The group revealed during a free “Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts” global livestream event on Sunday, May 21 that Freese will be taking over the drum kit in place of the late Taylor Hawkins, who died suddenly while the band was on tour last year.

Last month, the band dropped an emotional new song, “Rescued,” and earlier this week, put out the punk rock-tinged “Under You.” The band has mentioned on social media that its entire new record, “But Here We Are,” which is due out on June 2, is dedicated to both Hawkins and vocalist-guitarist Dave Grohl’s late mother, educator and author, Virginia Grohl.

In true Foo Fighters fashion, revealing the new drummer was a playful announcement. The livestream began with Grohl standing around in the studio with fellow members keys player Rami Jaffee, bassist Nate Mendel and guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear talking typical band stuff. There’s a knock at the door and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith pokes his head in to say a quick “Hello.” Another knock at the door and it’s Tommy Lee from Mötley Crüe dropping off some P.F. Chang’s, followed by another visit from Tool anchor Danny Carey.

Suddenly the camera pans to Freese, sitting behind the kit, asking the rest of the band if they’re ready to play. The guys then launched into “All My Life.”

The Foos are hitting the road in support of that album next week and kicking off things with a show in New Hampshire on May 24. The group is also headlining several prominent U.S. and European festivals including Boston Calling on May 26; Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco on Aug. 12; Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 15; and they’re headed back to Southern California to headline the final evening of the three-day Ohana Festival at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point on Oct. 1.

Foo Fighters fans may have seen Freese sit in with the band during the pair of tribute shows for Hawkins both at Wembley Stadium in London and Kia Forum in Inglewood last year. Freese played the Foo Fighters’ song “All My Life” with the band and also joined Wolfgang Van Halen, The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins and Grohl for a pair of Van Halen covers, “Panama” and “Hot for Teacher,” during the Southern California show.

Hey, it’s that guy!

It’s almost easier to list the bands Freese hasn’t played with.

He’s probably best known for anchoring the Orange County punk rock band the Vandals. He’s also long been the drummer in new wave band Devo and he’s toured extensively with A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails, The Replacements, Weezer, Guns N’ Roses, Sublime with Rome and Sting.

Aside from touring, he’s a beast in the studio and one of the most in-demand session drummers of his generation. He’s played on hundreds of albums including releases by Social Distortion, The Offspring, Michael Bublé, Glen Campbell and Rob Zombie. He’s released a few solo albums too, including his COVID-19 lockdown project, “Just A Minute, Vol. 1,” in 2021.

But who is Josh Freese?

Freese comes from a musical family. He grew up in Placentia and his mother, Trisha, is a classical pianist and his dad, Stan Freese, plays the tuba and was the musical director for bands at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort for more than four decades. His brother, Jason Freese, is also a studio musician, multi-instrumentalist and touring member of the rock band Green Day.

He started playing drums at the age of 12 and kicked off his career playing several shows a day at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland Terrace in the ’80s. By the time he was 15, he was in the studio making music with Dweezil Zappa and he joined the Vandals a year later.

The now 50-year-old musician is also a family man, who lives in Long Beach with his wife, kids and their four standard poodles. He was most recently touring with The Offspring and played Danny Elfman’s career-encapsulating show, “Danny Elfman: From Boingo to Batman to Big Mess and Beyond!,” during both weekends of the 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and when the extended version of the performance took over the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles that October.

Severe weather was heading toward the festival grounds in Pasadena, an announcer’s voice told the crowd. Everyone needed to evacuate immediately.

As this sank in, the mood at the Brookside at the Rose Bowl golf course shifted from confusion to shock and anger to tears.

On Sunday, festival promoter Goldenvoice announced that Siouxsie, Iggy Pop and Gary Numan, who also played Saturday, would return to the festival grounds Sunday, May 21 to perform for previously ticketed fans. Siouxsie will play an extended set, not just the hour she was originally given, in what will be her only North American performance of the year. Parking will be free.

So what happened Saturday night? Lightning had been seen in the distance as Iggy sang “Raw Power” a few songs earlier. That had prompted the Pasadena Fire Department, after storm warnings from the National Weather Service, to pull the plug on Pop and the Human League, who were playing on a separate stage at the same time.

Worst of all, headliner Siouxsie, the final performer that a majority of the crowd was there to see, would not be allowed to sing a note on Saturday in what was supposed to be her first United States show in 15 years.

“She’s not going to leave her fans,” said Steffine Aguirre of Alta Loma, one of the hundreds of Siouxsie fans in disbelief as crews dismantled Iggy’s equipment half an hour later. “We’re not going to leave until they take us off the property.”

A good day

Until the weather dealt a cruel blow to Cruel World, the day had been a gorgeous celebration for young punks, old New Wavers, and goths of indetermination age, there to enjoy the best of the alternative rock that arrived in the late ’70s and ’80s.

Iggy Pop, who played three Los Angeles shows in April, was in top form through the five-and-a-half songs that fans got before the night ended. He’d been singing “The Passenger,” his 1977 song that Siouxsie and the Banshees had a cover hit with a decade later when the show abruptly ended at 9:12 p.m. Saturday.

At the same time, the synth-rock band the Human League was midway into its set on the other end of the festival ground. They’d sounded good on the first few songs, including “Mirror Man,” before we headed for Iggy, and had been playing “The Lebanon” when their night also finished.

“Well, that was a strange evening,” the band wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday morning to express their disappointment at not being able to finish their set. “We know a lot of people did not and probably still don’t understand this decision but, having been in this situation once before, we can tell you that a lightning storm at an outdoor festival is no joke.”

A few minutes earlier, Billy Idol had closed down the second stage with a rousing performance that celebrated his long career from his days in the punk band Generation X – the Gen X song “One Hundred Punks” was part of his set – as well as the bigger hits of his solo career in the early ’80s. Idol shared the spotlight with guitarist Steve Stevens, his longtime musical partner, and had a huge crowd singing along to songs such as “Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding.”

Love and Rockets returned three-quarters of Bauhaus to the Cruel World main stage a year after that band, which also includes singer Peter Murphy, played the festival. Love and Rockets, which veers from darker goth tones more to alternative rock, sounded terrific on songs including “Kundalini Express,” “No New Tale to Tell,” and “So Alive.” They looked great too: singer-guitarist Daniel Ash wore a crimson red-sequined suit, bassist-singer David J looked dapper in a suit of magenta, and drummer Kevin Haskins – well, drummers gotta be comfortable, don’t they?

Echo & the Bunnymen were booked to play Cruel World in 2022 until visa issues scotched those plans. Singer Ian McCulloch & Co. sounded terrific on classic Bunnymen tracks including “Bring on the Dancing Horses,” “The Cutter,” and “The Killing Moon.” Unlike Love and Rockets, who presented a visually rich show on the main stage right after them, Echo and the Bunnymen made the confounding decision not to be shown on the video screens, which in a festival setting means the vast majority of fans see only tiny figures on a distant stage. Sigh.

Before that twilight set, Squeeze played a wonderful set at golden hour on the second stage, racing through the beautiful melodies and witty lyrics of songs such as “Hourglass,” “If I Didn’t Love You,” and “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell).” Singer-guitarist Glenn Tilbrook was in tip-top form – his voice truly is ageless – though his singing and songwriting partner Chris Difford was missing from the stage, probably due to the band’s last-minute booking as a replacement for Adam Ant.

The rich English melodicism of Squeeze was similarly found in ABC’s earlier set. Singer Martin Fry wore the second-shiniest suit of the day, a gold tuxedo similar to the suit he wore in a classic music video.

“Am I the only guy in a tuxedo tonight?” Fry joked between songs. “Forty years in show business and they still won’t let me take the tuxedo off.” He continued to talk about the New Romantic scene out of which ABC came, and sounded, well, as romantic as ever on songs that included “All of My Heart,” “The Look of Love,” and “Poison Arrow.”

A much harder-edged sound arrived earlier with the angular, funky post-punk tunes of Gang of Four. The band, which features original singer and drummer Jon King and Hugo Burnham, respectively, and longtime bassist Sara Lee alongside newcomer David Pajo – guitarist Andy Gill died during the pandemic – thrilled their fans with songs such as “Return The Gift,” “I Love a Man in a Uniform,” and “Love Like Anthrax.”

The earliest part of the day featured a mix of bands known mostly for just a handful of songs. Of these, Berlin, which also played Cruel World in 2022, had the most hits to play with songs such as “The Metro” and “Take My Breath Away,” longtime favorites of Southern California audiences.

Others, such as Modern English with “I Melt With You” and the Vapors with “Turning Japanese,” are so identified with those singles that they more or less had to play them at the end of their sets in order to keep the crowd from wandering off and missing their other often quite good songs.

Cruel World Festival came to an abrupt end on Saturday night when a severe weather alert and threat of lightning ended Iggy Pop’s performance with an announcement that fans should immediately evacuate the festival grounds.

Thousands of fans shouted their dismay at the announcement, primarily due to the cancellation of headliner Siouxsie of Siouxsie and the Banshees fame, in what would have been her first U.S. performance in 15 years.

There were fans in tears at the news.

Steffine Aguirre of Alta Loma stood on the field shouting for a refund along with other fans.

“I’ve seen Siouxsie many times, and she comes out when Morrissey doesn’t even show up,” said Aguirre, who like many of the fans that refused to leave the field, was dressed in a black Siouxsie T-shirt.

Aguirre said she did not believe Siouxsie would leave her fans in the lurch. At a minimum, she said she thought the singer would say something to them even if she did not perform.

“We’re not going to leave until they take us off the property,” she said. “They should refund everybody’s money.”

The shutdown came this way: Iggy Pop went on stage at 8:45 p.m. while the Human League started five minutes later on a smaller stage across the Brookside at the Rose Bowl golf course.

But as Pop sang “Raw Power,” flashes of lightning were seen in the distance behind the main stage in the east. The singer continued his set for several more songs until 9:12 p.m. when during a jazzy version of “The Passenger” the volume from the singer’s microphone was cut and an announcement on the PA told fans they should immediately evacuate.

Pop attempted to continue until someone approached from the wings, whispered in his ear, and walked off with him.

“OK, we have lightning, we need to evacuate the stage I’m told,” Pop said.

The field lights came up, and the stage video screens filled with red-and-white warnings to seek shelter.

Fans slowly started to leave, though 20 minutes later large crowds still filled large parts of the field.

“I need a miracle.” It’s been Deadhead code for decades, long before Dead & Company brought three surviving members of the legendary San Francisco group together with singer-guitarist John Mayer in 2015 to keep the music of the Dead alive. In the parlance of the parking lot, it’s a prayer, a plea from the ticketless to the ticketed for a way into the show.

Now the miracles are running out. For Dead & Company, despite success enough to fill arenas and stadiums, this is the final tour. What began at the Forum on Friday and Saturday will end at Oracle Park in San Francisco on July 14-15.

What do you do when the end is nigh? For the Dead, you celebrate life, and that’s exactly what happened as the band played 18 songs in two sets over four glorious hours of music like only Dead & Company, and the Grateful Dead before them, can make.

Taking off: Set 1

“Shakedown Street,” the title track of the Dead’s 1978 album, kicked off the show, its laidback dance-beat rhythms getting the sold-out crowd onto their feet, dancing, hands aloft, chiming in on every “Woo!” in the song.

Guitarist Bobby Weir, 75, took lead vocals on this one. He and drummer Mickey Hart, 79, got huge cheers as their faces appeared on the video screens. With drummer Bill Kreutzmann, 77, choosing to sit out this tour, Weir and Hart are the last of the original Dead.

John Mayer, 45, a star in his own right before his love for the Dead led him to co-create Dead & Company, stood to Weir’s right, singing backing vocals on “Shakedown Street” before taking the first of many long, lyrical guitar solos that wove in and out of the jams laid down by the rest of the band – bassist Oteil Burbridge, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, and drummer Jay Lane.

“Cold Rain and Snow,” a song from the Grateful Dead’s 1967 debut followed, done here with more of a funk feel than the country vibe of the original recording. This time Mayer sang lead, filling the vocal and instrumental role once played by the late Jerry Garcia.

Other highlights of the opening set included the rollicking “Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo” and the slow blues of “They Have Each Other.” The fan favorite “St. Stephen,” at 20 minutes, the longest single song of the night, was gorgeous from start to finish, but especially an extended section where Weir and Mayer traded guitar licks back and forth.

Ninety minutes after it started, “Deal,” one of three songs pulled from Jerry Garcia’s 1972 solo debut “Garcia,” wrapped up the first set with a hard-rocking blues that showcased both Mayer’s similarities to Garcia as a musician – the lyrical beauty of his playing most of all – and his differences: He’s often got a heavy, harder edge to his sound.

Earlier in the parking lot

There’s no opening act for Dead & Company. You don’t really need one given the show that takes place hours before the concert in Participation Row, a vendor village that travels with the Dead from venue to venue selling, well, anything a Deadhead might want or need.

Tie-dyed T-shirts and other wearable merch filled many of the 100 or so booths on the Manchester Avenue border of the Kia Forum. You want something with a skull or a skeleton on it? They got you covered. Dancing bears, a nod to the Dead’s legendary soundman Owsley “Bear” Stanley, were another popular motif on everything from infant onesies to bucket hats made of hemp.

You may not be surprised to learn that other things are also on offer throughout the parking lot. From pot – duh, it’s legal here now – to mushroom-infused chocolate to giant balloons filled with nitrous oxide – laughing gas like your dentist used to give you, you could find it.

If you thought that hippies in the style of the Summer of Love were a thing of the past, a stroll down Participation Row would quickly change that idea.

Peaking: Set 2

“Sugaree,” another crowd favorite, opened the second set of the night, a gentler, rolling blues that demonstrated Chementi’s jaunty piano and Mayer’s ability to unleash long single-note licks that show off his technical chops without ever losing the emotional content of the song.

“New Speedway Boogie” gave fans a cut from the popular 1970 release “Workingman’s Dead,” with Weir’s gruff vocals meshing wonderfully with the chunk-a-chunk rhythms of the song. “Eyes of the World” clocked in at 18 minutes, enough time for everyone in the band to take a solo – Burbridge’s bass solo was particularly lovely – and enough time, too, to close your eyes and let the spotlights flash in random patterns on your eyelids as you felt the groove wash over you.

Dead & Company mix up the setlist from night to night more than most bands – most of Friday’s songs won’t be repeated on Saturday – but you are always going to get “Drums” and “Space,” two instrumental songs that for years have given the spotlight to Hart and Kreutzmann (or Lane on this tour) and also given a good number of fans to head for the bathroom or the bar.

Weir and Mayer eventually came back on stage to add guitars to the almost ambient music of “Space,” and then segue into “The Wheel” and “Wharf Rat,” the latter a highlight for Weir’s vocals in particular.

“Sugar Magnolia,” after “Shakedown Street” the song even the most casual fan would know in the show, closed out the main set with a sweet, upbeat glide through its lyrics and music. The only track in the set from 1970’s “American Beauty” album, it wrapped things up beautifully, with Weir’s shift into the “Sunshine Daydream” coda a perfect finish to the song.

“Thank you, you’re too kind,” Weir said on returning to the stage for the encore, and that was pretty much the extent of the stage banter on Friday. Why bother when you’ve got the music to speak for you, I suppose? “Black Muddy River,” a gorgeous Americana blues, delivered the encore, and then it was back to the parking lot, one less show on the road to the finish.

“Demand to attend this historic concert event was unprecedented. Willie wanted to make sure his 90th birthday party included and was accessible to all of his fans. This concert film release will allow everyone to join in and celebrate with Willie and an amazing lineup of superstar artists,” Nelson’s manager Mark Rothbaum and Keith Wortman, CEO of Blackbird Presents said in a press release.

The film will be a condensed two-hour version of the actual event, meaning several of the acts that performed live won’t be making the cut. However, a press release for the movie said that it would feature the birthday boy, along with Keith Richards, Snoop Dogg, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Dave Matthews, Neil Young, The Lumineers, Gary Clark Jr., Sheryl Crow, Jack Johnson and Billy Strings along with others.

Nelson was of course joined by several others including Bobby Weir, Rosanne Cash, Shooter Jennings, Lukas Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Dwight Yoakam, The Avett Brothers, Tom Jones, Tyler Childers, Ziggy Marley, Charley Crockett and more.

There were also numerous special guest presenters including Chelsea Handler, Ethan Hawke, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson.

For a full list of participating theaters and showtimes, go to willienelson90experience.com.

In a lengthy post on Instagram, guitarist and songwriter Marr paid tribute to Rourke, who he first met when both were schoolboys in 1975.

“Throughout our teens we played in various bands around south Manchester before making our reputations with The Smiths from 1982 to 1987, and it was on those Smiths records that Andy reinvented what it is to be a bass guitar player,” Marr said.

During their short time together as a four-piece band, The Smiths deliberately stayed away from the mainstream of popular music, garnering a cult following on the independent music scene.

Though much of the attention focused on the song-writing partnership of Marr and frontman Steven Patrick Morrissey, better known as Morrissey, the sound of The Smiths owed much to Rourke’s bass and his rhythm section partner, drummer Mike Joyce.

As their popularity swelled, the band released some of the most enduring British music of the 1980s, including “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” and “Girlfriend In A Coma.”

The Smiths songs garnered a reputation of being depressing, but were in fact darkly humorous and accompanied by stirring and uplifting guitars. Their albums, including “The Queen is Dead” and “Meat is Murder,” remain a staple of any self-respecting music fan and are at the forefront of the revival of vinyl records.

“I was present at every one of Andy’s bass takes on every Smiths session,” Marr said. “Sometimes I was there as the producer and sometimes just as his proud mate and cheerleader. Watching him play those dazzling baselines was an absolute privilege and genuinely something to behold.”

Marr said he and Rourke maintained their friendship in the years after the band split up, recalling that Rourke played in his band at Madison Square Garden as recently as September 2022.

“It was a special moment that we shared with my family and his wife and soul mate Francesca,” Marr said. “Andy will always be remembered, as a kind and beautiful soul by everyone who knew him, and as a supremely gifted musician by people who love music. Well done Andy. We’ll miss you brother.”

After The Smiths, Rourke played alongside The Pretenders and Sinead O’Connor, as well as with the supergroup Freebass, which included Gary Mounfield from the Stone Roses and Peter Hook from New Order.

Through the lineup for the California installment of the tour hasn’t been announced, other stops include performances by Jimmy Eat World, Bayside, Yellowcard, Alkaline Trio, The Story So Far and others.

Hawthorne Heights, who will perform during each date, has so far announced nine Is For Lovers dates, including Denver, Colorado on July 22; Pelham, Tennessee on Sept. 10; and Mansfield Massachusetts on Sept. 17.

Tickets for the Oak Canyon Park show are now on sale, with general admission tickets starting at $79. For tickets and more information, go to isforlovers.com/california.

The event is produced by Orange County-based promoters Brew Ha Ha Productions, who also oversee several of the local beer festivals including Brew Ha Ha, Brew Ho Ho and the Brew Hee Haw, as well as the annual Punk in the Park Festival at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado.

Happy Thursday!

It’s finally here! The annual Cruel World Festival will be back at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, May 20 with Siouxsie, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, The Human League, Adam Ant and many more.

Last year’s event was a scorcher that had all the fans dressed in black, very drenched in sweat. This year, it looks like it’s going to be a comfortable 78-80 degrees on the sprawling grassy grounds. Festival promoters Goldenvoice put a limited number of Cruel World passes on sale when they announced the set times for the show earlier this week. Find out who is playing when and how to score those passes here.

Foo Fighters announce a free livestream concert 

San Fernando Valley-based rock band Foo Fighters will host a special global livestream event dubbed “Foo Fighters: Preparing Music For Concerts,” which launches at noon on Sunday, May 21.

The virtual performance will include the band blasting through its hits and new songs, as well as a few surprises and the reveal of who will be occupying the drumkit in place of Taylor Hawkins, who died suddenly while on tour last year. Find out how to watch the livestream here.

Bust Out The Slow Jams

The I Love RnB Festival is set to take over the grounds just outside of the historic Queen Mary in Long Beach on Saturday, May 27. It’s currently sold out, however festival producers are encouraging fans to sign up for updates on the official website in case additional passes become available.

The single-day event will include sets by Ashanti, Ja Rule, Chingy, Keyshia Cole and more. Here are five jams from the performing artists that we hope to hear live at the event.

Lightning in a Bottle Turns 20

Independent music and arts festival Lightning in a Bottle turns 20 this year. Produced by the Los Angeles-based event company The Do Lab — founded by the Flemming brothers Dede, Josh and Jesse — their once little “mountain rave” has become a major, multi-day affair with some big-name talent.

Though the festival itself has been a bit nomadic as it’s popped up in a variety of locations throughout Southern and Central California over the years, the 20th anniversary is taking place at Buena Vista Lake in Kern County over Memorial Day Weekend. Find out more about the festival and how to get passes here.

Same Same But Different Lineup

The four-day Same Same But Different Festival at Lake Perris announced the lineup for its annual event happening Sept. 28-Oct. 1. Polo & Pan, Griz, Louis The Child, Big Wild and more are scheduled to perform. Get the full lineup and find out how to get passes here.

A Look Back At Just Like Heaven

The Just Like Heaven Festival in Pasadena last weekend was, well, heaven. It was a beautiful day of music courtesy of acts like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, MGMT, Empire of the Sun and more. Read a full recap of the single-day event and see photos of fans and the artists here.

More Music News

2nd & PCH hosts free concerts this summer in Long Beach

Temecula Winery Concerts: See which jazz, country and rock stars are performing

Getty Museum announces its free Off The 405 summer concert series

Matchbox Twenty promises hits and new songs during Southern California stops

The Immersive BTS Exhibition: Proof extends its stay in Santa Monica

BTS K-pop star Suga brings his solo show to the Kia Forum

Until next week, thanks for reading and keep rockin’!

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The virtual performance from the band’s Los Angeles-based Studio 606 will include the group blasting through its hits and debuting new music from its forthcoming “But Here We Are” album, which is due out on June 2. It will also feature behind-the-scenes footage and a few surprises, plus the reveal who will be occupying the drumkit in place of Taylor Hawkins, who died suddenly while on tour last year.

Fans can tune into the free livestream at foofighters.veeps.com.

So far, Foo Fighters have released two new songs from its upcoming album, a collection of songs written and recorded after Hawkins’ death and the pair of massive, rock-filled celebrations of life at Wembley Stadium in London and Kia Forum in Inglewood that followed. The band put out the emotional track, “Rescued,” in April and just dropped the punk rock-tinged “Under You,” this week.

Though the band has not formally announced a new drummer, there’s a lot of speculation. Several worthy musicians stepped in to play the Taylor Hawkins’ memorial shows including Vandals, Sting and Danny Elfman drummer Josh Freese, Pearl Jam’s Matt Cameron and The Darkness’ Rufus Taylor.

The band is scheduled to hit the road later this month with its first stop in New Hampshire on May 24, followed by a slew of headlining festival dates including Boston Calling in Boston on May 26; Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio on May 28; Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. on June 18; Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco on Aug. 12; Riot Fest in Chicago on Sept. 15; and the band returns home to headline the final evening of the three-day Ohana Festival in Dana Point on Oct. 1.

Here is a sampling of things to do in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier, May 19-26.

Raging Waters celebrates its 40th season on May 20, with the debut of “Bombs Away,” its newest 300-foot plunge ride. Riders can choose from two drop tubes to either fly straight down at 26 feet per second or loop around to splashdown. The largest water park in California will also offer its Father’s Day Flop on June 18 and an all-new Pirates Day Treasure Hunt in September. Season passes start at $99. For more information, ragingwaters.com/buy-tickets/tickets

Forest Lawn Museum – Glendale: New: “Grand Views: The Immersive World of Panoramas,” through Sept. 10. The exhibit is in partnership with the Velaslavasay Panorama in Los Angeles (www.panoramaonview.org). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Free admission. Location, 1712 S. Glendale Ave. forestlawn.com/events/grand-views/

An Evening with David Sedaris: Purchase presale tickets for the author’s talk, to be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The general sale begins at 10 a.m. May 19. The one-night-only event follows the release of Sedaris’ newest book “Happy Go Lucky.” For more information, go to visitpasadena.com and click on “Pasadena Events.”

Los Angeles County Fair: The fair’s theme this year is “Spring into Fair,” through May 29. Admission is available online now for discount. Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday-Sunday and Memorial Day (May 29). Admission online $15/$18/$21 (depending on date); ages 60 and older and ages 6-12 admission online $10/$12 (depending on date). Admission at the gate $30; $15 ages 60 and older and ages 6-12. Parking in advance online $17; $22 at the gate. Also, Fairplex is a cashless venue. Some concessionaires and vendors may accept cash, but credit or debit card is preferred. Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. www.lacountyfair.com

Covina Woman’s Club’s Bunco Afternoon: Join the fun at 2 p.m. May 19. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Admission $20. Tickets will be sold at the door but come early to ensure a seat. Finger foods and drinks will be served after the games. Clubhouse, 128 S. San Jose Ave. (off of Badillo Street), Covina. covinawomansclub.org

Car show: Ruby’s Cruise car show starring American Streetrodders happens at 5 p.m. Fridays, through October. 10109 Whittwood Drive, Whittier. Come for food, family fun, trophies and prizes. Location, 10109 Whittwood Drive, Whittier. For more information,  SoCalCarCulture.com. Flyer: bit.ly/44MQ9D8

Vroman’s Bookstore: Holly Goldberg Sloan discusses her novel “Pieces of Blue,” 7 p.m. May 19. Local Author Day: Clarence Irwin (“The Fourth Canton: Adventures of the Rhett Family and Co.”), Anthony J. Mohr (“Every Other Weekend – Coming of Age with Two Different Dads”) and Melina Maria Morry (“The Manhattan Mishap”) discuss their books, 4 p.m. May 21. Héctor Tobar discusses “Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of ‘Latino,’” 7 p.m. May 22. Louise Penny signs “A World of Curiosities,” 4 p.m. May 23. Joe Ide discusses “Fixit – An IQ Novel,” 7 p.m. May 24. T.J. Newman discusses “Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421,” 7 p.m. May 31. Location, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 626-449-5320. vromans.com

The Dance and the Railroad: The play by David Henry Hwang, set in 1867, follows two Chinese artists and their fellow railroad workers as they hold a strike to protest inhuman conditions suffered by Chinese laborers in the American West, opening night, 8 p.m. May 19. Show runs 8 p.m.  May 20; 2 p.m. May 21 and 7 p.m. May 22. Tickets are pay-what-you-choose with options, $30 or $50. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. 626-356-3100. anoisewithin.org/noise-now. www.anoisewithin.org/play/dance-and-the-railroad

Wheel fun time: The Los Angeles Invitational features three gravel ride options kicking off at 7:30 a.m. May 20 and followed by the sixth annual bike/car show and swap meet, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 21. The Cub House, 2510 Mission St., San Marino. 626-755-3003. losangelesinvitational.com

Farmers market at Mount San Antonio College Farm fresh everything is available, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. May 20 at Parking Lot B, 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut. Aside from fruits and vegetables, find all kinds of nuts, breads, desserts, snacks, juices and ready-to-eat dishes such as dumplings. Vendors also sell handmade items and plants. 909-869-0701. Email: info@regionalchambersgv.com. Regional Chamber of Commerce – San Gabriel Valley: bit.ly/3WK4ZFj. www.facebook.com/MTSacFarmersMarket

West Covina Farmers Market: Shop for in-season fruits and vegetables, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 20 (and also on most Saturdays). The market also offers prepared foods and artisan crafts. EBT is accepted. Location, 195 Glendora Ave., West Covina. For more information, email: Fmlcevendor@gmail.com. Check here for updates: www.facebook.com/westcovinafarmersmarket

Handcraft heaven: Artazan, a springtime market inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 20 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 21. Check out more than 200 exhibits, artist demos, food and live music. The exhibits celebrate handmade artisanship. Admission $8 online; $10 at the door; admission is good for both days. Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St. Artazan.com

Repair Café: A free, all-purpose repair party, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 20. Learn how fix household appliances. Bring your torn jeans, dull knife or faulty lamp. Arrive early to ensure your item is looked at. Bring your own replacement parts (no replacement parts for items will be available. This event will be indoors. There will also be plant-sharing and a free market. Park across the library at 120 Artsakh Ave. The library validates for three hours parking. Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St., Glendale. For questions, 818-548-2021 or email at LibraryInfo@GlendaleCA.gov. Details, and to see what can’t be repaired: bit.ly/44NRSIs

Renaissance Pleasure Faire: Immerse yourself in the time of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign and have some fun with cosplay of the time period, speaking the lingo, shopping in the marketplace, listening to music and laughing at performances, May 20-21. Fun dress code: period “faire” costume (optional). Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Admission $42; $21 ages 5-12; $225 season pass. There is a mandatory entry fee $12 to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation area. Parking is free, first-come, first served; VIP parking $25 (must be purchased in advance online). Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, 15501 E. Arrow Highway, Irwindale. 626-969-4750. renfair.com/socal

Glendora Genealogical Society: Penny Walters, speaking on Zoom from England, gives a talk at the society’s next meeting, noon May 20. Walters discusses ethical dilemmas in genealogy and considering ethical issues with empathy and diplomacy. For more information and to get the Zoom link, email lorman1237@gmail.com or call 909-592-4030.

Crown City Symphony: The program includes Pelleas et Melisande Suite by Faure, L’Arlesienne Suite by Bizet and Concertina for Flute by Chaminade, with flute soloist Debbie MacMurray, 2 p.m. May 20. Free admission. First Baptist Church, 75 N. Marengo Ave., Pasadena. 626-797-1994.

Third@First Concert Series: Women composers are in the spotlight for “Joy of Chamber Music,” 4 p.m. May 20. The program includes Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio in G Minor and Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet in F-sharp Minor. Free admission. First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. thirdatfirst.org

Storied science: TechLit, Caltech’s creative writing club, invites the public to an author reading and Q&A at 7 p.m. May 20. Delve into “Inner Space and Outer Thoughts: Speculative Fiction from Caltech and JPL Authors,” the group’s first science fiction anthology. Award-winning alumni and sci-fi legends S. B. Divya, Larry Niven and David Brin will read and Caltech and JPL research scientists will talk about the science behind their stories. Free admission, but make a reservation on the Eventbrite link. Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. bit.ly/Caltech-reading-tickets

Life in the Past Lane: “Museums of the Arroyo Day” returns, noon to 5 p.m. May 21. MOTA is the one day that five museums in Los Angeles and Pasadena open their doors to show off great architecture, historical discoveries, family fun and entertainment. Free shuttles will connect the museums: Gamble House; Heritage Square; Los Angeles Police Museum; Lummis Home and Garden;  Pasadena Museum of History. The best plan would be to pick no more than three museums to visit. For more information, visit MuseumsOfTheArroyo.com

Civil War talk: The Pasadena Civil War Round Table presents a talk by author Mark Cannon at its next meeting,7:15 p.m. May 23. Cannon discusses his book “Lincoln’s Scout: The Diary of Horatio Cooke, Soldier, Spy, Escape Artist.” Free admission/donations appreciated. Enter the parking lot at the driveway at 165 N. Madison Ave. (second driveway south of Walnut Street). Use rear door entrance to the Blinn House, 160 N. Oakland Ave., Pasadena. For more information, PasadenaCWRT.org

Music on Main: The city of El Monte brings music to its farmers market, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 25 with 4 The People. Main Street between Santa Anita and Tyler avenues, El Monte.  For more information, 626-580-2200. ci.el-monte.ca.us

Water safety fundraiser: The award-winning Rose Bowl Aquatics Center hosts “Water Safety for All,” a fundraiser featuring a paella-themed cocktail reception and documentary screening of “Drowning in Silence” on May 25. Tickets $100; $75 ages 55 and older. Reservations required. Garland Auditorium on the grounds of Polytechnic School, 1070 Cornell Road, Pasadena. Tickets: rosebowlaquatics.org/water-safety-for-all. See May 4 posting on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRBAC/

Save the theater dates: Whittier Community Theatre is back at the newly refurbished Whittier Center Theatre. Celebrate 100 years with a new season, including “The Importance of Being Earnest (A Wilde New Musical)” opening in September. “The Ghost Train” follows in November, Neil Simon’s “California Suite” in February and “Moon Over Buffalo” in May. For more information about the plays and tickets, 562-696-0600. www.whittiercommunitytheatre.org

Ongoing

Pasadena Showcase House of Design: The 58th showcase highlights the talents of 32 interior and exterior designers who have transformed the Stewart House, a 1933 Pasadena colonial estate designed by Marston & Maybury. The estate is open for tours through May 21. Explore more than 30 design spaces and check out 20 boutique shops vendors, two restaurants, a wine bar and more than two-acres of gardens. Tour hours: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Tour tickets are by a timed entry: $40 (1:30-4 p.m.); $50 (9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.); $35 (“Happy Hour,” 4 p.m. to closing). Parking and shuttles depart from Santa Anita Race Track, Gate 6 Lot on Colorado Place. Proceeds from the tours of the house go to fund three music programs. For more information, pasadenashowcase.org

Pasadena Tournament of Roses House: The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association offers free guided tours, 2 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31. The Tournament House tours reveals little-known facts and trivia and also includes the Wrigley Gardens. Explore the house that has served as headquarters for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. Reservations are required for the hour-long tours. For groups of 10 or more, call 626-449-4100 or email membership@tournamentofroses.com. Book a tour here: tournamentofroses.com/house-tours

Book a castle visit: Rubel Castle is an elaborate folk-art medieval castle in the foothills of Glendora, with five-story tall towers solidly built out of junk and river rocks by the late Michael Rubel and his friends. The castle offers eight scheduled tours each month. Tours are two hours long. Admission is $20 for adults; $10 ages 8-18. The property is not Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible; see website for details. Rubel Castle, 844 N. Live Oak Ave., Glendora. Glendora Historical Society voicemail, 626-963-0419. rubeltours.org

Descanso Gardens: Ongoing special art exhibit: “Shiki: The Four Seasons in Japanese Art,” in the Sturt Haaga Gallery and runs through May 21. Gardens hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The gallery is open, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission $15; $11 ages 65 and older and student with valid ID; $5 ages 5-12. Location, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintidge. 818-949-4200. descansogardens.org

Kidspace Children’s Museum: The 27th annual “Butterfly Season” at the museum is open with children’s activities including going on a big safari, playing dress-up, viewing live caterpillars, moths and honeybees, through May 14. Also, learn from “Los Trompos,” an interactive art installation that honors the monarch butterfly’s cultural and ecological ties to Mexico. Tickets are by time and date: $14.95 ages 1-61; $12.95 ages 62 and older (purchase here: bit.ly/3mJOFoh). Location, 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena. 626-449-9144. kidspacemuseum.org

Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden: Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Purchase tickets online and in advance. Admission $15; $11 ages 62 and older and students with ID; $5 ages 5-12. Due to construction of a new visitor entrance, entrance is temporarily at the south parking lot and north of Ayres Hall. The arboretum is at 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. 626-821-3222. arboretum.org

Monrovia Historical Museum: Explore the museum, 1-4 p.m. Thursday and Sunday. Docent-led tours are available. Free admission/donation. The museum is at 742 E. Lemon Ave., Monrovia. 626-357-9537. monroviahistoricalmuseum.org

Norton Simon Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Saint Sebastian: Anatomy of a Sculpture,” learn about the 15th-century Italian painted sculpture from the Norton Simon collections, through July 3. “All Consuming: Art and the Essence of Food,” through Aug. 14. An online exhibit: “Representing Women: Gender and Portraiture in 17th Century Europe” (view here bit.ly/3zLRR9p). Hours: noon-5 p.m. Monday and Thursday-Sunday. Admission $15; $12 ages 62 and older; free for ages 18 and younger and students with a valid ID. Location, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 626-449-6840. nortonsimon.org

USC Pacific Asia Museum: Ongoing special exhibit: “Global Asias: Contemporary Asian and Asian American Art — From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation,” through June 25. Also, explore the Sunkal Ceramics Gallery and the specific galleries for art of South and Southeast Asia, China, Himalaya, Pacific Island, Japan, Korea and Silk Road. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Admission is by advance timed purchase, $10; $7 ages 65 and older and students with valid ID; free for ages 17 and under. Also, free admission from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays and on the second Sunday of the month. 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. 626-787-2680. pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu

Whittier Museum: Exhibits on aspects of Whittier history including agriculture and Quaker settlers. Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 1-4 p.m. Saturday. Free admission/donations. Location, 6755 Newlin Ave., Whittier. 562-945-3871. Email: info@whittiermuseum.org. whittiermuseum.org/visit

Send calendar items to Anissa V. Rivera at sgvncalendar@gmail.com. Please send items at least three weeks before the event. Please list phone, email and/or website for additional information.