The Ark

My Folky Valentine
2023-02-14 20:00 - 23:00 (America/New_York) | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
What better time than Valentine’s Day to get to know some married or partnered couples who make music together? My Folky Valentine is The Ark’s annual celebration of romance! Each year we present a few of the region’s top musical couples, in the round during Valentine’s Day week. Your hosts, Annie and Rod Capps, invite some of their most talented friends from around the region to share the stage for an evening of grand collaboration and anything but love songs! . . . Okay, well, maybe a few love songs, since this year My Folky Valentine falls on the day itself. Can you imagine anything sweeter than a pair of tickets to see this show? This year’s lineup features Jenny & Robin Bienemann from Chicago and Ruth & Max Bloomquist from Ludington.
This event is presented live at The Ark, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.

Jess Merritt & The Understorey
2023-02-13 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Jess Merritt is an Ann Arbor singer and songwriter whose rich, soulful voice evokes a unique emotional resonance. From power ballads to velvet keys, soul and rock to blues and pop, listeners are headed into a memorable experience by this expansive and versatile artist.
This special “musical memoir” performance marks Jess’s 40th birthday and a return to the stage with her band, the Understorey, after a 5-year hiatus. The Understorey is composed of longtime collaborators Josef Deas and Jenny Jones and new members Brennan Andes, Jon Brown and TJ Zindle. The show will feature a mix of original songs, covers and stories about the “path to renaming and reclaiming” herself, along with special guests.

An Evening with George Winston
2023-02-11 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
From the Management of George Winston:
For the remainder of 2023, George is taking a break from touring to recover from some health issues related to his 2012 bone marrow transplant. During this time, he will also work on studio recording projects and preparing to return to the road in 2024. We are very grateful to those who’ve recently purchased tickets and for your understanding. We look forward to seeing you at a future performance.
Tickets purchased with a credit card online, by phone, or in person through the Michigan Union Ticket Office will be refunded automatically. For tickets purchased in person at The Ark’s box office, please return your ticket there to obtain your refund.
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
George Winston is undeniably a household name. He’s inspired fans and musicians alike with his singular solo acoustic piano songs for more than 40 years while selling upwards of 15 million albums. A tireless road warrior playing nearly 100 concerts annually, Winston finds live performance akin to breathing. George’s music is evocative, offering us all a chance to take a step back from our perpetually busy lives and let our minds adventurously wander. George Winston’s classic albums “Autumn” and “December,” are perennial favorites, along with “Winter into Spring,” “Summer,” 2017’s “Spring Carousel – A Cancer Research Benefit,” two volumes of the compositions of Vince Guaraldi, two volumes of benefit albums for the Gulf Coast disasters, and six other solo piano albums. He recently released his 16th solo piano album, “Night.” George’s compositions extend solace with an idiosyncratic grace.
100% of merchandise sales at this show will be donated to Food Gatherers. Nonperishables also accepted.

Justin Roberts & The Not Ready For Naptime Players
2023-02-11 11:00 - 12:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Five-time GRAMMY-nominated Justin Roberts is truly one of the all-stars of the indie family music scene. For some 20 years, Justin has been crafting songs for kids and parents that navigate the joys and sorrows of growing up. Along with his band, The Not Ready for Naptime Players, he has traveled the globe, from Hong Kong to New York, and Miami to Seattle. He comes to the Family Room with a new album, “Space Cadet,” that’s packed with his trademark brand of zany fun. Justin has performed in front of millions of people on the Today show; he’s been featured on Nick Jr.; and his song “Get Me Some Glasses” was featured on a World Series broadcast. We’re excited to welcome Justin back for his first in-person performance since the pandemic started!

Breabach
2023-02-10 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Securely ranked among Scotland’s most skilled and imaginative contemporary folk acts, Breabach unite deep roots in Highland and Island tradition with the innovative musical ferment of their Glasgow base. They have released six increasingly acclaimed albums, while fueling their creative appetites in collaborations with BAFTA award–winning animator Cat Bruce, indigenous Australasian artists Moana and the Tribe & The Black Arm Band, Quebec’s Le Vent du Nord, video game composer Big Giant Circles, and, as artists-in-residence at 2019’s Celtic Colours festival with Cape Bretoners Beolach. The year 2022 saw the release of the band’s latest album, “Fàs” (a Gaelic word meaning growth, developing and sprouting). The album is heavily inspired by the natural environment of Scotland and sees the band showcase more progressive elements in their music than ever before.

Talisk
2023-02-09 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Groundbreaking, chart-topping, genre-bending, globetrotting, instantly enthralling… it’s little wonder that Talisk ranks highly amongst the most in-demand folk-based groups to emerge from Scotland in the last decade and more. Mohsen Amini (BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards’ Musician of the Year), Graeme Armstrong and Benedict Morris (BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year) fuse concertina, guitar, and fiddle to produce a multilayered signature that has captivated audiences around the globe. At its core, three seemingly acoustic instruments—but in the hands of three master craftsmen one unmistakable, bold sound and captivating live show. Talisk is coming to Michigan with a new album, “Dawn.”
Opener Anna Mieke’s deft songwriting and enveloping compositions have asserted her as a vital voice amongst Ireland’s alt-folk genre. The Irish multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in Wicklow, Ireland, toes the line between folk forms and vivid dreamscapes, drawing on traditional and contemporary motifs. The lyrically ornate and instrumental delicacy of her work, alongside flowing atmospheric arrangements, contributes a challenging, emphatic and new voice to alt-folk.

The Ark's Open Stage
2023-02-08 20:00 - 23:00, 2023-01-18 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
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 7:45 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.

JD Clayton
2023-02-07 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Arkansas-based singer/songwriter JD Clayton crafts and plays songs from the heart and heartland. Through varied tunes and soul-gripping lyrics, JD weaves a classic Americana vibe, staying true to his Southern roots. From an early age, he developed his musical skills from piano to percussion and blues harp to guitar, uniting them with coming-of-age verse. He delivers to his listening audience the essence of what it means to be young and alive. He comes to Michigan with a new EP, “Side A.”
Ark members at the Solo level and above receive a buy one get one free ticket offer at the door for tonight’s show!

Laith Al-Saadi
2023-02-05 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Laith Al-Saadi began singing at age four and began playing guitar at 13. At 15 he formed his first blues band, Blue Vinyl. In short order they opened for blues greats like Buddy Guy (to whose work his playing has been compared), Luther Allison, Son Seals, and Taj Mahal and toured the Netherlands. At the University of Michigan, Laith was a member of the Johnny Trudell Orchestra and freelanced with Detroit greats like Thornetta Davis, Jocelyn B, The Reefermen. Laith is a real road warrior who generally can be found playing at least five nights a week around Michigan and beyond, and Michigan’s secret got out when he made the finals of television’s “The Voice.” If you haven’t checked out this monster Michigan talent yet, you really should! Tonight Laith performs a rare solo show.

Mustard's Retreat
2023-02-04 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
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.”

Appalachian Road Show
2023-02-03 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Appalachian Road Show 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 (original founding members of the much beloved Mountain Heart!), 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.

Buffalo Nichols
2023-02-02 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Since his earliest infatuations with guitar, Carl “Buffalo” Nichols has asked himself the same question: How can I bring the blues of the past into the future? After cutting his teeth between a Baptist church and bars in Milwaukee, it was a globetrotting trip through West Africa and Europe during a creative down period that began to reveal the answer. He heard jazz in Ukraine, blues from expat African Americans in Berlin. “Part of my intent, making myself more comfortable with this release, is putting more Black stories into the genres of folk and blues,” guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist Buffalo Nichols explains. “Listening to this record, I want more Black people to hear themselves in this music that is truly theirs.” That desire is embodied in his self-titled debut album, composed largely of demos and studio sessions recorded between Wisconsin and Texas, and it marks a new stage of the blues.

46th Ann Arbor Folk Fest
2023-01-28 18:30 - 23:30 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, United States
Ani DiFranco, St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Patty Griffin headline Saturday’s program which also features Gina Chavez, Oshima Brothers, Kyshona, and The Jared Deck Band. Peter Mulvey with SistaStrings serve as our emcees for the evening. With a special guest appearance by Parker Millsap.
Saturday night of the Ann Arbor Folk Fest offers the traditional Folk Fest format in beautiful Hill Auditorium, featuring a blend of renowned and up-and-coming performers, providing the opportunity to hear artists you know and love while discovering great new talent.
Click here for full festival ticket information.

Friday Night Folk: BanjoFest
2023-01-27 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Valerie June headlines this in-the-round evening in The Ark’s Ford Listening Room featuring her own specially curated lineup of phenomenal women artists, including Thao, Yasmin Williams and Michigan’s own Rachael Davis.
Click here for full festival ticket information.

Neal Francis
2023-01-26 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Presented with support from Ann Arbor’s 107one
On his new album, “In Plain Sight,” Neal Francis offers up a body of work both strangely enchanted and painfully self-aware, unfolding in songs sparked from Greek myths and frenzied dreams and late-night drives in the depths of summer delirium. True to its charmed complexity, the singer/songwriter/pianist’s second full-length came to life over the course of a tumultuous year spent living in a possibly haunted church in Chicago. The result: a portrait of profound upheaval and weary resilience, presented in a kaleidoscopic sound that’s endlessly absorbing.
Bravery can take many forms. For Danielle Ponder it took the shape of a leap of faith: leaving her successful day job working in the public defender’s office in her hometown of Rochester (New York) to devote herself full-time to sharing her powerful voice with the world. The singer-songwriter’s mesmerizing eight-song debut, “Some of Us Are Brave,” reinforces that her faith was not misplaced, and her leap has been rewarded with a safe landing. Written and recorded over three years, the album is a refreshingly original, shiver-inducing mix of pop, R&B, blues, rock, and moody trip-hop topped by Danielle’s celestial voice— an instrument that can plumb melancholy depths with a heartsick murmur and scrape the sky with hurricane force wails.

Shane Guerrette
2023-01-24 20:00 - 23:00 | MI
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It’s the old way of doing things that inspires a new sound for upstate NY based artist, Shane Guerrette. Drawing influence from classic soul and roots rock genres, Shane has only just begun to craft his own retro flavored sound. With a recent self-released debut album called “Here’s Hoping” and plans of touring in the near future, you’ll want to keep an eye out for what’s to come from this rising star.
This program is made possible with support from the Ford Motor Company Fund. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
This is a FREE show. Nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers.

Heywood Banks
2023-01-21 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Heywood Banks is simply one-of-a-kind, almost impossible to describe, with a style his very own. Equal parts genius and buffoon, this songwriter-comic-singer-poet-musician from Flint has become a cult hero and a pop icon, with a show that appeals to college students, stoners, businessmen, yuppies, rednecks, punks, kids, or your grandmother. Heywood intersperses his humorous observations of life with twisted, inventive, bizarre songs, sung and played in a variety of styles, from folk, to country to rock to pop, and way beyond. You have to be pretty smart to get Heywood at his deepest level (he demands a high level of pop culture literacy), but you can also enjoy him just for his vocal style impersonations, expert musicianship and just plain silliness. But why trust our opinions? Come and see for yourself!

Djangophonique // Harmonious Wail
2023-01-20 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Djangophonique is a virtuosic, instrumentally driven quartet led by guitar player Andrew Brown. A true disciple of the style, Andrew has spent countless hours immersing himself in the language of Django Reinhardt’s jazz manouche, and he’s joined on stage by bandmates that match his skill and passion for the material. The result is a sound that’s unmistakable to fans of the music, and alluring to the uninitiated—a sound that can bring the lively energy of a Parisian dance hall to the quietest listening room or captivate a buzzing festival audience with a shimmering ballad. With respect for the tradition and a fearless creativity that bends the conventions of the style, Djangophonique is keeping the Hot Club of France revival alive and well.
The members of Harmonious Wail, from Madison, Wisconsin, are purveyors of Americana-infused gypsy jazz who continue to take their listeners on a ride via the music of the Hot Club sounds of Parisian cafes, to the deepest blues of the Memphis Delta, to the heartfelt folk scenes across every-town-America. Harmonious Wail is a trio of multi-award winning musicians. Sims Delaney-Potthoff, a mandolin virtuoso, and vocalist, Maggie Delaney-Potthoff, vocalist extraordinaire, whose percussive instrument of choice is a cardboard box (but who can also rock almost any household object), and Jeffo Weiss, a master bassist who dazzles and mesmerizes on both upright and electric 5-string bass. As stewards of the Gypsy Jazz genre, they have established the Midwest Gypsy Swing Fest, held twice a year in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wallis Bird
2023-01-19 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Few can enrapture an audience the way Wallis Bird can. Bird is coming to Michigan with a brand new album, Hands, which finds her turning the spotlight onto herself, raising issues that are sometimes hard to confront, only to emerge optimistic and whole. Among these are issues of trust, alcohol abuse, stagnation, self-censorship and self-improvement, some addressed through personal recollections of crucial moments accumulated over the last two years. Each, however, is delivered by a voice uncommonly blessed with joy, ingenuity and empathy.

Robert Jones & Matt Watroba
2023-01-16 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Ever since their first meeting, over 20 years ago, Robert Jones and Matt Watroba have been musical partners. Their relationship started when they hosted back-to-back radio shows on WDET-FM, Detroit. Later on they started performing together and in doing so discovered a friendship based on mutual respect and a love for traditional American music. For Matt and Robert, American roots music (folk, blues, spirituals, work songs, chants, etc.) is music that matters. This is the music that America and the world have in common. It is music that reflects history, social change, migration, hopes and dreams. It is music that is rich and diverse, direct and powerful. This year’s program is a celebration of the life and musical legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Note special start time!

The Brother Brothers
2023-01-15 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
The Brother Brothers, twins, are Brooklyn’s Adam and Davis Moss. They offer rich harmonies and thoughtful songs accompanied by guitar, cello, violin, and banjo in a coherent way that only musicians from the same family can achieve. Already established players and composers in a wide spectrum of genres around New York and beyond, they have teamed up to bring their individual experiences together. Among their fans is Sarah Jarosz, who raves: “They approach their poignant and often charming songs with an almost startling sense of ease, and the tight harmonies are enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine. Their ability to pull the listener into their quietly energetic musical journey is a joy to behold.” The Brother Brothers come to Michigan with a new album, “Cover to Cover.”

Jill Jack's Birthday Bash
2023-01-14 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Jill Jack has made the Ark her home for celebrating her birthday for years! And the tradition continues.
Every year Jill Jack produces a themed show for your entertainment, keeping it fresh and full of the energy that the Jill Jack Band is known for.
This year’s show will be a celebration and story of Jill Jack’s musical journey that has spanned over 30 years.

The Hot Club of Cowtown & Tyler Hilton
2023-01-13 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Celebrating Elvis Presley’s records from Sun Studio
Known for its legendary music collection, including the early albums of Elvis Presley, Sun Studio left an indelible mark on the history of rock ‘n’ roll. In 2005, Tyler Hilton was cast to play the legendary rock star in the blockbuster biopic, Walk the Line (starring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash). Now Tyler has teamed up with America’s premiere hot jazz and Western swing trio, Hot Club of Cowtown, bringing Elvis’ greatest hits from the Sun Studio years to life on the stage. The Hot Club of Cowtown has been an Ark favorite for years, but they’ve continued to break new ground since first visiting Ann Arbor in the 1990s, and this new show is no exception. Both The Hot Club of Cowtown and Tyler Hilton will perform their own material, and then they’ll join forces for the Elvis material—which is very much in the Hot Club’s wheelhouse.

Joshua Davis // Luke Winslow King
2023-01-12 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
When Joshua Davis performed on NBC’s “The Voice,” America at-large finally discovered what Michiganders have known for more than two decades. This amazing artist connects with a live audience, nourishes their souls and feeds off of their love. Seeing him live has always revealed his core, his essence. Joshua remains a quintessentially Michigan guy, drawing his inspiration from the rough-and-tumble streets of Motown to the arboreal Upper Peninsula. The mitten is his muse.
Luke Winslow-King is a New Orleans–based guitarist, singer, composer, producer, and songwriter. His work is an eclectic mix that combines Mississippi Delta blues, folk music, traditional jazz, and roots rock and roll. His alchemical songs blend contemporary ideas with styles from bygone eras producing a sound that is rustic and urbane, elegant and entirely his own. It is a sound that looks to the past to move to the future.

Albert Lee
2023-01-10 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
British guitar legend Albert Lee, regarded by many as one of the world’s finest guitar players, with a career spanning more than 50 years, needs no introduction for country music, blues, and rock fans. Widely hailed for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique, Albert Lee helped to redefine country guitar for a whole generation of players with his song “Country Boy.” Albert’s many career highlights include two Grammy wins, five years in the Eric Clapton band, and stints with the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, The Crickets, the Everly Brothers, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell and many more. Take it from Emmylou, who says, “When Saint Peter asks me to chronicle my time down here on earth, I’ll be able to say—with pride if that’s allowed—that for a while I played rhythm guitar in a band with Albert Lee.” Come by and pick up a copy of Albert’s new DVD, “Live at the Court Theatre.”

Lily Talmers
2023-01-08 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Lily Talmers hopes her voice will lull you into Midwestern-accent-induced submission. A metro Detroit native who now resides in Brooklyn, New York, Lily released her second full-length album, “Hope is the Whore I Go To,” last July. A writer, musician, educator, lecturer and former Ann Arbor community member, Lily studied comparative literature, and ethnomusicology during her undergraduate years at the University of Michigan. She is a teacher during the spring at the University of Michigan’s New England Literature program, and has taught as a guest lecturer through the U-M’s Residential College and Performing Arts Technology Programs. With a voice described as ethereal, and lyricism as wistful as it is cutting, Lily credits the likes of Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Gillian Welch and Leonard Cohen for her beginnings as a songwriter, and various odds and ends for her development as a musician and instrumentalist. Her sound is rooted in the 60’s folk revival, with moments that reveal her broad fascination with music— the influence of Greek, Lusophone, and classical music all subtly swirl around in her melodies. Brooklyn singer and composer John Cushing provides support.

Yellow Room Gang
2023-01-07 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
The Yellow Room is the “brilliantly yellow” living room of Tamulevich’s house on Ann Arbor’s Old West Side, where gang members meet monthly for musical brainstorming and mutual critique. Tonight’s show features all eight members of the gang: contemporary country-folk road warrior Annie Capps, Irish-American chanteuse Kitty Donohoe, four-time Detroit Music Award winner Jan Krist, Michael Hough and David Tamulevich of the “Music to Cure What Ails You” duo Mustard’s Retreat, Jim Bizer, David Barrett, and southeastern Michigan folk veteran Matt Watroba. Come and be a fly on the wall as the exchange of creative ideas flows freely! “To have any one of these songwriters perform at Trinity House is a real treat,” says promoter Bill Keith. “To have them perform together is unbelievable.” The Yellow Room Gang has been around for 15 years now, with all the members coming up with new music all the while.

The RFD Boys
2023-01-06 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
It’s hard to believe, because each show is fresh and new, but the RFD Boys have been delighting Michigan audiences since 1969 with their fabulous musicianship and sly, exquisitely timed between-song humor. They’re legends of Michigan bluegrass, but they’re more than that too. With an appearance on the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited, with songs recorded by the likes of the Country Gentlemen, and with performances alongside bluegrass greats like Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, the RFD Boys are a part of America’s bluegrass tradition. The RFD Boys one of southeastern Michigan’s most durable musical ensembles, and their shows capture a deep slice of musical Ann Arbor. Their 50th-anniversary appearance at the Folk Festival was a special moment and introduced many listeners to Dan Roehrig, who joined the band on guitar, mandolin, and bass in mid-2018. Dan grew up listening to Doc Watson, Clarence White, and Tony Rice, and you can hear it in both his singing and guitar playing.

50 First Jokes
2023-01-03 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
The tradition that started more than a decade ago at the Bell House in Brooklyn, and now is a much-anticipated event also in Los Angeles and other cities, is coming back to Ann Arbor! Fifty of the area’s up-and-coming and veteran comics come together to tell the first jokes they’ve written for the new year, kicking off the 2023 comedy scene in the most righteous way possible! It’s fast, it’s fresh, and above all it’s funny. It’s also not going to break the bank, so why not check out some Michigan comic voices you may not have known about?
