When Sunset Junction was canceled in 2011, Echo Park Rising came out of nowhere with a free neighborhood festival packed to the sidewalk's edge with local music. Now in its third year, the shindig is more colossal and arguably more awesome than ever, and still free to boot. Now spanning two days and 20 music venues and (counts carefully) including approximately 2,935.6 local bands — with Saturday highlights like Gap Dream, The Soft Pack, White Arrows, Happy Hollows, Henry Clay People, Big Black Delta, The Abigails and way, way more — it's less a festival and more a little pop-up city all its own, where bands play live in every building and you can eat, drink and shop without ever suffering a poorly chosen note. VIP passes granting line-related luxuries are available; seeing something awesome, unavoidable. Sunset Boulevard and surrounding streets, Echo Park; Sat.-Sun., Aug. 17-18, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. (music ends 10 p.m); all ages; free, VIP pass $12 per day. echoparkrising.com.

Sat., Aug. 17, 11-2 a.m.; Sun., Aug. 18, 11-2 a.m., 2013

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