LAist at The Moth StorySLAM: Frenemies

Some of the best nights out in the city involve no screen, no stage production and no script. The Moth StorySLAM is exactly that: ordinary people standing at a microphone, telling a true story from their own lives. On Wednesday, October 21, LAist presents a new edition built around the theme Frenemies, and it is a good pick if you are scanning for things to do in Los Angeles that feel a little more personal than a concert.

When: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, from 7:00 PM Where: Jam in the Van, 3384 Motor Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034 Presented by: LAist and The Moth

How a StorySLAM works

A StorySLAM is an open-mic storytelling competition. Anyone can share a true, personal, five-minute story on the night's theme. There are no props and no notes to read from, so the story has to live in the telling. That constraint is the whole appeal: people who have never been on a stage sit next to practiced storytellers, and the room treats both with the same attention.

The theme this time is Frenemies, which is broad enough to cover a lot of territory. It could be the coworker who smiled while undermining you, the childhood best friend who turned into a rival, or the neighbor you could not stand until the night something went wrong. Good stories on a theme like this tend to be funny and a little uncomfortable at once, and they usually land on a surprising turn.

Who it suits

If you like podcasts, personal essays, or the kind of comedy that comes from real life rather than punchlines, this fits. It also works for a first-timer. You can show up purely to listen, and many people do. If you want to tell a story, think about a true moment with a clear beginning, middle and end that fits comfortably inside five minutes, and check the LAist event page for how sign-ups work on the night.

Getting there and planning

The venue is on Motor Avenue in West Los Angeles, in the 90034 ZIP code. It is a weeknight, so allow extra time for evening traffic on the Westside, and consider rideshare or transit if you plan to have a drink. Ticket and entry details were not published in the listing we sourced, so confirm admission and doors on the official page before you head out.

For anyone building a week around upcoming events in Los Angeles, a midweek storytelling night is a relaxed way to break up the routine. Bring a friend, pick a theme-appropriate story from your own past, and see who ends up on top of the scoreboard.