Shows & Events

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 free with student ID

Tartan Terrors

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

Tartan Terrors are not a band but, in the words of the organizers, "North America's premiere Celtic event, featuring the best in music, comedy and dance." Amazed by the blistering chops of a two-time world champion bagpiper, the driving tones of drums from around the world, and a guitar played unlike any you've ever heard, standing-room-only audiences come to understand why Dig This magazine declares Tartan Terrors "one act to keep an eye on!" Combine all the music with championship-caliber Highland Dancers and internationally recognized comedic performers, and this Celtic group goes beyond the ordinary. Members of Tartan Terrors have performed on four different continents; in some of the most prestigious festivals, Highland Games, and theaters in North America, for a U.S. president and Britain's Queen, and on Good Morning America. Experience the phenomenon of Tartan Terrors and see why Celtic Beat hails them as "the heirs apparent to the mayhem"!

$20

Judy Banker Band

Opener: Annie Bacon

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

Americana and Alt-Country artist Judy Banker returns to The Ark with her all-star band for a birthday concert that also celebrates the release of her fourth studio album, “Bona Fide.” With this newest release, Judy’s songwriting—rife with melodic hooks and raw, poetic lyrics set to layered, innovative arrangements—has evolved, crossing over and blending jazz, R&B, and rock to create something that feels at once familiar and wholly original. Judy and her band—David Roof, John Sperendi, Tony Pace, Alan Pagliere & Brian Williams—will be performing “Bona Fide” cover to cover as well as favorite selections from Judy’s other records.

$25

Mipso

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

Chapel Hill’s indie Americana quartet Mipso—Jacob Sharp (mandolin, vocals), Wood Robinson (bass, vocals), Joseph Terrell (guitar, vocals), and Libby Rodenbough (fiddle, vocals)—just keeps growing in reach and was recently signed to the longtime New England folk label Rounder. Influenced by the contradiction of its progressive home and the surrounding rural southern landscapes, Mipso has been hailed as "hewing surprisingly close to gospel and folk while still sounding modern and secular" (Acoustic Guitar) and was recently recognized by Rolling Stone as an "Artist You Need to Know." The band brings a unique sound, full of wistful beauty, hopeful undercurrents, and panoramic soundscapes. Venturing ever further from its string-band pedigree to discover a broader Americana where classic folk-rock and modern alt-country sounds mingle easily with Appalachian tradition, Mipso’s music is lush and forward moving, with lyrics that sear and salve in turn.

$25
Sold Out

Victor Wooten and The Wooten Brothers

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

Hailed as the most influential bassist since Jaco Pastorius, Victor Wooten is known for his solo recordings and tours, and as a founding member of the Grammy-winning supergroup Bela Fleck & The Flecktones. He is an innovator on the bass guitar, as well as a talented composer, arranger, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Continuing the tradition of virtuosity forged by James Brown, Funkadelic, and Prince, Victor will make you wonder how he could possibly be creating his incredible bass effects in real time. His show is a high-wire act on low-pitched strings that owes some of its inspiration to another Wooten mentor, the inimitable Bootsy Collins. A multiple-time winner of Bass Player magazine's Bass Player of the Year award and a five-time Grammy winner, Victor Wooten is a musical experience not to be missed! Tonight Victor appears with brothers Joseph, Roy, and Regi Wooten.

$45

Bonnie Raitt Birthday Tribute

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

The music of Bonnie Raitt crosses boundaries between blues, folk, rock, and country, and she found a deep common denominator. It’s perhaps for that reason that Bonnie continues to be listened to and to influence younger musicians. Tonight’s show features Michigan artists who come together to honor Bonnie Raitt on her 74th.

$25

Antje Duvekot & Joe Crookston

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

A former Artist-in-Residence at Folk Alliance International, Joe Crookston of Ithaca, New York, is a writer, singer, guitar picker, painter, clawhammer banjo player, and believer in all things possible. You’ll be pulled in by the magic and musical world he creates, and you’ll end up in the moment, humming and buzzing with the rest of the crowd.

$25
Special Event

Lake Street Dive

Special Guest: Monica Martin

Masonic Cathedral Theatre 500 Temple Street, Detroit, MI, United States

Since forming in 2004, Lake Street Dive have matched their sophisticated musicianship with a fearless refusal to limit their sound. As shown on their most recent full-length album, 2021’s critically acclaimed Obviously, the Boston-bred band also possess a keen talent for combining sociopolitical commentary with immediately catchy pop gems. With their current lineup comprised of founding members Rachael Price (vocals), Bridget Kearney (bass), and Michael Calabrese (drums) — as well as keyboardist/vocalist Akie Bermiss and touring guitarist James Cornelison — Lake Street Dive continue to create joyously soulful rock & roll with equal parts ingenuity, intelligence, and irresistible abandon.

$46, $60.50, $70.50, $100.99

Ryan Montbleau Band

Special Guest: Brooks Forsyth

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

For as long as he can remember, Ryan Montbleau has 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.

$25
Special Event

Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary Tour

Royal Oak Music Theatre 318 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI, United States

A.J. Croce has been a staple of the Americana, AAA, Blues, Top 40 and other charts throughout his own stellar career, releasing ten studio albums that effortlessly transcend multiple genres and have had 20 songs chart in the Top 20 on various radio charts. However, the 50th Anniversary Celebration of You Don’t Mess Around With Jim has prompted the most affectionate look back yet at his father’s enduring legacy.  The renewed interest leading up to the celebration of the classic album (which was recorded for only $18,000 and spent an incredible 93 weeks on the charts) has inspired a special version of A.J.’s popular ‘Croce Plays Croce’ concert series.

$44.50, $54.50, $64.50

John McCutcheon

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

John McCutcheon's art grew out of his absolute mastery of American traditional music and instruments. He's a legend of the guitar, the hammered dulcimer, and several other instruments, and a prolific songwriter, and there's nobody more qualified to own the folkmusic.com domain name! The result is a body of classic American song, rooted in the best our musical tradition has to offer. John McCutcheon is a voice for peace, a community organizer, a writer, a literacy campaigner, and a performer who has packed concert halls on four continents. The Washington Post calls John's concerts "little feats of magic," and as a storyteller he's been compared with Garrison Keillor—and, even better than that, Will Rogers. John comes to Michigan with a new release, his 43rd, “Leap!”

$25
Low Ticket Alert

Ocie Elliott

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

Ocie Elliott pen tunes that feel lived-in. Ocie Elliott is the musical duo of Jon Middleton and Sierra Lundy from Victoria, B.C., Canada. You can hear their memories, experiences, and emotions in the dusty acoustic guitars, the sparse production, and their graceful harmonies. The two have come a long way in a short time since a chance encounter in a café led to a spark, collaboration, and their ultimate partnership in music and beyond. Ocie Elliott’s debut album, “We Fall In” (Nettwerk Music Group), led to appearances with the likes of Mason Jennings, Sons of the East, Kim Churchill, Roo Panes, Current Swell and Joseph, tours of Canada, the U.S., and Europe, and having their song “Run To You” featured on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Ocie Elliott comes to Michigan with a new EP, “What Remains,” a batch of honest and heartfelt anthems of which Sierra says, “Since we’ve been through so much, all of these songs are so powerful to us. They’re simple, but they hold so much truth. I hope it translates to people.”

$20