Here’s where to see free concerts this summer

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Crowd at 2015's Twilight Concert Series at the Santa Monica Pier (Photo by Carl Pocket)

[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.

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

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

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