It’s the first year that the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association has handled the lineup at the Ford, and in almost every way possible this summer’s shows feel like a continuation of the Hollywood Bowl schedule.
This upcoming season, which runs from the end of July through Halloween, includes sets from Patti Smith, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Moses Sumney, Father John Misty and Bedouine—and tickets to the latter two shows will be free.
Consider the much more pop-music–leaning lineup than previous years, maybe we should back up for a minute in case you’ve never been to the Ford: The century-old outdoor theater sits just on the other side of the 101 from the Hollywood Bowl. But unlike the staggeringly huge Bowl, the Ford and its castle-like stage are intimate by comparison with only 1,200 seats. Even at that smaller size, parking is still a stacked squeeze in the tight Cahuenga Pass, so you’ll find free shuttle service from the Universal City Metro station as well as Hollywood & Highland (or, ahem, Ovation, as it’ll soon be known).
Back to the music: The season kicks off on July 30 with two weeks of free shows, including local indie pop band the Marías, dance company CONTRA-TIEMPO, Largo fixture the Improvised Shakespeare Company, percussion outfit TAIKOPROJECT, a chamber ensemble of LA Phil musicians, singer-songwriter Bedouine and West African dance company Le Ballet Dembaya. Later on in the season, the LA Phil will join Father John Misty for a pair of free shows, too.
For all of the free shows, invites will be sent to essential workers, community organizations and fans, but you can also sign up through the Ford website until July 5 for a shot at a limited number of free tickets for the general public. For the Father John Misty shows, there’s a separate signup link here.
As for the rest of the season, expect music and poetry from Patti Smith, acoustic shredding from Rodrigo y Gabriela, soul-folk from Moses Sumney, multi-lingual melodies from Gaby Moreno and electronic soundscapes from Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Julianna Barwick. There’s also a series of pan-American performers and an evening of Filipino American musicians, a feminist double-bill by the Long Beach Opera and a fairy tale presentation by the Pacific Opera Project, an American Cinematheque-presented screening of The Muppet Movie and a to-be-announced team-up with Beyond Fest. Tickets for paid shows go on sale June 15.
There’s much more to unpack about the season, from the menu by Todo Verde to at least a dozen other shows that we haven’t even had the space to mention yet, so we suggest heading to the Ford’s site for the full schedule.