Holy guacamole! There's a free, all-ages hootenanny held monthly at a Mexican restaurant next to the Equestrian Center in Burbank where you can get a heaping dose of supremely riveting live music, not to mention a lungful of horsey goodness for the drive home. The Messaround at Viva Cantina is more than the sum of its rollicking parts. A typical lineup might be the powerful, bawdy song stylings of Troy Walker, the enchanting husband-and-wife Dick and Jane Family Orchestra, surf-guitar master Del Casher, local punk renegades the Gears and all-chick tribute band Lynette Skynyrd. The captain of this beautiful mess is esteemed music scribe Jonny Whiteside, who's written for this publication, among many other credits. It's the most eclectic crowd ever — grandparents, kids, music know-it-alls, your favorite KXLU DJs — and the whole thing's over by 9 p.m. Avoid the crappy margaritas. 900 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank. (818) 845-2425, vivacantina.com.

—Libby Molyneaux