The Ford Announces 2022 Season

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced details today of The Ford's 2022 season, featuring 19 weeks of performances between June 12 and October 23. The 2022 season will kick off with the FREE 101 Festival, which connects The Ford (Sunday, June 12) and the Hollywood Bowl (Saturday, June 11)-sister venues and neighbors across the 101 Freeway-for a two-day-long celebration of music and community that will reverberate through the Hollywood Hills. Programs throughout the season will welcome Ford favorites as well as introduce a captivating and inclusive array of multidisciplinary talent, including music legends and local acts. The Ford's second season stewarded by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association celebrates the best of Los Angeles and highlights its many creative communities.

Cynthia Fuentes, Director of The Ford, said, "As one of the oldest performing arts venues in Los Angeles, The Ford holds a storied place in the city's history, and we embrace that history with every artist and ensemble that takes our stage. More than ever before, this year will be about celebrating bright and brilliant voices across different genres. The 2022 season will shine a spotlight on LA's own artists, both emerging and established, as we welcome unforgettable performers to our summer stage."

Chad Smith, Los Angeles Philharmonic Chief Executive Officer, David C. Bohnett Chief Executive Officer Chair, said, "The LA Phil is honored to uphold the summer traditions that have kept artists and audiences returning year after year to this intimate venue. The Ford is distinct in the LA Phil's constellation of venues as Los Angeles' stage, and we look forward to continuing to celebrate the extraordinary artists of this city all summer long."

Los Angeles Philharmonic Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel said, "This season, The Ford will offer a magnificent musical feast with artists of all different styles, backgrounds, and cultures - including our expansive Pan-American Music Initiative. Much like the beautifully diverse people and neighborhoods of our great city, we will join together to become something more than the sum of our parts, united in harmony by the common language of music."

Established in 1920 and recently improved and enhanced through an $80 million renovation project, the 1,200-seat Ford is a favorite for artists and families. Last year, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association began operating and programming under the terms of a stewardship agreement finalized with the County of Los Angeles in November 2019. The Association also operates and programs the LA Phil's 2,265-seat Walt Disney Concert Hall and the 17,500-seat Hollywood Bowl.

i??2022 Season Highlights

The season will begin with the 101 Festival (June 11 and 12), a FREE two-day celebration of music and community that, through complementary programming, unites The Ford with its sister venue, The Hollywood Bowl, to celebrate the sounds of California. The Ford performances (June 12), hosted by Novena Carmel, will open with a specially commissioned land blessing presented by Eyooxaarin (meaning "our existence" in Tongva) led by Jessa Calderon & Tina Calderon and performers representing both the Chumash and Tongva people. The all-star lineup also includes Get Lit poets; DJ, percussionist and vocalist Gingee; hip-hop band Weapons of Mass Creation; bassist, vocalist and composer Tonina; Jimetta Rose & her choir Voices of Creation; DJ, producer, keyboardist and beatboxer Taylor McFerrin; and singer-songwriter maye. The festival closes with multifaceted singer-songwriter Mereba.

The season continues to spotlight California's local talent with musician, humanitarian and filmmaker Michael Franti & Spearhead (July 30); Best Coast in a two-night anniversary party celebrating the laid-back duo with a start-to-finish performance of their studio albums Crazy For You (August 12) and The Only Place (August 13). Warpaint (August 19), the 4-piece all female band from California, will bring their unique brand of intricate guitar lines, hypnotic vocals and driving post-punk rhythms to The Ford. FlyPoet Summer Classic (September 3) returns in an energetic evening showcasing Los Angeles' most sought-after spoken word and R&B artists.

In a golden opportunity to see a variety of beloved artists in the intimate outdoor setting of The Ford, the 2022 season will feature the searingly emotional songs of Rufus Wainwright (June 14), the cerebral folk rock of Mary Chapin Carpenter (June 20), the incomparable fan-favorite Ani DiFranco (June 23), She & Him featuring duo Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward with their infectious country-folk melodies (June 25), the soulful rock of Melissa Etheridge (August 23) and an intimate evening with Swedish singer-songwriter José González (August 25).

As part of Gustavo Dudamel's Pan-American Music Initiative (PAMI), which is being presented across all three LA Phil venues over five years, The Ford will feature Pan-American Hoy! (October 23) with Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada and Chilean singer-songwriter Gepe. Two chart-topping artists in their home country, they'll both be making Ford debuts on an evening that celebrates the eclectic, vibrant musicians from across the Americas and highlights rich musical traditions and contemporary creativity that infuse reimagined folk traditions.

International and local voices will also be celebrated throughout the season. Boleros de Noche (August 6) will return to The Ford with La Marisoul Love Notes Orchestra, produced in Partnership with Animo Production, for an evening highlighting Mexico's golden era of boleros. Calexico's Joey Burns and John Convertino (June 24) will bring the hopeful, kaleidoscopic beacon of rock, bluesy ruminations and Latin American sounds from their luminous 10th studio album, El Mirador. Colombian stars, Latin Grammy winners and Tik Tok sensations Monsieur Periné make their Ford debut (July 24). Watchhouse, Punch Brothers and Sarah Jarosz present America Acoustic, a night of Americana and bluegrass music (August 7), and iconic Argentine rock band Babasónicos make a return to Los Angeles with a new album (August 18). Kikinceañera: Noche De Orgullo (August 26), a night of music, drag artists and mariachi, celebrates LA's queer Latinx communities, featuring RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars alum Valentina, Doris Anahi, Mariachi Arcoiris de los Angeles, Bibi Discoteca, and Vik Floyd, curated by Southeast Los Angeles artist Neyva. The Halluci Nation, electronic artists from Canada, will bring upbeat electronica and native dancers in a full electronic pow-wow, featuring DJ El Dusty, to wrap up the season (October 22).

Returning Ford ensemble Pacífico Dance Company (September 10) will mark their 30th anniversary with a brand new, colorful celebration, Desde México. ¡Viva la Tradicion! Juan Gabrielísimo, produced in partnership with Colibrí Entertainment, celebrates the life and work of one of Latin America's most legendary artists with a tribute to El Divo de Juárez, Juan Gabriel (September 24). Noche Cosmica: Thee Sinseers, Luna Luna, Katzù Ozo, and Irene Diaz (October 1) pays tribute to visionary LA-based record label Cosmica Records, which launched the LA and Southwest renaissance of Latin indie music. The evening will showcase the next generation of artists to bring their distinctive sound to mark the arrival of a new era. Twin sisters Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz of musical duo Ibeyi will perform stunning parallel harmonies, sharing a message of power and possibility (September 15).

The season's first classical program, Green Umbrella at The Ford (July 6), will take advantage of the physical beauty and acoustic excellence of The Ford to provide the perfect playground for the adventurous musicians of the LA Phil as they explore and reconstruct a world of electronic and acoustic sound. Conducted by Associate Conductor Paolo Bortolameolli, the program will include works by composers Vivian Fung, Juan Felipe Waller, and Kaija Saariaho. The Junction Trio, comprising violinist Stefan Jackiw, cellist Jay Campbell and pianist Conrad Tao, will perform as part of NowRising, bringing young artists who represent the future of classical music and showcasing exciting, boundary breaking aspects with approachable, accessible new material (August 3). ATMA, produced in partnership with The Music Circle, (September 17) will spotlight ragas and Indian classical music, featuring a pre-concert conversation about a new piece written during the COVID lockdown.

The sounds of Broadway comes to The Ford stage for an evening with Christopher Jackson and Wayne Brady, produced in partnership with 4CLAB (August 27). A star-studded evening of music, comedy and storytelling featuring Reza Aslan and Evan Kleiman explores touching and timely stories of the heroic journey of resettling refugees from survival to community building with Our World Is a Family (July 16), produced in partnership with Miry's List. Outfest Under the Stars celebrates three nights of films from LA's LGBTQ+ Film Festival (July 21, 22 & 23). Mo Amer, stand-up comic, writer and producer and a pioneer in Arab American comedy, brings his unique brand of comedy to The Ford (October 20).

International ballet superstar Carlos Acosta brings his critically acclaimed Cuban company to The Ford for a U.S. premiere and new commission by breakthrough choreographer Micaela Taylor for Acosta Danza: Cuban Landscape, funding provided by The Ford Theatre Foundation (October 8).

Jazz offerings this season span from international to local, straight forward to experimental, with performances including Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan (June 16), Kamasi Washington (August 5), the epic sounds of trumpeter Terence Blanchard, featuring the E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet (August 9) and Les Claypool's Bastard Jazz will bring experimental New Orleans Jazz to The Ford (July 29). Multi award-winning saxophonist and composer Nubya Garcia appears in a double bill with American drummer Nate Smith with his bandmates KINFOLK (September 1). Luciana Souza and Vince Mendoza will feature "Storytellers" with Big Band (October 21), produced in partnership with Angel City Jazz Festival for their city-wide festival.

Family Programming

Family programming will continue with the LA Soundscapes Series, featuring odes to Los Angeles as some of the city's top artists draw inspiration from the culturally diverse, artistically rich neighborhoods, music and communities that encompass this amazing city. With something for all ages to draw families to The Ford, the 2022 series presented on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. will feature Philippine folk art and dance with Kayamanan Ng Lahi (June 26); Chulita Vinyl Club DJ Family Party (July 17), an all-woman and non-binary collective of DJs that will provide a musical journey through the neighborhoods and times that have been instrumental to LA; Nonosina, who will explore the dances and sounds of Polynesian cultures (August 14); and Bob Baker Marionette Theater's Hooray (September 4).

Ticketing & COVID Protocols

Ticket packages for The Ford are available from today online at www.theford.com. Single tickets will be on sale Tuesday, April 19, at 10 a.m.

Registration to apply for the FREE 101 Festival tickets opens May 10, 2022. There is a four-ticket maximum per application, further details here.

LA Soundscapes Series includes up to two FREE children's tickets with every full-priced ticket purchased.

Concessions

Concessions for the 2022 season will be provided by Chef Jocelyn Ramirez' Todo Verde, including the Grab & Go Market which features food from many brands across LA, more here.

Shuttles and Parking

Shuttle service to The Ford includes service from Hollywood and Highland in addition to the Universal Lot at Ventura. Additional information about parking and shuttles is available here.

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