The Motherboard Suite will make its West Coast debut next month when it descends upon The Ford on Friday, August 9th. From the visionary mind of actor, poet, and musician Saul Williams and directed by Bill T. Jones, the performance will guide the audience through a surreal exploration of technology, race, and art as activism. Tickets for the show start at $25, though you can win a pair through our upcoming giveaway. Subscribe to our newsletter to be among the first to learn when the giveaway drops.

Lovers of music, activism, art, culture, and humanity need not miss The Motherboard Suite. It will be a night of surreal and thought-provoking pageantry, a necessary experience, especially considering the times. Here’s what to expect and why you need to attend.

The Motherboard Suite is a feast for the mind, soul, and senses

Even if you’re not very familiar with Saul Williams’s work, The Motherboard Suite is the kind of performing arts spectacle that venues like The Ford were built to showcase. Everything—from its music and dance to the pageantry that will adorn and surround its performers—will leave you riveted. If you’re a fan of gripping productions with captivating visual storytelling, then this show is for you!

For its premiere, it took over Times Square, halting New York commuters as they stopped to watch the thrilling movements and music of its performance. It then made an appearance at the Meany Center in Seattle, leaving audiences enthralled. Given The Ford’s indelible outdoor atmosphere, we expect The Motherboard Suite’s arrival in Los Angeles to be just as spectacular.

We all need to experience Saul Williams at least once in our lifetime

Since the early aughts, Williams has become an internationally renowned poet and musician, one who has used his platform to champion resistance against racism, police brutality, and the ongoing Palestinian genocide. Whether through music or the written word, his art reflects and challenges the status quo that has been propped up at the expense of the marginalized.

As a performer, he harnesses those cycles of pain, despair, and hope to create an enduring sense of communal power. They are excruciating revelations that leave you with a veracious sense of what’s been broken, exploited, and corrupted but with enough rousing urgency to correct it. When we last caught Williams at The Roxy back in 2015, he blew the crowd away at that intimate show, and we expect him to do the same at The Ford—albeit this time with a theatrical flare.

An exploration of his compelling music and vision

Coalescing around his albums MartyrLoserKing (2016) and Encrypted & Vulnerable (2019), The Motherboard Suite merges Williams’ music with stunning routines of six choreographers (directed by Jones), enhancing the audio-visual wonderment with its spellbinding costumes, ethereal set pieces, and dazzling neon light shows. The show also reflects his compelling and urgent ideas through this whole new medium: projecting Afro-futurist visions that offer an alternative to oppressive systems like capitalism, imperialism, and the patriarchy.

ARTISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

BEST NEW MUSIC

Grab a meal or pack a picnic before the show

Undoubtedly one of the best reasons to see a concert at The Ford is the opportunity to save some money on pricy concessions by bringing your own food and drinks from home. Pack your favorite snacks, throw some beer and wine into a cooler (or your favorite non-alcoholic beverage), and you’ve got the makings of a perfect night out.

With tickets being so affordable as well, you might just want to splurge a little on what you decide to eat or drink! For that, we recommend a visit to Bodega at The Ford, which offers a variety of delicious entrees inspired by Los Angeles’ multicultural appetites.

Tips to make your trip to The Ford enjoyable and easy

A Friday night show means you still need to contend with traffic, especially with The Ford’s big sister, the Hollywood Bowl, across the way—which is why we recommend getting to The Ford at least 90 minutes before the show starts. If you’re driving figure out parking ahead of time. There are off-site and on-site parking options, and each has its pros and cons: if you choose off-site, you can get to the venue using a free shuttle and can leave whenever you want; on-site will mean you’re closer but also boxed in.

If you don’t want to drive you can jump on the Metro B Line (Red) and get off at the Universal City/Studio City Metro Station or Ovation Hollywood shopping center. A shuttle service will then drop you off at The Ford. There are also rideshare options that pick you up relatively close to the exit of the venue—for those looking for an excuse to order a few extra alcoholic beverages.

You will want to take a look at the rest of the incredible performances happening during Ford’s 2024 season. If The Motherboard Suite has caught your eye, then you’ll also probably enjoy Bloco Obini, 100 Años de Libertad, TAIKOPROJECT, Jazz Is Dead: The Mizell Brothers, and Flypoet Summer Classic.