Calendar of Events in Orange County

Tuesday, May 21
• 
  Youngblood Hawke
  The Observatory

  Youngblood Hawke’s music emanates a youthful sort of charm—a charm worthy of stoplight sing-alongs and impromptu dance parties. The Los Angeles-based five-piece furthers Silver Lake's strong musical reach, thriving on indie-inspired pop beats, catchy lyrics and kindred spirit. Last month, the quintet released their debut full-length album Wake Up, featuring the anthemic single... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Spies, Traitors & Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America
  Muzeo

  Dark alleys, men in trench coats, the sounds of whispers and the smell of burning cigarettes—these are the images of espionage (at least in the eyes of Hollywood). The truth, as is usually the case, is far less glamorous. Explore reality in Muzeo’s latest exhibit "Spies, Traitors & Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America," illustrating the beauty of our nation’s covert... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Phil Shane
  Original Mike's

  Like parasites on a large whale, cover bands thrive in any city with bars. But with so many choices out there, it's hard to know which is worth risking alcohol poisoning and a DUI for. Take our word for it, the premier performer of cover jams is the self-proclaimed one-man legend Phil Shane. Flamboyant, sequined and capable of singing on-key, Shane takes requests and busts out the schlock... Read more about this event >>

• More Tuesday Events >>

Wednesday, May 22
• 
  2001: A Space Odyssey
  AMC Tustin 14 at the District

  Stanley Kubrick's 1968 minimalistic, retro-futuristic, cinematic masterpiece (still quoted today), ranks among the greatest films of all time. And for the Dot-Com and Recycle Generation kids who have yet to see 2001: A Space Odyssey, splashed across the big screen is the only way to do so. For one night only, the AMC theater at the District in Tustin presents this science fiction classic,... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Mobb Deep
  The Yost Theater

  Behold the return of the Infamous! Queensbridge's Mobb Deep were the two “killer kids who just don’t care” whose bleaked-out, stripped-to-the-bones hip-hop ruled the middle '90s and cast a shadow that reached all the way to a 2000s revival (in part on 50 Cent’s G-Unit) and eventual collapse in 2012 after founders Prodigy and Havoc got in an uncomfortable Twitter fight.... Read more about this event >>

• 
  The Fantasticks
  South Coast Repertory

  The longest running musical in stage history stops by the South Coast Repertory for a few notes this week. Written by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (not that Tom Jones), The Fantasticks first performed off-Broadway in 1960 and is loosely based on the 1890's burlesque play Les Romanesques. It's the story of two fathers scheming to make their children fall in love—the daughter and son, of... Read more about this event >>

• More Wednesday Events >>

Thursday, May 23
• 
  The Damned
  House of Blues Anaheim

  Slap on some thick eyeliner and break out the Creepers because seminal punk band The Damned is playing House of Blues Anaheim. Known as the fathers of the Goth genre, The Damned has been fundamental in the punk music scene since 1976. While the band’s members have transformed over time, with lead singer Dave Vanian serving as the only constant, their trademark skeleton logo has remained... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Food Truck Fare Thursdays
  OC Fairgrounds

  Anyone who has ever swung by a Foodie Fest of any kind has witnessed the mass hysteria—we mean appeal of a food-truck gathering. Continuing this tasty trend, the OC Fairgrounds hosts a weekly meetup, with the trucks changing each week. Find out what's cooking at Lot D (at Gate 4, off Arlington Drive). Parking and admission are free. Visit www.ocfair.com/ocf/ for a list of this week's... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Open Mic and Jam Session
  Max Bloom's Cafe Noir

  Yeah, we've got some recession blues to sing about. So do most folks—leave it to Max Bloom's Cafe Noir to give the people an outlet at their weekly open mic and jam session. With coffee under a dollar (very much appreciated), tasty little baked things and charming '40s decor, this might be the least skeezy of all week-night open mics. They encourage all walks of art to participate, be... Read more about this event >>

• More Thursday Events >>

Friday, May 24
• 
  The Neighbourhood
  The Observatory

  Full of acoustic merriment and imagery of warm beaches and skin-baring outfits, The Neighbourhood's lovey-dovey ode to summer lovin' "Sweater Weather" has been getting major airplay these days. But don't mistake their sound to be all sweet and tender; the Los Angeles group's debut album I Love You mixes melancholy lyrics, electronica and hip hop beats along with indie rock flavor in songs... Read more about this event >>

• 
  The Bald Soprano & The Chairs
  The Garage Theater

  Absurd, weird, batty—it's all wonderful to us. So we're especially looking forward to this new production from the Garage Theatre: two plays from the trailblazer of absurdist theater, playwright Eugène Ionesco. First up is The Bald Soprano, a tale about a casual visit between two married couples, a maid, and the local fire chief (the maid's lover). The rest of the story is a... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Legally Blonde: The Musical
  Maverick Theater

  She knows what it takes to be popular—Elle Woods, bubbly brainiac and pink enthusiast comes back to life in Legally Blonde: The Musical. After a satisfying three years in the UK's West End (and winning several nods, including Best Musical at the Olivier Awards), this spectacle of pizazz and sparkle makes a cameo at the Maverick Theater. Directed by Curtis Jerome, the... Read more about this event >>

• More Friday Events >>

Saturday, May 25
• 
  Fun & Nobody
  STAGES theatre

  If you think Fun & Nobody sounds like an intriguing title for a play, you’re dead wrong. It’s actually two titles for two separate plays that are featured together at the Stages Theatre. Written by Pulitzer Prize-nominated scribe Howard Korder, whose current work includes the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, Fun follows the story of two teenagers searching for adventure in their local... Read more about this event >>

• 
  The Rocky Horror Picture Show
  Art Theatre of Long Beach

  In 1975, a film about a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania hit US theaters and a new breed of camp-loving, kitschy freaks was born. Now the longest running theatrical release ever, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is everyone's favorite midnight shenanigan, performing regularly 36-plus years after it's debut. The cult classic—where Tim Curry tromps around in a bustier and... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Old Towne Orange Farmers & Artisans Market
  Chapman University's Historic Villa Park Orchards Packinghouse

  If everything has a season, then ripe, delicious produce is best suited for the summer—so you've only got a few weeks left, locavores. One of our favorite weekly farmers and artisan markets (two words: free coffee) happens again this Saturday morning with a mouthwatering display of peaches, oranges, apples and pears. Plus vegetables, too, if you're into that sort of thing. But there's... Read more about this event >>

• More Saturday Events >>

Sunday, May 26
• 
  Rootbeer
  The Slidebar Rock-N-Roll Kitchen

  Super-fly rap duo Pigeon John and Flynn Adam display an almost nerdy appreciation for pop culture and dance beats evident in their music. Hailing from Los Angeles and formerly part of L.A. Symphony, the two spread their time over various other side projects, however Rootbeer is their love-child, with the one EP Pink Limousine to date. With hints of classic soul influences and electronic... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Spies, Traitors & Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America
  Muzeo

  Dark alleys, men in trench coats, the sounds of whispers and the smell of burning cigarettes—these are the images of espionage (at least in the eyes of Hollywood). The truth, as is usually the case, is far less glamorous. Explore reality in Muzeo’s latest exhibit "Spies, Traitors & Saboteurs: Fear and Freedom in America," illustrating the beauty of our nation’s covert... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Sunday Brunch and Drag Show
  VLVT Velvet Lounge

  There's nothing quite like a drag queen that looks better than you do, with better hair and perkier boobs—and if you're hungover to boot, better make that bloody mary a double. Velvet Lounge, the youngest child in the local family of gay clubs, hosts a fabulous Sunday brunch every week with all the fixin's—they've got a gourmet buffet, bottomless mimosas, a build-your-own-mary bar... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School
  Rothick Art Haus

  Damn it, we sure do love what Rothick Art Haus is doing. In addition to exhibiting titillating work from up-and-coming artists, it has jumped on the Dr. Sketchy’s wagon. Started in New York, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School is a life-drawing class that is in no way like those we took at community college (you know, bored classmates lazily drawing a dead-behind-the-eyes, puffy, nude... Read more about this event >>

• More Sunday Events >>

Monday, May 27
• 
  “The Spirit of Freedom” 21st Annual Memorial Day Service
  Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary

  We can think of no better place to honor the men and women who fought on behalf of this country than a cemetery. Visiting bone yards on Memorial Day gives us a chance to be in the presence of the fruits of war, which rot beneath our feet—a sobering though necessary reminder of the sacrifices so many have made. Join an expected 3,500 OC residents at Fairhaven’s “Spirit of... Read more about this event >>

• 
  Peachy Keene
  Detroit Bar

  The newest single from LA-based Peachy Keene "Slowly But Surely" features more of Christine Clement's breathy vocals along with their usual texture of indie/folk pop sunniness and peppy hand claps. Their 2011 EP release When We Collide relishes these mixture of genres as they, in turn, collide into a harmonious burst of sound. Peachy Keene's been playing plenty of Orange County venues lately,... Read more about this event >>

• 
  'Across the Andes'
  Muzeo

  There are few true adventurers left in this world—but trailblazers Deia Schlosberg and Gregg Treinish now rank amongst the most bad-ass of hikers. The American couple spent two years winding their way along the Andes, the world's longest mountain range. Over forgotten paths and through forests of bamboo, deadly deserts, animals, insects, sickness, and a complete deprivation of toilets,... Read more about this event >>

• More Monday Events >>