A ‘Donnie Darko’ screening, Sinead O’Connor live, L.A. Art Show, Mr. Bungle at the Fonda and more.
Sins of the Brothers Kuchar
Monday, February 3, 2020 / 8:30–11 p.m. / REDCAT
Mike and his late twin brother George Kuchar started making no-budget, 8mm films as teenagers in the Bronx, creating campy spin-offs of Hollywood tearjerkers. Their work had a huge impact on underground filmmakers of the 1960s including Jack Smith, Andy Warhol and John Waters. Mike Kuchar’s visual art is on display at François Ghebaly Gallery, and he’ll be in attendance to show his recent videos and talk about the good old days.
Tickets: $12 / More Information
Cinema Series: ‘Donnie Darko’
Tuesday, February 4, 2020 / 7–9:30 p.m. / W.M. Keck Lecture Hall
When director Richard Kelly set about making “Donnie Darko,” he wanted to create a sci-fi dark comedy that captured suburban dread, teen angst and some big philosophical questions — while co-starring a bunny demon as the anti-hero. “I thought, ‘I’m going to write exactly the movie I want to see,'” Kelly says in “The Mind of the Modern Moviemaker.” “‘If no one else likes it, fuck ’em.’” The movie more or less flopped at the box office, but soon, Frank costumes started popping up on Halloween and the 1980s soundtrack gave new life to the song “Mad World” as folks “discovered” the movie in the years that followed and it became a cult hit.
Part Time Punks’ Michael Stock moderates a pre-screening Q&A with Kelly and James Duval, who played Frank the bunny.
Allegories of Flight
Wednesday, February 5, 2020 / 8–11 p.m. / The Broad
As part of The Broad’s Shirin Neshat exhibition “I Will Greet the Sun Again,” this evening of music, poetry and performance encompasses the Iranian American artist’s influences whose work she says embody “poetic, philosophical, and highly politically charged narratives and visual style.” The lineup features music by Saint Abdullah and Dabia Spain, poetry by Natalie Diaz and Naomi Shihab and performance art by Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors.
Tickets: $25 / More Information
L.A. Art Show
Feb. 6-9 / Los Angeles Convention Center
The Los Angeles art scene has flourished over the last few decades, and the L.A. Art Show has grown right along with it. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, this massive art fair brings together some of the most talked-about local and international artists for four days of glorious sensory overload. One hundred galleries from 18 countries take over the Convention Center’s 260,000 square feet of exhibition space with modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photography, luxury accessories, video installations, performance art and panel discussions.
Tickets: $40-$80 / More Information
Mr. Bungle
Friday, February 7, 2020 / 9 p.m. to midnight / The Fonda Theatre
Before he joined Faith No More, a young Mike Patton formed Mr. Bungle with high school friends Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn. In fact, Patton first saw Faith No More at a pizza place in his hometown of Eureka, California.
Mr. Bungle was a crazy band. They would cycle through heavy metal, ska, improvisational jazz, disco and funk within the span of a single song. After releasing a few demos in the 1980s, Mr. Bungle landed a Warner Bros. deal and put out three albums in the ’90s before going on hiatus. A chance encounter brought them back together to perform their 1986 demo tape, “The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny,” in full, backed by special guests Scott Ian of Anthrax and Slayer’s Dave Lombardo.
Grunge godfathers Melvins and local punk band Cunts open the show.
Tickets: $90 / More Information
California International Antiquarian Book Fair
Saturday, February 8, 2020 / 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. / Pasadena Convention Center
Featuring over 150 collectible booksellers, the 53rd annual California International Antiquarian Book Fair is as big and prestigious as it gets in the realm of antiquarian books. This year, the fair includes special exhibits and panels honoring women’s suffrage in the United States, as well as a centennial celebration of science fiction and fantasy writer Ray Bradbury and an interactive area of book art specialists. Attendees can bring up to three books to be appraised.
As a bonus, pop over to the Los Angeles Fine Print Fair taking place across the street.
Tickets: $15-$25 / Feb. 7-9 / More Information
Sinead O’Connor
Sunday, February 9, 2020 / 8–11 p.m. / El Rey Theatre
While her 1987 debut, “The Lion and the Cobra,” went platinum, Sinead O’Connor’s sophomore album, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” gave rise to her Prince-penned mega-hit “Nothing Compares 2 U,” one of the most iconic songs of that decade. Over the last few years, personal trauma caught up with the artist. In 2016, she went missing and was found in Illinois by police. Then in 2017, she posted a very troubling video on social media about her mental health. After focusing on healing, she’s back, touring the states for the first time in almost six years.
Tickets: $85 / More Information