Collective Soul performs Jan. 13 at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
COURTESY AGUA CALIENTE CASINOS
Paranormal Cirque: Through Jan. 9
Calling all Halloween enthusiasts and horror movie fans! Actors and acrobats at the Indio Grand Marketplace blend aspects of the circus, theater, and cabaret in a terrifying, stunt-filled performance.
Tommy Peacock: Jan 11
Peacock and his band cover traditional blues tunes and hits from across genres — expect The Monkeys, Johnny Cash, and Billy Idol, among others — in their show at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
Sesame Street Live!: Jan. 11–12
Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and other beloved characters come to Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms for a fun, interactive show full of music, dancing, and powerful lessons about perseverance and dedication.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.: Jan. 12
“Think” you know Aretha Franklin? Get to know the Queen of Soul with this stunning tribute, which celebrates Franklin’s top hits and major musical eras — from “Won’t Be Long” to “Chain of Fools” — at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.
Irving Flores Latin Band: Jan. 12
San Diego–based pianist and composer Irving Flores serenades audience members at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs alongside Berklee College of Music–educated bassist Will Lyle.
Reality TV & the Bubonic Plague: Jan. 12
The Palm Springs Art Museum’s “Mixed Feelings” lecture series invites attendees to draw connections between two seemingly disparate topics. This week, the Kardashians meet flea-carried contagions.
Deanna Bogart: Jan. 12
Multi-instrumentalist Deanna Bogart has shared stages with Jimmy Buffet, James Brown, and other legends over the course of her 40-year career. She brings her smoky vocals and virtuoso sax to Old Town Artisan Studios in La Quinta.
Eric Buss: Jan 12–14
America’s Got Talent alum Eric Buss shows off his wacky inventions and comedy chops at Marvyn’s Magic Theater in La Quinta.
Brooks Wheelan: Jan. 13
Before Brooks Wheelan landed a coveted cast member spot on the 2013–2014 season of Saturday Night Live, he worked in Los Angeles researching eyes and heart valves. The comedian shares a stand-up set at Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs.
Carrot Top: Jan. 13
Flame-haired funnyman Carrot Top carts trunks of props (often quirky, quip-ready objects of his own invention) to every comedy show, including this stop at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.
Collective Soul: Jan. 13
Collective Soul’s 1994 hit “Shine” characterized the post-grunge sound of the era. Hear the chart-topper and other songs at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage.
Neil Sedaka: Jan. 13–14
Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka serenades McCallum Theatre audiences with favorites from his catalog of more than 500 songs, including “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Calendar Girl.”
A Bright New Boise: Jan. 13–22
Dezart Performs presents this Obie Award–winning dark comedy at Pearl McManus Theatre in Palm Springs about an Idaho Hobby Lobby employee’s attempts to reconnect with his estranged son.
Nunsense A-Men: Jan. 13–Feb. 5
Male actors at Desert TheatreWorks in Indio star as five singing nuns aiming to raise funds for 52 funerals after the convent’s cook accidentally poisons dozens of their sisters.
Theresa Caputo Live!: Jan. 14
Long Island Medium star Theresa Caputo applies her sixth sense for spirit talk at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, reaching out to audience members’ loved ones and delivering messages from the beyond.
Palm Springs Writers Guild Expo: Jan. 14
Meet local authors and learn more about the business of writing, publishing, and marketing novels and nonfiction at Mizell Center in Palm Springs.
Anything for Salinas: Jan. 14
Snack on local eats and sip craft beer in downtown Indio while singing along to “Como La Flor” and other Selena crowd favorites with tribute group Anything for Salinas.
Tom Dillon: Jan. 14
Comedian Tom Dillon cut his teeth as a young performer dancing with Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street. He riffs on American politics and current events in a stand-up show at Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella.
Kids Fest: Jan. 14
Little ones can don a costume and deck out their bike or wagon to participate in a colorful parade around Palm Desert Civic Center Park’s amphitheater area. Afterward, enjoy family-friendly activities and food truck snacks.
See The Temptations live Jan. 14 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.
COURTESY FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO
The Temptations & Four Tops: Jan. 14
Two legendary Motown groups team up for a swingin’ show at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio. Both bands made strides in the 1960s and ’70s: The Temptations originated psychedelic soul, while the Four Tops stood out for casting a baritone — not a tenor — as lead vocalist.
Viva La Lucha: Jan. 14
Lucha Libre wrestlers — including legacy luchador Tinieblas Jr. and his costumed companion Alushe — face off at Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City.
Mini Masterpieces: Jan. 14
Support Desert Art Center in Palm Springs by picking up a little canvas by a major local artist. Each of the exhibition’s 6-by-6-inch paintings sells for a cool $73 (as a nod to the center’s 73rd anniversary).
Secrets of the Whales: Jan. 15
Underwater photographer Brian Skerry steps from the seas to Palm Desert to share breathtaking images and fascinating facts about four species of whales at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert.
Pepe Aguilar: Jan. 15
Pepe Aguilar had one heck of a musical debut: At age 3, he joined his father, Antonio Aguilar, onstage at Madison Square Garden. Five decades and four Grammys later, the Mexican singer-songwriter brings his ranchera standards to Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.
HAPPENING ALL WEEK
Benedict Cumberbatch leads the cast of The Imitation Game across the stage to accept the award for Best Ensemble Cast at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in 2014.
PALM SPRINGS LIFE ARCHIVES
Palm Springs International Film Festival: Through Jan. 16
Filmmakers from more than 60 countries show their masterpieces at the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival and jockey for accolades such as Best International Screenplay, Best Documentary, and the teen-judged Young Cineastes Award. Screenings happen at multiple cinemas and often include celebrity appearances and Q&As.
Lucia Heffernan: Through Jan. 20
Lucia Heffernan’s playful paintings imagine a world where animals partake in everyday human activities. See her smile-inducing tableaus — featuring scenarios such as a dog delivering pizza and meerkats working on their golf swing — at Coda Gallery in Palm Desert.
Outburst Projects: Through Jan. 29
Five artists draw upon their cultural histories to create evocative pieces, from woven artwork to cyborg-like sculpted monsters, as part of this residency program at Palm Springs Art Museum.
Petra Cortright: Through Mar. 26
The Santa Barbara–born artist known for self-portrait videos composes “paintings” with internet imagery in this exhibition at Palm Springs Art Museum.
Phillip K. Smith III: Through May 21
Palm Desert resident Phillip K. Smith III fills four galleries at Palm Springs Art Museum with installations inspired by the desert’s unique quality of light.
A Place at the Table: Through June 4
View the formal table settings that the Annenbergs set out to entertain presidents and royals at Sunnylands Center & Gardens.
American Framing: Through July 2
The Architecture and Design Center in Palm Springs brings attention to the subtle architectural genius of wood framing through models, photos, furniture, and a full-scale structure.
For even more events, visit our calendar.