the BEAT of the week: PLAY MOCA.

Art and music come together once again in L.A. with PLAY MOCA, a three-part multimedia series event happening at the Geffen Contemporary in downtown. IAMSOUND Records is curating the shows, bringing up and coming musical acts like Salem, Zola Jesus and Lord Huron. Meanwhile, there'll be art exhibitions from Drew Barrymore (yes, that one!); a performance from the L.A. Dance Project / Benjamin Millepied and Rodarte; and DJing by Ariel Pink and Health.

All hip, all free. Get on reserving your tickets, though -- they'll go quickly! Get more info on the upcoming shows here.

PLAY MOCA takes place July 27, August 17, and August 24 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, located at 152 N. Central Ave. in downtown.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Abbot Kinney Festival.

For those of you still mourning the end of summer -- I include myself in the bunch -- here's another last gasp. The Abbot Kinney Festival, always set on the last Sunday of September, is the best last chance to hit the seaside and not feel so chilly about it.

Although you should probably bring a sweater, because you're bound to out and about for a while. This year's festivities boast a great musical lineup, including the currently buzzy Thundercat; locals Kisses and Mia Doi Todd; as well as Hanni El Khatib and Tom Brousseau. The stages are set to go all day, from 10am-6pm. In between sets, be sure to check out the plethora of food trucks, the beer gardens, and the tons of booths offering sustainable and green goods (it is Venice, after all).

Enjoy the last hurrah!

The Abbot Kinney Festival takes place on Sunday, Sept. 25 along Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. The entire event is free!

-- Chau Tu

Do It. St. Vincent at Space 15 Twenty.

All right, start planning now. You officially have an hour and a half -- or less -- until 10:30am, when you can officially buy St. Vincent's new album, Strange Mercy, at Amoeba in Hollywood, and in turn, receive a free ticket to see her perform live tonight at Space 15 Twenty.

Whew. Kind of a handful, but totally worth it. The woman is something to be seen live -- with her doe-like but always-in-a-daze eyes combined with her mad guitar skills. And Strange Mercy is already probably my favorite album of hers yet, getting more intellectually complex in her tunes and lyrics than ever before. Plus, who can beat a (sort of, considering you do have to buy the album) free concert?

St. Vincent's Strange Mercy will be available for purchase at 10:30am at Amoeba Music, located at 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. It's one ticket per album, limit 2 to a person. The free concert will take place at 6pm tonight at Space 15 Twenty, located at 1520 Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood (basically across the street from Amoeba).

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Also I Like to Rock at the Hammer.

Now that Carmaggeddon has come and gone, it's time to try and venture out to the westside again, if you so dare. Also I Like to Rock, the summer music concert series at the Hammer Museum, is worth the trouble.

The series is already halfway through, but you've still got great performances ahead of you: Grouplove this Thursday, and the Henry Clay People the next. Put on by one of my favorite local bloggers, Kevin Bronson at BuzzBandsLA, and KCRW, you know you're getting a look into what's next and what's good in the indie music scene. And an extra plus: the concert and the museum are both free! A great way to enjoy a summer night.

Also I Like to Rock takes place Thursdays in July beginning at 7pm at the Hammer Museum, located at 10899 Wilshire Blvd. in Westwood.

-- Chau Tu
Photo credit: Laurie Scavo

Check It. L.A. Records Christmas party.

If you like live music and live beats (and who doesn't?) you can't beat L.A. Record's annual Christmas party, which is scheduled for this Saturday at Bedrock Rehearsal in Echo Park.

With the donation of a toy for the Toys for Tots program, music lovers can get into the shows free of charge. Just RSVP at rsvp@larecord.com. Each room of the rehearsal studio is filled with bands, DJs mixing, classic vinyl, screen printing, and a Santa's Village.

For me, the highlight would probably be the Driftwood Singers live. I went to this last year and loved how you could walk into any of the rehearsal rooms and hear something totally different from what was being played in other rooms. Definitely a great experience.

Bedrock Rehearsal is located at 1623 Allesandro St. The L.A. Record show is scheduled for this Saturday, starting at 8 p.m.

-- Lauren Williams

Do It. Talib Kweli free concert at the Roxy.

Getting in the holiday spirit, rapper Talib Kweli is having a free record release show for his latest album "Gutter Rainbows" at The Roxy Theater this Wednesday.

Admittance is cheap: Just bring a blanket, scarf, or pair of gloves which will be distributed to those in need during this chilly season.

Everyone who brings an item for donation will get a ticket, although not all ticketed concertgoers will get a spot in the Roxy, so show up early. The show begins at 9 p.m.

The Roxy Theater is located at 9009 W. Sunset Blvd.

-- Lauren Williams