
I spent a decent chunk of Tuesday afternoon at Leiminspace with Sean Carnage and Miguel Rodriguez listening to Cold War Kids, CSS and Bloc Party while hanging Monday Nights: L.A.’s Scene of the Century, 2005 -2016. The top photo is actually a before pic from Tuesday. We added a lot more to the wall and there are more walls and more photos and I’m getting pretty excited for people to have the chance to see it. The show opens on Saturday, August 2, with the festivities happening between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Do join us in Chinatown’s Central Plaze at Leiminspace (443 Lei Min Way) for the opening. If you can’t make it, the show is running through August 23 and regular gallery hours are Saturdays from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. We also made a 120-page mook/exhibition catalog that will be sold at the gallery. Stay tuned for more programming announcements too.
After the opening, I’ll be heading to Apotheke, which is just a few blocks away from Leiminspace, to play a small set for Disco Decadance. It’s DJ Dirtie B’s birthday and we’ll be celebrating with a stacked lineup that also includes Annika Maya, Chromequeen, DJ Ideal, DJ Ivy, DJ Kerry, Miss Frizzle, Sueño and Tiffany Roth.
As for the rest of the weekend and early next week, keep reading for my recommendations.
Concerts
If you’re on the Westside Thursday night on Thursday, July 31, Very Be Careful, Healing Gems and DJ Eléanora are playing at Hammer Museum and it’s free. I saw Healing Gems play Grand Park’s Fourth of July bash last year and they killed it, so definitely don’t miss this one if you’re in the neighborhood. Tickets are first come, first served and doors are at 6:30 p.m.
There’s a free show happening on Sunday, August 3, too. This one is at Pershing Square with Cameo, Dazz Band, One Way, Evelyn “Champagne” King and Mary Jane Girls. Eventbrite says there are “few tickets left,” so RSVP ASAP if you want to go.
Also happening on August 3 is RiverFest at Los Angeles State Historic Park. This is more of an arts and culture festival, but they will have live music too and I wholeheartedly recommend supporting free, community-centric events in our green spaces while we have them.
Big Freedia heads to the Grammy Museum on Wednesday, August 6. She’ll be talking about her new album, Pressing Onward, which is out on the following Friday, as well as performing live. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Dance Parties
perksandkisses is playing the sounds of the ‘70s and more for her Fleetwood Mac vs. ABBA edition of 96 Tears over at Grand Star Jazz Club on Thursday, July 31. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
On August 1, and every Friday, Club Underground is happening at Grand Star Jazz Club. This week, Larry G. is on the decks on all night. Get your tickets on Dice. Also on Friday, modern funk party Indeed Indeed is back at Hello Stranger with DJs XL Middleton, Zackey Force Funk, Moniquea and Kaistar. Get into the groove *and* buy some vinyl from Salt Box Records at the same time. Tickets are available on Eventbrite. (ProTip: These two parties are only about a mile away from each other, so you can hit up both.) And, if you’re around Silver Lake on Friday night, Firme is happening at El Cid with Antthny Gbriel and Killed by Synth playing hip-hop, freestyle, cumbia and more. It’s 21+ and you can get tickets on Dice.
For my friends in Long Beach, Wednesday, August 6, is Disco Obscure with DJs Dormence, Felix and Night Creature is happening at Alex’s Bar. Post-punk, synthpop and EBM for the 21+ and there’s no cover.
Movies
Alamo Drafthouse’s “Way of the Samurai” August programming begins this Friday with The Tale of Zatoichi, the first in the 26-film saga about the blind swordsman. There are several screenings happening throughout the weekend and into the following week, so head to Alamo Drafthouse’s website and take a peak at the schedule. Later this month, they’ll be screening Lady Snowblood, 13 Assassins, Lone Wolf & Cub: Sword of Vengeance and Ran.
Electric Body Movie, the new EBM documentary featuring DAF, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, Daniel Miller and many more, premieres on Sunday, August 3 at The Regent. The screening starts at 6:30 p.m.
On Monday, August 4, Rock ’n’ Roll High School, a movie that yours truly has pretty much committed to memory at this point, is screening at Los Feliz 3 with director Allan Arkush will be on hand for an introduction and Q & A session. If you haven’t seen this classic starring P.J. Soles (the girl in the baseball cap in Carrie) as hell-raising high school heroine Riff Randell, plus the dream team of Mary Woronov and Paul Bartel (Eating Raoul, Chopping Mall) *and* The Ramones, then what are you waiting for?
If you happen to be downtown in the afternoon over the weekend, or on a Wednesday or Thursday, head to La Plaza de Cultura y Artes and check out “A Great Day in East L.A.: Celebrando the Eastside Sound.” I saw the exhibition last weekend and loved it. Read more in, “Brenton Wood, Thee Midniters and More Featured in Museum Exhibition ‘A Great Day in East L.A.’”
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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