iWelcome to the L.A. TACO debut of GTFO LA!, your guide to the best stuff to do in Los Angeles every week, lovingly compiled and curated by longtime L.A. journalist & native Angeleno Lina Lecaro. Every week, Lina will provide a week's worth of culturally diverse happenings designed to get you out of the f*cking house — from live music and clubs to classes and screenings to art shows and weird stuff you had no idea was going down in your own backyard.
Fri., March 2
A hot mass of unique and exciting works from LA artists will be on display at La Luz De Jesus Gallery’s annual juried group exhibition, LALUZAPALOOZA. Recognized as a major influencer and purveyor of lowbrow art, La Luz exhibits encompass folk art and religious iconography, comics and hot rod culture, retro and punk imagery, and more. Participants were chosen from tens of thousands of submissions and narrowed down to 65, with 160 pieces in the show, all reflecting the 30+-year-old art space’s irreverent take on pop surrealism. As always, La Luz’s party atmosphere and eye candy quotient go beyond the art show: a beer bash usually goes down in the parking lot and there’s late night shopping in the adjacent Soap Plant/Wacko store. 8-11 p.m. Show runs through April 1st. 4633 Hollywood Blvd. Los Feliz. (323) 666-7667.
As beatsmith for Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli, CUT CHEMIST has made a name for himself as a true experimentalist, throwing down exhilarating live sets and putting out recordings that celebrate rhythmic genres while re-constructing and re-interpreting them. His latest, Die Cut, brings together more disparate sounds and diverse talents (Biz Markie, Deantoni Parks of The Mars Volta, actress Erika Christensen, Farmer Dave Scher, Dexter Story). The DJ legend suffered some hard times in recent years, including a DUI and the loss of his father, so the new record was reportedly a cathartic endeavor for him. His sets are always astounding to witness, but sharing his new scratch-driven wax attacks and sample-splicing mixtape tracks at this show, presented by KCRW and Low End Theory, promises to be both poignant and momentous. 9 p.m. 1234 W. 7th St. DTLA. Tickets here.
Fri.-Sun., March 2-5
Song lyrics are more than just words, they’re reflections of thought and emotion, many tied to our memories of a certain time and place. LYRICS TO LIFE, an art exhibition inspired by song lyrics, seeks to capture their magic. Presented by Genius and Dropbox, the traveling pop-up show explores the links between inspiration, expression and song lyrics through visual art via different mediums. Original art by Aminé, Devin Troy Strother, Peggy Noland, MarinaFINI, Typoe, Magnus Sodamin, Nitemind, and Mokibaby inspired song lyrics from The Notorious B.I.G, Nicki Minaj, The Weeknd, Sia, Radiohead, Animal Collective, and Tame Impala. The inaugural exhibition opens in DTLA this Friday and runs through Monday, March 5th. More info. including location here. Free.
Burger Records’ female-driven music fest ain't no Lilith Faire (most Burger babes probably don’t even know what that is at this point). This year’s edition hammers the point home with some heavy, hooky rock groups who just happen to be led by women. It’d be nice if there wasn’t a need to highlight ladies who rock, but let’s face it, there is, and BURGER A-GO-GO, created four years ago, has done a great job at booking the biggest badasses doing it today. This year’s event takes place on two nights. Night one (March 2nd) with The Coathangers , Death Valley Girls, The Fly Traps and Feels at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach and Night 2 (March 3rd) with Dengue Fever, Winter, Summer Twins and Patsy's Rats at 1720. Night 1 at Alex’s, 2913 E. Anaheim Blvd. Long Beach. 8 pm. Tickets here. Night 2 at 1720, 1720 E. 16th St. DTLA. Tickets here. 2-Day Pass tickets here.
It’s International Women’s Day and if ever there was a day to #GTFO of the house, this is it! Taking to the streets and towing support remains the most impactful way to make a statement and hopefully a difference. Join AF3IRM Los Angeles for their march and rally UPRISING: “Forward to Feminist Future” on Saturday, starting at the Metropolitan Detention Center at Alameda and Aliso Streets and ending at Los Angeles City Hall. Pre-march activities including live screen-printing and art-making at 11 a.m. with the march at noon and performances by Chulita Vinyl Club and Chingona Fire after. To endorse, donate or volunteer for AF3IRM (“an all-volunteer, grassroots organization whose members recognize the intersectionality of their struggles and the absolute necessity of women’s revolutionary resistance”) click here or here. Follow the hashtag #IWDLA2018, as well as AF3IRM LA (@af3irmla) accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check out the Facebook event page for updates.
Sat. & Sun. March 3 & 4
If the Olympics got you jazzed for more high-flying board action, AIR + STYLE happening just outside of the Los Angeles Coliseum should help you keep the torch burning a bit longer. The music meets skateboard meets snowboard festival and competition will feature big names from the action sports world and a killer music line-up including Zedd, Phoenix, Gucci Mane, Cashmere Cat, Cut Copy, Dram, Griz, Mura Masa, Phantogram, Tinashe, Washed Out, BAadbadnotgood and more. Food and drink will be available. 3911 S. Figueroa St. LA. 1 p.m. More info and tickets (2-Day GA and VIP and single day pass) at AIR + STYLE.
Sun., March 4
Pounce on this purr-fect night of pussycat-themed activities (and get ready for more predictable puns!) at CAT-IVISIM, a night of readings, comedy, pet adoptions and more. Benefiting Eastside L.A.’s Luxe Paws Cat Rescue, the feline-themed festivities include music by Nana The Cat Lady (The Gong Show), psychic Pet readings by Shana Leilani (Belle Book & Candle), and a lecture by author/photographer/historian Dr. Paul Koudounaris, sharing “tails” about history’s greatest kitties, including “Elicette,” the space cat who traveled into the cosmos along with the first American humans and “The Colonel,” the military cat who served during the Spanish-American war. Silent auction for cat art and gift certificates, and more to sink your claws into TBA. At Stories Books & Cafe, 6 p.m. Free. 1716 W. Sunset Blvd. Echo Park.
There are plenty of reasons to boycott the Academy Awards and there always have been: the self-congratulatory parade of it all, the repeated failure to recognize women and P.O.C., the red carpet “coverage”— really just a long commercial for costly couture that could feed a family for a year…But, there are also reasons to watch, the most fun, of course, being slag and rag commentary, always better with a group. OSCAR VIEWING PARTIES in town range from fancy dinner events to dive bar screenings on the tube, but for our money, L.A.’s gay clubs promise gold statue worthy conversation and fearless fashion critique. And the winners this year are:
Devon Green’s Oscars Viewing Bash at Akbar - 4356 Sunset Blvd. Silver Lake. 5-8 p.m.
Viewing Party at the Abbey - 692 N. Robertson Blvd. WeHo. 3:30-8:30 p.m.
Faultline's Oscar Viewing Party & Beer Bust - 4216 Melrose Ave. LA. 2-9 p.m.
Mon., March 5
If clubbing is your cardio, there are plenty of dance floors all over town to help you burn to a beat and freak out your fit bit. One of the longest-running 80s dance nights in L.A., BLUE MONDAYS, remains our favorite thanks to a solid 80s playlist inside and rotating musical themes outside. Most of the crowd is too young to have heard the music played inside the first time around, but that just makes the vibe here giddier than most, even if the Dark 80s vibes lean towards Goth and all-black. DJs Jason Bractune and Bruce Perdew spin. At Boardner’s, 1652 N. Cherokee. Hollywood. 9 p.m.
Tues., March 6
Redefining what it means to “party hard,” Andrew WK has become more than a rockstar; for some, the man is a guru. His social media outlets are a wealth of inspirational thoughts, ideas, and words of wisdom, but it had been a while since he put out new music (12 years to be exact). This week, that changes as WK releases You’re Not Alone, a brash and vivacious synth-laced rock opus worthy of the man’s emotional depth and vigor. The ANDREW WK SIGNING AT AMOEBA tonight will be more than a pen to paper event, WK will also participate in a Q&A. To attend the signing, fans must purchase the CD or LP in-store and come early as space is limited. (Limit two albums per customer.) 6400 Sunset Blvd. 5 p.m.
Wed., March 7
Fans of the much-missed KCET program California Gold, covering the people and culture of the golden state, will want to attend this screening featuring a “lost episode” of the show, inspired by film-maker John McDonald’s documentary “The Ghost Mountain Experiment,” about a family who lived off the grid for seventeen years in San Diego County’s Anza-Borrego Desert. Due to host Huell Howser’s death and the cancellation of the show, the show was never aired and the unedited video master was given to McDonald. Tonight he’ll host a SCREENING OF THE CALIFORNIA GOLD LOST EPISODE for the first time along with his original doc, followed by a Q & A session. Both films will be available for purchase. Go to Eventbrite to RSVP. Downtown Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St. Glendale. 7-9 p.m.
Thurs., March 8
Goth/industrial pioneer Claus Larsen (of the group Leaether Strip) has been a major influence on the dark dance music scene, and tonight, the LA club community aims to give back. Claus and husband Kurt have suffered financial hardships lately due to Kurt’s kidney problems (Claus will be donating a kidney but the transplant surgery is costly and dialysis treatments are necessary for the meantime). To raise money for their medical bills, the DAS BUNKAER BENEFIT FOR LEATHAERSTRIP’S CLAUS & KURT will feature a live performance by “LA’s only 90's industrial/EBM cover band” The Zoth Ommog Allstars featuring Roger (Kevorkian Death Cycle), Forrest (Mr.Kitty), KANGA, Ed (Gentleman Junkie (LA), Chris (@INVA//ID) and more. DJs Bractune (Blue Mondays / 90s Goth Klub), Ryant Reeleyes (DB founder), Rev. John (Das Bunker / 90s Goth Klub) and more spin. $5 donation at the door. Express line tickets at Ticketfly for $20. All door proceeds and 20% of the bar revenue will go to Claus & Kurt. At the Lash, 117 Winston St. DTLA. 9 p.m.
