Gwen Stefani to Headline Hollywood Bowl Opening Night

Gwen Stefani has a date at the Hollywood Bowl on June 3, as the pop superstar is confirmed to headline the new season’s opening night festivities.

Opening night — a benefit for Los Angeles Philharmonic’s learning and community programs — will also feature music and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel, the L.A. Phil’s Youth Orchestra Los Angeles and special performances from ballet dancer Roberto Bolle, saxophonist Branford Marsalis and dancing sisters Let It Happen. And in a surprising showing of unity, the program will feature rival marching bands from UCLA and USC. The night will close with an installment of the Bowl’s notable fireworks show.

The L.A. Phil also announced today more details for the free two-day weekend festival known as 101 Fest, held at both the Bowl (June 11) and nearby venue the Ford (June 12). The Bowl’s program will feature DJ Cut Chemist, marching bands from USC and UCLA, the L.A. Phil with special guest violinist Ray Chen, Sheila E., YOLA with members of the L.A. Phil conducted by Thomas Wilkins, Chilean songstress Mon Laferte and Ben Harper.

The Ford event will be hosted by KCRW DJ Novena Carmel with performers including Get Lit poets, Gingee, Weapons of Mass Creation, MAYE, Tonina, Jimetta Rose and her choir Voices of Creation, Taylor McFerrin and Mereba.

Today’s announcement follows the big reveal from weeks ago when the organization unveiled details for the milestone season. Highlights of the lineup include 10 Evenings Under the Stars With Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil; a July 4 fireworks spectacular with comedy legends Steve Martin and Martin Short, Steep Canyon Rangers and Jeff Babko; shows from Ricky Martin (July 22-23), Duran Duran (Sept. 9-11), Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina (July 15-16), A.R. Rahman (July 24), John Fogerty (July 30), a-ha (July 31), Sheryl Crow and Keb’ Mo’ (Aug. 3), UB40 (Sept. 18), Diana Ross (Aug. 26-27), Boyz II Men with TLC (July 29), Grace Jones and CHVRCHES (Sept. 25); Dave Matthews Band (Sept. 19-20); and a series of performances of the Broadway smash Kinky Boots by Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein (July 8-10).

A tribute to Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra will feature special guests Billie Eilish, Debbie Harry, Dianne Reeves, Brian Stokes Mitchell and more on July 27. Other highlights include film-focused shows to celebrate Back to the Future (Aug. 5-6), Black Movie Soundtrack IV with Craig Robinson and Thomas Wilkins (Aug. 24), Amadeus (Aug. 23), Sing-A-Long Sound of Music with host Melissa Peterman (Sept. 17), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1 (June 30) and Maestro of the Movies: Celebrating John Williams at 90 (Sept. 2-4). Also featured: performances from classical music stars like Lang Lang, Joshua Bell, Seong-Jin Cho and dancers from Paris Opera Ballet, among others.

To commemorate the season, the L.A. Phil has published Hollywood Bowl: The First 100 Years, penned by Derek Taub and edited by Julia Ward and Robin Rauzi. In addition, a vinyl box set of seven LPs will also be available, featuring Hollywood Bowl recordings from 1928-2021. Both the book and box set will be available on opening night onward, exclusively for purchase through the L.A. Phil and Hollywood Bowl stores.

“There is truly no place like the Hollywood Bowl,” Dudamel explained in a statement released with the lineup. “Nothing can compare to the feeling of performing there on a summer night, as our sound seems to pour out from the hills to the thousands of music lovers spread before us, gathered from everywhere in Los Angeles and around the world. We dedicate our programs in this 100th season to all the people who have made the Hollywood Bowl a part of their lives, year after year, and to the new generation, on our stage and in our audience, that is going to carry the magic of this place far into the future.”

Tickets for the summer season will be available on the Hollywood Bowl’s website or by calling the box office. Season subscriptions are now available with single ticket sales starting May 3 and “Create Your Own” packages available much earlier, on March 15.

This article originally appeared in THR.com.

[flexi-common-toolbar] [flexi-form class=”flexi_form_style” title=”Submit to Flexi” name=”my_form” ajax=”true”][flexi-form-tag type=”post_title” class=”fl-input” title=”Title” value=”” required=”true”][flexi-form-tag type=”category” title=”Select category”][flexi-form-tag type=”tag” title=”Insert tag”][flexi-form-tag type=”article” class=”fl-textarea” title=”Description” ][flexi-form-tag type=”file” title=”Select file” required=”true”][flexi-form-tag type=”submit” name=”submit” value=”Submit Now”] [/flexi-form]