Wish there was somehow even more on the Hollywood Bowl schedule? With the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association now handling the lineup at the Ford as well, consider this slate of outdoor shows just up the street a second serving of those Hollywood Hills concert vibes.
For this summer’s season, which runs from mid-July until just before Halloween, you can see sets from Mac DeMarco, Local Natives, Lucinda Williams and Os Mutantes. That’s in addition to Broadway hits from Darren Criss (not far from his Hollywood piano bar), stand-up hosted by Marcella Arguello, a production of The Barber of Seville by the Pacific Opera Project, a set from Icelandic singer Laufey backed by the LA Phil, a folk fest that features Waxahatchee and the Milk Carton Kids, a kid-friendly series of shows that includes the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Street Food Cinema-presented screenings of Selena and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and nearly 30 other shows.
Tickets are on sale now for packages of three or more events; single tickets go on sale May 9. The the kid-friendly L.A. Soundscapes series, each full-priced ticket includes up to two free children’s tickets.
If you’ve never seen a show at the Ford before, here’s a quick primer: 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 (and the same picnic-friendly policy). 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 Ovation Hollywood (f.k.a. Hollywood & Highland).
You can find this year’s full lineup on the Ford’s site, as well as below.
July
Mac DeMarco
Fri, July 14 at 8pm
JAZZ Re-Evolution
Produced in partnership with WORDTheatre
Sat, July 22 at 8pm
Amy Keys
Antonique Smith
Gary Dourdan
Joseph Marcell
Keith David
Miguel Sandoval
Nedra Wheeler
Reign Morton
Sophia Bacelar
Terrace Martin
Tracie Thoms
Wayne Bergeron
Darren Criss
Sun, July 23 at 7:30pm
The Improvised Shakespeare Company
Fri, July 28 at 8pm
Jorge Drexler
Sat, July 29 at 8pm
August
Local Natives
Tue, Aug 1 at 8pm
DakhaBrakha
Fri, Aug 4 at 8pm
7th Annual Boleros de Noche featuring Martha Gonzalez and Trío Remembranza
Produced in partnership with Ánimo Production
Sat, Aug 5 at 8pm
Comedy Under the Stars: Women Crush Wednesdays
Wed, Aug 9 at 8pm
Marcella Arguello, host
Lucinda Williams
Sam Burton
Thu, Aug 10 at 8pm
It’s a Musical World with Bob Baker Marionette Theater
L.A. Soundscapes
Sun, Aug 13 at 10:30am
¡Azúcar! by CONTRA-TIEMPO
Fri, Aug 18 at 8pm
FILam Jam: JayR and The Filharmonic
Produced in partnership with Music Arts International
Sat, Aug 19 at 8pm
The Barber of Seville
Produced in partnership with Pacific Opera Project
Fri, Aug 25 at 8pm
Josh Shaw, director and designer
Kyle Naig, conductor
Johnathan McCullough, Figaro
Meagan Martin, Rosina
E. Scott Levin, Dr. Bartolo
Andrew Potter, Don Basilio
José James
Sat, Aug 26 at 8pm
Element Band
Sun, Aug 27 at 7:30pm
Thee Sacred Souls
Wed, Aug 30 at 8pm
Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble and Bang on a Can All-Stars
MEMORY GAME
Thu, Aug 31 at 8pm
Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble
Theo Bleckmann, voice
atie Geissinger, voice
Meredith Monk, voice
llison Sniffin, voice and bowed psaltery
Bang on a Can All-Stars
Robert Black, bass
Vicky Chow, piano and keyboard
David Cossin, percussion
Arlen Hlusko, cello
Mark Stewart, electric guitar
Ken Thomson, clarinets
Andrew Cotton, sound engineer
September
Noche de Cumbia: Yeison Landero, Mariposas del Alma, Discos Resaca, Yosimar Reyes
Produced in partnership with Cumbiatón
Fri, Sept 1 at 8pm
Yeison Landero
Mariposas del Alma
Discos Resecs
Yosimar Reyes
Killed by Synth
Zuri Adia
Sizzle Fantastic
Os Mutantes
Sun, Sept 3 at 7:30pm
¡Viva La Tradición! Palomas Negras: Chavela, Selena, and more
Fri, Sept 8 at 8pm
Marisa Ronstadt
SanCha
Yesika Salgado
Las Colibrí
Ballet Folklorico Ollin
Flypoet: Summer Classic
Sat, Sept 9 at 8pm
Ryan Beatty
Thu, Sept 14 at 8pm
Laufey with the LA Phil
Sat, Sept 16 at 8pm
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Hugh Brunt, conductor
Celebrating Samba with Viver Brasil
L.A. Soundscapes
Sun, Sept 17 at 10am
Arooj Aftab
Vijay Iyer
Shahzad Ismaily
Wed, Sept 20 at 8pm
Selena
Produced in partnership with Street Food Cinema
Sat, Sept 23 at 8pm
Hermanos Gutiérrez
Thu, Sept 28 at 8pm
Canciones de Mi Madre
Produced in partnership with Solidarity for Sanctuary
Sat, Sept 30 at 8pm
Lupita Infante
Doris Anahí
Mariachi Linda Mexicanas
El Gallo Dez
October
Jazzy Ash & the Leaping Lizards
L.A. Soundscapes
Sun, Oct 1 at 10:30am
AL SUR DE LA FRONTERA
Produced in Partnership with Boss Witch Productions
Fri, Oct 6 at 8pm
Maqueos Music Oaxacan Brass Band
Carmina Escobar
Dorian Wood
Yulissa Maqueos
Baseck
Maria Elena Altany
Una Isu
Los Angeles Folk Festival
Sat, Oct 7 at 8pm
Sun, Oct 8 at 7:30pm
Waxahatchee
The Milk Carton Kids
Willie Watson
plus very special guests
20 Años de Grandeza Mexicana
Produced in Partnership with Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company
Sat, Oct 14 at 8pm
Un Viaje por Buenos Aires with GD Tango
L.A. Soundscapes
Sun, Oct 15 at 10:30am
Fabrizio Mocata
GD Tango
Guillermo De Fazio, director
Giovanna Dan, director
serpentwithfeet: Heart of Brick
Sat, Oct 21 at 8pm
Created by serpentwithfeet
Directed by Wu Tsang
Choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly
Co-written by serpentwithfeet & Donte Collins
serpentwithfeet: Heart of Brick is co-commissioned by the Joyce Theater Foundation; the International Summer Festival (Kampnagel); the LA Phil Humanities Initiative, with generous support from Linda and David Shaheen; Seattle Theatre Group; and Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Produced in partnership with Street Food Cinema
Sat, Oct 28 at 8pm
Sins O’ The Flesh, shadow cast