The Ark

Enter The Haggis
2024-03-01 20:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
A haggis is a tasty Scottish dish consisting of sheep heart, liver, and lungs, mixed with oatmeal, onion, suet, and spices, and then boiled inside the sheep’s stomach. The Canadian-Scots band Enter the Haggis (bagpiper Craig Downie is from Scotland) has just about as much variety in their style, a high-speed collision of Celtic music, rock, bluegrass, funk, and world music. An Enter the Haggis live show is a musical feast—dynamic and emotionally uplifting. Alternating between upbeat rock numbers with sing-along choruses and slower, more introspective alt pop songs, the band plays progressive and lyrically driven music that’s strongly rooted in Celtic tradition—from the storytelling to the bagpipes.

The Steel Wheels
2024-02-29 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, informed by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with insightful lyrics and an evolving sound. In 2005, Jay Lapp (vocals, guitars, mandolin) and Eric Brubaker (vocals, fiddle) joined lead singer Trent Wagler (guitar, banjo) in forming the band as a vehicle for Wagler’s songwriting. They released several albums under Wagler’s moniker, before officially adopting the The Steel Wheels name with the 2010 release of “Red Wing.” Quickly staking their claim as independent upstarts in the burgeoning Americana scene, The Steel Wheels followed up this release with three more self-produced albums in the next five years, before joining forces with producer Sam Kassirer for “Wild As We Came Here” (2017) and “Over The Trees” (2019). Kevin Garcia (drums, percussion, keys) joined in 2017, bringing a new level of sonic depth and polish to the outfit. Newest member Jeremy Darrow rounds out the rhythm section and grounds the band as they continue to explore deeply rooted yet fresh folk rock sounds. Having gained the experience of thousands of shows, festivals and many miles on the road, the stubbornly independent band has formed deep bonds with each other and the audience that sustains them.

The Ark's Open Stage
2024-02-28 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Whether you’re looking for your big break, want to perfect your live performance skills, or just want to perform live for the sheer fun of it, Open Stage nights offer supportive audiences and a terrific space. Performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Doors open at 7:30, and names are drawn at 7:55 and 8:30. If your name isn’t chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you next time, and you’ll double your chances.
Why play Open Stage at the Ark? Do it to be heard. Do it so you know you can. Do it to take your music to the masses. Tremendous local performers like Dick Siegel, Misty Lyn, and Matt Watroba spent time honing their craft on Open Stage audiences. Even nationally recognized talents like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Gilda Radner, and David Alan Grier paid their dues here. If you’re not interested in getting on stage tonight, get your practice in at being a great audience member and observer of new music.

Rachael Kilgour
2024-02-27 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
We first heard this songwriter as one half of the duo Sound an Echo, and then we had her in the Family Room during the pandemic. Rachael Kilgour is a Minnesotan songwriter and performing artist whose sincere, lyric-driven work has been called both brave and humane. The 2015 grand prize winner of the international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition and winner of the 2017 Kerrville New Folk Contest, Rachael has been featured at NYC’s Lincoln Center, at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and by the ASCAP Music Cafe at the Sundance Film Festival. Married in her early twenties, Rachael chronicled her life as a young parent in a same-sex partnership and addressed sociopolitical issues from government corruption to income inequality and religious hypocrisy. In 2014, divorce brought an unwanted end to her role as a member of the family she had helped to grow. In the aftermath, Kilgour found solace in songwriting. Rachael was awarded a 2020 Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant to focus on a songwriting project about the life and recent death of her father, and the album, “My Father Loved Me,” is out now, and it’s terrific.
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).

Richard Shindell
2024-02-25 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Richard Shindell is a New Yorker living in Argentina: a craftsman and a real wizard of song. He’s played for coins in the Paris subway, and he’s studied for the priesthood. His gift for profound storytelling songs drew him into the world of folk music. Richard Shindell champions the downtrodden, exalts the disaffected, skewers prejudice, war, and religious intolerance. He steps into and fully inhabits the various personalities his songs create—some of them female. In the words of No Depression, “Shindell tells great stories with an eye for critical detail while never losing sight of the big picture. He works a well-worn stretch of singer-songwriter pavement, but his wonderfully spiritual lyrical sense and intimate compositions ultimately distinguish him.” The Valley Advocate in Massachusetts has called Richard Shindell “the thinking man’s folk singer,” and you’re not going to hear better-crafted songs anywhere. Richard announced his retirement several years ago, but he’s back, and we’re glad to be part of his new tour!

The Ark's 37th Annual Storytelling Festival - Family Show
2024-02-25 13:00 - 14:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Master storytellers Lyn Ford and Genot Picor deliver an entertaining family-friendly show. These artists keep kids engaged through action, music, fun and funny characters, while celebrating the unique cultures and diversity of our nation. Genot Picor (guitar) will be joined by Sean O’Connell (violin).

The Ark's 37th Annual Storytelling Festival
2024-02-24 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This event offers a mix of spoken word artists that are locally-based, and nationally-known. MC Steve Daut will kick off the evening with a story, with Lyn Ford to follow in the first act. After a short break, LaRon Williams and Paul Strickland will complete the evening. This event offers a range of storytelling styles, with tall tales, original stories, American folklore, and a twisted fairy tale. All in all, this is a night that has something for everyone.

The Ark's 37th Annual Storytelling Festival - Liar's Contest
2024-02-23 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Liars have been around since the snake first hit it off with Eve. By some accounts, contests celebrating liars have been around since the 15th century, but these accounts may be apocryphal. Today, liars contests are held in countries all around the globe.
The Second Annual Liar’s Contest at The Ark includes six first-class liars and three celebrity judges. The chaos wrangler and MC will once again be the amazing Amir Baghdadchi, keeping things lively and fun. The judges for the event each have a professional relationship to liars.
Karl Fink is a retired District and Circuit court judge, and so has been around liars all his life, and that doesn’t just include the lawyers. Paul Strickland is a national storyteller who fibs for a living. Jennifer Conlin is Michigan State Representative for House District 48. So she’s a politician (mic drop).

Darrin James Band
2024-02-22 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Darrin James was born in Kentucky, was raised in metro Detroit, and spent a formative decade in New York City before returning to Michigan in 2010. His musical style is as varied as his background, drawing on his love of the blues and folk music of the South, the Motown soul and classic rock and roll rawness of Detroit, and the eclecticism and immediacy of Brooklyn, where he released his 2006 debut album, “Thrones of Gold.” Back in Ann Arbor, he’s produced recordings by all kinds of musicians and taken a political turn with his songwriting. “The man’s got Joe Henry versatility, a crackerjack studio band, and a great sense of craft … from a Lovett/Waits blues into a John Prine diatribe, then rocketing off with an Elvis Costello pop gem,” enthuses TimeOut NY. Darrin James comes to The Ark with his brand new album, “See Right Through.” This compelling collection delves into the complexities of love and loss, offering a deeply personal exploration through a range of musical genres.
Special guests Scotty Karate and Gregory Stovetop open. Scotty has a new record coming out this year, produced by Darrin!

The Ark's Open Stage
2024-02-21 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Whether you’re looking for your big break, want to perfect your live performance skills, or just want to perform live for the sheer fun of it, Open Stage nights offer supportive audiences and a terrific space. Twelve performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Sign-up: doors open at 7:30 p.m. At 7:55 we randomly select the names for the first half, and at 8:30 we draw names for the second half. If your name isn’t chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you to the next Open Stage (often the first and third Wednesdays of the month–check our calendar or website, theark.org), and you’ll double your chances.

Talisk
2024-02-20 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
One of the most talked-about folk bands of the 21st century, Talisk have been tearing apart stereotypes and redefining the genre for almost a decade. With over 15 million streams, 10,000 albums sold worldwide, and sold out shows across five continents, the Scottish trio have amassed a global, die-hard following.
Wielding instruments that have rarely seen the likes of their music, Mohsen Amini (concertina), Benedict Morris (violin), and Charlie Galloway (guitar) have stacked up major awards for their explosively energetic sound – including five between BBC Rasio2 and BBC Radio Scotland, and two highly coveted BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.
At New Year 2022 they played BBC One’s Hogmanay show to a television audience in excess of one million, and – as the only folk act alongside pop headliners – quickly amassed a vast, mainstream audience that continues to propel the group to some of their largest live shows to date.
Never afraid to push musical boundaries, or test the live production capabilities of just three people, there’s captivating a crowd, and then there’s Talisk.

Feufollet
2024-02-19 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The young and vibrant Southwest Louisiana band takes Cajun, honky-tonk, and string-band music as their starting point, and keeps an open mind about where their song craft will lead them. On “Two Universes,” their first studio album in over five years, Feufollet proves their Cajun roots don’t define them as much as propel them forward; whispers of the swamp and its time-honored waltzes trigger a modern and broad musical imagination, one that finds equal expression in blues, old-time, country ballads, rock’n’roll, whatever, all for the sake of the song. Feufollet now includes keyboardist Andrew Toups, whose influence on shaping the record, combined with Feufollet’s usual fare—twin fiddles, French accordion, guitar twang, and barn-dance rhythms— give the record more than a passing resemblance to the Band’s “Music from Big Pink.

Jess Merritt
2024-02-18 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Jess Merritt’s lyrics and voice evoke emotional resonance for your journey through genre-bending musical performances. Whether on her own or with her band, “The Understorey,” Jess delivers in ways both captivating and raw. From power ballads to velvet keys, soul and rock to blues and pop, you’re headed into a memorable experience by this expansive and versatile artist.
Jess will be joined by Josef Deas, TJ Zindle, Jon Brown, Tommy Reifel, and Jenny Jones. Dylan Charles opens.

Joe Hertler
2024-02-17 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The Rainbow Seekers began their historic quest eight years ago, revolving around the pure, unadulterated songwriting of their fearless leader, Joe Hertler. In the years since, we’ve seen Joe with The Rainbow Seekers at The Ark several times, with a mix of funk, Motown, Americana, and folk. But the same mix is present in Joe Hertler’s songs themselves, and we thought it was time for a Joe Hertler solo show. Joe has appeared at Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, and Summer Camp, and as you’ll know if you’ve seen the band, seeking the proverbial Rainbow is all about the live performance. Joe calls his music “Adult Semi-Spiritual Quasi-Secular Inspirational Post-Motown Folk Rock,” and if you’re wondering what that means, come and find out!
Phillip-Michael Scales opens.

Jax Hollow
2024-02-16 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Jax Hollow is an untamable force of nature. Hailing from Nashville by way of Western Massachusetts, the Berklee College Of Music graduate is bringing a much needed revival to rock with her fresh innocence and serious talent. Jax’s sound is a unique blend of classic rock, blues, and Americana, combined with songwriting, riffs, ripping solos, and powerful vocals. Her debut record, “Underdog Anthems” was produced and engineered by music legend Michael Wagener (over 100 million records sold). She was the last artist to work with him before his retirement in 2022. Her new record of 2023, “Only The Wild Ones”, was championed by Sound Emporium CEO Juanita Copeland, and recorded with some of Nashville’s finest studio musicians. She opened for Melissa Etheridge at the famous Ryman Auditorium as a solo act, receiving a standing ovation—and praise from Etheridge herself, telling the crowd; “I want to be known as the one who discovered Jax Hollow!” Just back from a European tour, Jax is making her Ark debut.

Portugal. The Man
2024-02-16 19:00 - 23:00 | Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI, 48067, United States
Over the past decade, Portugal The Man has established themselves as one of rock’s most prized possessions and a live phenomenon, with over 1,600 shows under their belts and a storied reputation as festival favorites.
Originally heralding from Alaska, the Portland-based band – comprised of John Gourley, Zach Carothers, Kyle O’Quin, Eric Howk, Jason Sechrist and Zoe Manville – soared to new heights in 2017 with the release of their RIAA certified-gold album, Woodstock. The album was marked by the astounding success of their infectious single, “Feel It Still,” which earned the group a plethora of new accolades – including a GRAMMY award for “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance,” a 6x RIAA platinum certified single certification, a mind-blowing 20-week residency at #1 on alternative radio, and an inescapable presence on the Top 40 airwaves.
Alongside the shine of their myriad musical accomplishments lies the group’s long-standing passion for social justice. In fact, this is precisely the intersection on which Portugal The Man thrives; throughout their career, the band has consistently exemplified how to deeply commit to both artistry and activism. This dynamic inspired them to officially launch their PTM Foundation in 2020, focused on universal issues related to human rights, community health, and the environment, with an emphasis on causes directly impacting Indigenous Peoples.
Their continued passion for activism has also led to recent partnerships with organizations such as the National Coalition Against Censorship, The Skatepark Project (helping communities build public skate parks for youth in underserved communities), March for Our Lives (Gun Reform), Keep Oregon Well (Mental Health), and Protect Our Winters (Climate Change), to name just a few.

Ani Mari & Co.
2024-02-15 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Ani Mari is a 20-year-old alt-Americana singer-songwriter from the Northwoods of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, whose songs weave complex chord progressions into heart-wrenching stories and melodies, spanning from folk to pop rock. She has shared the stage with artists such as The Accidentals, Lindsay Lou, Patty PerShayla & The Mayhaps, May Erlewine, Rachel Davis, Seth Bernard, The Burney Sisters, and Joshua Davis.
Ani has been touring with her folk duo, Ani & Kora, since she was 12 years old. They’ve released two full albums of original songs, Good Fighter and Voyager, and one EP, Dubious Decisions. She currently lives in Ann Arbor, where she attends the University of Michigan and regularly performs with her band, Ani Mari & Co, comprised of bassist Michael Michaud, drummer Jack Harris, and backing vocalist/cellist Ruby Howard.
girlfriend (released on December 1st, 2023 under Real-Phonic Records) is Ani’s debut solo album, recorded with her band last summer in Cleveland, MN. All 10 tracks are the product of Ani’s songwriting during her first two years at college and explore the uncertainty of entering her twenties, love gained, love lost, and the beauty of living in the moment. Available on all streaming platforms now.

My Folky Valentine
2024-02-14 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The 19th Annual celebration of love and music hosted by Annie & Rod Capps and featuring Anne Heaton & Frank Marotta Jr. and Jan Krist & Alan Finkbeiner. Three acclaimed musical duos who also happen to be partners in life share the stage, swapping songs and stories. You can expect some collaborating both planned and spontaneous. Not just for lovebirds, and not just love songs. Just a whole lotta great music.

Sons of Mystro
2024-02-10 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Born in South Florida to a Jamaican father and Barbadian mother, brothers Malcom and Umoja learned to play violin through South Florida’s public school system, and attended Dillard High School for the Performing Arts. Together, these brothers are Sons of Mystro. They use their violins to interpret reggae classics, American pop songs and their own creations. Sons of Mystro are a little bit classical, a little bit R&B, and like nothing you’ve heard before!

Ellis Paul
2024-02-09 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
“I got a word machine in my head. It’s a damn noisy contraption. Constantly running. No ‘off’ switch,” says Ellis Paul. After growing up on a potato farm in northern Maine, Ellis started writing songs while he was attending Boston College on a track scholarship and was laid up for several months with an injury. He’s often called the quintessential New England songwriter, and he’s got more than a dozen of Boston Music Awards to prove it. Ellis’s passionate, literate character sketches, delivered in a soaring, lyrical voice, have influenced a generation of folk songwriters toward the shamelessly poetic. The Boston Globe calls Ellis “literate, provocative, urbanely romantic.” Whatever you call him, he’s one of the major songwriters of our time. Says Absolute Punk, which you might not think would be reviewing Ellis’s albums: “Everyone can relate to Ellis Paul and his songs, and for that reason he continues to be a national treasure.” Ellis comes to Michigan with a new release, “55.”

Dan Bern
2024-02-08 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
If you must put him in a box, make sure it’s a big box! Undefinable by genre, crossing over and through folk, rock, singer-songwriter, and kids music, Dan Bern is a captivating live performer with a loyal, multi-generational following. He has written thousands of songs, released dozens of albums, and played shows across North America and Europe–from coffee shops to Carnegie Hall, and he recently opened for The Who. Dan’s songs have appeared in numerous films (“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” “Get Him to the Greek” “The Bubble” “Zero Effect”) and TV shows (Amazon Prime’s award-winning kids program “The Stinky & Dirty Show”). A rare, and true renaissance artist, Dan is the author of several books, is a prolific painter, has his own podcast, and internet radio station. During Covid, his online “Hunkered in the Bunker” shows developed their own passionate community of followers. His topical sports songs are regularly featured on “The Tony Kornheiser Show.”

Willi Carlisle
2024-02-07 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Willi Carlisle is a poet and a folk singer for the people, but his extraordinary gift for turning a phrase isn’t about high-falutin’ pontificatin’; it’s about looking out for one another and connecting through our shared human condition. Born and raised on the Midwestern plains, Carlisle is a product of the punk-to-folk music pipeline that’s long fueled frustrated young men looking to resist. After falling for the rich ballads and tunes of the Ozarks, where he now lives, he began examining the full spectrum of American musical history. This insatiable stylistic diversity is obvious in his wildly raucous live performances, where songs range from sardonic trucker-ballads like “Vanlife” to the heartbreaking queer waltz “Life on the Fence,” to an existential talkin’ blues about a panic attack in Walmart’s aisle five. With guitar, fiddle, button-box, banjo, harmonicas, rhythm-bones, and Willi’s booming baritone, this is bona-fide populist folk music in the tradition of cowboys, frontier fiddlers, and tall-tale tellers. With a quick wit and big sing-alongs, these folk songs bring us a step closer to breaking down our divides.
Bluegrass and Old Time duo, Golden Shoals, opens.

Jacob Warren & Friends
2024-02-06 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Jacob Warren is well known to Ark audiences. He plays with the eclectic and rising acoustic music group Westbound Situation, with his duo project Warren & Flick, and with Grammy nominated Kittel & Co. led by Michigan native Jeremy Kittel. Now it’s time for a Jacob Warren solo show! This local multi-style bassist performs an eclectic mix of solo double-bass arrangements in various genres. If you like the bass styles of Victor Wooten or Edgar Meyer, check out this rising star from Michigan!
Curiosity, commitment, and collaboration define Jacob Warren’s exceptional career as a multi-style double bassist, composer, and educator. As a classical double bassist, Jacob was awarded first prize in the 2023 International Society of Bassists Soloist Competition, where his program displayed the diversity of his musicality, including an original transcription of the Debussy Cello Sonata, an original composition, an arrangement of a Canadian fiddle tune, and more.
In addition to solo performing, Jacob is also an avid chamber musician. He is currently a member of three nationally touring ensembles, two of which he co-founded and co-manages. Warren & Flick is a duo project with multi-instrumentalist Grant Flick. Together, they have released two albums (Kestrel, 2019 and Waxwing, 2022) of original material that spans genres from classical to American and Swedish fiddle, jazz and more. The quartet Westbound Situation released Pilot in 2019 and Accord in 2023. The quartet explores thematic development through their arrangements of original compositions drawing sonic inspiration from string ensembles and electronic music styles. Jacob also tours with the Grammy-nominated string quintet Kittel & Co. Through his diverse collaborations, he has been able to perform at a wide range of venues, from local listening rooms, house concerts, and jazz clubs, to performing arts centers, Royal Albert Hall, the Kennedy Center, and more.
Jacob began double bass studies at the age of 10 under the tutelage of Robert Rohwer. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance in 2017 along with the Earl V. Moore Award in Music. During his undergraduate degree he studied with Dr. Diana Gannett. He also holds both a Masters of Music in Improvisation and a Masters of Music in Chamber Music from the University of Michigan.
In addition to writing music for his ensembles, Jacob composes original works for solo double bass. Videos of his compositions, teaching, and arrangements have been featured by The Strad, The Violin Channel, and others. His compositions are available for purchase online through his website: www.jacobvwarren.com
Special guests on this show will include Grant Flick, John Solari, Zola Hightower, and more!

Eric Johanson
2024-02-05 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
In the midst of creating his new album, “The Deep and the Dirty,” singer-guitarist Eric Johanson learned that his previous album cracked the Top 10 on the Billboard blues chart. It was his fourth time reaching the Top 10. And for a Louisiana native who’d grown up idolizing bluesmen like Freddie King and Robert Johnson, it felt pretty good. Even so, genre success didn’t discourage Johanson from reaching beyond the blues for the new album’s eclectic, electrifying songs. “I’ve never tried to stay within one box,” Eric says. “Blues is at the root of the different styles of music I play—hard rock, Americana, New Orleans funk, country—but I don’t see the lines between genres, and I’m not following a standard form. What I find important about the blues is the rawness of it. The expression of it. The humanness of it. That’s what makes “The Deep and the Dirty” a blues album: the raw self-expression.”

Bil Lepp
2024-02-04 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Bil Lepp is an award-winning storyteller, author, and recording artist. He’s the host of the History Channel’s Man Vs History series, the occasional host of NPR’s internationally syndicated Mountain Stage, and a contributing columnist to the West Virginia Gazette-Mail. Bil’s humorous, family friendly tall-tales and stories have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. Though a five time champion of the WV Liars’s Contest, Lepp’s stories often contain morsels of truth which present universal themes in clever and witty ways. Audiences all across the country, from grade schools to corporate execs to the Comedy Central’s Hudson stage, have been delighted by Bil’s mirthful tales and delightful insights into everyday life. Bil’s books and audio collections have won awards including the PEN Steven Kroll Award for Children’s Book Writing, Parents’ Choice Gold awards, and awards from the National Parenting Publications Assoc., and the Public Library Assoc. He is also the recipient of the Vandalia Award, West Virginia’s highest folk honor.

Appalachian Roadshow
2024-02-03 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Appalachian Roadshow is a visionary acoustic ensemble, bringing new-generation interpretations of traditional Americana, bluegrass and folk songs, as well as offering innovative original music, all presented with a common thread tied directly to the heart of the Appalachian regions of the United States. Grammy-nominated banjoist Barry Abernathy joins forces with Grammy-winning fiddler Jim VanCleve, fresh off of his recent stint touring with multi-platinum country artist Josh Turner, as well as esteemed vocalist and mandolinist Darrell Webb, who has recorded and toured with Dolly Parton and Rhonda Vincent, among many others. The group also includes 26-year-old “old soul” guitarist Zeb Snyder, whose fierce and versatile playing recalls Doc Watson and Norman Blake as readily as it does Duane Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Mustard's Retreat
2024-02-02 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Mustard’s Retreat has always sung the songs they enjoyed and cared about, regardless of the trends of the music industry and pop culture. They are committed to simply being themselves, not chasing fame or brass rings, while delighting in and connecting with their audiences as if they were family. The honesty of what they present onstage and the extensive body of outstanding original songs and recordings all contribute to a fiercely loyal audience that continues to grow. “Music to cure what ails you” was how one reviewer in the 1970s described them, and that is as true now as it was then. They’ve traveled more than a million miles and performed more than 6,000 shows, from pig roasts and pool parties to Lincoln Center Out of Doors, The Barns at Wolftrap and the Kennedy’s Center’s Millennium Stage. They’ve recently begun referring to their career and touring as “Defiantly Hopeful.” In part due to their long career, but more as a statement about what the music has meant to them. “Folk music is, at its heart, defiantly hopeful!” founder David Tamulevich says. “We came of age in the 60s, at the confluence of Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dylan and the singer/songwriter revolution. We care much more about what we do and stand for and finding that common ground with our audiences, than fame or money: this is our community of choice, and we consider ourselves so fortunate to be here.” Tonight’s show features the Mustard’s Retreat 2.0 duo of Tamulevich and Libby Glover, who come to The Ark with a new album, “By Request.” This February marks Mustard retreat’s 50th year of performing!

Kruger Brothers
2024-02-01 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Some call it jazz. It has classical elements. Some call it bluegrass. Certainly the music of The Kruger Brothers (or, for the umlaut-inclined, The Krüger Brothers) is all of that and more. Experience what happens when these innovative and soulful world-class virtuosos put on one-of-a-kind performance that audiences find breathtaking and unforgettable. When you listen to the music of The Kruger Brothers, you can’t help but be amazed by the sheer depth of their artistry. Originally from Europe, now living in North Carolina, they were first introduced to American audiences in 1997, quickly gaining the attention of fans and the music industry alike. Drawing on a rich cultural palette, theirs is a music that celebrates the best of what music can be: exciting, engaging, intelligent, and delightful. Brother Jens Kruger is a recent recipient of the Steve Martin Bluegrass Prize.

The Ark's Open Stage
2024-01-31 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Whether you’re looking for your big break, want to perfect your live performance skills, or just want to perform live for the sheer fun of it, Open Stage nights offer supportive audiences and a terrific space. Twelve performers have eight minutes (or two songs) each to do their thing. Sign-up: doors open at 7:30 p.m. At 7:55 we randomly select the names for the first half, and at 8:30 we draw names for the second half. If your name isn’t chosen, bring your raffle ticket with you to the next Open Stage and you’ll double your chances.

Kevin Burt & Big Medicine
2024-01-30 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Iowa bluesman Kevin Burt and his band, Big Medicine, make their Ark debut with a new release, “Thank You, Brother Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers:: (Gulf Coast Records). “Kevin Burt has been a force for years and is finally getting the International recognition he so deeply deserves,” says Gulf Coast Records founder Mike Zito. Kevin and Bill Withers have a connection deeper than their voices. A song by Bill Withers, says Kevin, “instantly attaches itself to my soul.” The late Bill Withers “told me in a roughly two-hour conversation we had many things that (pardon the pun) lean on today. One of those nuggets of insight was to ‘tell the stories that make me feel most vulnerable, that’s what people connect with.’ His story relates to my story. His songs relate to different points in time in my life like no other as an artist. I hope to someday have an impact on someone else’s world the way Mr. Withers has had an impact on mine. … I hope that I did the songs justice. Big love, Brother Bill Withers, and big love to you all.”
