A truly unique show is returning to the hillside amphitheater this month when Pink Martini featuring China Forbes makes its return to the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, August 23rd, and Saturday, August 24th. This night of ecstatic, effervescent pop and classic music will be preceded by an intimate appearance by the Andrew Bird Trio, who will offer up, amongst other things, the small-group jazz of the singer-songwriter’s new album Sunday Morning Put-On.

When it comes to exposing your kids to live music, it doesn’t always have to be a Kidz Bop or an overly expensive Taylor Swift concert. Pink Martini with Andrew Bird is the perfect choice for a unique and engaging night of music for both kids and parents that will not break the bank. And it’s especially the show to attend for aspiring young musicians. Tickets for Friday (8pm) start at $15, while Saturday (8pm) is available from $18. You also have the opportunity to win free tickets by subscribing to our newsletter. You’ll be one of the first to know when we drop the ticket giveaway.

Read on to learn more about the show and why it’s a perfect candidate for a cool, family-friendly concert in Los Angeles.

Written by Steven Ward

Dive into the whirlwind party that is Pink Martini

Whether you’re a longtime fan of this globe-trotting “little orchestra” or have never heard of them—we can’t emphasize enough how important it is that you experience the magic of Pink Martini live at least once. Comprised of a dozen talented musicians and singers led by bandleader Thomas M. Lauderdale, their catalog is foundationally multilingual—spanning 25 different languages—and is packaged nostalgically as everything from classical and jazz to pre-1950s pop. Their music is lightweight, buoyant, and leaves you feeling nothing short of elated. When experienced live, that effect is multiplied exponentially.

This band has performed on six continents with over 50 different orchestras. They were even in attendance for the grand opening of the LA Phil’s Walt Disney Concert Hall and were inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2014. To truly understand why, to give the exhilarating wonder of their show even the slightest justice, all we can say is you need to experience it for yourself.

A night of incredible voices with China Forbes and more

A year after Lauderdale formed Pink Martini, he recruited Harvard classmate China Forbes, who joined as a co-songwriter and lead vocalist. Together, they penned many of the band’s crowd favorites like “Sympathique,” “Lilly,” “Clementine,” and “Let’s Never Stop Falling in Love.” Enchanting, poignant, and sincerely bittersweet, when Forbes’ voice rings through a melody, you can’t help but find yourself caught up in its beauty.

In addition to Forbes, Pink Martini will be graced by a trio of incredible voices for their return to the Hollywood Bowl. There’s multi-hyphenate Storm Large—who has sang with both Rufus Wainwright and George Clinton, joining in 2011 for four nights at the Kennedy Center—Ari Shapiro, an NPR journalist who has lent his fluency in English, Hebrew, Ladino, Spanish, Arabic, and Armenian to their polyglot repertoire, and Mexican singer-songwriter and guitarist Edna Vazquez, who collaborated with the band for their 2019 Bésame mucho EP. All these incredible voices and more will be in attendance on both nights!

Singer-songwriter Andrew Bird will leave you enthralled

Before Pink Martini takes the stage, the audience will be treated to a performance by Andrew Bird—an artist whose eclectic style is matched only by the number of albums he’s released since the early 1990s—joined by Alan Hampton and Ted Poor. Whether he’s dazzling on his violin, charming you with his whistling, or allowing the touching clarity of his words to pluck at your heartstrings, Bird always puts on a captivatingly beautiful show. If you’re looking to get some listening in before the concert, his seminal The Mysterious Production of Eggs (2005) is always a good place to start, though he also recently unveiled a sublime ode to mid-century jazz with Sunday Morning Put-On.

Ticket prices that let you bring the whole family

One of our favorite things about the Hollywood Bowl is the range in affordability: sure, you have the option to splurge, but you can also snag seats on the more affordable end. And let’s be real, from front to back, there is no bad seat at the Hollywood Bowl. While Garden and Terrace Boxes give you the most close-up view, including food and drink servers, they will come at a higher price. However, many will argue that the fun is always in the back, where you get the most incredible views of the iconic Hollywood Bowl. And with the kind of party that Pink Martini will be throwing, you won’t feel very far from the action at all. Grab tickets for your entire family and introduce your kids to a night of splendidly fun music.

Discover the fun of weekends at the Hollywood Bowl

If you do plan on bringing your kids to the show—keep in mind that the Hollywood Bowl has more to offer your family than just the show you bought tickets for. Get to the venue early (doors open at 6pm both nights) to grab some of their street food offerings or bring in your favorite snacks and drinks for a pre-show picnic. You can also lead everyone on either a self-guided or podcast-led walking tour of the venue that will help you walk off your meal, tire out your children, and give you a greater awareness and appreciation of the Bowl’s illustrious history, beautiful vegetation, and the critters that live in it.

Pro Tip: Take your kids on the infamous “people mover,” aka the moving sidewalk/escalator at the Hollywood Bowl. Kids always love taking it for a ride.

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There are plenty of similar concerts and family-friendly performances taking place during the Hollywood Bowl’s 2024 season. Those hoping to see Pink Martini featuring China Forbes will also want to check out Sara Bareilles with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Mt. Joy with Local Natives, Singin’ in the Rain in Concert, and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long.