Happening Wednesday: Lady Gaga, Warped Tour and more

POP MUSIC

Lady Gaga In the humble beginnings of her music career, Lady Gaga penned tunes for artists such as the Pussycat Dolls. Now her electro- pop songs have made her into one of the biggest, most infamous pop stars of late. Her show is sure to deliver plenty of theatrics, disco balladry, and avant-garde costumes. Staples Center, 1111 S Figueroa St., L.A. $51.25. https://www.staplescenter.com.

Vans Warped Tour Now in its 16th year, this traveling punk-rock show is catching up in age to its young-leaning audience. Performers on this tour stop include pop-punkers Alkaline Trio and Sum 41, party avatar Andrew W.K., and ska stalwarts Reel Big Fish. Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. 1 p.m. $32.75. https://www.vanswarpedtour.com.

Rush For 42 years, Rush has maintained a fiercely loyal fan base and become famous for their uncanny musical virtuosity. The band’s current Time Machine Tour features the 1981 album “Moving Pictures” (which features the immortal hit “Tom Sawyer”) played in its entirety for the first time live, as well as material from the band’s upcoming studio album “Clockwork Angels.” Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. 7:30 p.m. $69-$153. (818) 622-4440. www.livenation.com.

BOOKS

Mary Roach So what does a person bring when they’re packing for Mars? A toothbrush? A page-turner? A little black dress? Mary Roach, who limned everything we could want to know about the dead in “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers,” is back with “Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void.” The author didn’t actually go to space but she got close with lots of visits to space agencies and their strange gravity-bucking simulations. Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena. 7 p.m. (626) 449-5320.