L.A. WeeklyFrom a kumquat-themed Santa Monica Restaurant Week to the Southland Comedy Festival, here are the 12 best things to do in Los Angeles this week.
Fri 1/3
ARTS
Getting Lit
Spoken word is one of the most mutable art forms, and it plays well with other forms of expression. Presented by The Los Angeles Press and Red Light Lit, this combo show “is a mashup of live music, photography, storytelling and poetry,” set to a live score by David Williams and Dan Thomas and featuring musicians Kira Lynn Cain and Andrew Cervantes. Writers Miah Jeffra, Jennifer Lewis, Bernadette McComish, Mackenzie Studebaker and Linda Ravenswood will riff about sexuality, gender and the sharply contrasting vicissitudes of this thing called love. The Parlour Room of Hollywood, 6423 Yucca St., Hollywood; Fri., Jan. 3, 7 p.m.; $10. (323) 463-0609, facebook.com/events/
Linda Ravenswood (Stan Hillas Jones)
Sat 1/4
ARTS
Mod Squad
Dion Neutra, son of modernist architecture icon Richard, died in November at age 93. In 2014, Dion, an architect himself who fought to preserve the legacy of his father’s buildings and residences, transformed the office of their architecture firm in Silver Lake — opened in 1950 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places — into the Neutra Institute Gallery & Museum, which hosts art exhibits and other events. In memory of Dion’s passing, the gallery hosts A Nod to Mod photography group show featuring work by his brother Raymond, Deb Smith, Adriene Biondo, John Eng, Alan Hess, Steven Schafer, Cameron Carothers, Scott Moody, Jack Laxer and L.A. Weekly contributor Nikki Kreuzer, paying tribute to not only Neutra designs but other examples of mid-century modern architecture. The exhibit takes place on two nights, the latter following a memorial service for Dion at the Neutra–designed Eagle Rock Center for the Arts. Neutra Institute Gallery & Museum, 2379 Glendale Blvd., Silver Lake; Sat., Jan. 4, 6-10 p.m. & Sun., Jan. 19, 5-9 p.m.; free. (323) 247-7113, neutra.org. —Siran Babayan
ARTS
Writing the Book on Art
From the 1960s right up until his death in 2016, Tony Conrad was a prolific, all-purpose experimenter whose innovations in avant-garde film, photography, minimalist music and activist performance art remain influential to generations of artists. But few even of his most die-hard fans have been exposed to his writings. The new book Tony Conrad: Writings from editor Andrew Lampert, collects nearly 60 pieces of Conrad’s rare and unpublished texts, intellectual, witty and occasionally surreal compositions written between 1961-2002 and addressing art (his own and others’), music, politics and related theories. At today’s L.A. book launch, Lampert reads from the book, converses with writer Tosh Berman and filmmaker Tyler Hubby — the acclaimed writer and director of the recent award-winning documentary Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present. Artbook at Hauser & Wirth, 917 E. 3rd St., downtown; Sat., Jan. 4, 3 p.m.; free. artbook.com/artbook-hw-la.html
CULTURE
Día de Los Doors
When photographer Henry Diltz shot photos for The Doors’ fifth studio album, Morrison Hotel, he took singer Jim Morrison and the band to L.A.’s Skid Row, where he captured them in the window of the Morrison Hotel for the front cover and lounging around at the nearby Hard Rock Café for the back cover and inner sleeve. The hotel closed down many years ago, but the building’s façade and front window will be restored for the fourth-annual Day of The Doors so fans can pose for pictures in the same place where the Lizard King once tarried. There will be a pop-up store to buy Doors memorabilia, and guitarist Robby Krieger will sign autographs and engage in an acoustic set with actor Dennis Quad, of all people. A screening of the documentary When You’re Strange is accompanied by a preview of another documentary, The Doors: Break on Thru: A Tribute to Ray Manzarek. Morrison Hotel, 1246 S. Hope St., downtown; Sat., Jan. 4, 3-11 p.m.; free-$50. facebook.com/events/
Sun 1/5
ARTS
Dance Away the Heartache
The title of Olivia Mia Orozco’s Toolbox refers to the idea of an emotional toolkit, evaluating how equipped with self-awareness, clarity, empathy, patience and the capacity to heal, we are or are not when confronted with life’s traumas. In a melding of dance and movement performance with film, sound and environmental installation, Orozco and collaborators Julienne Mackey and Daniel Diaz create a sensorial expression of what building such a toolbox can feel like, from contemplation to catharsis, brutal honesty, and ultimate liberation. Human Resources Los Angeles, 10 Cottage Home St., Elysian Park; Sat., Jan. 4, 8 p.m. & Sun., Jan. 5, 2 p.m.; $10-25. oliviamiaorozco.com/. —Shana nys Dambrot
Odeya Nini (Adeline Newmann)
ARTS
Chants for a New Year
Over the past two months, the experimental ensemble Wild Up and its artistic director, Christopher Rountree, have been presenting Darkness Sounding, a series of performances of “mindful music during the darkest days of the year.” In the “Satsang 3” installment, vocalist-composer Odeya Nini alternately guides, soothes and challenges listeners in a kind of unpredictable music ritual involving a variety of chants, rounds and harmonies. “Together we will gather for a song circle raising our collective voices in shared vibration, sound and song,” the event website promises. Navel, 1611 S. Hope St., downtown; Sun., Jan. 5, 7 p.m.; $15. wildup.org/darkness-sounding. —Falling James
Mon 1/6
CULTURE
Bowie Fan Must-See
Celebrity photographer Markus Klinko has shot everyone from Beyoncé to Lady Gaga to Kanye West, but his work with David Bowie just might be his most significant. Bowie: Unseen offers a unique perspective on the rock icon, highlighting his personality and style. The photo series — which Klinko shot during sessions for Bowie’s Heathen album cover in 2002 — features never-before-seen editions from the photog, evoking Bowie’s classy stature and zest for life in intimate shots that feel candid even while they maintain the mystique and glamour seen in high fashion set-ups. Dressed in a three-piece suit and meditating in one pose, and strolling with vicious dogs in others, Bowie: Unseen is a must see for fans who love the star man’s music and image, but also miss his heart and his humanity. Art Angels Gallery, 9020 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood; Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sat. noon-5 p.m, through the end of January. —Lina Lecaro
CULTURE
President Predator
Detailing Trump’s disrespectful, discriminatory and sexually abusive treatment of women into one fat yet concise chronicle of creepdom, All the President’s Women: Donald Trump and the Making of a Predator, released this past October, packs quite a (pussy) punch. From adulterous escapades to porn star pay-offs to pervy peeping backstage at teen beauty pageants to numerous allegations of inappropriate behavior, touching and groping, and even rape, authors Barry Levine and Monique El Faizy provide a painstakingly thorough account of the reality TV star-turned-top-politician’s history with women, attempting to explore where his misogyny stems from as well as how it reflects sexual culture in general. You’ll want to shower after reading it and probably after hearing the lurid content covered out loud at this discussion and book signing with Levine. Vroman’s, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; Mon., Jan. 6, 7 p.m.; free. vromansbookstore.com/. —Lina Lecaro
Tue 1/7
FOOD
Santa Monica Restaurant Week
Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken’s long awaited and newly opened Socalo restaurant will kick off Santa Monica Restaurant Week, running from January 6-12. Thirty-seven restaurants will be participating in this year’s event, celebrating the featured seasonal ingredient — the kumquat. The golden-orange fruit is found readily at farmers markets during the winter months. The grape-sized citrus is beloved for packing two flavors into its petite size; its edible peel is sweet, while the flesh is tart. There will be salmon poke with kumquat ponzu, serrano chile, cucumber, rice, fennel and sesame seeds at Socalo. Michael’s Santa Monica will be serving Brian Bornemann’s signature Baja-style yellowtail set in an aguachile sauce with kumquats, and the Little Prince on Main Street will combine fall with winter in a pumpkin toast with burrata, kumquats and pumpkin seed crumble. A complete list of participating restaurants and times can be found at santamonica.com/
Wed 1/8
ARTS
Silence is Golden
A new gallery season begins at LACE with its fifth Emerging Curators exhibition, the group show SOUND OFF: Silence + Resistance. Curated by Abigail Raphael Collins, who is an artist herself, the show takes a variation on the topicality of political protest, examining not only the inalienable right and civic duty to speak out against injustice, but the complementary power of performative silence as a way of pushing back against industrial oppression and reclaiming personal dominion. Conceiving silence as “a way to honor the inarticulable, defy demands of production, prioritize deep listening, and refuse to incriminate,” works by about 10 artists/activists are displayed alongside documentation of historical corollaries. Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; opening reception: Wed., Jan. 8, 7-10 p.m.; on view through March 15; free. welcometolace.org. —Shana nys Dambrot
Tom Segura (Courtesy of Southland Comedy Festival)
COMEDY
Lots of Laughs
With Riot L.A. Comedy Festival, Funny or Die’s Oddball Comedy Festival and Jack Black and Kyle Gass’ Festival Supreme absent the last few years, the first Southland Comedy Festival might one day fill the big comedy-festival void in L.A. Twenty stand-up comedians will be spread out over five days at both traditional and indie comedy venues, from the legendary The Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv and The Ice House, to speakeasies and distilleries, to backyards and apartment living rooms. The schedule includes headliners such as Schooled star Bryan Callen and Tom Segura — whose showcase trifecta at Burbank’s The Bunker features comics all performing in Spanish — as well as fellow comedians and festival co-founders Aaron Mliner, Stephen Furey and Richard Sarvate, also appearing on stage. Check southlandcomedyfestival.com for exact times, locations and prices. —Siran Babayan
Photos of films from 2019 Dance Camera West (Courtesy of the artists)
Thu 1/9
DANCE
Binging on Dance Films
In 2001, long before Instagram and Facebook streaming, Kelly Hargraves and Lynn Kessler founded Dance Camera West, a curated festival of dance films. Today, dance film and dance videos are everywhere and anywhere someone has a smart phone. The key to DCW’s longevity and stature as one of the premiere dance film fests is its curated nature with festival audiences viewing the cream selected by organizers, led once again by Hargraves. Opening night of this year’s three day festival boasts 17 short dance films plus two internationally acclaimed guests for a Q&A. Friday, there’ll be another 17 films selected from around the world, and Saturday, promises a marathon wrap up with 26 more short films including the best submissions to the Dare to Dance in Public challenge organized by choreographer Sarah Elgart and Cultural Weekly. REDCAT at Disney Hall, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown; Thu., Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m., Fri., Jan. 10, 6:30 & 8:30 p.m., Sat., Jan., 11, noon, 3:30 p.m. 5:30, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.; $12 per program, $72 all festival pass. dancecamerawest.org/. —Ann Haskins
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