L.A. WeeklyFrom a Lucha VaVoom Halloween spectacular to a chance to sample stellar vintages of wine and manga, here are the 13 best things to do in Los Angeles this week.
fri 10/18
ART
Disparate Sounds Unite
In a benefit for nonprofit arts groups Urban Artworks, Sanctuary Art Center and Art Corps, the Ace Hotel chain celebrates its 20th anniversary with an unusual lineup of disparate forces coming together. The celebration features Ryuichi Sakamoto, a founding member of the influential Japanese electronic-music group Yellow Magic Orchestra, who has scored numerous films (The Last Emperor, The Sheltering Sky). Film fans might recall his memorable role starring alongside David Bowie in the 1983 film Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. The bill also encompasses the provocative singer serpentwithfeet and the entrancing vocal passages of Zola Jesus. The Theatre at Ace Hotel, 929 S. Broadway, downtown; Fri., Oct. 18, 8 p.m.; $20-$150. (213) 235-9614, theatre.acehotel.com. —Falling James
DANCE
A Ballet with a Snake
Now named for its famous home theater, Mariinsky Ballet and the Bolshoi are Russia’s two major ballet companies. Reflecting Soviet ambitions, the Moscow-based Bolshoi’s name means big and it is grandiose and boisterous. In contrast, the Mariinsky, based in St. Petersburg, dates back to when it was the Tsars’ personal ballet company and in different political climes underwent name changes from St. Petersburg Ballet to Leningrad Ballet and now Mariinsky. Rising above any identity crisis, the company has maintained its reputation as the repository of classical Russian ballet, though in recent decades it also has incorporated western choreography, particularly George Balanchine. The Mariinsky brings both during a two week visit. For Orange County, temple dancers, rajahs and palace intrigue provide the setting for Marius Petipa’s classic full-length story ballet La Bayadere (The Temple Dancer). The company moves to L.A. for the George Balanchine’s only three-act abstract ballet, the masterwork Jewels. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; Fri.-Sat., Oct. 18-19, 7:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun., Oct. 19-20, 1 p.m.; $39-$199. scfta.org. Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown; Thu.-Sat., Oct. 24-26, 7:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun., Oct. 26-27, 2 p.m., $34-$138. musiccenter.org. —Ann Haskins
(Courtesy of Luminous Streets)
ART
Streets of Fire
Writer, performer, educator, and director Jesse Bliss and her collaborators the Roots and Wings Project are dedicated to interdisciplinary storytelling that uplifts the voices of marginalized women and their unique struggles for justice and varieties of enduring grace. In their new production Luminous Streets, they not only highlight stories of downtown, they take the “stage” and the audience out into the neighborhood itself, guiding viewers through a series of theatrical vignettes at compelling Historic Core locations like The King Eddy and The Last Bookstore. Emotional and poetic, these stories of love, loss and the quest for justice are all the more impactful for the shared experience of these activated spaces. Medallion Apartments, 334 S. Main St., downtown; Fri.-Sat., 8-10 p.m., Sun., 3-5 p.m., through Nov. 10; $20. therootsandwingsproject.com. —Shana Nys Dambrot
P22 Festival (Courtesy of National Park Service)
sat 10/19
CULTURE
Hello, Kitty
Mountain lions live alongside us throughout Southern California, but the reclusive big cats might as well be dream apparitions because they are rarely seen by most humans. Their existence is seriously threatened by such non-natural forces as rat poison and being hit by cars, but the annual P-22 Day Festival — named after the lonely cougar whose poignant search for a mate in local hills has inspired a fervent following — is a celebration of these majestic and not-yet-mythical creatures. Fans can pose with a cardboard likeness of P-22 in a photo booth, experience a virtually real wildlife crossing and see an urban wildlife installation, among other activities at the free festival. Shane’s Inspiration in Griffith Park, 4800 Crystal Springs Drive, Griffith Park; Sat., Oct. 19, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; free. facebook.com/events/
COMEDY
The Titillating Truth
Breasts are as much a comedy staple as penis jokes. But The Second City’s Life in Boobs isn’t about perpetuating male fantasies. Created by Jennifer Goodman and directed by Casey Christensen (with music by Rachael Lawrence), the musical comedy mixes monologues and scenes that look at the perky highs and sagging lows of our lady lumps, and how they inform us physically and emotionally, from adolescence to old age. Cast members Christensen, Goodman, Sherry Cola, Brooke Eyler, Sara Montgomery, Naomi Murden, Leslie Rubino and Kyla Page Williams draw on personal experiences dealing with training bras, motherhood and breast cancer and sing original songs to the tune of Broadway and pop. The Second City, 6560 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Sat., Oct. 19, 10 p.m., through Dec. 14; $12. (323) 464-8542, secondcity.com. —Siran Babayan
Uncommon Denominators (Kira Vollman)
sun 10/20
ART
Uncommon Denominators
Artists and co-curators Kaoru Mansour and Kira Vollman “have chosen to throw away all of the usual parameters by which most galleries curate an exhibition,” in their new dual exhibition, Uncommon Denominators. “There is no common theme. There is no common cause. … There is no concern for appealing primarily to their collectors. They are throwing that all away, and have chosen to seek out the ‘uncommon denominators’ within each other’s artwork.” Mansour is a Japanese painter who also sings with the angular, jazzy combo Acre Foot, and Vollman enchantingly braided her eerie, rapid-fire vocals within the patterned movements of the wind and tree branches at SASSAS’ recent Exquisite Corpse performance. Ark Gallery & Studios, 2599 N. Fair Oaks, Altadena; Sun., Oct. 20, 3-6 p.m.; free. facebook.com/events/
FOOD&DRINK
Homer’s Favorite Food
Just as a circle symbolizes eternity, pledge your eternal love to donut consciousness at Donut Fest 2019. You’ll swoon to the plethora of donuts available at today’s festivities, which include everything from photobooth shenanigans to literal goodie bags to a thrilling donut eating contest that promises to take you either to heaven or the emergency room — whichever comes first! You’ll also vote to name O.C.’s Favorite Donut, an honor on par with that time you named your own child. It’s a party that you’ll never want to end — be it in 2019 or any other time you’ve got donuts nearby. Golden Road Brewing Anaheim, 2210 E. Orangewood Ave., Anaheim; Sun., Oct. 20, 1 p.m.; $20-50. (714) 912-4015, donutfestoc.eventbrite.com. —David Cotner
mon 10/21
CULTURE/FOOD&DRINK
Stellar Vintages
You’ll be sure to imbibe the divine at tonight’s Drops of God Wine Salon, a tasting experience that’s based on the 2004’s runaway hit manga The Drops of God. While manga and wine aren’t usually two great tastes that taste great together, it’s all so inspired and boozy that you’ll just shrug and start drinking. As if 30 different wines, nine stellar vintners, the Bazaar’s legendary Tapas weren’t enough — Shin and Yuko Kibayashi, the authors of The Drops of God, will be present to guide you through a sensory and artistic extravaganza that’s almost as consciously self-aware as god themself. The Bazaar by Jose Andres, 465 La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Grove; Mon., Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m.; $100-150. (310) 246-5555, eventbrite.com/e/drops-of-god-
tue 10/22
CULTURE/MUSIC
History of Rock & Roll
Launched in 2018, and already in its fourth season, Jake Brennan’s hugely popular true-crime-and-music podcast Disgraceland further proves that rock & roll is all fun and games until someone gets hurt — or in GG Allin’s case, pooped on. The Boston-based Brennan narrates the crazy music tales involving everyone from rock’s early pioneers to Cardi B, Amy Winehouse and XXXTentacion. Each episode breaks down in entertaining and sometimes gross detail the overdoses, murders, suicides, drugs, sex, church burnings and generally bad deeds surrounding the Rolling Stones, Sinatra, Motley Crue, Rick James, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Sid Vicious, Ike and Tina, Kurt and Courtney, Norwegian metal bands and many others. Brennan’s new book Disgraceland: Musicians Getting Away with Murder and Behaving Very Badly features additional stories on Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Gram Parsons, Axl Rose, Chuck Berry, Phil Spector and more Norwegian metal. Chevalier’s Books hosts a discussion with Brennan and Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, hosts of the podcast My Favorite Murder and authors of the book Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered. Chevalier’s Books, 126 N. Larchmont Blvd., Windsor Square; Tue., Oct. 22, 7 p.m.; $30.66. (323) 465-1334, chevaliersbooks.com. —Siran Babayan
wed 10/23
BOOKS
Burning for Change
It’s easy to think globally and act locally and feel stupidly when you see all the work you’ve done as an individual about environmental issues become undone by corporations and their endless cavalcade of earthfucking. So how do you stop feeling so sick and sad all the time about it? Author Naomi Klein — in conversation with Aquilina Soriano Versoza, executive director of the Pilipino Worker’s Center — will unveil the latest developments in the energized environmental activist movement, most eloquently crystallized in Klein’s new book On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal ($27, Simon & Schuster). Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; Wed., Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.; free. (310) 443-7000, hammer.ucla.edu/programs-
Pandrogeny I & II
ART
Multiple Personality Exhibitions
Hard to believe perhaps, but counterculture icon Genesis Breyer P-Orridge has never had a proper exhibition of her art career on the West Coast — until now. And a proper survey across her decades of mixed media and performative (including both in music and notable physical transformation) creative output is just too big a deal — and literally too big — for just one gallery. That’s why Lethal Amounts and the Tom of Finland Foundation have partnered up for PANDROGENY I & II: An Outer Body Exhibition, which opens with dual VIP receptions on successive nights, both featuring the artist in person and performances by CHRISTEENE. Part one, at Lethal Amounts, takes a look at the artist’s progressive, subversive, wildly committed narrative work across the gender continuum; part two, at ToFF, looks at all manner of work made since 1986. Lethal Amounts, 1226 W. 7th St., downtown. Tom of Finland Foundation, 1421 Laveta Terrace, Echo Park; opening receptions: Wed.-Thu., Oct. 23-24, 6-11 p.m.; check website for exhibition dates and locations; $40, includes both locations. seetickets.us/
thu 10/24
CULTURE
A Night of Tricks and Treats
Nobody celebrates holidays like Lucha VaVoom, and for Halloween, the event gets extra gregarious and gore-geous. Fiesta Fantasma will feature lucha libre-style wrestling from the likes of world famous hermanos Penta Zero Miedo (AAA World Tag Team Champion) and Rey Fenix (AAA Mega Champion), Magno “The Man Mountain” Rudo, The Sexi Mexi’s, the Crazy Chickens and more. Burlesque performances in between matches always heat up the stage and for this sizzling seasonal event, dancers include Bryona Ashly, Michelle L’Amour, hula-hoop wonder Karis Wilde, aerialist Kate Minwegan and more. Longtime host Blaine Capatch brings the laughs with comedic co-host Karen Kilgariff, and sexy music artist Brooke Candy will perform too. Talk about a night of tricks and treats. Costumes and of course masks are encouraged. Also Wednesday, October 23. Mayan Theater, 1038 S Hill St., downtown; Thu., Oct. 10, 8 p.m.; $40 (21+). luchavavoom.com. —Lina Lecaro
ART
Modern Design
“Modern design” is a phrase that gets thrown a lot today — like “synergy” or “going forward,” — but at its essence, modern design is not about fashion. It’s about who you are as a human being right this instant — and what the space looks like in which you live your life as that human being. The 7th Annual WestEdge Design Fair bristles and brims with some of the finest home furnishing companies, and tonight’s Opening Night Preview Party kicks off the weekend with a gala celebration that’s an inspiration for living in and of itself. Through Sunday. Barker Hangar, 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica; Thu., Oct. 24, 7 p.m. (Friday through Sunday at 10 a.m.); $25-125. (310) 390-9071, westedgedesignfair.com. —David Cotner
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