Stringfever
2024-03-26 20:00 - 23:00 (America/Detroit) | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Stringfever is a group of talented musicians who have lived and breathed music since a young age. Formed in 2003, and currently composed of three siblings and their cousin, this internationally acclaimed quartet has performed 1000+ Shows in 33 countries since 2004, from private performances for the British Royal family to a packed audience at Madison Square Garden.
Stringfever’s selections range from inspiring classics to popular music; every performance engaging audiences with humor and energy.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from the Ford Motor Company Fund. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

David Wilcox
2024-04-23 20:00 - 23:00
David Wilcox is a penetrating storyteller. The revered folk musician has an effortless talent for spinning lyrics that quietly cut deep, and crafting melodies that seamlessly ride the plot twists and turns. Wilcox handily exemplifies the power of lyrical and musical catharsis
The Ohio native with the warm baritone found his artistic muse in North Carolina during the mid-1980s. In 1987 he released his debut album, “The Nightshift Watchman,” which led to winning the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival in 1988.Thirty-plus years and twenty-plus albums later, Wilcox won top honors in the 23rd annual USA Songwriting Competition in 2018 for his effervescent “We Make the Way by Walking.” Wilcox has deservedly earned praise over the years in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, and Rolling Stone, to name a few. Today, Wilcox is still earning his admirers with storytelling that cuts deep into the soul and observes the human condition from both the nerve center and the outside looking in. That kind of storytelling is certain to become a good friend.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from the Ford Motor Company Fund. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

For Pete's Sake
2024-05-02 20:00 - 23:00
On hiatus since 2019, “For Pete’s Sake”, an all-star, in-the-round celebration of the songs and life of Pete Seeger, returns to The Ark! This year’s revival of the longtime Ark tradition features Michigan music favorites San, Laz, & Emily Slomovits; host of “No Roots – No Fruit” podcast and popular community singer, Matt Watroba; folk-roots singer-songwriter and beloved troubadour, Chris Buhalis; Hollerfest prime mover and prolific singer-songwriter/performer, Billy King; Michigan folk royalty, Annie & Rod Capps; legendary writer of classics like “Angelo’s” and “What Would Brando Do” and a do-not-miss performer, Dick Siegel; and songwriter, performer, and active proponent of our southeast Michigan music scene, Judy Banker – coming together to celebrate Pete’s birthday by sharing stories and, in the true Seeger style, lots of singalongs. All proceeds from this event go to support The Ark.
In the spirit of Pete’s belief in the power of singing together, we are making the concert available via LIVE STREAM so you all can join us from wherever you are.

Mouths of Babes
2024-05-28 20:00 - 23:00
With more than a dozen albums and over a thousand shows between them, Ty Greenstein and Ingrid Elizabeth of Mouths of Babes are no strangers to the contemporary folk-Americana music scene. For years, their respective bands Girlyman and Coyote Grace captivated thousands of loyal fans as they crisscrossed the country, rocked festival main stages, and toured with the likes of Indigo Girls and Dar Williams. Now they have distilled the very best of the songwriting, musicianship, and humor of their previous groups into a power duo that brings more depth and style than ever before.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

The Wellermen
2024-06-25 20:00 - 23:00
Bass singing folk group The Wellermen were discovered during the viral Sea Shanty trend of early 2021. The four had only met in person once with members Bobby Waters & Luke Taylor based in the US and Jonny Stewart & Sam Pope based in the UK. The four members’ lives were to change when they dueted with a seemingly innocuous ‘Sea Shanty’ (Wellerman) on TikTok. Since the release of the now ubiquitous TikTok, it’s been viewed 100m+ times across multiple platforms and continents, and has seen The Wellermen appear at events like The Brits, shows like Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Take Away, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and The Colbert Show & ABC News Australia. The Wellermen used their moment of unexpected virality for lasting good, raising money via proceeds from ‘Wellerman’ for the Marine Conservation Society, giving back to the seas.
Since then the group have gone on to release their debut album containing even more viral hits, from ‘Misty Mountains’ and ‘Nancy Mulligan’ to the North Sea Trend phenomenon ‘Hoist The Colours’ which reached #3 on the global TikTok sound chart in February 2024. The group have achieved 150m streams to date and amassed a global audience of millions in the process.
The Wellermen embark on their debut USA tour in June 2024, with their hotly anticipated follow up album due for release Winter 2024.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

Shamarr Allen
2024-07-23 20:00 - 23:00
Hailing from the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, Shamarr Allen has influences in jazz, hip-hop, rock, funk rhythms, blues and country. He is the lead vocalist and trumpeter of his band “Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs.” In addition to performing with his band, Allen has collaborated with many renowned artists around the world such as Willie Nelson, Patti LaBelle, Galatic, Harrick Connick Jr, and Lenny Kravitz, to name a few. He is a sought after artist for festivals and venues around the world. In addition to displaying his skills on the front-line as a lead performer, Allen is also a music composer, writer, and producer. With a scintillating and unique sound, look, and exemplary talents, Shamarr Allen transcends musical boundaries. He is the True Orleans experience!
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

Fantastic Cat
2024-08-27 20:00 - 23:00
They said it couldn’t be done. Four different songwriters joining forces to form a single band? There was simply no precedent (outside of CSNY, The Beatles, The Traveling Wilburys, The Highwaymen, Monsters of Folk, etc). And yet Fantastic Cat did it anyway, defying the odds and teaming up to record their highly unanticipated 2022 debut, The Very Best Of Fantastic Cat. Hailed by Rolling Stone as “a wildly satisfying collection of folk-rock, country, Americana, and good old rock & roll” that offers “equal doses of Dylan and Springsteen,” the album earned the vocal-trading, instrument-swapping collective their national TV debut, sold-out headline dates around the US and Europe, festival performances everywhere from Sundance to Take Root, and a song in the Showtime series Tulsa King. In 2023, the unlikely four-piece teamed up with all-star producer Butch Walker for a 50th anniversary take on Wings’ “Band On The Run,” which prompted even more love from Rolling Stone, who dubbed them “the Harlem Globetrotters of Americana.”
Individually, each member of Fantastic Cat boasts their own impressive resume along with a litany of critical acclaim. Paste declared Don DiLego’s latest album a “stunner.” NPR said Anthony D’Amato “sings and writes in the tradition of Bruce Springsteen or Josh Ritter.” Rolling Stone called Brian Dunne’s new record “the sleeper album of the year” and praised Mike Montali’s band, Hollis Brown, as “the soundtrack for a late-night drive through the American heartland.” Collectively, though, the four transcend their respective roots, emerging as velvet-clad rock and roll cooperative far greater than the sum of its parts.
They say some cats are born fantastic; others have fantasy thrust upon them. These guys are somewhere in the middle.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

Humbird
2024-09-24 20:00 - 23:00
Humbird (Siri Undlin) is a Minneapolis based singer-songwriter, poet, and storyteller inspired by the crystalline chill of her home state’s northern winters. Undlin twines experimental indie folk rock, environmental Americana, and orchestral compositions into lush landscapes of mesmerizing sound.
Released in September 2019, her debut full length album, Pharmakon, was received with remarkable critical acclaim and has amassed over 20 million streams since its release. After the release of her sophomore album Still Life (2021) she was chosen as the winner of the 2021 Kerrville Folk Festival’s song-writing competition and went on to teach songwriting at both Sisters Folk Festival and Rocky Mountain Folks Fest. 2023’s tour highlights included her First Avenue main stage debut, appearances at Sisters Folks Festival, Mile of Music & Rocky Mountain Folks as well as direct tour support for Watchhouse, Mipso and Indigo De Souza, collectively covering most of the country. Her third third full length album ‘Right On’ was released on April 12 and has been her loudest, most notable record to date.
A Humbird live performance is intimate and earthy, literal and metaphorical. The band nimbly prances around the lilt of Undlin’s unfaltering fervent and haunting voice – the focal point. Although the songs and stories hold their own, the embellishments the band supply add the perfect splash of timbre and color to deliver a dynamic and engaging performance.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

Pete Muller
2024-10-22 20:00 - 23:00
Pete Muller has spent much of his adult life walking a tightrope between two vastly different worlds.
“One part of me is a very practical, analytical thinker,” says the gifted singer/songwriter and innovative business leader, “and the other is this creative artist who can’t help but express what’s going on in his soul. For a long time, I thought I had to choose between the two, but I’ve realized that I can love both sides of myself, that it’s AND, not OR.”
More Time, Muller’s captivating new album, is proof of that. Recorded in Memphis with producer/engineer Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price) and featuring a duet with Lisa Loeb, the collection marks a dramatic leap forward for Muller, who finds himself exploring the push and pull of responsibility and desire, predictability and adventure, commitment, and temptation. Where Muller’s previous work leaned more towards carefully arranged folk and roots, More Time is a freewheeling slice of rock and soul captured with an all-star band including celebrated bassist Dave Smith (Al Green, Wilson Pickett), famed Texas guitarist Will Sexton (Joe Ely, Roky Erickson), Memphis organist Rick Steff (Lucero, Cat Power), and longtime Wilco drummer Ken Coomer. The result is an ecstatic exploration of what it means to be human in all its messy, mixed-up contradictions, a sometimes-exultant, sometimes-pensive meditation that embraces AND over OR as it revels in the joy of discovering—and becoming—the people we’re meant to be.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

Taimane & Her Trio
2025-01-28 20:00 - 23:00
The elevator at The Ark is out of service while technicians wait for a part to make repairs. Attendees for this show will need to be able to walk up and down the stairs to the second floor of The Ark where the show takes place.
Born and raised in Hawaii of hapa Samoan descent, ukulele virtuoso and songwriter Taimane is renowned for her fierce and inventive style of playing the four-string island staple. She has also garnered great acclaim for her fiery stage prowess, keeping concertgoers on the edge of their seats from her first note until her last.
Come experience Taimane’s talent, grace and passion, and see why Taimane is quickly becoming a global star and cultural beacon.
★ 50+ Million Video Views
★ 500,000 Social Followers
★ 2023 & 2019 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Favorite Entertainer of the Year
★ 2023 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Instrumental Album and Instrumental Composition of the Year
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).
Tune into the livestream on The Ark’s Youtube page.

Hayley Reardon
2025-04-22 20:00 - 23:00
Hayley Reardon is a critically acclaimed folk-pop singer and songwriter, and a storyteller in the truest sense of the word. Reardon dove head first into music at the age of 15, and has dedicated much of her life to writing, recording and performing music around the world.
Her ever-deepening music carries a lyrical and melodic weight beyond her years, being described as “brilliantly moving folk/pop with a lyrical depth and soul” (Performer Magazine) and “a melancholy little masterpiece” (American Songwriter Magazine). No Depression writes “Reardon is truly a treasure.”
2023 was one of creative abundance and artistic growth for Reardon. Her EP, Changes, was recorded in Barcelona with renowned Spanish guitarist Pau Figueres as producer and collaborator with the title track featuring an original bilingual duet with Catalan sensation Judit Neddermann. Along with her own releases, Reardon co-wrote and sings on Seth Glier’s haunting new single My Body Remembers. She was also nominated as 2023 Vocalist of the Year by the Boston Music Awards. Her latest album, After Everything, was released in September 2024.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).

Matt Watroba
2025-11-28 20:00 - 23:00
Ticket prices on our website reflect all-in pricing for purchases made online or by phone. This means the price you see includes the ticket price plus MUTO’s ticket processing fee. Tickets may be purchased with no included fees in person at The Ark during box office hours.
What could be better than to kick off the holiday season with a Michigan folk music institution? Many know Matt Watroba as the voice of folk music in Michigan for his work producing and hosting shows for public radio. He has devoted his life and career to being a custodian of American folk and roots music. This has helped shape a repertoire and presentation that is unique on stages across the state and country. We think a Matt Watroba concert makes a great November tradition.
Matt is turning this annual event into a grand community singing gathering! He’ll be joined by a couple dozen or more musical friends from our Michigan music community to be his choir and he’ll lead all of us in song after uplifting song! Matt will be donating a portion of proceeds to P.O.W.E.R. (a Peaceful Organization for Wellbeing, Empowerment, and Resilience) a community of artists and musicians who have come together to create and fund opportunities for vulnerable members of our community to receive self-defense training and situational-awareness training, at no cost, from expert instructors.

Folk Fest Kickoff: A Tribute to Todd Snider
2026-01-24 20:00 - 23:00
Ticket prices on our website reflect all-in pricing for purchases made online or by phone. This means the price you see includes the ticket price plus MUTO’s ticket processing fee. Tickets may be purchased with no included fees in person at The Ark during box office hours.
This special show will kick off the 2026 Ann Arbor Folk Festival and will feature 14 Michigan artists each performing their version of a song by Todd Snider. Featured artists include: Al Bettis, Ani Mari, Chris Buhalis, Dave & Kristi, Jetty Rae, Jill Jack, Ki5, The Lucky Nows, Maddy Ringo, Mike Robertson, The Minor Pieces, Misty Lyn, The RFD Boys, and Wilson Thicket.

Max Gomez
2026-03-24 20:00 - 23:00
Singer/Songwriter Max Gomez grew up in Taos, New Mexico, where he fell under the influence of country blues early on and developed a songwriting style that was uniquely his. As a budding performer, Max apprenticed in the rarefied musical micro-climate of northern New Mexico, where troubadours like Michael Martin Murphey and Ray Wylie Hubbard helped foster a Western folk sound both cosmic and country.
He received critical acclaim upon the release of his debut album Rule The World (2013, New West Records); and his subsequent EP, Me and Joe (2017, Brigadoon Records), contained a freshly minted classic, “Make It Me.”
He has shared billing on hundreds of stages with stalwarts of the genre like James McMurtry, Buddy Miller, John Hiatt, Patty Griffin, Tommy James & The Shondells, Jeff Beck, and Johnny Depp. Judging by the company he keeps, Gomez is poised to emerge as a prominent voice of Americana’s next generation. Max’s latest album Memory Mountain, was released in August and is currently in the top 50 of the AMA / CDX Top 200 Album Chart.

Ian Flanigan
2026-06-23 20:00 - 23:00
With a voice like worn leather and songs that hit straight to the soul, Ian Flanigan is a powerful presence in modern Country and Americana. A road-tested artist since the age of 17, Ian has spent years traveling the country, living on the road, and building a grassroots career grounded in authenticity and connection. After capturing national attention as a finalist on NBC’s The Voice (Team Blake, Season 19), he signed with Reviver Records and has continued touring relentlessly, releasing music consistently, and deepening his impact across the Country and Americana scenes.
Blending country, folk, and rock with unfiltered honesty, Ian’s music has earned millions of streams, widespread radio airplay, and critical praise. He’s completed two major country radio campaigns and a recent Americana run, releasing new material every 6–8 weeks and delivering compelling, high-energy performances that reflect both his lived-in voice and years on the road.
Ian’s music has also been featured in television and film, including placements in Mayans, Heartland, and the indie horror film The Departed—a testament to the emotional range and cinematic quality of his songwriting.
In 2025, Ian released his second full-length album The Man My Mama Raised, a deeply personal and sonically rich project that reinforced his reputation as one of Country and Americana’s most honest and distinctive voices.
Offstage, Ian is a signed Nashville songwriter and sought-after producer, crafting music for his own catalog and for artists across the country. He is the founder of HOWL Entertainment—an artist collective dedicated to empowering independent musicians—and serves on the Board of Directors for HOPE ROCKS, a nonprofit that raises awareness around addiction recovery and mental health through the power of music and community outreach.
Ian’s passion lies in his family, fostering community through the arts, and life on the road. He is currently self-producing his next body of work while actively touring the U.S., continuing to build momentum with every show.
Whether on stage, in the studio, or out on the road, Ian Flanigan is a builder of songs and stories—an artist who brings truth, grit, and heart to everything he touches.
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).
