The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced details of The Ford’s 2023 summer season. The 15 week schedule features performances from July 14 to October 28 with Mac DeMarco kicking off the season with his first show at The Ford in four years to perform new music from his new album, Five Easy Hot Dogs.
The 2023 season, the LA Phil’s fourth, showcases 13 Ford debuts, the return of LA Soundscapes family programming and the producer program FordLab. Featured established and new artists offer voices with roots from around the world, including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, England, Iceland, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, and Uruguay. Additional season highlights include programs of dance, film, theater, spoke word, and comedy.
Chad Smith, Chief Executive Officer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and the David C. Bohnett Chief Executive Officer Chair said, “The Ford 2023 season is dynamic, showcasing an exciting compilation of artists, performers and partners from across Los Angeles and around the world. We are especially committer to offering a space for local artists to flourish and for our community to celebrate these homegrown voices together. The Ford is a beloved venue and we look forward to offering these cherished summer experiences that celebrate that vast cultural tapestry of Los Angeles.”
The Ford presents two West Coast dance premieres during this upcoming season. The first, and LA Phil co-commission with the Joyce Theater in New York and the International Summer Festival (Kampnagel) is serpentwithfeet: Heart of brick on Saturday, October 21. Part of LA Phil’s Humanities Initiative, the show will delve into black gay love through visual elements, dance and music co-written by serpentwithfeet and Donte Collins. Flypoet Summer Classic, the longest-running, most highly produced showcase of its kind, returns with leading performers from across spoken word and music, with special surprise musical guests.
Thirteen diverse artists are making their debuts at The Ford this summer. Singer-songwriter and entertainer Darren Criss will debut on Sunday, July 23 bringing his interpretations of Broadway classics, pop and his own originals. Uruguayan Grammy and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler will perform at The Ford for the first time on Saturday, July 29. Local Natives will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their second album, Hummingbird, with an intimate performance of the album in full on Tuesday, August 1. Theatric Kyiv-based quartet DakhaBrakha bring their signature Ukrainian avant-garde folk and “ethnic chaos” sound for their Ford debut on Friday, August 4. Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams will debut on Thursday, August 10 followed by José James premiering his new solo project of contemporary Erykah Badu on Saturday, August 26. San Diego trio Thee Sacred Souls bring in ’60s soul with the grit of early ’70s R&B on Wednesday, August 30. Meredith Monk celebrates her 80th birthday with her Ford debut and a program with Bang on a Can All-Stars and Vocals Ensemble featuring Theo Bleckmann, Katie Geissinger and Allison Sniffin in Memory Game, a look back at the vocal music of Monk on Thursday, August 31.
Revolutionary Brazilian rock band Os Mutantes bring their combination of all-out guitar squalls, traditional Brazilian rhythms and a sense of melody to The Ford for the first time on Sunday, September 3. Singer-songwriter Ryan Beatty is set to perform new music from his third full-length album Calico on Thursday, September 14. Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily will share the stage for the first time at The Ford on Wednesday, September 20. Hermanos Gutiérrez, a Swiss Latin instrumental band formed by Ecuadorean-Swiss brothers Alejandro and Estevan Gutiérrez, debut their Latin and Western instrumental music at The Ford on Thursday, September 28. A very special Ford debut will see Icelandic modern jazz artist Laufey perform with the LA Phil on Saturday, September 16.
The Ford will also see comedy debuts of Comedy Under The Stars: Women Crush Wednesdays with host Marcella Arguello presenting her popular Hollywood Improv and digital show featuring female comics from LA. In partnership with Street Food Cinema there will be screenings of Selena and the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show with shadow cast Sins O’ The Flesh. The Ford’s 2023 season is boundless with 15 weeks of various entertainment to choose from.
The Ford offers individual concert tickets as well as the opportunity to create your own packages starting April, 28, 2023. For more information or tickets for The Ford’s 2023 summer season visit Theford.com.
Check out the full schedule below:
JULY
July 14 – Mac DeMarco
July 22 – JAZZ Re-Evolution Produced in partnership with WORDTheatre
July 23 – Darren Criss
July 28 – The Improvised Shakespeare Company
July 29 – Jorge Drexler
AUGUST
August 1 – Local Natives
August 4 – DakhaBraha
August 5 – 7th Annual Boleros de Noche ft. Martha Gonzalez and Trío Remembranza
August 9 – Comedy Under the Stars: Women Crush Wednesday
August 10 – Lucinda Williams, Sam Burton
August 13 – It’s a Musical World with Bob Baker Marionette Theater
August 18 – ¡Azúcar! by CONTRA-TIEMPO
August 19 – FILAM JAM: JayR and The Filharmonic
August 25 – The Barber of Seville
August 26 – José James
August 27 – Element Band
August 30 – Thee Sacred Souls
August 31 – Meredith Monk
SEPTEMBER
September 1 – Noche de Cumbia: Yeison Landero, Mariposas del Alma, Discos Resaca, Yosimar Reyes
September 3 – Os Mutantes
September 8 – ¡Viva La Tradición! Palomas Negras: Chavela, Selena, and more
September 9 – Flypoet: Summer Classic
September 14 – Ryan Beatty
September 16 – Laufey with LA Phil
September 17 – Celebrating Sama with Viver Brasil
September 20 – Arroj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
September 23 – Selena
September 28 – Hermanos Gutiérrez
September 30 – Canciones de Mi Madres
OCTOBER
October 1 – Jazzy Ash & the Leaping Lizards
October 6 – Al Sur De La Frontera
October 7 & 8 Los Angeles Folk Festival
October 14 – 20 Años de Grandeza Mexicana
October 15 – Un Viaje por Buenos Aires with GD Tango
October 21 – serpentwithfeet: Heart of Brick
October 28 – The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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