The best things to do in Los Angeles this week
If we could write the rules of living in Los Angeles this would be our No. 1, always at the top of our list: When you live in this city, there’s no excuse for boredom just because it’s a weeknight. There are hundreds of things to do in Los Angeles each week, including concerts, comedy shows, happy hour deals, free museum days—and that’s really only scratching the surface. Well, we don’t make the rules, but we will provide you with plenty of ideas for your next free weeknight right here. Now put down that TV remote. There you go. Now get out of the house and tackle these things to do in L.A. this week.
Time Out loves
The Contenders
Head to the Hammer Museum to see 10 influential, innovative films made in the past year that MoMA’s Department of Film believes are destined for big things.
Nine Inch Nails + The Jesus & Mary Chain
Two noisy alt icons wrap up a four-night run at the Palladium as Trent Reznor and co. recruit support from Scottish noise pop icons the Jesus & Mary Chain.
Tilit and Keep Pop-Up at Now Serving
Hospitality workwear brand Tilit and non-slip shoemaker Keep are popping up at Chinatown’s Now Serving for a holiday market stocked with aprons, jumpsuits, shoes and bartender bags, plus drinks from Highland Park Brewery and bites from Cafe Birdie.
‘A Christmas Story’ screening
Don’t shoot your eye out at this screening of the Christmas movie, with an appearance from Ralphie himself, Peter Billingsley.
“Hanukkah with Harris” Dinner at Genghis Cohen
Emcee extraordinaire Billy Harris hosts a very special Hanukkah dinner at Genghis Cohen, complete with cocktails, dreidels, gelt, a menorah lighting, live music and that timeless tradition of Chinese food in December.
The Bazaar by José Andrés 10 Year Anniversary Party
On Tuesday, Andrés and the culinary teams from his other Bazaar restaurants—Miami, Las Vegas and South Beach, for those keeping score—will descend on the flagship location here in Beverly Hills for a night of revelry, bites and sips that celebrate the brand’s first decade.
Kurt Vile and the Violators
The Philadelphian troubadour—and the War On Drugs collaborator—and his crew hit the Wiltern peddling lo-fi psych and an echo-sodden, agreeably eccentric blend of folk and rock.
Fleetwood Mac
Expect a set list crammed with hits, during which Stevie and Christine (but sans Lindsey) graciously share the spotlightat the Forum.
Wine Wednesday at Everson Royce Bar
Wind down with a flight of three wines and a culinary creation during this weekday special.
‘Casablanca’ Live Read
Writer and director Jason Reitman is reviving his lauded “Live Reads” series for this collaboration with Ellen Page at the Theatre at Ace Hotel.
Spartina’s 3 Year Anniversary
Help Melrose’s California-meets-Italian spot celebrate three years of sparkling wine and handmade pasta with an evening of $3 food and drink.
All My Single Friends
Partake in an evening that’s party comedy show and part live dating experience at the Copper Still.
Artisanal LA Holiday City Market
Gear up for the holiday season at this holiday pop-up, boasting over 20 artisanal vendors in the lobby of DTLA’s Bank of America Building.
Cinespia presents ‘Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas’
The cemetery screening series heads indoors with a showing of the Tim Burton flick at Downtown’s Palace Theatre.
Pee Cast Blast
This podcast fest at the Theatre at Ace Hotel includes Throwing Shade, Off Book and Comedy Bang! Bang! with Scott Aukerman, Paul F. Tompkins and Lauren Lapkus.
Rolling Loud
See Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Cardi B and Lil Uzi Vert headline this two-day hip-hop fest at Exposition Park’s Banc of California Stadium.
Unique LA Holiday Market
The annual Unique holiday market features clothes, accessories and art pieces from a number of quality handmade brandsduring a pop-up on the Santa Monica Pier.
The Aimee Mann Christmas Show
Mann returns to Largo for her electric holiday show, featuring herself and Ted Leo in a fit of Santa-centric carols, original tunes, video displays and sketches.
Childish Gambino
The audacious Donald Glover enlists Rae Sremmurd (Dec 16) and Vince Staples (Dec 17) for his rescheduled shows at the Forum.
Enchanted: Forest of Light
Descano Gardens’ nighttime experience masterfully mixes hands-on art installations with atmospheric, luminescent forests, all against a background of uplit trees and shimmery sound effects.
Bob Baker’s ‘Nutcracker’
The beloved Bob Baker Marionette Theater may have left behind its longtime home, but it’s not ditching its annual holiday production. For the first time since opening in 1969, the charming play and its 100-plus handmade puppets move off-site with this staging at the Pasadena Playhouse.
Grand Park’s Winter Glow
The Downtown park is taking advantage of this time of year’s ever-shortening daylight with a light-up activation that brings a bit of warmth to the area.
‘Wicked’
Forget Dorothy and her ruby slippers—head to Oz for the story of Elphaba and Glindaas Wicked opens at the Pantages Theatre.
Popular
Rooftop Cinema Club
The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings in Hollywood and Downtown L.A. Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own blanket or camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair, as well as blankets on request for the ultimate cozy experience. And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word. For its holiday screenings, RCC is turning its rooftops in winter wonderlands, with mulled wine, hot chocolates and holiday giveaways.
Cinespia Cemetery Screenings
It isn’t summer in L.A. until the first cemetery screening brings hoards of movie-lovers to Hollywood Forever, toting folding chairs, picnic blankets, snack spreads and lots of booze. Each year, Cinespia brings classic cult favorites to the hallowed resting place of such Hollywood greats as Rudolph Valentino and Bugsy Siegel. This year’s first batch of screenings includes The Neverending Story, Drive, Almost Famous and Casablanca. Angelenos line up for hours to partake in the concept—and to enjoy DJ sets, dance parties, sleepovers and more magical mischief otherwise strictly forbidden behind the cemetery gates. It’s an L.A. rite of passage, a quintessential summer experience and one of the best film venues in the city. Just be sure to get your ticket early, arrive early (doors open at 6:45pm), pee early... it’s getting a bit overcrowded, to say the least.
Enchanted: Forest of Light
The botanical garden’s nighttime experience masterfully mixes hands-on art installations with atmospheric, luminescent forests, all against a background of uplit trees and shimmery sound effects. Enchanted is intuitively immersive: You can tap columns that change color according to your touch; spin a dizzying swirl of kaleidoscopic patterns with HYBYCOZO’s “Celestial Shadows” pendants; and stomp your way across Jen Lewin’s “Aqueous,” a serpentine Candyland-like path that changes colors as you meander along its winding walkway. This year, “Celestial Shadows” has been upgraded with even more sculptures, including a particulalrly mesmerizing disco-ball–like one, while the layout of “Aqueous” has been slightly reconfigured, with glowing benches around the perimeter. At “Lightwave Lake,” you can no longer control the swirl of colorful spotlights atop the foggy water, but there are far more stations to change the colors of the lighting on the trees (And bonus: There’s a whiskey bar adjacent, with an especially delicious spiked cider). Elsewhere, “Enchanted” (delightedly) looks much like it has in the past: a field of faux tulips ripples with waves of twinkling color changes while the mist-filled “Ancient Forest” still beckons visitors with its straight-out-of-E.T. setting. You’ll want to wear comfy shoes as it’s about a mile walk around “Enchanted.” The route is clearly marked and the grounds are mostly level, though some of the paths can get a little spongey if it’s rained r
Holiday Ice Rink Pershing Square
L.A. doesn’t typically seem like much of a winter wonderland, until, that is, you create an ice skating rink right in the midst of Downtown skyscrapers and L.A. icons. Come glide and pretend there’s snow on the ground at Pershing Square’s outdoor holiday skating rink—one of the biggest in the city. Look out for special events throughout the season, like curling lessons, a silent disco skate and DJ nights. RECOMMENDED: The best places to go ice skating in Los Angeles
Queen Mary Christmas
Cozy up—and make sure to bring your jacket—to the Queen Mary for its annual Christmas makeover. It’s the time of year when the iconic ship is transformed into a winter wonderland, which this year is decking out every facet with classic Christmas decor. Slip on some skates and glide across the rink with views of the Long Beach waterfront. The event also includes meet-and-greets with Santa, musical performances, light displays and more. RECOMMENDED: The best places to go ice skating in Los Angeles
Free
Smorgasburg LA
Indulge your inner foodie and shopaholic at this weekly food-focused market. The Brooklyn export has landed in the Arts District and become a hotbed of fantastic food and retail vendors, with some that are testing out their dishes before launching a full-blown brick-and-mortar in the city. Bonus: there is plentiful (and free, for two hours!) parking in the nearby parking garage.
Monday night residencies at the Satellite
Silver Lake's legit little music venue offers up some of the best local music in the city every Monday night... for free. Check out LA bands that are about to make it big (acts like Fitz & the Tantrums, Superhumanoids and even Local Natives have graced the residency stage) without spending a dime—well, except on maybe a beer, or a round for the folks onstage. Check the Satellite calendar to see who's on the bill each month. Acts often have a rotating cast of openers, so you can see different bands each week while watching the main act work on material, become more comfortable onstage and find their rhythm as the month goes on. Then a few years from now, you can say "I saw them when...."
Monday night residencies at the Echo
It's free music every Monday when sponsored, up-and-coming local bands call the Echo stage home for a one-month stint, honing their stage presence and giving various opening acts a chance at the spotlight as well. If you're worried a Monday night will fill up to capacity, you can RSVP on the Echo website for VIP entry. When a band is on its third or fourth Monday and killing it, this is a pretty convenient way to make sure you're in on the action.
Asssscat
Every Saturday and Sunday, the UCB franchise's longest-running, most beloved showcase starts when a base cast of the theater's current top-brass—including founding UCB members Matt Walsh, Matt Besser and Ian Roberts—takes the stage. Then they introduce the surprise celebrity alumnae and friends who will be joining them (think Horatio Sanz, Ben Schwartz, Adam Pally). And finally, another special guest takes the stage, a non-improviser (think Flea, Cat Power, Rebel Wilson, Lena Dunham) who opens the show with a personal story, that's deftly mined for laughs by the players. But you have to go to find out who's there—that's part of the fun. Looking for a cheap night out? Sunday shows are free, but seating is first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive early.
Monday night residencies at the Bootleg
Head to Echo Park on Mondays for free residencies at one of the best venues on the East side, the Bootleg. Theater shows happen in the Gallery, and music in the Theater (in back) and the Bar (in front). Residencies take place in the bar, with high tables and stools in the back, a bar with great craft brews and a high, open-beamed roof with great acoustics. Check the Bootleg's calendar to see who's on the bill month to month.
Concerts
Kurt Vile and the Violators
The Philadelphian troubadour—and the War On Drugs collaborator—and his crew hit L.A. peddling lo-fi psych and an echo-sodden, agreeably eccentric blend of folk and rock.
Fleetwood Mac
If you’ve ever had a soft spot for the Mac, you owe it to yourself to catch the group on its current tour. We imagine the M.O. will be the same as usual: a set list crammed with hits, during which Stevie and Christine (but sans Lindsey) graciously share the spotlight. And try not to grin when Mick Fleetwood takes his lovably kooky drum solo during the encore.
Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor is back with an electronic juggernaut that still continues to push the boundaries of rock music. Expect his beautiful melodies teeming with industrial grit to get—and stay—under your skin. They’re joined by Scottish noise pop icons the Jesus & Mary Chain. To fight scalpers, tickets will initially only be available at the box office. You’ll have to show to the Hollywood Palladium on Saturday, May 19 from 10am to 3pm. Any remaining tickets will be sold at a later date.
Childish Gambino
There was a time when Donald Glover was just a sitcom star who released clever, embarrassingly confessional rap tracks under a moniker devised by a Wu-Tang Clan name generator. These days, he’s the creator of genre-defying FX show Atlanta, a part of the Star Wars universe (as young Lando Calrissian) and the creative voice behind the striking music video for his latest track, “This is America.” On tour behind his not-yet-titled “final” album, Glover will be joined by Mississippi hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd and Long Beach rapper Vince Staples.
Rolling Loud
See Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Cardi B and Lil Uzi Vert headline this two-day hip-hop fest, which this year has moved from the far reaches of San Bernardino to a much closer locale: Exposition Park’s Banc of California Stadium. The absolutely massive lineup also includes the likes of Wiz Khalifa, 21 Savage, Ty Dolla $ign, Young Thug, Kodak Black, Playboi Carti, Tyga and Lil Yachty. Tickets are on sale now, staring at $199 for a weekend pass.
Theater
Moscow Ballet’s ‘Great Russian Nutcracker’
This Russian ballet company has been gracing U.S. audiences with its rendition of The Nutcracker since 1993. The annual production of the classic Christmas tale features a growing Christmas tree and falling snow, all set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.
American Ballet Theatre: The Nutcracker
American Ballet Theatre is returning to Southern California with its production of The Nutcracker. But a highlight of this year’s show is likely to be the return of Southern California’s Misty Copeland as Clara for select performances. As if that wasn’t enough, the show will feature larger-than-life scenery, a Christmas tree and sets and costumes designed by Tony Award-winner Richard Hudson.
‘A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens’
Not to be confused with the show titled Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol —though the talents involved are equally stellar, here we have the chance to see the story up close, as David Melville displays his classically trained, beautifully polished craft, recreating for us the famous writer as he tells his classic tale of Christmastime redemption, also performing the many iconic characters, in the intimacy of Independent Shakespeare Company’s indoor theater space.
For the Record: Love Actually Live
We feel it in our fingers, we feel it in our toes: Christmas is all around, and we bet no one knows it better than the cast of Love Actually Live. Throughout December, cult-favorite musical series For the Record presents a stage show based on one of the world's most beloved holiday movies, Love Actually. Using a multimedia set, a 15-piece orchestra and songs from the film, the new show will turn Beverly Hills' Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts into a feel-good winter set for musical numbers and scenes of the movie's intersecting love stories. Of course the most beloved aspect of the movie is the character work—though the Christmas-time London setting gives that a run for its money—and to bring the insane, lovesick and relatable personas to life is a solid cast of familiar faces. Love Actually Live brings Rumer Willis to the stage (you may have seen her in Empire on Fox), as well as the Tony- and Grammy Award-winning Steve Kazee, and Kelley Jakle (from Pitch Perfect), Carrie Manolakos (Broadway’s Mamma Mia! and Wicked), Justin Sargent (NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar: Live in Concert) and more. To keep you toasty through the night, the Wallis bar program is even whipping up a few festive, themed cocktails such as the Heathrow Holiday, made with Cynar, triple sec, bitters and orange oils. See? Christmas really is all around.
‘Scissorhands’
If you’ve always been pining for a musical parody of Edward Scissorhands that features reimagined pop songs from the past few decades, well, then Rockwell Table & Stage has a production that perfectly suits your oddly specific desire. Scissorhands pays tribute to the Tim Burton flick with a holiday musical that mashes up tracks from the likes of Lady Gaga, Florence and the Machine, Aerosmith, Tori Amos and ABBA with holiday tunes.
Movies
Cinespia Cemetery Screenings
It isn’t summer in L.A. until the first cemetery screening brings hoards of movie-lovers to Hollywood Forever, toting folding chairs, picnic blankets, snack spreads and lots of booze. Each year, Cinespia brings classic cult favorites to the hallowed resting place of such Hollywood greats as Rudolph Valentino and Bugsy Siegel. This year’s first batch of screenings includes The Neverending Story, Drive, Almost Famous and Casablanca. Angelenos line up for hours to partake in the concept—and to enjoy DJ sets, dance parties, sleepovers and more magical mischief otherwise strictly forbidden behind the cemetery gates. It’s an L.A. rite of passage, a quintessential summer experience and one of the best film venues in the city. Just be sure to get your ticket early, arrive early (doors open at 6:45pm), pee early... it’s getting a bit overcrowded, to say the least.
‘Casablanca’ Live Read
Writer and director Jason Reitman is reviving his lauded “Live Reads” series for this collaboration with Ellen Page. They’ll lead a diverse cast in a reimagining of the 1940s Bogart and Bergman classic. Come dressed in a trench coat and fedora at the Theatre at Ace Hotel, which will also be serving cocktails selling nostalgic memorabilia. All proceeds will benefit LGBTQ+ grassroots activists via the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice.
A Christmas Story screening
Revisit this classic 1983 tale about a boy who just wants a BB gun for Christmas. Don’t shoot your eye out at this screening of the Christmas movie, with an appearance from Ralphie himself, Peter Billingsley.
Rooftop Cinema Club
The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings in Hollywood and Downtown L.A. Known for excellent film choices and a steady supply of snacks and booze, Rooftop Cinema Club is your snazzy, comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. You don’t even need to bring your own blanket or camping chair—Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair, as well as blankets on request for the ultimate cozy experience. And instead of listening to the movie over loudspeakers, you’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word. For its holiday screenings, RCC is turning its rooftops in winter wonderlands, with mulled wine, hot chocolates and holiday giveaways.
The Contenders
Organized by The Museum of Modern Art and presented by the Hammer Museum, “The Contenders” series presents 10 influential, innovative films made in the past year that MoMA’s Department of Film believes are bound for big things (whether that means awards season glory or cult classic status). In addition to screenings of all ten films, most will be accompanied by a director or actor from the project. This year’s picks include Roma, Black Panther, Widows presented by Steve McQueen, Sorry to Bother You with a Q&A with Boots Riley, The Front Runner with a discussion with Jason Reitman and more. “The Contenders” isn’t strictly an awards season spoiler; MoMA considers its picks as movies that will stand the test of time. But the series has turned out to be a pretty good Oscars predictor, with 7 out of the 10 featured films grabbing nominations in 2017, and 8 out of 10 in 2016. Tickets for the screenings and post-film panels are available November 19 for $20 (or $10 for Hammer members).
