Shows & Events

Gemini’s Birthday Celebration

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

Laz and San Slomovits, the duo Gemini, moved to Ann Arbor in 1973, and have played The Ark every year since then. About twenty years ago, San’s daughter, Emily, began joining them on stage, necessitating a new name for their trio, Gemily (Gemini + Emily). They’re known for their beautiful voices, genetically tight harmonies, a stage-full of instruments, and songs and instrumentals ranging from traditional American and British Isles folk music, to songs of the 60s Folk Revival, klezmer tunes, pop songs and their own originals.

$20

Polky

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

Toronto's Polky, led by multi-talented immigrant female musicians, delights audiences with traditional vocals, unusual instruments, and energizing performances. Drawing deep inspiration from Poland's rich cultural tapestry, they push musical boundaries by fearlessly blending Polish traditional music with sounds and rhythms from across the globe.

$20

History That Doesn’t Suck

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

Adapted from the top-ranked history podcast, Professor Greg Jackson tells the epic tale of “The Unlikely Union,” weaving defining moments in American history (1754-1865) into a thrilling narrative of the struggle and triumph of a young nation to form, define, and reform itself. Travel back in time through epic storytelling of familiar and unsung real characters from history, and return with real context for today.

$40

Jill Jack’s Birthday Bash

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

Jill Jack’s annual birthday bash has become a New Year's tradition at The Ark! Jill's magical connection to her audience is the result of her generous artistry. By combining her gifts as a conceptual visionary with a warm gathering of musical influences, Jill touches that secret heart of ours with her melodies and lyrics. In her hometown of Detroit, Jill needs no further explanation. She’s been lauded in equal measure to her talents: Since 1997 she’s won dozens of Detroit Music Awards in every conceivable category that applies to a singer-songwriter.

$25

Steppin In It

Opener: Zak Bunce

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

Formed out of love for traditional American Folk & Blues music, Steppin’ In It has been playing shows and packing dance floors for over 20 years. In the words of England's Rock and Reel magazine, they're "possessed with a consistently delightful spirit of musical adventure that, as well as bringing elements of old-time, country, cajun, blues and various roots styles to the table, manages to instill everything they do with an attractive and accessible cool."

$30

G. Love & Special Sauce

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

Born Garrett Dutton in Philadelphia, PA, G. Love grew up equally enthralled with folk, blues, and rap, devouring everything from Lead Belly and Run D.M.C. to John Hammond and the Beastie Boys. After migrating to Boston, he and his band, Special Sauce, broke out in 1994 with their Gold-selling self-titled debut, which earned widespread critical acclaim for its bold vision and adventurous production. Over the next twenty-five years, G. Love would go on to release seven more similarly lauded studio studios albums with Special Sauce (plus four solo albums on his own), solidifying his place in music history as a genre-bending pioneer with a sound The New York Times described as "a new and urgent hybrid" and NPR called a "musical melting pot."

$40, $140 VIP

Django Reinhardt Birthday Celebration

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

Join Djangophonique and special TBA guests in celebration of Django Reinhardt's legacy of music that is still alive and evolving 115 years after he was born.

$25

Heywood Banks

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

Heywood Banks is simply one of a kind, almost impossible to describe, with a style his very own. Equal parts genius and buffoon, this songwriter-comic-singer-poet-musician has become a cult hero and a pop icon, with a show that appeals to college students, stoners, businessmen, yuppies, rednecks, punks, kids or your grandmother. Heywood intersperses his humorous observations of life with twisted, inventive, bizarre songs, sung and played in a variety of styles, from folk, to country to rock to pop, and way beyond.

$35
Folk Festival

48th Ann Arbor Folk Fest

Hill Auditorium 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

The Ark and Bank of Ann Arbor are excited to announce the lineup for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest at Hill Auditorium. The festival is The Ark's largest annual fundraiser and delivers the full spectrum of “Ark music,” presenting a taste of what’s happening on the leading edge of acoustic music while delving into the very heart of folk and roots traditions. Friday night's lineup features Waxahatchee, Josh Ritter, Jobi Riccio, Adeem the Artist, Afro Dominicano, and MC Ketch Secor.

$47.50, $70, $120, $250
Folk Festival

48th Ann Arbor Folk Fest

Hill Auditorium 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

The Ark and Bank of Ann Arbor are excited to announce the lineup for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest at Hill Auditorium. The festival is The Ark's largest annual fundraiser and delivers the full spectrum of “Ark music,” presenting a taste of what’s happening on the leading edge of acoustic music while delving into the very heart of folk and roots traditions. Saturday night's lineup features Toad the Wet Sprocket, Bruce Cockburn, The Milk Carton Kids, Joy Clark, Willi Carlisle, and MC Ketch Secor. 

$47.50, $70, $120, $250
Artist Spotlight Series Live and Virtual

Taimane & Her Trio

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

Born and raised in Hawaii of hapa Samoan descent, ukulele virtuoso and songwriter Taimane is renowned for her fierce and inventive style of playing the four-string island staple. She has also garnered great acclaim for her fiery stage prowess, keeping concertgoers on the edge of their seats from her first note until her last.

Free
Special Event

Guster

The Majestic Theatre 4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan, United States

Not long before the making of their new album Ooh La La, Guster celebrated three decades together as a band—a journey that’s included landing a series of hits on the Billboard charts, working with luminaries like Steve Lillywhite and Richard Swift, launching their own music festival, and amassing an ardent fanbase partly on the strength of their relentless touring and deeply communal live show. But despite reaching a milestone few musical acts ever come close to attaining, Guster’s ninth studio LP reveals a band fully in touch with the voracious creative energy that first inspired their formation.

$33.50