Shows & Events

JD Clayton

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

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.”

$20

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.

$3, $2 members, seniors, students

Talisk

Special Guest: Anna Mieke

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

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.”

$20

Breabach

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

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.

$25
Ford Fund Family Series

Justin Roberts & The Not Ready For Naptime Players

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

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!

$15, $12 kids
Cancelled

An Evening with George Winston

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

Due to unforeseen circumstances, George Winston’s Feb 11 performance at The Ark will be rescheduled to a future date.  You will be notified by email after this date is determined. 

Please retain your tickets and they will be honored on the new date. Once the date is announced, patrons will have 30 days to request a refund if they are not able to attend the new date.

$45, $53, $75

Jess Merritt & The Understorey

Opener: Abigail Stauffer

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

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.

$20
Live and Virtual

My Folky Valentine

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

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.

$20

Amy LaVere and Will Sexton

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

There’s something uniquely fun about Amy LaVere, even when she’s breaking your heart. She is well known among songwriters and critics alike. NPR’s Robert Siegel says she “specializes in lyrics that are more barbed than her sweet soprano prepares you for.” Her growing catalog of material and steady critical acclaim suggest a first-tier presence on the Americana and indie-folk/punk circuits. Amy’s live performances are anything but predictable. She might appear on stage with a full band, sporting a mask and pink wig, or simply be in blue jeans and sandals, but her upright bass and clever song delivery are constants. Her voice is at once the bully and the victim. She’s performed in venues as wide-ranging as St. Andrew’s Hall in London and Memphis’ famed dive bar Earnestine and Hazel’s. There’s no room she can’t find an audience in and charm it to pieces. Tonight LaVere is joined by her guitarist (and husband since 2014), Will Sexton, an Austinite who has worked with Steve Stills, Roky Erickson, and Waylon Jennings.

$20

Misty Lyn & The Big Beautiful

Opener: Jim Roll

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

As a fixture of the Michigan folk music scene for over a decade, Misty Lyn Bergeron has penned haunting melodies over simple arrangements that traverse the gothic, literary fringes of American roots music. Pulling from a wealth of vivid subject matter, her songs are cathartic and poetically rich works that approach sometimes difficult topics such as death, loss, heartache, and healing. After getting in a serious car accident in 2015, there has been a noticeable shift toward love, light, and hope in her music, while still maintaining a deep connection with the things that are lost and those that are fading. Members ofTthe Big Beautiful include Matt Jones (drums), Ryan Gimpert (guitar and pedal steel), Carol Catherine Gray (fiddle, vocals, tambo), and Jim Roll (bass). Misty Lyn & The Big Beautiful come to The Ark with a new release, “The Narrows.”

$20

Crys Matthews

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

Ask about the new generation of social justice music-makers ,and Crys Matthews will be mentioned. A southeastern North Carolina native who now calls Washington, D.C., home, Crys has been compared to everyone from Toshi Reagon to Tracy Chapman and Ruthie Foster. A prolific lyricist, Crys blends Americana, folk, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and funk into a bold, complex performance steeped in traditional melodies punctuated by honest, original lyrics.

$20

Bill Frisell

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

Bill Frisell can be a hard musician to classify. You'll find him in the jazz bins (or at the jazz link), and he's been called the most brilliant jazz guitarist since Wes Montgomery. But he's the kind of jazz musician who looks outward to other music, and his guitar can do just about anything, from any genre. It can approximate the sound of a country steel guitar, can wail the blues, can break new ground in music like Jimi Hendrix did. And he plays his own compositions, each one intricately woven into the capabilities of his instrument. As a collaborator, Bill Frisell is one of the most sought-after voices in contemporary guitar. His Ark shows have an intimacy that's hard to find at his dates in larger cities.

$35