Haute Highlights


Ra Ra Riot

Remember last year’s Welcome Week concert? Of course you do, given that indie up-and-comers Ra Ra Riot left a lasting impression.

The band comprises an eclectic mix of instruments including a cellist and violinist among the tried and true bassist, guitarist and vocalist, has been on the rise since its 2010 Coachella performance as well as the incorporation of its song, “Can You Tell,” in The Last Song soundtrack.

Other notable yet underrated tracks include “Ghost Under Rocks,” “Too Dramatic” and “Dying is Fine.” With its endearingly frenetic energy and cute lyrics of love and loss, this charismatic and eclectic group is sure to win you over if it hasn’t already.

Ra Ra Riot will perform at the El Rey Theatre Thursday at 7 p.m. with tickets, available on Ticketmaster per usual, starting at $20.

Be sure to get your indie fill. You want to be able to say you saw Ra Ra Riot before the band made it big.

Vigil

This weekend is the perfect opportunity to embrace your inner thespian.

The dark comedy Vigil, starring Oscar-winning actors Olympia Dukakis and Marco Barricelli, follows the story of a man, Kemp, who travels to see his aunt Grace after 30 years of separation.

Kemp is eagerly waiting for Grace to die — but the problem is, she won’t die fast enough.

The pair tackles issues of human compassion and mortality, all with the feeling of good, dark humor and, of course, solid acting.

Vigil will be playing at the Ahmanson Theatre through Dec. 18 with tickets beginning at $30 on the Ahmanson website.

This weekend, why don’t you give your tried and true routine of video games and movies a break, and head back to the basics — it’s time we all enjoyed a delightful night at the theater.

Into the Abyss

The inner psyche of a killer — we don’t want to admit it, but the workings of psychotic felons fascinate us.

Thus comes Into the Abyss, a foreboding yet insightful investigation into the triple homicide case in Conroe, Texas, that delves into the logic behind the murders and the death penalty alike.

This Saturday, filmmaker Werner Herzog, director of Grizzly Man and Cave of Forgotten Dreams, will make an appearance at The Landmark Theatre for the 7:20 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. showings of the film.

Herzog himself describes the film as “a gaze into the abyss of the human soul.”

If you’re a fan of the chilling In Cold Blood, then Into the Abyss is sure to please. Here’s looking to a dark and ominous weekend.

‘Naked Hollywood: Weegee in Los Angeles’

Sex appeal, naked mannequins, celebrities, strippers and costume shops: What better way to describe the work of acclaimed tabloid photographer Weegee?

After leaving New York City in 1947, Weegee transferred his attention to sex, stars and Los Angeles; this exhibition serves as a testament to the scandalous and noteworthy subjects that caught Weegee’s attention.

This L.A. focus allows “Naked Hollywood: Weegee in Los Angeles” to serve as the perfect fit for the Getty’s massive art initiative, “Pacific Standard Time,” which brings more than 60 art institutions together to tell the story of the rise of the L.A. art scene in addition to its current state.

As USC students, and cultured individuals at that, we owe it to ourselves to be educated on the previous, current and progressive L.A. aesthetic. With a subject as intriguing as the infamously scandalous Hollywood and all it encompasses, you practically don’t have a choice in the matter.

“Naked Hollywood: Weegee in Los Angeles” will be on display at MOCA beginning Sunday and running through Feb. 27.