thursday, april 8
Just the Facts
7 p.m. > Los Angeles Athletic Club > FREE

The newly formed Los Angeles Visionaries Association aims to spruce up Los Angeles culture and connections through a series of intellectual seminars including this one with John Bunton, author of L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City.

Akashic Noir Party
9 p.m. > Book Soup > $10

To celebrate the up-and-coming noir series, Book Soup features five authors who will be presenting and signing copies of two popular Southern California noir books. These include Denise Hamilton and Jervery Tervalon of LA Noir 2 and Gary Phillips, Lawrence Maddox and Patricia McFall of OC Noir.

The Network of 2020
6 p.m. > ASC 207 > FREE

Verizon chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg will discuss the future of media and communication at the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. He will share how the network of the year 2020 will make interaction in society more sophisticated and efficient.

Jerry Seinfeld
8 p.m. > Saban Theater > $40+

One of stand-up’s best comedians, Jerry Seinfeld, will be performing live Thursday night at his friend’s benefit for Reprise Theater. Famous for the iconic show Seinfeld, his style and delivery have been embedded in American comedic culture for more than two decades.

friday, april 9
Michael Bublé
8 p.m. > Staples Center > $55+

The Canadian soft-rock artist will perform originals from his latest album, Crazy Love, as well as his hit covers of classics such as “Come Fly With Me” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”

Monsterpalooza 2010
6 p.m. > Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center > $20

Friday kicks off this weekend-long convention bringing monster-lovers together to celebrate science-fiction films and the art behind scary makeup. Continuing through Sunday, the weekend will be filled with special screenings, walk-through museums, artwork displays and more.

TRASHed Coachella Exhibit
7 p.m. > POVevolving > FREE

Explore a side of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival you never thought existed with a showcase of 26 freshly painted, redesigned Coachella recycling bins. Visitors will even have the chance to win Coachella merchandise before the real thing hits next weekend.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
7:30 p.m. > Ahmanson Theatre > $25- $105

This internationally acclaimed dance institution has been revamped specifically for its Los Angeles appearance by newly appointed artistic director and former Angeleno Glen Edgerton. Come support while admiring the grace and athleticism of this fantastic company.

saturday, april 10
Gary Calamar, Phil Gallo
5 p.m. > Book Soup > FREE

With their anthology Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again, these two authors take readers back to a time before thousands of songs could be effortlessly stored in a tiny vibrantly colored iPod. Any fan of the music industry will appreciate this nostalgic journey to the days of vinyl.

Sones de Mexico
8 p.m. > The Getty Villa > $15

Escape to the beautiful Getty Villa to catch Sones de Mexico, a Grammy-nominated Chicago Mexican-folk music group performing in conjunction with the Aztec Pantheon exhibit.

The Story of O
4 p.m. > Otis College of Art and Design > FREE

This Saturday marks the opening evening of an event that runs through June 5, so if you can’t make it this week, there’s the option of stopping by even during summer. This exhibition features novel work by graduates of Otis College of Art and Design’s well-known Graduate Fine Arts program. These alumni graduated between 1989 and 2009.

American String Teachers
Association/Aron Green Classical Guitar Competition
noon > Alfred Newman Recital Hall > FREE

The USC Thornton School of Music will host a guitar competition for musicians aged 12 to 25. The contest is held annually on USC’s University Park Campus.

sunday, april 11
“Water: Our Thirsty World”
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. > Annenberg Space for Photography > FREE

In partnership with National Geographic Magazine, the Annenberg Space for Photography employs amazing talent for a good cause through a lecture and slideshow to draw awareness to the precarious state of Earth’s limited fresh water resources.

Ugly and Ordinary?
3 p.m. > MOCA > FREE

Very few visitors to Las Vegas have the time to admire the architecture amid the gaudy urban sprawl of hotels and over-the-top fountains. Together with the UC Irvine, MOCA presents a symposium delving into the history and legacy behind the commercial architecture on the infamous Vegas strip.

L.A. Heritage Day
11 a.m. > Heritage Square Museum > $5

Tours of historic homes, live music, living history characters walking around, readings, cooking lessons, lectures, a scavenger hunt and local caterers will set the scene in honor of celebrating being an Angeleno and showing L.A. pride on this official city holiday.

Los Angeles Master Chorale
8 p.m. > The Steve Allen Theater > $10

This 120-member chorus is one of the resident companies of the Los Angeles Music Center, conducted by Grant Gershon, will perform an evening of challenging contemporary works.

— Tanvi Mirani and Becca Lett