Shows & Events

Augustana

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Dan Layus, the creative force behind Augustana, is a Platinum-selling American pop-rock artist celebrated for chart-topping hits like "Boston,” "Sweet and Low,” “Fire,” and “Steal Your Heart.” In addition to his pop-rock success, Layus recently collaborated with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, composing original classical pieces and arranging Augustana's songs for a string quartet. For his highly anticipated 2025 Midwest summer tour, Layus has assembled his world-class band again to perform a host of Augustana classics.

$40.00

Skerryvore

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

What are Skerryvore? They’re like no one else. Epic of melody, intimate of feeling and plugged into the roots of Scotland but blasting out to the world.
Three time winners of Scotland’s ‘Live Act of the Year’ award, Skerryvore have evolved from their humble beginnings to become one of the country’s leading forces in a thriving live music scene. At the forefront of a movement that has reinvented and reignited a traditional Scottish scene for a modern, multicultural audience, the band have brought their high energy performances to audiences across the globe.

$29.00

California Guitar Trio // Kaki King

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

The universe of guitar knows no boundaries for The California Guitar Trio. Since 1991, the group has enthralled listeners with a singular sound that fearlessly crisscrosses genres. The trio’s questing spirit drives it to explore the intersections between rock, jazz, classical, and world music. Dubbed by Rolling Stone as "a genre unto herself," Brooklyn, NY-based Kaki King has proven to be just that. Her career has taken her all over the world, sharing stages with Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, contributing music to award-winning films (Sean Penn's Into The Wild), and performing at the Kennedy Center, the London Jazz Festival, and the Paris Les Femmes s'en Melent.

$35.00

Jon Muq

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

For Jon Muq, a singer-songwriter born in Uganda and now living in Austin, Texas, music is part of a larger conversation he’s having with the world and everybody in it. Drawing from African as well as western musical trends and traditions, he devises songs as small gifts, designed to settle into everyday life and provoke reflection and resilience. “These days the world is sad,” he explains, “so I wanted to make happy songs. I wanted to write songs that connected with the listener in a very personal way. When someone listens to my music, it’s not just about me and what I’m singing. It’s about how they understand the songs individually. I think these songs can speak many languages, depending on what you want from them.

$29.00

Cris Jacobs

Opener: Lost Mary

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

From Baltimore comes Cris Jacobs—an unexpectedly gritty soul-blues singer and guitarist with outlaw country ethos. Blending a variety of musical traditions, Jacobs creates a distinctive voice and sound of his own punctuated by emotive songwriting and explosive guitar playing. Equally at home playing heartfelt Americana ballads or funky blues rockers, Jacobs is known for his mesmerizing live shows, where his improvisational guitar playing, powerhouse band, and deep reservoir of songs make each night a unique experience.

$29.00

Out Loud Chorus

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Out Loud Chorus is the largest mixed-voice LGBTQ+ choir in North America, and the only arts organization dedicated to the entire LGBTQ+ community in Washtenaw County. We bring together people of all genders, sexualities, and backgrounds to make beautiful music and connect through this shared joy. But at its core, OLC is about more than just making music–we’re working to create a world where every voice is heard.

Free

Darlingside

Special Guest: Clovers Daughter

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Everything Is Alive, Darlingside’s fourth LP, marks a subtle but remarkable departure for the Boston-based quartet NPR once described as “exquisitely arranged, literary minded, baroque folk-pop.” While the album retains much of the lushness and sophistication of Extralife (2018) and Fish Pond Fish (2020), the band’s latest work decisively exposes and differentiates the individual voices of the four songwriters—a daring reinvention for a group known for ubiquitous vocal harmonies.

$40.00

Birdtalker

Special Guest: Curtis Ford

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Fronted by Zack and Dani Green along with Brian Seligman and Chris Wilson, Birdtalker made their whirlwind debut in 2018 with One featuring their breakout single "Heavy" (now over 95 million streams worldwide). Rolling Stone hailed it as “infectious and sprightly” and NPR Music called it “such a beautiful record” while earning similar praises from Billboard, World Cafe, and American Songwriter.The release led to non-stop touring, festival appearances, and their debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry.

$29.00
Artist Spotlight Series

Half Gringa

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Over the course of her first two full-length releases as Half Gringa, Chicago-based singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Isabel Olive has demonstrated stunning emotional intelligence and songwriting elegance. And it has not gone unnoticed. The Chicago Reader named Half Gringa’s debut, Gruñona as among Chicago’s Best Albums of the Decade while VICE named her sophomore full-length, Force to Reckon as one of 22 Essential Albums of 2020, saying that Half Gringa specializes in “empathic and twangy songs about grief and getting stuck in your own thoughts.”

Free
Open Mic

The Ark’s Open Stage

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 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.

$3, Students and Ark Members free

Melissa Ferrick

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

30 years into a prolific career as a genre and gender-defying songwriter, Melissa Ferrick continues to disrupt normative categorization. Indie, Alternative, Folk, Punk….Melissa Ferrick won’t be labeled. With disarming wit and raw vulnerability, every lyric in Ferrick’s immense catalog is an invitation to confession or catharsis.

$35.00

Joe Reilly and The Community Gardeners

Special Guest: Barbara Newell and Elisabeth Pixley-Fink

The Ark 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Exalting love for the planet and its fellow human beings as his main value, the warm and emotional North American artist Joe Reilly captivates us in an atmosphere of blues, folk, and rock where his baritone voice invites us to leave aside prejudice and hatred, preserving the power of love and individuality.

$24.00