Jordan Kleinman on July 5th, 2016

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[Editor’s note: Yes, we haven’t done this for the past few years, and yes, we should’ve done this a few weeks ago, but time and manpower are issues for our little operation. Still, people have kept telling us, “I can’t keep track of all the free stuff that’s happening,” so …]

* Updated/corrected July 17

If you live in Southern California, you feel lucky in the winter … and even luckier in the summer, when free outdoor music events abound. So, for your perusal, here is Buzz Bands LA’s Quick Guide to Free Summer Concerts. There are lots of them.

Some of these events are free, though some require RSVPs, and here are links to websites with details. Below that, our lengthy listing of dates follows.

Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
Made in L.A. Music at the Hammer Museum
Chinatown Summer Nights
Saturdays Off the 405 at the Getty
The Grove’s Summer Concert Series
Sunset Concerts at the Skirball Center
Pershing Square Summer Concerts
Long Beach’s Summer and Music
FIGat7th Downtown Festival
FIGat7th’s City Beats
Sound in Focus at the Annenberg Space for Photography
Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
Grand Performances at California Plaza
Ones to Watch at Union Station
Summer Nights in the Garden at the Natural History Museum
Orange County Parks Summer Concert Series
Culver City’s Boulevard Music Summer Festival
Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts
Free concerts at LACMA
Hermosa Beach Summer Concerts

What did we miss? Drop us a line. We’ll update this post as further lineup/event announcements are made.

BORNS plays July 14 at the Santa Monica Pier (Photo by Chad Elder)

JULY

6: Plain White T’s and Tonic at the Grove
7: Mayer Hawthorne and Alina Baraz at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
7: DJ Chris Douridas at KCRW Summer Nights at Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara
7: The Wiz at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
7: DJ Derek Rath at Grand Performances at California Plaza
7: Poolside (DJ set), Carlos Niño & Friends, DJ Aaron Byrd at at the Hammer Museum
7: SuperEverything at Grand Performances at California Plaza
7: “Diamond Is Forever! The Neil Diamond Experience” at Tri-City Regional Park (2301 N. Kraemer Blvd., Placentia)
7: Opera at the Shore at Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park (13650 Mindanao Way)
8: BRIGHTSIDE at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
8: Boom Boom Boom and DJ Aaron Byrd at Summer Nights in the Garden at the Natural History Museum
8: Billy Childs Quartet at LACMA
9: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros at Sound in Focus at the Annenberg Space for Photography
9: Jimmy Webb at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
9: Kevin Morby at Saturdays Off the 405 at the Getty
9: Area 51 at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
9: The Brinks and DYAN at Union Station
9: Afro Cuba Jazz Project at LACMA
9: Gardens & Villa, JJUUJJUU, the Molochs, Furcast and Sirena Serpentina at Twisted at the Pike (95. S. Pine Ave., Long Beach, part of Long Beach’s Summer and Music)
9: Mexrrissey at Grand Performances at California Plaza
10: TIZER at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
10: Wanted (Bon Jovi Tribute) at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park
13: Atlas Genius and PHASES at the Grove
14: BØRNS, Porches, DJ Valida at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
14: Trout Fishing in America at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
14: Peanut Butter Wolf, Mndsgn and DJ Mathieu Schreyer at the Hammer Museum
14: The Town I Live In with DJs Rudy Bleu Y Carlos Morales at Grand Performances at California Plaza
14: Phil Shane and Hawkline Monster at Mason Regional Park (18712 University Dr., Irvine)
15: Darlingside at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
15: Rayland Baxter at FIGat7th Downtown Festival
15: Ryan Cross Jazz Eclectic, with special guest Spanky Wilson at LACMA
16: Blondfire, GROVES, Sophie and The Bom Boms, BRAEVES, Taylor Grey, Emerson Star and Swerve, along with KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad and DJ Jeremy Sole, at Chinatown Summer Nights
16: Baaba Maal, Classixx and Brazilian Girls at Sound in Focus at the Annenberg Space for Photography
16: Sam Llana at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
16: daKAH Hip Hop Orchestra at Grand Performances at California Plaza
16: WAR and Los Amigos Invisibles at Pershing Square
16: Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. at Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park (13650 Mindanao Way)
16: Melena and Ladies of Salsa at LACMA
16: Buyepongo at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
16: Miles Bonny and DJ sets from Francesca Harding and Anthony Valadez at City Beats at FIGat7th
17: Double G NineNet at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
17: iPalpiti Soloists & Duo Gurfinkel at LACMA
17: Glenn Leonard’s Temptations Revue at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park
20: Smash Mouth and Brian Vander Ark at the Grove
21: The Psychedelic Furs and Day Wave at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
21: Congo Mashup w/ DJ Garth Trinidad at Grand Performances at California Plaza
21: Steve Songs at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
21: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down at Sunset Concerts at Skirball Cultural Center
21: Ceci Bastida and DJ Anthony Valadez at the Hammer Museum
21: Flashback Heart Attack and Well Hung Heart at Mason Regional Park (18712 University Dr., Irvine)
21: Orquesta Tabaco Y Ron at the City Hall courtyard in Culver City
22: Ginkgoa at Grand Performances at California Plaza
22: Billy Strings at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
22: Orgone with special guest Cyril Neville at FIGat7th Downtown Festival
22: Sasha Marie (Soulection) at Summer Nights in the Garden at the Natural History Museum
22: Sasha’s Bloc at LACMA
23: Nas, Wild Belle, DJ Garth Trinidad at Sound in Focus at the Annenberg Space for Photography
23: the Garden, the Muffs, Gap Dream, Jessie Jones and VAJJ at Saturdays Off the 405 at the Getty
23: Albert Lee at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
23: Louie Cruz Beltran at LACMA
23: David Brighton’s Bowie Tribute and Flashback Heart Atttack at Pershing Square
24: Louie Cruz Beltran at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
24: Arrival From Sweden (ABBA tribute) at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park
24: Youth Talent Show at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
27: Cher Lloyd and AJ at the Grove
28: Protoje & The Indiggnation and at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
28: Rhythm Child at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
28: DJs Joel Quizon & Rani De Leon at Grand Performances at California Plaza
28: Sinkane at Sunset Concerts at Skirball Cultural Center
28: TOKiMONSTA (feat. vocalist Ambré and more) and DJ Travis Holcombe at the Hammer Museum
28: Grizfolk and Robert John and the Wreck at Mile Square Regional Park (16801 Euclid St., Fountain Valley)
28: Big Daddy at the City Hall courtyard in Culver City
29: David Lindley at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
29: Joseph at FIGat7th Downtown Festival
29: Sara Gazarek at LACMA
30: Reverend Horton Heat and The Blasters at Pershing Square
30: Brian McKnight at Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park (13650 Mindanao Way)
30: Peter Asher with Billy Kramer & Denny Laine at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
30: Pr0files and Harriet Brown at Union Station
30: Soul Sauce: A Tribute to Cal Tjader at LACMA
31: Billy Mitchell & Friends at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
31: Silk Road at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
31: Billy Joel 2 Elton John (tributes) at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park

Ra Ra Riot plays Aug. 13 in Marina Del Rey (Photo by Shervin Lainez)

AUGUST

4: Natalia Lafourcade and Monsieur Perine at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
4: The Party Animals at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
4: Thalma de Freitas at Sunset Concerts and Skirball Cultural Center
4: Ballet Folklorico at Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park (13650 Mindanao Way)
4: The Fenians and Dano Forte’s Juke Join at Mile Square Regional Park (16801 Euclid St., Fountain Valley)
4: Nuala Kennedy and her ensemble at the City Hall courtyard in Culver City
5: The Wood Brothers at FIGat7th Downtown Festival
5: Summer Nights in the Garden at the Natural History Museum, lineup TBA
5: Dale Fielder at LACMA
6: Mbongwana Star at Grand Performances at California Plaza
6: AJ Croce at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
6: Rocky Dawuni at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
6: Ari Hest at One Colorado
6: Jamison Ross at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
6: Desi Valentine, Sam Fischer and T.O.L.D. at Union Station
6: Kansas and Blitzen Trapper at Pershing Square
6: Afro-Peruvian Jazz Project at LACMA
7: Sanubar Tursun at Grand Performances at California Plaza
7: Matchbox Twenty Too (tribute) at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park
7: Brett Dennen at Hermosa Beach Summer Concerts at the Hermosa Pier
11: RÜFÜS DU SOL and Marc Baker at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
11: Lucky Diaz & The Family Jam Band at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
11: M.A.K.U. SoundSystem at Sunset Concerts at Skirball Cultural Center
11: Saved by the 90s and Gardeners Logic at Irvine Regional Park (1 Irvine Park Road, Orange)
11: Missy Andersen at the City Hall courtyard in Culver City
12: Quetzal at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
12: Lyrics Born at FIGat7th Downtown Festival
12: Shugazi at Summer and Music in downtown Long Beach
12: Nick Mancini Organ Trio at LACMA
13: Ra Ra Riot at Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park (13650 Mindanao Way)
13: Manila Sound at Grand Performances at California Plaza
13: Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and Rick Derringer at Pershing Square
13: Salt Petal at Union Station
13: Rivvrs at One Colorado
13: Susie Hansen Latin Band at LACMA
13-14: YTN Presents Korean Festival, lineup TBA, at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
14: Doug MacLeod at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
14: Venice at Hermosa Beach Summer Concerts at the Hermosa Pier
14: Led Zepagain at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park
18: Mavis Staples and The Suffers at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
18: Bob Baker Marionettes at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
18: Music Maker Blues Revue at Sunset Concerts at Skirball Cultural Center
18: Karla Bonoff at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
18: Matt Costa and David Rosales at Irvine Regional Park (1 Irvine Park Road, Orange)
18: Madame Butterfly at Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park (13650 Mindanao Way)
18-21: Echo Park Rising, lineup TBA
19: The Women Who Score: Soundtracks Live at Grand Performances at California Plaza
19: Mariachi Flor De Toloache at FIGat7th Downtown Festival
19: Summer Nights in the Garden at the Natural History Museum, lineup TBA
19: Ernie Watts Quartet at LACMA
19: Mariachi Festival L.A. Opera at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
20: Chinatown Summer Nights, with Sonny Boy Thorn, Beginners, Dream Club, TOWER, Ramonda Hammer, Lone Kodiak and Night Talks, along with KCRW DJs Jason Bentley and Mathieu Schreyer at Chinatown Central Plaza
20: Todd Rundgren and Sofi Tukker at Pershing Square
20: Lauv and Pretty Sister at Union Station
20: Eagle Rock Music Festival, with Dengue Fever and more
20: Yuval Ron at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
20: Kiosk, Ardeshir Farah at Grand Performances at California Plaza
20: Carlos Niño & Friends and DJ sets from Jedi and Anthony Valadez at City Beats at FIGat7th
20: Mariachi Festival Mariachi Los Comperos de Nati Cano at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
20: Jim and Sam at One Colorado
20: Catina DeLuna & Lado B Brazilian Project featuring Otmaro Ruiz at LACMA
21: Fuzon, Ayaz Farid, Abu Muhammad Qawwal at Grand Performances at California Plaza
21: The Chambers Brothers featuring Joe and Willie Chambers Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
21: Robby Krieger (of the Doors) at Hermosa Beach Summer Concerts at the Hermosa Pier
21: The Long Run (Eagles tribute) at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park
25: Save Ferris, Cibo Matto and Jake Davis at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
25: Shai Tsabari and the Middle East Groove All Stars at Sunset Concerts at Skirball Cultural Center
25: Marley’s Ghost at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
25: Tijuana Dogs and Family Style at Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach (33333 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Dana Point)
26: Latin BMI Summer Nights at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
26: M-pact at LACMA
27: Diane Coffee at Saturdays Off the 405 at the Getty
27: Afro Funke at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
27: Night Lights at One Colorado
27: Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra at Marina Del Rey Summer Concerts at Burton Chace Park (13650 Mindanao Way)
27: Orquesta Charangoa at LACMA
27: Moustache Harber & Zeal at Hermosa Beach Summer Concerts at the Hermosa Pier
28: Taylor Dayne at Concerts on the Green in Warner Park
28: California Feetwarmers at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
28: Radiotron at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
30: WAA Showcase, lineup TBA, at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park

JR JR plays Sept. 1 at O.C.’s Salt Creek Beach Park (Photo by Samantha Saturday)

SEPTEMBER

1: Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Steady Holiday at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
1: JR JR and Big Monsta at Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach (33333 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Dana Point)
1: DJ Travis Holcombe at KCRW Summer Nights at Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara
2: Hubert Laws at LACMA
3: Mariachi Divas at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
3: Spender Ludwig and Falls with Strings at Union Station
3: Buskerfest, with the Kingston Ska Collective, Joseph Arthur, Greater California, Rafferty, Janie, Queen Califia, BearWulf, Leather Tramp, Betty Rose, Dave Williams & MBT, Rick Shelley, Minimall, Dancing Tongues and King Kang, in the East Village Arts District (1st and Linden streets), Long Beach
3: Ska Festival, lineup TBA, at Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park
3: Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca at LACMA
3-5: Fiesta Hermosa in Hermosa Beach, music TBA
4: Pete Escovedo at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
8: Ohio Players and Holy Ghost at Twilight Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier
9: Sara Watkins at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
9: Azar Lawrence Quartet at LACMA
10: Venice Wave Festival at Venice Beach Boardwalk
11: Barbara Morrison at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
16: Latin BMI Summer Nights at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
16: Theo Saunders with visual artist George Herms at LACMA
17: Chinatown’s 78th Annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, live bands TBA, at Chinatown Central Plaza
17: Glen Phillips at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
17: DJs Marion Hodges and Dan Wilcox at KCRW Summer Nights at Anaheim Packing District
17: Laith Al-Saadi feat. Jimmu Vivino at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
17: Maylee Todd and DJ sets from Aaron Paar and Anthony Valadez at City Beats at FIGat7th
23: Peter Erskine is Dr. Um with John Beasley, Bob Sheppard & Benjamin Shepherd at LACMA
24: Tarfest, lineup TBA, at La Brea Tar Pits Park
24: Element Band at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena
25: Abbot Kinney Festival, lineup TBA, along Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice
30: Angel City Jazz Festival featuring Holophonor at LACMA

OCTOBER

10: Chairlift, Atlas Genius, James Supercave and more at Taste of South Lake at Lake Avenue, Pasadena
15: Very Be Careful and DJ sets from Sloepoke and Anthony Valadez at City Beats at FIGat7th