What we’re about
This group is for people who appreciate music and other forms of art beyond the mainstream, with a particular focus on the avant-garde or otherwise odd. Free Jazz, Musique Concrete, Atonality, Noise Music, Outsider Art, Surrealism, Dada, Junk Art, ...you name it! Not all events will necessarily be "weird", but simply off the beaten mainstream path.
This is intended to be an oasis from crass commercial banalities.
I'll post events that interest me, but I am also interested in hearing from artists, musicians, and other creative types about their events that I can share with members. Post your events and ideas in the "Discussions" section. I want this group to also be a vehicle that helps support artists and organizations that are doing interesting creative work.
The only requests are that we keep things friendly and civilized. MAGA not welcome.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- JEAN COCTEAU BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FUNDRAISER! ft. TESTAMENT OF ORPHEUSPhilosophical Research Society, Los Angeles , CA
Sacred Monster, Surrealist Study Group, & 7th House present a very special birthday celebration for the avant-garde the master!
Date and time Saturday, July 5 · 6 - 11pm PDT
Location Philosophical Research Society
3910 Los Feliz Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90027Tickets: $28.52
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jean-cocteau-birthday-celebration-fundraiser-ft-testament-of-orpheus-tickets-1400384731429About this event:
Celebrate the avant garde icon's 136th birthday and help us raise funds for a new, improved projector!
“I am beyond excited to celebrate Jean Cocteau’s birthday in the manner he would have loved most: a raging party! PRS has been so good to me and to Cocteau’s work, this venue is one of my favorites in Los Angeles, and if Cocteau had had the opportunity, I am sure he would have loved being amongst this community of curious, intelligent, and gorgeous Angelenos.” - Chloë Cassens
On July 5th, The Philosophical Research Society’s Surrealist Study Group, 7th House Screenings, and Chloë Cassens’ SACRED MONSTER are proud to present a 136th birthday party for avant-garde icon Jean Cocteau! This very special celebration is a fundraiser for PRS, brimming with birthday festivities, a screening of Cocteau’s 1960 surrealist masterpiece THE TESTAMENT OF ORPHEUS, a discussion between Cassens and Surrealist Study Groups’ dama, the launch of SACRED MONSTER Volume 1, and is a fundraiser for a new, improved projector PRS's auditorium!
One of the most important and multifaceted artists of the 20th Century, Jean Cocteau’s legacy in art and culture is unparalleled, influencing everything from filmmaking and music to modern symbolism and queer representation. As the representative of the Severin Wunderman Collection, which is the largest collection in the world of works by Cocteau, Chloë Cassens founded SACRED MONSTER to engage the public with interdisciplinary projects that illuminate Cocteau’s place in the canon of avant-garde and queer art as well as his continued influence on contemporary culture at-large from celebrity personas to reality television.
For his 136th birthday, Cassens will host a party at the Philosophical Research Society followed by a screening of Testament of Orpheus (1960), the last film in Cocteau’s groundbreaking Orphic Trilog which brings full circle the journey he began in THE BLOOD OF A POET. In the film, Cocteau stars as a poet wandering surreal wastelands and encountering a cast of characters—including the likes of Pablo Picasso, Jean-Pierre Leáud, Jean Marais and Yul Brynner—who usher in cycles of death and resurrection. The film serves as a metafilmic reflection with Cocteau inserting himself into the story, blurring the lines between creator and creation and influencing later movements of “total art” and cross-disciplinary experimentations. Testament of Orpheus (Le Testament de Orphée) brings full circle the journey Cocteau began in The Blood of a Poet, an exploration of the torturous relationship between the artist and his creations.
Cassens will also launch the release of SACRED MONSTER Volume 1, a new zine gathering several of her essays on Jean Cocteau, Vanderpump Rules and its Surrealist roots, Kanye West, the erotic prose poem which shocked 1920s Paris, and more.
Join us for this unforgettable evening of surrealist celebration, in support of The Philosophical Research Society!
Testament of Orpheus (Le Testament de Orphée)
Dir. Jean Cocteau, France, 1960, 80 mins, B&W, French w/ English Subtitles, Digital.ABOUT CHLOË CASSENS
Chloë Cassens is the representative of the Severin Wunderman Collection, the largest in the world of works by iconoclastic French artist Jean Cocteau. It makes up the entirety of the contents of the Musée Jean Cocteau-collection Severin Wunderman in Menton, France. She is a longtime scholar of Cocteau with a unique perspective, as she is Wunderman’s granddaughter. Based in Los Angeles, she was raised between LA, Switzerland and France before receiving her BA in Comparative Literature from Barnard College. She is the author of SACRED MONSTER, a biweekly essay project dedicated to celebrating Cocteau and the Collection. As the Collection’s representative, she works to educate others about Wunderman’s legacy and popularize Cocteau’s work around the globe.Chloë Cassens on Instagram
Chloë Cassens websiteABOUT SEVERIN WUNDERMAN
Severin Wunderman (1938-2008) was the Chairman of Corum Timepieces. A survivor of the Holocaust, his extraordinary trajectory saw him go from a child hidden from Nazis to striking gold as the Founder of Gucci Timepieces. Born in Belgium, he later became an American citizen who lived in La-colle-sur-loup, France; Laguna Beach, CA; and London, England. He dedicated his life to philanthropy, and anonymously gave his fortune away to those who needed it most. Married seven times, the love of his life was his art collection. He amassed the world’s largest collection of works by Jean Cocteau, starting from when he was nineteen years old until his death. On December 31, 2004, he was named Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by President Jacques Chirac. A titan of the watch industry, he was known as “The Time Lord”. The Musée Jean Cocteau-collection Severin Wunderman opened in 2011, and contains over 1200 pieces donated by Wunderman to Menton, France. He is survived by four children and six grandchildren.ABOUT dama
Amanda Maciel Antunes (aka dama) is a Brazilian artist based in Los Angeles. Her auto-didactic and transdisciplinary practice merges language and durational performance to create site-specific works. She works in collaboration with public libraries, nature and communal spaces, reflecting on the selective nature of memory, inherent language and anthropological references written by women as points of departure.Sites of practice have included a former WWII military shelter in East LA, Sæborg historical theatre in a northern fjord, Iceland, The Crowley Theatre in Marfa, TX; a Dessana Tribe territory in Rio Negro, Brazil; the Los Angeles National Forest; and the High Desert of California. She has exhibited her work in the USA, Brazil and Iceland. Recent select exhibitions and solo performances at Galeria Vermelho, Galeria Chão, Wignall Museum, Track16 Gallery, Irrational Exhibits, 18th Street Arts Center, Oregon Contemporary, Brand Art Library, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Philosophical Research Society. Her first book titled Second Birth was published in the Spring of 2023 by HEXENTEXTE. dama is a librarian at the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles where she also curates and hosts a monthly Surrealist Study Group focusing on women authors and artists in conversation.
Sacred Monster website - MOVIE: COPPOLA'S "THE CONVERSATION"Art Theatre of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
In between The Godfather I & II, and Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola made this very unusual, under appreciated thriller.
Venue: The Art Theater Long Beach, 2025 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
Note: the theater does NOT have a parking lot. There are some pay lots nearby and there is street parking, but it can be a bit tough. Give yourself time and read the signs.
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 7:20 pm
Tickets: $15.00
https://arttheatre.easy-ware-ticketing.com/generaladmission/3GluIKcMFJ_vvywf9Rj0WQDinner before the movie at 5:45 PM
Lola's Mexican Cuisine- 4th Street (across the street)
2030 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814The Conversation (1974) 50th Anniversary 4K Restoration
Cast: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Allen Garfield
Release Date: 04/12/1974
Rating: PG
Run Time: 113 minsTrailer: https://youtu.be/iFgiWboUFnw?si=nhIYIIN1hRQkLhwf
Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 94% positive rating
A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that the couple he is spying on will be murdered. In July, we`re celebrating PALME D`OR ICONS with a wide-spanning retrospective screening series featuring stunning 4K restorations of these classic culture-changing films.
Surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is hired by a mysterious client's brusque aide (Harrison Ford) to tail a young couple, Mark (Frederic Forrest) and Ann (Cindy Williams) - yes, THAT Cindy Williams! Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated! Tracking the pair through San Francisco's Union Square, Caul and his associate Stan (John Cazale) manage to record a cryptic conversation between them. Tormented by memories of a previous case that ended badly, Caul becomes obsessed with the resulting tape, trying to determine if the couple are in danger. One historical note - this film was made and released during the height of the Watergate scandal of the Nixon Administration. Actor John Cazale had a run of 5 terrific movies from "The Godfather" through "The Deer Hunter" before succumbing to cancer at age 42.
Roger Ebert's contemporary review gave The Conversation four out of four stars and described Hackman's portrayal of Caul as "one of the most affecting and tragic characters in the movies". In 2001, Ebert added The Conversation to his "Great Movies" list, describing Hackman's performance as a "career peak" and writing that the film "comes from another time and place than today's thrillers, which are so often simple-minded"
- JULIE'S BOOK SIGNING: RADIANT BEER NIGHT MARKETRadiant Beer Co, Anaheim , CA
Cross-Posted with So Cal Explorers
We’re excited to announce that fellow Weirdo Julie’s new memoir with recipes, Gluten for Punishment: Just Desserts for the Heartbroken, Lovesick, and Jilted, has officially arrived! Now’s your chance to snag a signed copy from our friend and fellow Explorer, Julie — and get the inside scoop.
Radiant Beer Second Friday is a music-filled Night Market featuring live vinyl spins, a limited-edition food & beer pairing, and a marketplace of local small businesses. Come peruse crafts, art, and baked goods while noshing on great food and some of the finest craft beer around.
Bites: The Radiant Kitchen offers pizza, sliders, sandwiches, and salads. The popular food truck Banger Lumpia will be offering their Cali-Filipino fusion food (Lumpia & Tacos) too.
Beer: Radiant offers a large selection of beer, including special summertime frozen beer slushies and soft-serve beer. They also brew a personal favorite: Cherry Hard Cola with Montmorency Tart Cherry and Vanilla.
Beats: DJ & Soul spinning vinyl all night
Buy: Local small businesses will be offering an assortment of arts, crafts, and baked goods for you to peruse. Stop by Julie’s table to grab a signed copy and say hi!
It’s FREE to attend – or you can snag the monthly E.P. (Edible Package) for $25 which includes 3 food items + 1 Pina Colada Cold Brew + Always on My Mind Hazy IPA + limited-edition artwork. This month’s E.P. Menu features pulled pork sliders, buffalo chicken lumpia w/ bleu cheese dip, and dessert from Nom Nom Cupcakes
(otherwise, food and beverages can be purchased separately).
Parking: Radiant’s lot is small, but there’s plenty of parking along the nearby corporate buildings on S. Loara Street.More Info:
Radiant Beer Company: https://www.radiantbeer.com
Edible Package Purchase: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-second-friday-night-market-and-food-beer-pairing-tickets-1411391553129?aff=oddtdtcreator
Banger Lumpia: https://www.bangerlumpia.com/
Julie’s Book, Blog, and Newsletter: https://twobittart.com/gluten-for-punishment/ - WILLIAM ROPER WILDFIRE RECOVERY BENEFIT CONCERT2220 Arts + Archives, Los Angeles, CA
Event by The Unwrinkled Ear Concert Series
Date: Saturday, July 12, 8:00 pm
Venue: 2220 Arts + Archives
2220 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, United States, CaliforniaPossible dinner before, TBD
Tickets: $20
https://dice.fm/event/k6eb8q-william-roper-wildfire-recovery-benefit-12th-jul-2220-arts-archives-los-angeles-ticketsAbout
A benefit for multi-instrumentalist, improvisor and composer William Roper, who lost everything in the Eaton Fire. Celebrating William with a wide-ranging lineup of local performers in unique formations and working ensembles. Performers include **Bromp Treb, Jeff Parker, Bobby Bradford, Sam Rowell, Martín Escalante, Jeff Schwartz, Anna Homler, David Javelosa, Michael Dessen, Vinny Golia, Ex Disciples, Belly Belt, Corey Fogel, Michael Bailey, Nora Berman, Dan Clucas, Phillip Haut AND William Roper himself.All ticket proceeds will be donated to helping William recover from the Wildfires that destroyed his Altadena home along with nearly all of his possessions including almost all of his musical instruments.
William Roper website: https://roperarts.com/
William Roper is a multi-disciplinary artist residing in Los Angeles. His experience ranges from the symphony stage to free improvisation groups. He has toured Europe, North and South America, and Japan as a soloist and with ensembles. His musicianship is represented on over 60 recordings, including twelve as leader and co-leader. He has played or recorded with numerous artists and ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Elton John, Leon Russell, Yusef Lateef, Michiyo Yagi, James Newton, Bobby Bradford, Francis Wong, Horace Tapscott, Anthony Braxton, Douglas Ewart, Daisuke Fuwa, Michael Vlatkovich, Vinny Golia, Wadada Leo Smith, Tim McGraw, Glenn Horiuchi and many others. In addition, he has played on several major motion picture soundtracks.
Presented by Black Editions and The Unwrinkled Ear concert series.
This is an 21+ event
Presented by Black Editions & The Unwrinkled EarYou can get a refund until 24 hours before the event starts, if:
- It’s within 24 hours of buying tickets
- This event is rescheduled or cancelled
