Top 10 Things To Do Around LA This Weekend: November 15-17

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Here are this weekend’s Top 10 Things To Do Around Los Angeles.

Friday, November 15

BOOKS

Roy Choi @ Book Soup (West Hollywood)

The boundary-breaking chef – who rose to fame by jumpstarting the L.A. food truck scene with his Kogi barbecue trucks and continues to fill Angelenos’ bellies at Chego!, A-Frame and Sunny Spot – released his enthralling memoir, L.A. Son: My Life, My City, My Food, on Nov. 5. In it, he tells of childhood afternoons spent at his parents’ Korean restaurant and years spent at the Culinary Institute of America, Le Bernardin and the Beverly Hills Hilton, while spotlighting the dishes that peppered his journey like homemade kimchi, East L.A. street tacos, pho in Downtown’s Jewelry District. Chef Choi discusses and signs copies of the book at 7 p.m.

MUSIC

Aokify America Tour @ Shrine Expo Hall (South Los Angeles)

If you listen to KROQ at all, then you’ve probably heard the collaboration between Steve Aoki and Linkin Park, “A Light That Never Comes.” Fans are sure to be treated to a performance of the song when the producer/DJ’s current national tour makes a stop in his hometown, since Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington are listed as special guest performers. The lineup also includes Pharrell, Borgore, Waka Flocka Flame, as well as Iggy Azalea, Keys N Krates and Kryoman. Just don’t stand too close to the stage unless you want to be hit in the face with a champagne bottle, cake or crowd surfers.

Beats Antique @ The Fonda (Hollywood)

The San Francisco trio just released a new album, A Thousand Faces – Act 1, which features an awesome collaboration with Primus’ Les Claypool on a track called “Beelzebub,” and its supporting tour is like nothing you’ve ever seen. Just as Beats Antique’s music is an amalgamation of various cultural genres, the multi-dimensional, custom-designed stage show, directed by Ivan Landau, combines film clips, graphics, puppetry, dancers and unique lighting effects to create optical illusions that will blow your mind.

SPORTS

Washington vs. UCLA @ The Rose Bowl (Pasadena)

In their only Friday game of the season, the No. 13-ranked Bruins host the Huskies, who trounced the Buffaloes 59-7 last weekend. Although Washington has that stellar win under its belt, the team is just 3-3 at fourth place in the Pac 12 North, while UCLA is No. 2 in the South at 4-2. In addition, the Bruins have not lost a game to the Huskies in their last seven matches at home, and they remain undefeated at the Rose Bowl so far this season. While Washington’s offense should test the Bruins, UCLA should still come away with the W.

Saturday, November 16

MUSIC

Long Beach Folk Revival @ Old Pine Avenue District (Long Beach)

The festival boasts an impressive lineup of artists that include Willie Watson (formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show), Rose’s Pawn Shop, Frank Fairfield, RT N the 44’s, Charlie Parr and D.D. Wood, among others. If you get hungry, there is a special farm-to-table lunch being catered by Primal Alchemy going on aside from the food-truck action, with several craft breweries offering their finest libations. Also on the schedule are a banjo contest, beard and mustache contest, pie eating contest (with pies from Polly’s Pies, a childhood favorite of mine), a bluegrass jam session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and plenty of vintage and handmade/up-cycled vendors for you to start doing some holiday shopping early in between music sets.

BOOKS

David Sedaris @ Valley Performing Arts Center (Northridge)

The humorist, comedian, radio contributor and author of such bestselling essay collections as Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day and the most recent, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, is as compelling on stage as he is on the page. He often recounts anecdotes from his offbeat childhood in North Carolina, interactions with fans and other personal experiences as he reads from his work. And he does so in a thoroughly unique, humorously sarcastic and cynical way that is utterly charming. If you don’t already love his writing, you are sure to want to pick up one of his books after watching him perform live.

SPORTS

Stanford vs. USC @ LA Memorial Coliseum (South Los Angeles)

It’s Homecoming/Reunion weekend for the Trojans, so you know there’s going to be some awesome alumni and student tailgating events happening on campus and in the Coliseum parking lot as USC takes on the No. 5 Cardinal, who are in the top spot of the Pac-12 North. Stanford garnered a crucial victory over the Ducks last week, dashing Oregon’s hopes for a national title, but the rebounding Trojan team could take advantage of their excited emotions and come out victorious.

Sunday, Nov. 17

MUSIC

Wire @ Echoplex (Echo Park)

The British post-punk legends released their latest album, Change Becomes Us, earlier this year. The album is composed of songs that sprouted from ideas that were never developed beyond being hatched in 1979 and 1980, and expect to hear many of these new tracks tonight. Let’s see if jaded Angelenos will let go of their inhibitions and form a moshpit in honor of these musical pioneers .

SPORTS

Pistons vs. LA Lakers @ Staples Center (Downtown)

Having been born in Michigan and raised in Southern California, the Lakers-Pistons rivalry was always the source of much heated debate throughout my childhood. I felt like Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Laimbeer were almost a part of my family since their names were mentioned so much. I can’t think of a better way to cap off the weekend than to spend Sunday evening watching the two teams square off at Staples Center.

THEATER

“Wait Until Dark” @ Geffen Playhouse (Westwood)

It’s the final day to catch the world premiere of this new adaptation of Frederick Knott’s 1966 play and 1967 film (starring Audrey Hepburn) of the same name, which puts a twist on the classic by placing the characters in a different time and setting. The production is just as full of chills and thrills, though. Alison Pill, from HBO’s “The Newsroom,” stars as Susan, alongside a cast that also includes Adam Stein, Mather Zickel, Rod McLachlan, Matt McTighe and Brighid Fleming.

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