L.A. Weekend Guide: Midsummer Scream, Comic-Con, Surf Guitar 101 Fest, Mel Brooks

Every Thursday, Los Angeles magazine curates a list of the best music and culture events, happening during the day and night, around Los Angeles. Craft a great last-minute schedule Fri.-Sun. with this Weekend Guide to L.A. (Click the event names for more info.)

X at The Regent - July 25-26

Making infectiously moody music in L.A. since 1977, X's John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom and DJ Bonebrake are 'true love' L.A. legends and a live show by the group is never to be missed here. But with this tour and record touted as their last (maybe), this gig is a celebration too. The band's latest, Smoke & Fiction , conjures their hallowed and harmonic sound and they work the urgent new numbers seamlessly next to the classics we all know and love.

Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center - July 25- 28

Angelenos' biggest weekender trip to S.D. is always Comic-Con, especially for anyone connected to the entertainment industry. The country's biggest gathering of pop culture, cosplay, comics, superheroes, sci-fi and more never disappoints, and the party scene and activation events that surround the convention often rival the event itself. Even if you don't have a badge, there's plenty of revelry to partake in.

Surf Guitar 101 Festival at Golden Sails Hotel - July 26-28

Live performances and shopping for new and vintage records, t-shirts, books, art, tiki mugs, guitar accessories and more, make this oceanic-driven music event a uniquely wild weekender. This year’s international line-up includes The Surfaris (celebrating over 60 years of “Wipe Out”), the reunion of ghoulish grinders The Ghastly Ones, The Mermen, The Untamed Youth featuring Deke Dickerson, L.A.’s own Insect Surfers (pictured) and many more.

Midsummer Scream at the Long Beach Convention Center - July 26-28

There’s no better place to celebrate “Half-o-ween” than Midsummer Scream. The popular horror and Halloween-themed convention offers a slew of spooky vendors, photo ops and intense and immersive experiences. This year, they have Paranormal Pixie’s Pumpkin Patch, Zombie Joe’s Urban Death (pictured), "The Screaming Room" by Horror Buzz and a "Hall of Shadows" from some of the biggest haunt producers in town.

OFF! at the Belasco - July 26

The beloved L.A. punk supergroup are calling it quits and this is their final gig. But never say never; their new feature film inspired by their last record, Free LSD , comes out next week and it's great, so all bets are fans won't let 'em flip the switch for too long.

Read more about OFF!, X, Redd Kross and punk's evolution in L.A. in Los Angeles magazine's August issue coming next week.

Chaka Khan at Hollywood Bowl - July 26

Chaka's NPR Tiny Desk concert was one of this year's pure joy moments (we all needed it, didn't we?). Celebrating 50 years making music, the iconic singer is sure to do all the hits both solo and from the Rufus catalog: "Sweet Thing,"
"Tell Me Something Good," "Through the Fire," and "I'm Every Woman," the latter, an anthem that feels particularly relevant right now.

Mel Brooks on The 50th Anniversary of ' Blazing Saddles' at the Peacock Theater

The comedic cinema legend talks about his hilarious western classic and much more at this lively screening and Q&A moderated by Kevin Salter.

Charlie Overbey at the Echo - July 28

L.A. born and raised musician Charlie Overbey has a new album out, In Good Company , and his hometown record release bash promises to be a real humdinger. Infusing his melodic honky tonk tunes with rousing punk rock attitude and thoughtful lyrical reflections, the record also sees Overbey revisiting past recording sessions and connecting with a stellar group of collaborators and pals including Nils Lofgren, Charlie Starr, Rami Jaffee, Jimmy Vivino, Duane Betts, Eddie Spaghetti, Jaimme Wyatt and more. The record release party takes place -where else?- Echo Park's long-running country/Americana shindig "the Grand Ole Echo."

4th Annual “Ride With Josh” fundraising Bike Ride - July 28

The ride raises money for City of Hope’s Arthur Riggs Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute . “Ride With Josh” was founded by Sterling Simms, vice president of A&R at Columbia Records. Simms, who sits on City of Hope's Future Hope Committee, named the ride in honor of his late brother Joshua, who lost his battle with diabetes at age 19.