Music Celebrating the Human Spirit
Get inspired by the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus and dance legend Kristine W. as they team up for Defying Gravity, taking place at the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Annenberg Theater, 101 N. Museum Drive, at 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, April 25-27; and 2 p.m., Sunday, April 28. The concerts will celebrate resilience and love, featuring uplifting music from Coldplay, P!NK and others. Kristine W, a dance-music artist with 17 No. 1 singles to her credit, will bring her infectious energy to the stage. Tickets start at $32; get them at psmuseum.org/events/psgmc-apr24. —Charles Drabkin
Desert Rock’s Present and Future
Young desert rockers are teaming up for a night of musically diverse performances at 6 p.m., Friday, April 26 at Little Street Music Hall, 82707 Miles Ave., in Indio. Reggae- and ska-infused Lazuli Bones, sweet psychedelic indie jammers The Divines, and new grunge-inspired hard-rockers Whitewater are all set to perform. There will also be pop-up vendors including Hometown Vintage and coldVintage selling clothes. All of these musicians are in their late teens and 20s; come and check desert rock’s present and future! Admission is $10 at the door. For more information, visit instagram.com/little_street_music_hall.—Matt King
Looking Into Lincoln
The Bent is reviving the LGBTQ+ theater company’s first-ever show—which became a big hit. Terry Ray’s The Lincoln Debate, directed by Steve Rosenbaum, will return to the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Thursdays through Sundays from Friday, April 26, through Sunday, May 12. This funny, touching production explores the real-life relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed. Did they share more than a bed? Learn more, and draw your own conclusions. Tickets start at $40, and are available via Eventbrite. —Charles Drabkin
Young Visual Arts Talent
Some very talented art students are getting a chance to showcase their works at a local art gallery. At 4 p.m., Friday, May 3, the Melissa Morgan Fine Art Gallery, 73660 El Paseo, in Palm Desert, will host an opening reception for the Visual Arts Student Showcase, an exhibition of art from students at Idyllwild Arts Academy. Students from the songwriting program at the school will perform at the gallery at 6 p.m. The exhibition be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4. All of the art will be on sale, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Visual Arts Department at Idyllwild Arts Academy. The event is free to attend! Visit www.idyllwildartsgallery.org or more information. —Matt King
Dance in the High Desert
A festival featuring 40 musicians across two days is coming to the high desert—and admission for the entire event is free! Morongo Daze will take place from noon to 10 p.m., Saturday, May 4; and noon to 9 p.m., Sunday, May 5, at Covington Park, 11165 Vale Drive in Morongo Valley. A multitude of musicians will perform in the beauty of nature, and the talent includes local greats like Flames of Durga, Jesika Von Rabbit and Sean Wheeler, and out-of-town acts like W4RHORS3 (the solo project of Blues Traveler’s Chan Kinchla), and Paul III. Enjoy some nonstop music and the gorgeous views of the high desert! Check out the Facebook event page to find out more. —Matt King
Experience the Michelada
A michelada is a savory and refreshing Mexican beer cocktail made with lime juice, assorted sauces or juices (like Clamato) and spices, served over ice with a salted rim. This drink will be the star of the show from 4 to 11 p.m., Saturday, May 4, outside Luchador Brewing Company, 68510 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Cathedral City. The second annual MiChavela Fest will feature various michelada/chavela vendors’ specialties (paired with Luchador beer), as well as luchador (Mexican wrestling) matches, live music, face painting, food vendors—and a cotton candy-making robot! Tickets are $17, with separate charges for food and drinks. All ages are welcome, but an adult must accompany anyone younger than 18, and, of course, a valid 21+ ID is required to drink alcohol. Get tickets at MiChavelaFest.eventbrite.com. —Charles Drabkin
Porn as Art
Rule 34 claims, “If you can imagine it, there is porn for it. No exceptions.” Dan Savage’s 2024 HUMP! Film Festival is here to prove the rule. At 6:30 and 9 p.m., Saturday, May 4, you can see for yourself at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E Baristo Road. I have gone to many editions of the traveling HUMP! shows, both in Seattle (where it originated) and here in Palm Springs, and this festival is renowned for its daring showcases of short erotic films created by real people, for real people. Trust me: Watching porn, even porn that may not turn you on at all, can be a thought-provoking experience! As a bonus this year, local heartthrob Brent Heinze is in a film! Tickets, which are $20, are available here. —Charles Drabkin
Cinco de Drinko
Enjoy a Cinco De Mayo party with both great local beer—and great local musicians! From 2 to 7 p.m., Sunday, May 5, at Coachella Valley Brewing Co., 30640 Gunther St., in Thousand Palms, enjoy drink specials and deals on some of the valley’s most popular beer. (Travis Kelce was seen sipping CVB at Coachella!) Also on offer are tacos and live music from a handful of great local singer/songwriters: Nick Hales, Esther Sanchez, Machete, Wes Gainey, Adam Gainey, Mario Figueroa and others are set to perform. The event is free, and all ages are welcome! For more information, visit the Facebook event page. —Matt King
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