It’s hard to believe that at this time 3 years ago, we were building fallout shelters with toilet paper, upping the unnecessary home food delivery orders, and avoiding any meaningful human interaction with people. With the lockdown came canceled shows, concerts, and entertainment until we figured out how to navigate through a global pandemic. Nevertheless, since we have reached the crest of the pandemic (and whittled away our toilet paper surplus), live shows are back in full force. A few weeks ago, the Los Angeles Philharmonic announced their slate of shows for the upcoming 2023 season at the legendary Hollywood Bowl and we hand-picked 5 homerun shows that you shouldn’t miss this year.
Janet Jackson, with Ludacris – June 10
Janet has made it a tradition to jump back on the road every few years and remind everyone she’s still got it. At 56 years old, her 36-city North American tour will give fans a chance to hear some of her classics from albums like “Rhythm Nation 1814” and ‘Together Again’, the name’s sake for this tour. The tour also features an opening set from GRAMMY-award winning rapper Ludacris, whose repertoire of hits could headline a tour all by himself. At the end of 2022, Janet released a 25th anniversary re-release of her 1997 critically acclaimed ‘Velvet Rope’ with B-sides and remixes.
The entrance to the Hollywood Bowl on May 14, 2020, in Hollywood, California. – The Hollywood Bowl scrapped its entire summer concert season on May 13, due to the coronavirus crisis, in a “devastating” move that leaves the Los Angeles Philharmonic with an $80 million shortfall. It marks the first summer without concerts since the venue, known for its distinctive shell-shaped stage nestled in the Hollywood Hills, opened in 1922. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images) Fourth of July Spectacular with The Beach Boys – July 2, 3 & 4
It’s not summer without the Beach Boys! The July 4th Fireworks spectacular features the boys of summer performing with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, led by conductor Thomas Wilkins. With a catalog of hits spanning over 60 years, the Beach Boys legendary Southern California sound transformed rock and roll in the 1960’s and their 1966 masterfully acclaimed album ‘Pet Sounds’ is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Original members Mike Love and Bruce Johnston anchor this highly anticipated performance followed by 4th of July fireworks at the conclusion of each show.
Quincy Jones 90th Birthday Tribute – July 28 & 29
Quincy Jones has been the mastermind behind some of the biggest musical recordings of the last 40 years. Not only did he produce the music for Hollywood motion pictures like ‘In the Heat of the Night’ and TV theme songs like ‘Sanford and Son’ and ‘The Bill Cosby Show’ but produced the soundtrack to The Wizard of Oz TV adaptation ‘The Wiz’. His credits also include Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’, the best-selling album of all-time with over 70 million albums sold. To celebrate the 90th birthday of this musical superstar, this two-night event will feature performances of the recording legend’s songs by a stable of special guests and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, led by composer, conductor, and long-time Jones collaborator Jules Buckley.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22: Brent Kutzle, Drew Brown, Ryan Tedder, Brian Willett, Zach Filkins, and Eddie Fisher of OneRepublic perform onstage during Audacy’s 9th annual We Can Survive at Hollywood Bowl on October 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Audacy) Boy George & Culture Club – Aug 25 & 26
Pop culture of the 1980’s has seen a comeback in the last few years and no other 1980’s icon still resonates to this day than Boy George. As the frontman of the UK pop group ‘Culture Club’, Boy George’s risqué and unconventional style and statements of the New Wave decade always provide a great show. At the height of their popularity, Boy George and Culture Club produced seven consecutive Top Ten hits in the U.K. and six Top Ten singles in the U.S. including “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?”, “Karma Chameleon” and “Time (Clock Of The Heart)”.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 19: Marshmello performs onstage during the 7th Annual We Can Survive, presented by AT&T, a RADIO.COM event, at The Hollywood Bowl on October 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for RADIO.COM ) KCRW Festival – Multiple dates all summer
The annual 89.9 FM KCRW Festival is back this year with six amazing nights of live music at the Hollywood Bowl. While it’s tough to pick just one of the six nights to indulge in eclectic audible arts, consider Sunday, August 20th with headliners My Morning Jacket with support from Fleet Foxes. From Louisville, Kentucky, My Morning Jacket have quietly been building a live music reputation of ‘alternative country’ or ‘southern jam rock’ that you might not already have on your gym playlist. My Morning Jacket concerts are known for their high energy and their ability to create a unique and unforgettable experience for their fans. They have also been nominated for four Country Music Association Awards and one Academy of Country Music Award. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked the band at number 55 on their list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. Their Hollywood Bowl tour stop supports their 2021 self-titled album.