Congratulations. You've survived the first half of the year. Your reward is a fresh month packed with live music, weird events, and enough excuses to cancel your "productive" plans.

Gaymers, this one's for you! The music behind Pokémon gets the spotlight as composer Ed Goldfarb and beloved voice actor Haven Paschall celebrate 30 years of the franchise with live performances, stories, and a Q&A at The GRAMMY Museum on Tuesday, 7/21. Win your way in!

JUST ANNOUNCED

• You know her from "Build a Bitch." Now, Bella Poarch is breaking down her debut album at The GRAMMY Museum on Wednesday, 7/15 with a live performance, behind-the-scenes stories, and more. Win tickets!

• beabadoobee's dreamy indie rock has quietly taken over the last few years. Now she's bringing The Powerlines Tour to The Kia Forum on Wednesday, 10/21 with rising shoegaze favorite Wisp. Get tickets!

• Fresh off the release of their acclaimed debut album Tolerance, Fightmaster brings their powerful blend of indie rock and raw storytelling to Teragram Ballroom on Thursday, 10/15. Grab your tickets now!

• Heavens to Betsy helped write the riot grrrl playbook before calling it quits in the '90s. Now they're back, louder, sharper, and still making punk that hits you right in the sternum at Sid The Cat on Sunday, 11/8. Secure your spot!

• Nobody does Christmas like John Waters. The Pope of Trash is back for two nights this December with his annual holiday spectacular: equal parts filthy, festive, and guaranteed to ruin candy canes for you forever.

50 THINGS TO DO IN JULY

We made you a summer cheat sheet. From dancefloor ragers to film nights under the stars and fireworks shows, it’s all killer, no filler. Scroll, save these top July events to your Gay DoLA profile, and make all your friends jealous of your insanely stacked social calendar:

• THU & FRI 7/2-3 - HEATED RIVALRY: THE MUSICAL PARODY! at The Elysian Theater

• SAT 7/18 - EVANESCENCE at The Kia Forum (WIN TIX!)

• SAT 7/18 - BOY THROB at El Rey Theatre

• SAT 7/25 - ABBA LA/ELTON THE EARLY YEARS at ​Pacific Amphitheatre (WIN TIX!)

• SUN 7/26 - TRANS PRIDE 5K + PICNIC at Griffith Park

THIS WEEKEND

LOCALS ONLY

• Need a weekend getaway? Our friends at DoSD are giving away VIP tickets to San Diego Pride Festival, 7/18-19. Enter for your chance to win, then start planning the perfect Pride road trip to Balboa Park!

• California just made history! Gov. Newsom signed a new state budget creating the first-ever statewide LGBTQ+ Community Center Fund while expanding investments in gender-affirming care, HIV services, housing, and survivor support.

WIN (GAY) STUFF

FEATURED