Rihanna
Apr. 8. Six-time Grammy Award winner Rihanna brings her Diamonds World Tour to the Staples Center downtown. The “We Found Love” chanteuse is riding the wave of her latest album, Unapologetic, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Rapper A$AP Rocky opens. L.A. Live, 1111 S. Figueroa St., downtown, 800.745.3000. staplescenter.com
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Apr. 17-21. Under its new artistic director, Robert Battle, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater offers three different programs of mixed repertory that includes company classics, Battle’s own work and new works such as Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16, which the New York Times described as “a canny addition by [Battle] … a propulsive, voluptuous spectacle.” The Times hailed the dancers themselves as “sleek, athletic masters of the universe.” Each program culminates with Alvin Ailey’s own timeless masterpiece, Revelations. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the series’ most popular dance ensembles, with four appearances since 1998. 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.0711. musiccenter.org
Brooklyn Festival
A Los Angeles bias may be common in these parts, but that’s not stopping the Los Angeles Philharmonic from applauding the contributions of Brooklyn artists with the Brooklyn Festival at Walt Disney Concert Hall downtown from April 16-22. The celebration kicks off with Brooklyn Philharmonic artistic director Alan Pierson conducting a program of the borough’s most adventurous new music, including the world premiere of the musical drama Strip Mall by Matt Marks and composer/performer Tyondai Braxton’s Central Market. Other performances include the West Coast premiere of Planetarium by the National’s Bryce Dessner, singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens and composer Nico Muhly; a Cameron Carpenter organ recital; Disney Hall debuts from Chairlift and the Antlers; and the world premiere of Stem by composer Ted Hearn. Check out more highlights of the Brooklyn Festival. 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown, 323.850.2000. LAPhil.com/brooklyn
LA Times Festival Of Books
Apr. 20–21. More than 150,000 book lovers are expected to converge at the University of Southern California campus for this Los Angeles Times–sponsored festival. The free event, which brings together readers, authors, publishers and booksellers, is considered the largest and most prestigious book fair in the country. Call for hours. Free. Parking $10. University of Southern California, Exposition Boulevard and Figueroa Street, L.A., 213.237.2665. events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks
Ciclavia To The Sea
Apr. 21. Los Angeles without cars? It’s not CGI—it’s CicLAvia, a free public event that temporarily removes cars from city streets to make way for tens of thousands of joggers, cyclists, skaters and pedestrians. This first CicLAvia of 2013 stretches 15 miles from downtown to Venice Beach. 10 am–3 pm. Free. See website for map. 213.365.0605. ciclavia.org
Gary Baseman: The Door Is Always Open
Apr. 25. The Skirball Cultural Center contemplates the influence of Jewish heritage and pop culture on the fantastical work of lowbrow artist Gary Baseman. The exhibit, which recalls Baseman’s family home in the Fairfax District, includes Baseman’s personal artifacts and boundary-crossing artwork. 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A., 310.440.4500. skirball.org
Taste Of The Eastside
Apr. 28. Enjoy music, food and wine tastings and local craft beer when the third annual foodie event takes over the sculpture garden at Barnsdall Art Park in Los Feliz. More than 30 restaurants showcase their dishes at the festival, including Little Dom’s, Canalé and Mohawk Bend. VIP ticket includes educational demonstrations and seminars. 1–5 pm; VIP entry at noon. $5–$60; VIP, $65–$75; under 2 free. Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. tasteoftheeastside.com
Stanley Kubrick
Through June 30. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art explores the intersection of art and film in its retrospective of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick’s extraordinary oeuvre. The comprehensive exhibition features everything from the Dr. Strangelove and 2001: A Space Odyssey producer/director’s early photos for Look magazine to film props to his unfinished works. Read our full preview here. (Pictured: The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick. The daughters of the former caretaker Grady. © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.) 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A., 323.857.6000. lacma.org
One Night With Janis Joplin
Through Apr. 11. The full-on concert experience takes you on a musical journey into the life and inspirations of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest legends. With a voice like whiskey and a laugh like pure joy, Janis Joplin took the music scene by storm. Simultaneously rough and vulnerable, Joplin was dubbed the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, proving music wasn’t just a man’s world anymore. Pasadena Playhouse. 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, 626.356.7529. pasadenaplayhouse.org
War/Photography: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath
Through June. 2. The Annenberg Space for Photography displays 150 images from 1887 to the present by portrait photographers, photojournalists, military photographers, amateurs and artists. Among them are Joe Rosenthal’s Old Glory Goes Up on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, Alfred Eisenstaedt’s V-J Day, Times Square, New York, and Eddie Adams’ image of a Viet Cong prisoner being executed on the streets of Saigon; not all are suitable for all viewers. The show also includes an original Annenberg short documentary film and digital presentation produced by Arclight Productions. 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, 213.403.3000, annenbergspaceforphotography.org
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Apr. 19–21. Car races, concerts, exotic sports car displays, a family fun zone and more at this annual event. Ticket prices, hours vary; visit gplb.com. Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 562.981.2600. indycar.com
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