The Hollywood Bowl and The Ford are about to get even better. The Los Angeles Philharmonic has introduced Club 101, an inaugural membership program designed specifically to enhance your experience at two of Southern California’s most beloved music venues this summer season.
For upscale audiences in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Culver City who already treasure evenings under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl or intimate performances at The Ford, Club 101 offers something genuinely special: exclusive perks ranging from designated picnic areas and backstage tours to nightly seat upgrades and access to the coveted “Night in the Pool” concerts.
But this isn’t just another VIP program—it’s an opportunity to deepen your support for the LA Phil while enjoying unprecedented access to venues that have hosted everyone from Billie Holiday to The Beatles to Yo-Yo Ma since the Hollywood Bowl opened in 1922.
With founding donors Deanie and Jay Stein matching gifts dollar-for-dollar up to $101,000, your Club 101 membership makes twice the impact while elevating every summer concert into something extraordinary.
Here’s everything you need to know about joining LA’s newest and most exclusive music membership.
What Makes Club 101 Different from Regular Ticket Purchases
Let’s address the obvious question: why join Club 101 when you can simply buy tickets to Hollywood Bowl and Ford Theatre concerts? The answer lies in how this membership transforms your entire concert-going experience, not just individual performances.
Each membership level includes a unique set of benefits catered to amplify your experience at both iconic venues. While perks vary across Club 101 levels, the LA Phil has highlighted some standout enhancements that serious music lovers and cultural enthusiasts will immediately appreciate:
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Designated Club 101 picnic areas at the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford solve one of the biggest challenges facing Bowl regulars: finding the perfect spot for pre-concert dining. These exclusive areas give members guaranteed space to spread out gourmet spreads and wine selections without the usual scramble for prime picnic real estate.
20% off Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine Marketplace items adds up quickly when you’re attending multiple concerts throughout the summer season. For foodies and wine collectors who appreciate quality provisions, this discount makes upgrading your picnic game significantly more affordable.
Access to tickets, valet parking, and nightly seat upgrades at the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford (based on availability for select concerts) represents genuine value. Valet parking alone eliminates the notorious Hollywood Bowl parking challenges, while seat upgrades can transform good nights into unforgettable ones.
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A Hollywood Bowl backstage tour and on-stage photo opportunity offers something money typically can’t buy—access behind the scenes of America’s most famous outdoor amphitheater. For culture enthusiasts who’ve attended dozens of Bowl concerts, seeing the venue from the performers’ perspective creates an entirely new appreciation.
Complimentary Hollywood Bowl “Night in the Pool” for select concerts might be the most coveted benefit. These special pool-circle seats inside the Bowl’s reflecting pool area are legendary among LA Phil regulars, offering an intimate, fun-loving concert experience unlike anything else in Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl has been the premier destination for live music in Southern California since opening in 1922. Club 101 represents the first membership program specifically designed to enhance the summer season experience at both the Bowl and The Ford.
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Making a Deeper Impact: Your Gift Gets Matched Dollar-for-Dollar
Here’s where Club 101 becomes more than just exclusive perks—it’s genuine philanthropy that supports the arts while enriching your own concert experiences.
When you join Club 101, your gift will make an even deeper impact toward supporting the venues and the LA Phil, matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to Deanie and Jay Stein, up to $101,000. This matching gift effectively doubles your contribution, allowing the LA Phil to expand programming, maintain these historic venues, and continue bringing world-class performances to Southern California.
For upscale donors throughout Los Angeles who already support cultural institutions, this matching opportunity represents smart giving. You’re not choosing between personal benefits and charitable impact—you’re getting both, with your gift going twice as far toward preserving and enhancing venues that define LA’s cultural landscape.
Additionally, by supporting the venues at any Club 101 level by May 1, you’ll receive an exclusive invitation to an onstage event at the Hollywood Bowl on May 11. Standing onstage at the Hollywood Bowl, surrounded by those iconic concentric arches, offers a perspective that even performers describe as magical. It’s the kind of experience that reminds you why these venues matter—and why supporting them creates lasting value for the entire Los Angeles community.
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The Hollywood Bowl and Ford Theatre: A Summer Music Legacy
Since its opening in 1922, the Hollywood Bowl has hosted everyone from Billie Holiday to The Beatles to Yo-Yo Ma under the iconic silhouette of its concentric-arched band shell. This isn’t exaggeration—the Bowl’s history represents a comprehensive timeline of American music and culture spanning more than a century.
The venue’s 17,500-seat capacity makes it one of the world’s largest natural amphitheaters, yet the design creates surprisingly intimate acoustics. On summer nights, with LA’s perfect weather and the Bowl’s legendary programming, attending concerts here feels less like a typical music venue experience and more like participating in a Southern California tradition [Insert Internal Link].
The Ford, while smaller and more intimate, offers its own distinctive character. Originally built in 1920 as the Pilgrimage Theatre, this 1,200-seat outdoor venue nestled in the Cahuenga Pass provides a more personal concert experience. The Ford specializes in eclectic programming—world music, jazz, dance, contemporary artists—that complements the Hollywood Bowl’s larger-scale classical and popular performances.
Together, these venues create an unmatched summer music season. Club 101 membership gives you enhanced access to both, allowing you to experience everything from full orchestral performances under the stars to intimate world music showcases in a single summer season.
Who Should Join Club 101?
This membership program appeals to several distinct audiences throughout Los Angeles:
Serious music lovers who attend multiple Hollywood Bowl and Ford Theatre concerts each summer will immediately recognize the value. The combination of seat upgrades, parking convenience, picnic perks, and Food + Wine Marketplace discounts pays for itself while making every concert more enjoyable.
Cultural philanthropists in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and West Hollywood who already support LA’s arts institutions can consolidate giving through Club 101 while gaining tangible benefits. The dollar-for-dollar matching doubles your impact, making this particularly smart philanthropy.
Food and wine enthusiasts who treat Hollywood Bowl picnics as seriously as the performances themselves will appreciate designated picnic areas and marketplace discounts. These perks acknowledge that Bowl-going culture is as much about the pre-concert ritual as the music itself.
Collectors of unique experiences seeking access beyond standard ticket purchases will value backstage tours, onstage events, and “Night in the Pool” concerts. These aren’t experiences you can simply buy—they require membership in this exclusive program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the different Club 101 membership levels and their specific benefits?
A: While the LA Phil highlights key benefits like designated picnic areas, 20% off Food + Wine Marketplace items, ticket access, valet parking, seat upgrades, backstage tours, and “Night in the Pool” access, specific membership levels and their complete benefit packages should be confirmed directly with the LA Phil. Perks vary across Club 101 levels, so contact the organization to find the membership tier that best matches your needs.
Q: How does the dollar-for-dollar matching gift work?
A: Deanie and Jay Stein are matching Club 101 memberships dollar-for-dollar up to $101,000 total. This means your membership gift is effectively doubled, with matching funds going toward supporting the Hollywood Bowl, The Ford, and LA Phil programming. This matching opportunity amplifies the impact of every membership level.
Q: What happens if I join Club 101 by May 1?
A: Members who support the venues at any Club 101 level by May 1 receive an exclusive invitation to an onstage event at the Hollywood Bowl on May 11. This special event gives you the rare opportunity to stand onstage at this iconic venue and experience it from the performers’ perspective.
Join Club 101 and Transform Your Summer Concert Season
The Hollywood Bowl and Ford Theatre summer seasons represent Southern California at its cultural best—world-class performances under perfect skies at venues that have shaped American music history for over a century. Club 101 membership elevates that experience while supporting the institutions that make it possible.
Whether you’re drawn by exclusive perks like backstage access and “Night in the Pool” concerts, motivated by the dollar-for-dollar matching opportunity that doubles your philanthropic impact, or simply want to enhance every aspect of your summer concert-going experience, Club 101 delivers genuine value.
This is the inaugural season for Club 101, making current members founding supporters of a program designed to deepen connections between the LA Phil and its most dedicated audiences. Join today to secure your membership benefits for the entire summer season—and to receive that exclusive May 11 onstage event invitation if you join by May 1.
Visit laphil.com or contact the LA Phil directly to select your Club 101 membership level and become part of this historic first season. Your summer of music awaits.
