Artists' Survival Guide: Free Performances in LA

This month, Los Angeles is on fire with world-class live theatre, musical concerts, dance performances, and other events that are absolutely FREE! From Shakespeare to puppet theatre, from pop to world music, indoors, outdoors--this month, there really is an event for every palate.

Some events have been singled out as a **BLOG PICK because they deserve some special attention, but every performance on the list has the makings of a great time, so get out there and have some fun! (Free Films, Visual Arts Events & Festivals all have their own blog posts this month because there's so much going on; scroll all the way down to the end of this post for those links.)

Shey Ben-Tzur

8/1 (Thurs): Acclaimed Israeli composer Shey Ben-Tzur in concert, 8pm, Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, More info

8/2 (Fri): Friday Night Sing-Along: Country Songs, 6:30 pm, W.M. Keck Amphitheatre at the Walk Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA, More info

Also, Shakespeare by the Sea presents All's Well That Ends Well, 7pm, Veterans Park in Chino Hills, More info

Taylor Dayne

8/3 (Sat): Taylor Dayne in concert, 7pm, Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey, More info

Also, Shakespeare by the Sea presents King John, 7pm, Crown Valley Community Park in Laguna Niguel, More info

8/4 (Sun): Phil Ranelin Jazz Ensemble in concert, 6pm, Courtyard of the Craft and Folk Art Museum in , free to attend but RSVP requested, More info

Also, Conganas outdoor concert (Latin Jazz and Salsa), 5pm, Stewart Street Park in Santa Monica, More info

8/5 (Mon): AXS TV presents The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands: Guns N Roses (live taped show/tribute bands), 7pm, Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, More info

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars

**BLOG PICK!! 8/8 (Thurs): Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars in concert (uplifting African/reggae music), 8pm, Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, limited seating available, $10 parking, More info

Also, Grammy Award-winning composer Ramsey Lewis in concert with his electric band 100%, 6:30pm, Outdoor Promenade at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in South Central LA, More info

Also, Marina del Rey Summer Symphony presents "Imaginary Places," 7pm, Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey, More info

Also, Shakespeare by the Sea presents King John, 7pm, Long Beach Museum of Art in Long Beach, More info

8/9 (Fri): Dance Downtown: Disco, 6:30 pm, Music Center Plaza in Downtown LA, More info

Invertigo Dance Theatre

**BLOG PICK!! 8/10 (Sat): Invertigo Dance Theatre performance followed by Shakespeare's As You Like It performed by the Independent Shakespeare Company, 6:30 pm, The Old Zoo at Griffith Park in Hollywood, More info

Also, El Gusto Orchestra (North African) and Cantonese Opera Orchestra (traditional Cantonese with Western strings) in concert, 8pm, California Plaza in Downtown LA, More info

**BLOG PICK!! 8/11 (Sun): Invertigo Dance Theatre performance followed by Shakespeare's MacBeth performed by the Independent Shakespeare Company, 6:30 pm, The Old Zoo at Griffith Park in Hollywood, More info

Also, Hand it to Sock Puppet Sitcom Theater presents "Cinderella" (sock puppet production), 3pm and 4:30 pm, California Plaza in Downtown LA, free to attend but space is limited to RSVP is required, More info

Noah and the MegaFauna

Also, Noah and the MegaFauna in concert (indie folk and big band mix, featured in film This is 40), 4 pm, Fowler Ampitheater at UCLA's Fowler Museum in Westwood, More info

Also, Summer Organ Concert featuring Timothy Howard playing the Shaffer Memorial Organ, 3pm, Westwood Methodist Church in Westwood, More info

Also, The Elliot Caine Quintet outdoor concert (hard bop meets Afro-Cuban jazz), 5pm, Stewart Street Park in Santa Monica, More info

8/14 (Wed): Concerts in the Park presents Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys (Western swing/rockabilly music), City Hall Park in Brea, More info

8/15 (Thurs): Iranian vocalist Mamak Khadem and Ensemble in concert plus pre-concert Persian dance instruction, 8pm, Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, limited seating available, $10 parking, More info

8/16 (Fri): Friday Night Sing-Along: Movie Musicals, 6:30 pm, W.M. Keck Amphitheatre at the Walk Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA, More info

Poncho Sanchez

8/17 (Sat): Poncho Sanchez in concert, 7pm, Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey, More info

8/18 (Sun): KoTolan outdoor concert (soul/disco/Latin/groove jazz), 5pm, Stewart Street Park in Santa Monica, More info

8/19 (Mon): AXS TV presents The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands: Pink Floyd (live taped show/tribute bands), 7pm, Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, More info

8/21 (Wed): Concerts in the Park presents Upstream (Calypso/reggae music), 6:30 p.m., City Hall Park in Brea, More info

8/22 (Thurs): Legendary blues/gospel singer Maria Muldaur with The Campbell Brothers, Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, limited seating available, $10 parking, More info

Also, Marina del Rey Summer Symphony presents "Russian Reprise," 7pm, Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey, More info

8/23 (Fri): Dance Downtown: Ondo (Japanese dance), 6:30 pm, Music Center Plaza in Downtown LA, More info

Klezmer Juice

8/25 (Sun): Klezmer Juice outdoor concert (young Yiddish soul band), 4pm, Upper Parking Lot of McGroarty Arts Center in Tujunga, More info

Also, Grand Park’s Sunday Sessions (electronic music performances), 1pm-8pm, Grand Park Performance Lawn in Downtown LA, More info

Also, The Overstreet New Orleans Jazz Band outdoor concert, 5pm, Stewart Street Park in Santa Monica, More info

8/26 (Mon): AXS TV presents The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands: Bon Jovi (live taped show/tribute bands), 7pm, Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, More info

8/28 (Wed): Concerts in the Park presents Swing Cats (big band/swing music), 6:30 pm, City Hall Park in Brea, More info

Brazilian percussionist Dende

8/29 (Thurs): Brazilian percussionist Dende and band in concert (Afro-Brazilian music), 8pm, Skirball Cultural Center in West LA, limited seating available, $10 parking, More info

8/31 (Sat): Rose Royce in concert, 7pm, Burton Chace Park in Marina del Rey, More info