49th Ann Arbor Folk Festival
Saturday, January 31st
at Hill Auditorium
Tickets
Member and Student Pre-Sale: Nov 12 & 13
Public Sale: Nov 14
Born of the 2010’s folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock and roll era, The Crane Wives epitomize the evolving landscape of indie folk. Their high-energy performances have been described as “charged with emotion and technical skill” (Blurred Culture LA), while their harmony-dense melodies support deeply resonant lyrics, exploring the vulnerable and the ugly sides of the human condition. The band has amassed over 1.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, racking up over 150 million streams on their most popular songs and accumulating listenership from far-flung corners of the US to the UK, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Featured by Michigan Public and NPR’s “All Songs Considered,” the band recently released their sixth full-length studio record, Beyond Beyond Beyond, to high praise, with Glasse Factory calling the album “a testament to the band’s ability to turn personal struggles into universally relatable anthems.” Niner Times describes the new release as “angsty, haunting and gritty,” praising its departure from the more traditional folk sound of the Crane Wives’ previous records. Since its release in Sept 2024, Beyond Beyond Beyond has accrued over 7 million streams on Spotify.
The pulse of the Crane Wives is delivered by Ben Zito (bass) and Dan Rickabus (drums), creating a driving, dynamic backdrop while co-leads Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury establish expansive and gritty conversations between their electric guitars. A web of three-part harmony helps to soften the blow of their emotional candor, like a 21st century Cerberus, the hound of Hades reimagined as an emotional support animal. The Crane Wives first played the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in 2014 as emerging artists and we are delighted to welcome these Michigan artists back as their star continues to rise!