up comedian Jen Kirkman. The show is basically a smorgasbord of choices placed on a big wheel, and the audience never knows what to expect when the wheel stops. There’s a chance for sketches, stunts and other surprise guests. Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
MR. HO’S ORCHESTROTICA (Music)
The global jazz and exotic chamber [vibraphone] music quintet, Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica,brings a “a melange of Tchaikovsky, Tanburs, Tiki Torches, and Tone Poems” to Alva’s Showroom in San Pedro at 8 pm on Saturday night. Tickets: $18 online, $20 at the door.
SARGASM (Comedy)
Aubrey Jacobowitz and guest host Brianna Murphy host Sargasm Comedy, a free comedy show at Grounded Cafe on Melrose from 6-7:30 pm on Saturday night. The stand-up show “inspires you to dump your boyfriend and go on that trip to Europe you always wanted to.” The lineup includes Virginia Jones, Matt Brousseau, Kat Yeary, Andrew Michaan with headliner Julia Prescott.
RE CREO SUPPER CLUB (Food)
Re Creo Supper Club, a private dining event hosted by Chef Jean Valcarcel (Mo-Chica) and Gabriel Cappelli (Saint Martha, The Dressing Room), presents a Silver Lake Supper Club on Saturday at 7 pm. Re Creo features multiple courses of modern and adventurous food and curated music. Seats at the dinner are available to the public for a suggested donation of $125. First course includes Filipino Longaniza Tostada. Yum!
BARCELONA (Music)
The Seattle-based indie trio Barcelona headlines The Roxy on Saturday night with members past and present playing the band’s 2007 debut Absolutes in its entirety. The San Diego-based The Modern Wild opens the night. The event is all ages. Tickets: $15.
STREET BEATS (Music)
On Saturday in the Hyde Park neighborhood of South LA, #StreetBeatsLAturns an intersection into a collaborative music experiment. The free, family-friendly music event at the corner of Crenshaw and Florence brings together DJs, dancers, singers, and musicians “in an experiment to create music together by using samplers mounted to traffic lights to generate beats.” Street beats also features performances by the Crenshaw High School Marching Band and a gospel choir. 9 am to 3 pm.
LIBRARY TOAST (Fundraiser)
On Saturday night at Avalon, the L.A. Public Library holds its eighth Annual Toast, hosted by the Young Literati of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. The fundraiser benefits Adult Literacy Services, which works to break the cycle of low literacy through one-on-one tutoring, self-directed and online practice, and group classes. Join Young Literati Chair Amanda Fairey and Honorary Co-Chairs Samantha Hanks and Busy Philipps (who hosts) to also support the LAPL. This year’s Toast features performances by Kenna, Tig Notaro, Andy Richter and Sarah Thyre, Randall Park, Kristen Schaal, Jenny Slate, Catherine Reitman, Jason Reitman, Charlyne Yi and others. Live DJ sets provided by Shepard Fairey and DJ Francesca Harding, and the night closes with music from Buyepongo. Tickets for the event are $175 per person ($125 for Young Literati Members) and VIP packages $400 ($350 for Young Literati Members).
SUNDAY, FEB. 21
HITO STEYERL (Art installation)
MOCA (Grand Avenue) presents the U.S. premiere of the video installation Hito Steyerl: Factory of the Sun, opening on Sunday and running through Sept. 12. The immersive work debuted at the 2015 German Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, in which Steyerl examines the “pleasures and perils of image circulation in a moment defined by the unprecedented global flow of data.” Viewers are invited to recline on beach chairs while taking in the installation. Also on Sunday at 3 pm, MOCA presents What is Contemporary? A Conversation with Hito Steyerl (free; priority entry for MOCA members).
GILMORE GUYS LIVE (Live podcast)
Spaceland presents Gilmore Guys Live: A Stars Hollow Town Meeting at the Regent on Sunday at 7 pm. Hardcore Gilmore Girls fan Kevin T. Porter and show rookie Demi Adejuyigbe critique the episodes and bro-out on all things Gilmore Girls. All ages. Tickets: $15.50-$19.50.
ALEXANDRA GRANT AND KEANU REEVES (Art talk)
On Sunday, the Art Catalogues bookstore at LACMA welcomes Alexandra Grant and Keanu Reeves who’ll talk about their book, Shadows (text by Reeves with photographs by Grant) and “the implications and multiple manifestations of shadows, and the intimate influence of collaboration on private imagination.” The book signing and reception runs from 4-6 pm.
Related: LAist’s February Guide
Want the 411 on additional events and happenings in LA? Follow @LAist or me (@christineziemba) on Twitter.
