News bits: Natural History Museums’ First Fridays, Arroyo Seco Weekend, Playboy Jazz Fest, It’s a School Night, the Stray Cats

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John Doe & Exene Cervenka
John Doe & Exene Cervenka

Music news from all around town:

X’s John Doe & Exene Cervenka will kick off 2018’s the Natural History Museum’s First Fridays series, which brings live tunes, talks and tours to the museum. The series opens Feb. 2 and continues March 2, April 6, May 4 and June 1.

Phoebe Bridgers will also perform the first night, along with KCRW DJ Anthony Valadez and guest DJ Reflex. The museum, which has extended hours during First Fridays, will also host the discussion “From LA, to Infinity – and Beyond!,” moderated by the L.A. Times’ Patt Morrison. Tickets for non-members are $20.

Charles Lloyd & the Marvels, Lucinda Williams, the Ramsey Lewis Quartet, Tower of Power (celebrating their 50th anniversary), the Count Basie Orchestra and Daymé Arocena are among the first batch of performers announced for the 40th annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl on June 9-10. Tickets won’t go on sale until Feb. 21, when the Bowl’s summer season is announced.

► There’s no lineup announcement yet, but Arroyo Seco Weekend, which debuted last summer with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Mumford & Sons headlining, will return June 23-24 to the grounds surrounding the Rose Bowl.

► The regular Monday It’s a School Night series resumes next week, but promoters are changing up the RSVP procedure for the free nights. You’ll need to download an app called DICE.

► And rockabilly greats the Stray Cats — with founding members Brian Setzer, Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom — are reuniting for their first North American performance in 10 years. It’ll take place April 21 in Las Vegas at the Orleans when they headline Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend.