There are few venues in Los Angeles as naturally suited to folk music as The Ford. Nestled into the Hollywood Hills, the open-air amphitheater offers acoustics that carry the smallest whisper and lighting that can turn a performance into something cinematic. On this particular night, both the setting and the artists made the experience feel less like a show and more like a gathering.

Opening the evening was Jon Muq, a Ugandan-born singer-songwriter whose voice alone could have filled the hillside. Dressed simply in a denim shirt and orange beanie, he stood center stage with just an acoustic guitar and a smile — and within seconds, the crowd was leaning in. His voice, tender yet commanding, traveled effortlessly through the night air. Someone near the front described him as “a male Tracy Chapman,” and the comparison felt true.

Between songs, Muq told stories that were equal parts funny and moving. He spoke about singing for homeless children in Uganda, posting his first performances on Facebook, and the disbelief he felt when Norwegian Cruise Line offered him a job. At first he thought it had to be fake — even asking to see a video of the boat moving before he would believe a building could float. He told these stories with warmth and humor, keeping the audience laughing and engaged while framing each song with a sense of wonder.

What made the performance resonate was how seamlessly his music and stories wove together. His songs carried hope and humanity, his voice filled every corner of the amphitheater, and his presence radiated gratitude. By the end, the crowd was in awe, having witnessed an artist who could captivate with nothing more than a guitar, a smile, and a story.

When I’m With Her — Sara Watkins, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz — stepped on stage, the shift was immediate. A Grammy Award–winning trio known for their luminous harmonies and precise musicianship, they arranged themselves in a circle, dressed in light tones, violin, banjo, and guitar in hand. The music began almost unassumingly, but quickly swelled into something that sounded larger than three people could possibly create.

Their blend was seamless, voices dissolving into one another until it felt like a single, elemental sound. Under crossed spotlights and a backdrop of deep blue, the stage took on a glow that amplified the sense of ritual in their performance.

The set threaded together beauty and humor. Watkins, also of Nickel Creek fame, paused mid-show to give the audience a playful lesson in bluegrass sub-genres, joking about setting up three Home Depot buckets on stage and tossing bean bags to decide which style they’d play. The crowd — largely older couples and groups of longtime friends — laughed knowingly, leaning into the trio’s charm.

Instrumental breaks gave space for each to shine: Watkins’ violin lines were emotional and clear, O’Donovan’s guitar steady and grounding, and Jarosz — equally at home on guitar, banjo, or mandolin — drew audible gasps from the audience with her playing. Their latest album, Wild and Clear and Blue (2025), anchored much of the set, reinforcing why it has been praised as one of the year’s finest contemporary folk releases.

Throughout the evening, the trio invited the audience into their world — offering a singalong (with lyrics humorously too long to remember), sharing stories from a day spent hiking at the Hollywood Reservoir and Griffith Park (and joking about feeding deers hummus), and spotting friends in the crowd. Heads nodded in rhythm, friends leaned closer, and the amphitheater swayed together as one.

By the time the final harmonies rang out, it was clear why I’m With Her have become one of the most celebrated groups in their genre. Three accomplished musicians, each with their own legacy, combining to create something timeless, expansive, and unforgettable.

Thank you for the incredible moments, Jon Muq and I'm With Her!

— Lio