RISK! — A Storytelling Show 

NerdMelt at Meltdown Comics

Thursday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m.

Have you ever wondered about the crazy stories people choose to tell only to their friends?

RISK!, a show hosted by comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Pete Holmes, gives you the opportunity to finally hear some of those outrageously hilarious tales straight from the mouths of acclaimed TV, film and literature stars. The show has gotten plenty of press: Slate.com praised it as “jaw-dropping, hysterically funny, and just plain touching.” The show’s podcast also receives hundreds of thousands of downloads each month.

Thursday’s performance, themed “Fantasies vs. Real Life,” and features comedian and director Bobcat Goldthwait, along with a bevy of other guests including writer Andy Behrman and local comedian Eliza Skinner. At only $10 for admission, RISK! is an affordable — and, more importantly, very funny — way to spend a night out in West Hollywood.

Cirque du Soleil: Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour

Friday, Jan. 27 – Sunday, Jan. 29

Long live the King of Pop.

To commemorate the legendary and groundbreaking musician, writer and director Jamie King has created a Cirque du Soleil tribute show, which will be performed at the Staples Center this weekend and features a mixture of the artist’s iconic songs paired with a dynamic presentation of visuals and dance.

These fantastic components come to life as Jackson’s conceptual Giving Tree delivers the inspiration that guided his career; this catalyst of creativity advances the story, bringing Jackson’s charisma and musical stylings to life.

And because the show is being produced through the progressive vision of Cirque du Soleil, it is bound to have plenty of charmingly unexpected artistic choices, giving the highly respected and infamous legend an enticing twist.

Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour has something for everyone: high flying acrobatics, iconic music and a unique, artistic style.

You won’t be able to stop or get enough.

Welcome Inn Time Machine

Welcome Inn at Eagle Rock

Sunday, Jan. 29, 4 p.m. — 10 p.m.

Crank up the weird this weekend with Welcome Inn Time Machine, an interactive experimental art installation. It takes place not in a gallery or a museum, but in a motel in Eagle Rock called the Welcome Inn, which converts its rooms into a treasure trove of quirky, diverse “mini concerts.”  Put on by the Society for the Activation of Social Space Through Art and Soundcalls — try saying that five times fast — the exhibition looks to be a fascinating examination of local experimental art.

The concerts, which take place in individual rooms, feature Southern California-based experimental music from various historical periods. The format allows visitors to visit significant musical moments in time in chronological order and features everything from dissonant violin experiments to recreations of revolutionary free-jazz artist Ornette Coleman’s work.

As if the awesomely bizarre musical experiments weren’t enough, Welcome Inn Time Machine offers free admission — an impressive deal, considering the scope of the event.

Museums Free-For-All

Saturday, Jan. 28- Sunday, Jan. 29

Last week we celebrated Lita Albuquerque’s glorious performance-art piece “Spine of the Earth 2012.” This weekend art connoisseurs and creative folk alike can rejoice in the splendor that is the Museums Free-For-All.

This Saturday and Sunday, an extensive assortment of museums will open its doors to the public for free, serving as the perfect weekend adventure for the broke college student looking to have fun on a budget.

Museums participating in the event include notable galleries like The Annenberg Space for Photography, which is currently showing Digital Darkroom — the progressive exhibition that showcases the fusion of art and technology — and The Getty Center, which is now exhibiting the highly discussed Pacific Standard Time: Crosscurrents in L.A. Painting and Sculpture, 1950-1970.

The Hammer Museum, The Skirball Cultural Center and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, among many other galleries, will also open their doors free-of-cost.

What more could art fans ask for?