The Ark

The Ark Annual Membership Meeting
2022-11-28 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | MI
Become a Member
The Ark will hold the Annual Meeting of its Members on Monday, November 28, 2022 at 6:30 pm. This year’s Annual Meeting will be held virtually by Zoom. At this meeting, the Membership will elect Executive Board Members, hear about the current state of The Ark, and conduct any membership-related business that may come before the group.
All current Annual Members and anyone who has become an Introductory Member since September 1, 2021 are eligible to attend. You must pre-register by email to receive a link to attend the meeting. An invitation will be sent in early November to all eligible members who provided us with an email address and permission to use it.
If you do not receive an email invitation by November 18, 2022, and would like to attend, please contact Annual Giving Manager Tom Stoll at tom@theark.org.

The David Mayfield Parade
2022-11-27 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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The David Mayfield Parade offers music that stretches from the avant-garde to David Mayfield’s own musical roots, which are buried deep in the bluegrass tradition from a childhood of touring with his family’s band. David’s music is a tour de force, incorporating a vast range of roots and pop influences. David is truly a wordsmith, forging the mundane into the evocative, with innovative lyrics that grow acoustic beginnings into bigger pop structures and a great trembling tenor to cap it off. David Mayfield is clearly going places, fueled by a deadly combination of infectious energy and songwriting chops that only come around once in a blue moon.

Gemily
2022-11-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Facebook LIVE
This event is free and streamed to The Ark’s Facebook page.
Gemini (twin brothers San and Laz Slomovits) have been Ark regulars, appearing at the club at least once and usually several times every year since moving to Ann Arbor in 1973. Especially acclaimed for their shows for children and families, they are now entertaining their third – or is it their fourth – generation of fans. They’ve played an annual family concert for Ark audiences on the Sunday after Thanksgiving every year since 1994 to benefit Mott Children’s Hospital, where San’s daughter, Emily was born. Emily will join the brothers for this show as she has every year since 2003 when she was just nine years old. The trio, now redubbed Gemily, (Gemini+Emily) combine wonderful singing and instrumental prowess on more than half a dozen instruments with lively, sparkling original songs and traditional folk music from many countries and cultures. In addition to their exceptional musicianship, the trio brings an easy stage presence to all their shows and draws their audiences into joyful music-making with them.
This year’s concert will again be online.
Tip jar will be available with donations going to support both C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital and Food Gatherers.

Mr. B with George Bedard and Steve Nardella
2022-11-26 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Born in Flint and a true Michigan institution, Mr. B (Mark Braun) is a rare living link to the early days of boogie woogie, having learned directly from legends like Little Brother Montgomery and Blind John Davis. He plays in concert halls, he plays outdoors, he’s even played on a piano being paddled out to Mackinac Island, but wherever you heard him, it’s an exciting show. Each year Mr. B stops in at The Ark for a Thanksgiving weekend concert, and it always brings something new. Mr. B often brings in musicians from around southeast Michigan and beyond for a boogie and jazz blowout to kick off the holiday season with a big dose of boogie woogie joy. You may think every town has a Mr. B, but you would be very, very wrong.
Tonight’s show offers an opportunity to hear three of the legends of Michigan music together on the same stage—guitarists George Bedard and Steve Nardella will be joining Mr. B on stage for a Thanksgiving weekend blues and boogie blowout! This trio has a grand history of playing together in the past, and when they have, the results have been amazing. This will be a long-awaited reunion show for these three giants of blues and boogie and it’s not to be missed!

Matt Watroba
2022-11-25 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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What could be better than to kick off the holiday season with a Michigan folk music institution? Matt Watroba, host of WDET-FM’s “Folks Like Us” program and a Detroit Music Awards winner as Best Overall Folk Performer, is the kind of guy who makes friends easily: not only is he on a first-name basis with most of the major folk musicians in North America after a couple of decades of sharing stages with them, but he also has the kind of rapport with audiences that makes them feel as if they’re sitting among friends in a living room. We think a Matt Watroba concert makes a great November tradition. Matt’s previous Thanksgiving shows have brought great special guests, so stay tuned!

The Wildwoods
2022-11-22 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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The Wildwoods are an enchanting Folk/Americana trio based in Lincoln, Nebraska, whose flowing songwriting tandem has been praised by Paste Magazine as “focused and charmingly human”. The Wildwoods’ delicate melodies and descriptive lyrics come from nature, love, experiences from the road, and growing up in Nebraska.
The band released their debut album, Sweet Nostalgia, followed by a duo EP, Birdie & Goose, in 2017, and quickly established themselves as a creative, harmonious, and instrumental force in their local music scene. Since then, The Wildwoods have released another full-length record, Across A Midwest Sky (2019), as well as a handful of singles, Little Home (2020) and Like My Old Man (2021), and have supported touring acts such as Elephant Revival, Arts Fishing Club, The Accidentals, The Way Down Wanderers, and Jamie Wyatt.
Comprised of husband and wife team Noah (guitar) and Chloe Gose (violin), as well as Andrew Vaggalis (bass), The Wildwoods draw inspiration from a wide range of influences including the styles of: Watchhouse, The Decemberists, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Peter, Paul, & Mary, Nickel Creek, Joni Mitchell, and Gregory Alan Isakov. The folk/Americana trio work to harmoniously and delicately blend their voices to create a sound so nostalgic that you may find yourself dreaming and longing for those sweet memories from your former days.
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.

Windborne
2022-11-20 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Windborne has been called the most exciting vocal group in a generation. With a 20-year background studying polyphonic music around the world, Lauren Breunig, Jeremy Carter-Gordon, Lynn Rowan, and Will Rowan share a vibrant energy onstage with a blending of voices that can only come from decades of friendship alongside dedicated practice. The ensemble shifts effortlessly between drastically different styles of traditional song, drawing their audience along on a journey that spans continents and centuries, illuminating and expanding on the profound power and variation of the human voice. Windborne’s captivating show draws on the singers’ deep roots in traditions of vocal harmony, while the uniqueness of their artistic approach brings old songs into the present. Known for the innovation of their arrangements, Windborne creates harmonies that are bold and anything but predictable. But there’s another, crucial dimension to Windborne that guides and roots their artistry. They are adherents to folk music’s longtime alliance with social activism, labor and civil rights, and other movements that champion the oppressed, the poor, and the disenfranchised. Their songs burst with lyrics that, while penned decades or centuries ago, still ring true in modern times, and Windborne’s dynamic harmonies breathe new life into these songs.

The RFD Boys
2022-11-19 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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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.

Glen Phillips
2022-11-18 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Glen Phillips is the lead singer and main songwriter for the band Toad the Wet Sprocket, which he joined when he was only 14. In the words of James Christopher Monger, “Phillips has matured into . . . a quiet storm that dutifully blends Cat Stevens’ confident huskiness and Jackson Browne’s weary but warm observer of all things broken.” Of Glen’s album, “Swallowed by the New,” Chris Steffen of Allmusic.com writes, “Songs like ‘Leaving Old Town’ and ‘Unwritten’ explicitly describe moving beyond the past and into the unknown.” Glen Phillips has evolved into one of the great folk-rock songwriters of our time, still staying true to his Toad-like roots, and The Ark is the place to hear him and music from his new album, “There Is So Much Here”. Local singer songwriter, Kylee Phillips (no relation), opens the show.

Will Hoge & Dave Hause
2022-11-17 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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You can hear Dave Hause’s passion and dedication to his craft—as well as his determined approach to it—flowing through the ten stunning, sumptuous songs of his latest album, “Blood Harmony.” Written with his brother over a series of weekly FaceTime sessions, the songs began to come together in January of 2021. “We decided to get together on Mondays,” explains Hause, “to figure out what we wanted to work on, and by Friday we had to have something you could sing to someone who wasn’t a songwriter. It could be bad, but I didn’t want to just have vague ideas. We called it ‘Pencils-Down Fridays’. Over the course of three-and-a-half months, we ended up with 26 songs.” They traveled with ten of those to Nashville, where acclaimed songwriter Will Hoge took up the helm of producer. Will Hoge earned a reputation as a true 21st-century road warrior, with heartland rock that drew comparisons to Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. Trimmed down to trio size, his music still has the rock-and-roll passion but gives more space to his considerable abilities as a lyricist. Playing a couple hundred shows a year, he can read an audience at a glance and connect with it in a flash.

The Ark's Open Stage
2022-11-16 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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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.

Ryan Montbleau
2022-11-15 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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For as long as he can remember, Ryan Montbleau’s been a seeker. From the jungles of Peru to the volcanoes of Hawaii, from the beaches of Costa Rica to the streets of Brooklyn, from the backseat of a 16-passenger van to backstage at Carnegie Hall, the acclaimed singer/songwriter has spent much of his life crisscrossing the globe on a perpetual search for meaning, purpose, and understanding. It’s a quest that’s guided him both personally and professionally over the years, one that’s come to define not only his music, but his very sense of self. And yet, listening to Ryan’s ambitious new multi-part album, Wood, Fire, Water, and Air, there is a profound sense of satisfaction in sitting still, a recognition that perhaps all those spiritual treasures he’s been chasing for so long were closer than he thought. “My whole adult life has been this journey of trying to figure out where home is,” Ryan reflects. “I think I’ve finally found it.” Rolling out across four distinct EPs, Wood, Fire, Water, and Air marks Ryan’s first studio release since putting down permanent roots in Burlington, Vermont, where he recently purchased a house after more than two decades of living on the road.

Augustana
2022-11-14 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Augustana is back with new music, and through its formation, its creator Dan Layus has stepped into a new musical universe. While the artist is well-known for anthemic indie-rock leaning hits like “Boston,” “Sweet and Low,” and “Steal Your Heart,” Augustana’s consistent march of new and ever-evolving material has embodied a refusal to settle artistically. Never has that been more clearly evident than with the artist’s latest studio album, “Everyday an Eternity: Solo Piano Works,” a genre-shaking full-length record that redefines what can be expected from this artist. Composing and performing a series of piano pieces that can easily live in the contemporary classical world, Dan Layus confidently chooses to leave his singing voice aside for the project and instead finds his lyricism echoing through the hammers and strings of the piano. The album finds the composer’s unique melodic and structural stylings effortlessly blending between the classical, the romantic, and the modern. Along the way, the unfamiliar terrain for the artist seems to become more familiar with each note, each modulation, each variation, as he makes his way out to the edge of musical expression and safely back home again.

Rachael Davis
2022-11-13 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Multi-instrumentalist Rachael Davis is as renowned for her expressive—and explosive—voice as she is for uniting the often disparate worlds of folk, blues, country, and pop. Rachael grew up not only in a family of musicians, but in an extended village of remarkable musicians and songwriters who nurtured and mentored her from the time she was born. Her clear tone and uncanny memory for just about every song she’s ever heard came early, and has served her well throughout her career. At eight she joined the family band Lake Effect, performing regularly at folk festivals throughout her home state of Michigan and around the U.S. By age 12, and continuing each year since, Rachael has brought the Wheatland Music Festival to its knees closing the Sunday morning gospel set with her stunning solo a capella version of “Amazing Grace.” “My slant on acoustic music can be explained by a mixed cassette tape that my father played during my early childhood while driving in our family’s Chevy Cavalier station wagon we nicknamed Iggy. On one side of the cassette was the soundtrack for the film The Big Chill. On the other was John Hartford’s ‘Areoplane,'” Rachael says. She describes her music as “Motown-Banjo.” Recently Rachael has collaborated in the critically acclaimed supergroup The Sweetwater Warblers, with Lindsay Lou and May Erlewine. Rachael Davis now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, critically acclaimed bassist, Dominic John Davis, with whom she performs as The Davis Duo. Together they cultivate a diverse community steeped in music, art, travel and love, and are raising a son and daughter at the center of it all.

Alex Cuba
2022-11-12 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Alex Cuba is a multiple Latin Grammy/Grammy/Juno winning singer-songwriter who is not tied to tradition; Alex has a vast musical vision. Born Alexis Puentes in Artemisa, Cuba, was immersed in music at a very young age, joining his father’s (respected guitarist and teacher Valentin Puentes) group of 24 guitarists. Alex then went on to study electric and upright bass and touring and recording nationally and internationally. Over eight albums and stops in British Columbia, Montreal, and New York, his music has deepened and grown more diverse. His musical evolution for years was all about searching for the simplicity and soul in Cuban music –taking apart the complex arrangements, mixing it with North American influences, adopting the melodic simplicity of pop music, looking to Cuban folk traditions for inspiration—he’s always exploring, always creating something fresh and new, and always, it seems, getting it just right.

Nervous But Excited
2022-11-11 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Since their hiatus in 2012, Kate Peterson and Sarah Cleaver of Nervous but Excited have spent the years over 700 miles apart, singing the melody lines in their own ways, just awaiting the right time to bring the harmonies back. It’s been exactly ten years since their sold-out finale at The Ark, and the stars have aligned for Kate and Sarah (and special guests?) to reunite at their favorite venue. As a thank you to The Ark for the years of support, Nervous but Excited is donating $5 from each ticket sale to the club.
Before you even ask, yes, there will be nerves and there will be excitement! These two straight-from-the-heart songwriters on stage together is an experience no one can predict–even them. A few things are certain – there will be vulnerability; there will be silliness. There will be moments that honor gratitude and grief. There will be open hearts, awkwardness, and most definitely, there will be laughter. And singalongs, always singalongs! Whatever the feeling, it will be palpable.
Pleasantly Aggressive Folk Duo Nervous but Excited is two songwriters, two singers, three guitars, a banjo, a mandolin, a ukulele, dead-on harmony, some vaguely choreographed dancing, and an impressive amount of laughter. Their original repertoire ranges in topic from smart, introspective narratives to the tactfully political… interspersed with songs of love and loss that will undoubtedly tug on your heartstrings. Their harmonies have been described as the kind that build so smoothly until suddenly they start to shake your insides.
This performance will be interpreted in American Sign Language.

Rachael Yamagata
2022-11-10 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Says the Associated Press: “Along with the badassery, Yamagata brings a world-weary passion to her singing. Her voice is a soul-baring, sultry instrument that commands center stage at all times. She has that deliberate, I’ll-sing-the-note-when-I’m-ready pacing that helped make Amy Winehouse great, and before her Billie Holliday.” Rachael has released ten albums, with each and every one of them containing surprises. Her songs are all over television soundtracks, and she has collaborated with artists as diverse as Jason Mraz, Rhett Miller, Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams, Toots and the Maytals, and Ray Lamontagne. Spending some years in Chicago’s competitive songwriting scene, Rachael is now based in Woodstock, New York.
Opening for Rachael is songwriter/musician Sandy Bell. Bell has moved through a vibrant and textured musical constellation, playing most notably with the late but eternally brilliant Jeff Buckley as well as singing on the Bat for Lashes album “The Bride.” Bell’s debut solo album, “When I Leave Ohio,” was hailed by Stereo Embers Magazine as “…beautiful, resonant work that’s stark and painful—Bell’s songs have crushing, emotional exactitude that is nothing short of staggering.” Her new album is titled “Entelechy.” Music journalist Alex Green found “Entelechy” to be “filled with stirring melancholy and musical grace,” an album that “explores the geometry of both musical form and sorrow, while the cathartic transmutation of grief into promise will take you somewhere between the worlds of Harry Nilsson and Kate Bush.”

Rodney Crowell: Word For Word Tour
2022-11-09 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Rodney Crowell is one of country music’s most successful songwriters, but the deadly seriousness in his music was always there for those with ears to hear. “Dad drove a stock car to an early death / All I remember was a drunk man’s breath,” sang Waylon Jennings as he took Crowell’s “Ain’t Living Long Like This” to the top of the charts. Since the turn of the millennium, Crowell has been on a roll, releasing personal, ambitious albums to wide critical acclaim. With his autobiographical masterpiece “The Houston Kid,” he took an unflinching look at his own down-and-out upbringing. For this special event, audience members are invited to a rare experience as Rodney reads from his brand new book, Word For Word, shares stories, and performs the songs that have made him a renowned and prolific songwriter.
Buy Local! Preorder Rodney’s Book from Literati

Sons of the East
2022-11-07 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Australian band Sons of the East is an under-the-radar success story, racking up millions of streams and selling out shows across Europe and Australia without ever straying from their independent roots. And they built that impressive following through their incredible and energetic live shows, paired with a serious handful of exceptional original songs. So far the band has racked up more than 160 million streams on Spotify, 12 million streams on Apple Music and 40 million Youtube plays from around the world. The year 2022 has been a breakthrough for Sons of the East, with international touring leading up to the release of the group’s debut album. Says Vinyl Garden: “What we like about this band is their Australian twist and contemporary take on the more traditional Folk music style … But ultimately what really makes this band shine is their stage presence (they are a must see live).”

Peter Madcat Ruth's C.A.R.Ma Quartet
2022-11-06 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
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Peter Madcat Ruth is one of the best harmonica players on earth, a mainstay of Ann Arbor’s blues scene since the 1970s and a carrier of tradition who learned his art directly from Chicago’s masters of the blues harmonica. He’s performed in many countries, won a Grammy award, and remains a major force in blues harmonica nationally. Madcat has released many albums, both solo and with his Madcat Midnight Blues Journey band. His “More Real Folk Blues” album features harmonicas, ukulele, jaw harps, baritone guitar, banjo, banjo ukulele, high hat, cowbell, wood block, shakers, guiro, tambourine, and brushes on a pizza box, and, of course, vocals, and in concert he often appears with younger players in shows where almost anything might happen. Don’t miss this chance to see a Michigan legend. Tonight Madcat appears with his C.A.R.Ma. Quartet, featuring drummer/tabla player John Churchville, bassist Brennan Andes, and guitarist/vocalist Dan Ripke.

Luke Winslow-King
2022-06-10 15:00 - 18:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of vaccination is required for admission at this time. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with guidelines and protocols in place at The Ark at the time of the show including all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and/or The Ark. Policies may be updated as circumstances evolve in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
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Luke Winslow-King is a slide guitarist, singer, producer, and songwriter. He was raised in Cadillac, lived for 15 years in New Orleans, and is now back in the Mitten—good news for us! Luke’s work is an eclectic mix that combines Mississippi delta blues, folk music, traditional jazz, and roots rock & roll. Luke’s original songs blend contemporary ideas with styles from bygone eras, producing a sound that is both rustic and elegant. This along with his burgundy voice and versatile guitar have earned him a reputation as a musician who can deliver soulfully energetic and dynamic performances. He’s amassed a substantial catalog of music on the Chicago alt-country label Bloodshot Records, and if you haven’t heard his songs, well, now is the time!

Todd Snider: Pickin'. Grinnin'. Tellin' Stories. Takin' Requests.
2022-03-12 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
You don’t often hear about an artist reinventing their sound twenty albums into a celebrated career. But for Todd Snider, his latest release, First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder, isn’t so much a sudden change in direction as an arrival after years of searching.
Since debuting in 1994, Snider has gone through his own incarnations. His first single “Talking Seattle Blues” was a head fake that might’ve pointed to goofy novelty songs. But he quickly showed that his artistic quiver was much deeper and more interesting. A storyteller who works a similar creative soil to John Prine and Shel Silverstein, Snider’s best songs are both sad and funny, political and entertaining, and always written with a poet’s eye and a stand-up comedian’s sensibility about the follies of human condition. While he’s made twenty fine albums, it’s on stage where Snider is even more potent, with between-song banter that weaves subtle emotional threads through his sets. A road dog who loves the road, Snider has toured with Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Jimmy Buffett, and appeared at festivals like Farm Aid, Newport Folk Fest, Lockn’ and Telluride Bluegrass Festival.
The other key framing device for the new songs is the album’s colorful title. “If the gods of folk didn’t want no funk, they shouldn’t have started none,” Snider says with a chuckle. “2020 was a terrible year, and it kept taking people that I loved. So I kept feeling funky, and the church idea came out of that. I’ve always had the First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder in mind. Aren’t we always hoping for something and wondering ‘What the fuck?’ We hope there’s a God. We wonder if there is. We hope you’re coming. We wonder if you will.”
“I started realizing because I had this church, in my mind, that I could make up different kinds of songs,” he continues. “I don’t usually like bossy kinds of songs, where someone tells you to breathe. Me and Neal Casal used to say, I don’t have to know when to fold ‘em. I don’t have to live like I’m dying.’ I’m always telling the radio when I’m listening to it, ‘No, I don’t!’ But this is a reverend thing. I have a reverend license. I married Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, and my tour manager and his wife. So it just felt like this natural thing for it to be on Sunday mornings where I can do like these pseudo-sermons.”
He playfully undermines typical sermon themes like faith can move mountains – on “Turn Me Loose (I’ll Never Be the Same”), he reckons “Mountains can get around just fine on their own – and finding meaning on mystical sojourns – “Oh, shit, I quit my job,” the truth seeker on “The Get Together” realizes in a panic. “The record is the story of a preacher who starts this church that is total bullshit,” Todd says. “People start giving him money anyway, but then they start asking him questions. So then he prays to God and God helps him. But the moral of the story is that God’s hilarious.”
It feels appropriate that with his latest album, Snider may play a similar inspirational role for the parishioners in his church. “I’d like it to feel like a drum circle or a revival for listeners. I’d like it to feel like a hippie summer, where you take acid and listen to the songs by a beautiful lake. There’s a thing called effervescence – that feeling that you’re present, alive. I’d like for people to have a moment with this record. I think about records that will come into my life and they’ll help put a little more salt on the moment. That’s what I’m going for. But then, who knows if anyone will like the record. I dig it. I know it’s a cliché for people to say, ‘This is how I’ve been meaning to sound forever.’ But I swear, that’s how it feels.”
Nashville-based singer/songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan opens.
Photo credit: Stacie Huckeba

Laith Al-Saadi
2022-03-11 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
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In 2016, Laith Al-Saadi won America’s hearts and a spot in the Season 10 finale of NBC’s “The Voice.” Now he’s poised to bring his authentic blend of blues, soul and classic rock to audiences around the nation and the world.
Laith Al-Saadi has always had the perfect combination of Midwestern hustle and incredible musical chops – honed at the University of Michigan school of music in his hometown of Ann Arbor, and on stages across the country working with legends like Taj Mahal, Luther Allison, Buddy Guy, Son Seals, Gregg Allman, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Paul Rodgers and recently opened for Bob Seger on his farewell tour in January, 2019.
“Laith is one of the most diverse talents we have,” said Maroon 5 frontman and ‘The Voice’ coach Adam Levine. “Incredible guitar player, incredible singer.”
Entertainment Weekly called Laith Al-Saadi “a power performer who is so legitimate and memorable.”
Audiences have agreed, propelling Al-Saadi’s most recent CD release, “REAL” to the top of the blues chart for five weeks and the top 20 album chart for two weeks. Laith also had four singles in the top ten iTunes singles charts, and his albums “In The Round” and “Long Time Coming” spent time at the top of the rock and album charts. Al-Saadi also received a Detroit Music Award in 2018 for Best New Recording for his Digital EP “A 75th Birthday Tribute to Jimi Hendrix.
Guitar World Magazine has called Laith Al-Saadi a cross between “Danny Gatton and Buddy Guy at their best,” and in 2006 Guitar Center crowned him one of the top four blues guitarists in the United States.

Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas
2022-03-10 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
The musical partnership between consummate performer Alasdair Fraser, “the Michael Jordan of Scottish fiddling”, and brilliant Californian cellist Natalie Haas spans the full spectrum between intimate chamber music and ecstatic dance energy. Over the last 20 years of creating a buzz at festivals and concert halls across the world, they have truly set the standard for fiddle and cello in traditional music. They continue to thrill audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their near-telepathic understanding and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music.
Fraser has a concert and recording career spanning over 30 years, with a long list of awards, accolades, radio and television credits, and feature performances on top movie soundtracks (Last of the Mohicans, Titanic, etc.). In 2011, he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Haas, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, is one of the most sought after cellists in traditional music today. She has performed and recorded with a who’s who of the fiddle world including Mark O’Connor, Natalie MacMaster, Irish supergroups Solas and Altan, Liz Carroll, Dirk Powell, Brittany Haas, Darol Anger, Jeremy Kittel, Hanneke Cassel, Laura Cortese, and many more.
This seemingly unlikely pairing of fiddle and cello is the fulfillment of a long-standing musical dream for Fraser. His search eventually led him to find a cellist who could help return the cello to its historical role at the rhythmic heart of Scottish dance music, where it stood for hundreds of years before being relegated to the orchestra. The duo’s debut recording, Fire & Grace, won the coveted the Scots Trad Music “Album of the Year” award, the Scottish equivalent of a Grammy. Since its release, the two have gone on to record five more critically acclaimed albums that blend a profound understanding of the Scottish tradition with cutting-edge string explorations. In additional to performing, they both have motivated generations of string players through their teaching at fiddle camps across the globe.
Photo credit: Irene Young

TIME OUT Tour: The Accidentals featuring Kim Richey, Maia Sharp and Beth Nielsen Chapman
2022-03-09 20:00 - 22:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
.Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
The Accidentals present TIME OUT: Songwriters in the Round, an evening of stories and songs featuring: The Accidentals’ Sav Buist and Katie Larson with Kim Richey, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and Maia Sharp.

TIME OUT is an unforgettable songwriters in the round concert, reminiscent of a night at the legendary Blue Bird Cafe, where award-winning writers swap personal stories and inspirational songs in an intimate setting. TIME OUT is a lyric lover’s dream.

The Accidentals (Sav Buist and Katie Larson) spent the better part of the last year writing songs for a TIME OUT album with writers who inspired them to create, including Hall of Fame writer Beth Nielsen Chapman (Willie Nelson, Elton John, Faith Hill), barrier-breaking Kim Richey, and Maia Sharp (Bonnie Raitt, Dixie Chicks, Cher), among others. After a sold-out, thirteen-city tour and fifteen weeks at top ten radio, they decided to record TIME OUT 2. With the release of the second TIME OUT comes another round of compelling co-written songs and this incredible lineup. We hope you’ll join us for a TIME OUT!

Bruce Cockburn
2022-03-08 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
One of Canada’s finest artists, Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed an illustrious career shaped by politics, spirituality, and musical diversity. His remarkable journey has seen him embrace folk, jazz, rock, and worldbeat styles while travelling to such far-flung places as Guatemala, Mali, Mozambique, and Nepal, and writing memorable songs about his ever-expanding world of wonders. “My job,” he explains, “is to try and trap the spirit of things in the scratches of pen on paper and the pulling of notes out of metal.”
That scratching and pulling has earned Cockburn high praise as an exceptional songwriter and a revered guitarist. His songs of romance, protest, and spiritual discovery are among the best to have emerged from Canada over the last 50 years. His guitar playing, both acoustic and electric, has placed him in the company of the world’s top instrumentalists. And he remains deeply respected for his activism on issues from native rights and land mines to the environment and Third World debt, working for organizations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, and Friends of the Earth.
Throughout his career, Cockburn has deftly captured the joy, pain, fear, and faith of human experience in song. Whether singing about retreating to the country or going up against chaos, tackling imperialist lies or embracing ecclesiastical truths, he has always expressed a tough yet hopeful stance: to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight. “We can’t settle for things as they are,” he once warned. “If you don’t tackle the problems, they’re going to get worse.”
For his many achievements, the Ottawa-born artist has been honoured with 13 Juno Awards, an induction into both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, as well as the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and has been made an Officer of the Order of Canada. But he never rests on his laurels. “I’d rather think about what I’m going to do next,” says Cockburn. “My models for graceful aging are guys like John Lee Hooker and Mississippi John Hurt, who never stop working till they drop, as I fully expect to be doing, and just getting better as musicians and as human beings.”
His commitment to growth has made Bruce Cockburn both an exemplary citizen and a legendary artist whose prized songbook will be celebrated for many years to come.

Joshua Radin
2022-03-07 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
After 16 years, eight albums, and hundreds of shows, Joshua Radin still treats music as an antidote to any ailment. The LA-based singer/songwriter finds healing in between waves of acoustic eloquence and dyed-in-the-wool Americana storytelling. On his ninth album The Ghost And The Wall [Nettwerk], the troubadour continues a cycle of catharsis meant to be shared among any and all receptive hearts.
Since 2004, he’s affected countless listeners with palpable transparency, selling over 1 million records, generating 1 billion+ streams, and garnering a gold plaque for single “I’d Rather Be With You.” Landing north of 150 film, television, and commercial syncs, his voice courses throughout the zeitgeist. Among many highlights, First Ladies Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden personally handpicked “Brand New Day” for a commercial in support of the troops. In addition to memorable performances on Ellen, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Conan, and Today Show, he famously serenaded avowed super fan Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi during their wedding. Beyond sold out headline shows on four continents, he’s performed alongside Ed Sheeran, Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos, Imogen Heap, and more. He also remains a committed philanthropist, supporting charities like Little Kids Rock and North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), among others.
The Ghost And The Wall was produced entirely remotely by Jonathan Wilson [Father John Misty, Conor Oberst, Dawes}.
Folk-rock band Tow’rs opens.

We Banjo 3
2022-03-06 19:30 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Debuting in the U.S. in 2012, We Banjo 3 has since emerged as fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home. The Galway, Ireland, and Nashville-based quartet––comprised of two sets of brothers, Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley––continually push musical boundaries while maintaining an unwavering devotion to the essential audience experience. WB3seamlessly converge the shared and varied traditions of Americana, Bluegrass, and Celtic music with popsensible songcraft to create a truly unique and gratifying signature sound. Brilliantly commanded instruments––banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and percussion––effortlessly elevate lead singer David Howley’s propulsive voice. Live on stage, their songs carry the listener along until, at the perfect moment, the band crescendos into catchy choruses with pitch perfect harmonies. We Banjo 3 deliver their music with such palpable rapport, stunning precision, and infectious energy, it’s impossible to pigeonhole what kind of listener might suddenly consider themselves a WB3 fan. With recent stunning performances at such broad ranging festivals Merlefest, BottleRock, Summercamp, ROMP, Wintergrass and others, enthusiasts of almost every genre of music are taking notice. Actor/comedian and musician Steve Martin says of the band, “We Banjo 3…are making waves…here in America. They are playing the banjo in a style that I didn’t even know could be played like that.” Northwest Cultural Blog said, “There are few adjectives left to describe the authenticity and the electrifying experience you get when you first see/hear We Banjo 3 live on stage…It’s the incorporation of each and every one of its members, their individual charisma, their energy, their passion and their very soul, that makes them one of the greatest live musical acts the world has to offer today.”
We Banjo 3 released their 6th CD, Roots To Rise Live, in July of 2019 in conjunction of the band’s summer and fall 2019 U.S. tours. Recorded at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the CD features a mix of original material, traditional compositions, select cover songs, and two previously unreleased tunes. The CD debuted at the beginning of August at # 1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums Chart spending 4 weeks in the peak position. The band’s 2018 studio recording, Haven, spent 3 weeks at # 1 on that chart, marking the first time an Irish band held the # 1 position on this chart. When Haven re-entered the chart at # 5 in August 2019, joining Roots To Rise Live at the #1 position, WB3 made history again as the only Irish band to hold two top-5 chart positions simultaneously. Of Roots To Rise Live, Songlines Magazine reviewed “…this album by Celtgrass pioneers We Banjo 3 scorches its way through a rollercoaster set colliding their native Galway heritage with liberal helpings of blistering bluegrass and a telling nod to pop music.”
We Banjo 3 is committed to giving back to the community, and raising awareness around the issue of mental health is a cause that is dear to their hearts. Toward this effort, We Banjo 3 donate $2.00 for every t-shirt and CD sold on their U.S. tours to organizations that work to provide mental health resources. In 2019, WB3 raised $7500.00 for Mental Health America, the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the mental health of all Americans. For 2020, We Banjo 3 is pleased to partner with start-up not-for-profit Backline. Backline works to support the mental health of music industry professionals and their families by providing streamlined access to mental health and wellness services and educational resources specific to the work and lifestyle of the music industry community. For more information on Backline, visit www.backline.care.

We Banjo 3
2022-03-05 20:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Debuting in the U.S. in 2012, We Banjo 3 has since emerged as fast-rising touring darlings in the country that two of the members now call home. The Galway, Ireland, and Nashville-based quartet––comprised of two sets of brothers, Enda & Fergal Scahill and Martin & David Howley––continually push musical boundaries while maintaining an unwavering devotion to the essential audience experience. WB3seamlessly converge the shared and varied traditions of Americana, Bluegrass, and Celtic music with popsensible songcraft to create a truly unique and gratifying signature sound. Brilliantly commanded instruments––banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and percussion––effortlessly elevate lead singer David Howley’s propulsive voice. Live on stage, their songs carry the listener along until, at the perfect moment, the band crescendos into catchy choruses with pitch perfect harmonies. We Banjo 3 deliver their music with such palpable rapport, stunning precision, and infectious energy, it’s impossible to pigeonhole what kind of listener might suddenly consider themselves a WB3 fan. With recent stunning performances at such broad ranging festivals Merlefest, BottleRock, Summercamp, ROMP, Wintergrass and others, enthusiasts of almost every genre of music are taking notice. Actor/comedian and musician Steve Martin says of the band, “We Banjo 3…are making waves…here in America. They are playing the banjo in a style that I didn’t even know could be played like that.” Northwest Cultural Blog said, “There are few adjectives left to describe the authenticity and the electrifying experience you get when you first see/hear We Banjo 3 live on stage…It’s the incorporation of each and every one of its members, their individual charisma, their energy, their passion and their very soul, that makes them one of the greatest live musical acts the world has to offer today.”
We Banjo 3 released their 6th CD, Roots To Rise Live, in July of 2019 in conjunction of the band’s summer and fall 2019 U.S. tours. Recorded at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the CD features a mix of original material, traditional compositions, select cover songs, and two previously unreleased tunes. The CD debuted at the beginning of August at # 1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums Chart spending 4 weeks in the peak position. The band’s 2018 studio recording, Haven, spent 3 weeks at # 1 on that chart, marking the first time an Irish band held the # 1 position on this chart. When Haven re-entered the chart at # 5 in August 2019, joining Roots To Rise Live at the #1 position, WB3 made history again as the only Irish band to hold two top-5 chart positions simultaneously. Of Roots To Rise Live, Songlines Magazine reviewed “…this album by Celtgrass pioneers We Banjo 3 scorches its way through a rollercoaster set colliding their native Galway heritage with liberal helpings of blistering bluegrass and a telling nod to pop music.”
We Banjo 3 is committed to giving back to the community, and raising awareness around the issue of mental health is a cause that is dear to their hearts. Toward this effort, We Banjo 3 donate $2.00 for every t-shirt and CD sold on their U.S. tours to organizations that work to provide mental health resources. In 2019, WB3 raised $7500.00 for Mental Health America, the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting the mental health of all Americans. For 2020, We Banjo 3 is pleased to partner with start-up not-for-profit Backline. Backline works to support the mental health of music industry professionals and their families by providing streamlined access to mental health and wellness services and educational resources specific to the work and lifestyle of the music industry community. For more information on Backline, visit www.backline.care.
Presented with support from The RFD Boys

Martin Sexton
2022-03-04 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Please Note: Proof of Vaccination is required for admission. By purchasing a ticket you agree that you and your guests will comply with all laws, orders, ordinances, regulations and health and safety guidance adopted by the State of Michigan, the County of Washtenaw and The Ark, including any guidelines in place at the time of the show. Attendees who do not comply will be asked to leave. Policies will be updated as circumstances and requirements change in our community. Please review The Ark’s current COVID-related information before attending a show.
COVID-19 FAQ
Singer-songwriter Martin Sexton is like an ultra-active antenna, adventuring through the static to grab a clear signal. When he dials in on one station, he then quickly shifts to the next one. This everchanging attention span drives his family crazy, but it’s ingrained in Martin, dating back to his childhood when he would tear through television primetime programming.
This ability to hone in on little defining moments suits Martin as a songwriter as evident by his latest EP, 2020 Vision. This is Martin’s first release in 6 years, and it is a poetically emotive and an elegantly evocative pandemic scrapbook. “In one song, I’m building a treehouse with my son. In another song, I’m crossing America and seeing the beauty in people rising through adversity and loving each other,” Martin details.
Up next, the road is calling Martin as tour dates are being booked in this post-vaccine chapter. 2020 Vision will always have its lessons and remain in Martin’s sight, even as the miles out on the road put pandemic life in the rearview mirror. One of those lessons is the power of togetherness. Martin says: “My mission statement for the past 15 years has been unity through music, and I am committed to sharing peace and harmony through my songs.”
Opener Chris Trapper is a storyteller. With his soulful, honeyed tenor, sly humor and an uncanny knack for melody, Chris has traveled the world over, performing to a dedicated and ever growing fan base with nothing but his guitar and his songs.
