The Ark

Blackthorn
2024-12-21 20:00 - 23:00 (America/Detroit) | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Members of the Michigan Irish American Hall of Fame, Blackthorn offers shows that involve a musical ramble across Ireland. Traditional songs of emigration, ballads, shanties and jigs and reels combine with some of Ireland’s best contemporary songs for a musical experience that is uniquely Irish. Each of the band’s members plays multiple instruments, including flute, accordion, tin whistle, fiddle, banjo, cittern, bodhran, and more. These instruments complement the lead vocal of Belfast native Richard McMullan and the band’s tight blend of four-part harmony. This band has been bringing a rich tapestry of Celtic music to southeast Michigan and beyond for 40 years, and they’re a must-see for those who want to know the deep traditions of Irish music in Michigan.

Crossroads Ceili
2024-12-28 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The Ark’s annual Crossroads Ceili is a great way to mark the turning of the year. It’s a gathering of local Celtic-oriented singers, instrumentalists, and dancers, all sharing the stage to get your Celtic music year off to a good start. If you’d like to get an idea of the depth of southeastern Michigan’s Celtic music scene, the Ceili is a great place to do it. Fiddler Mick Gavin, the organizer of the Ceili and a frequent performer there, was recently inducted into the Irish Music Hall of Fame. This year’s lineup includes Adrienne O’Shea, Hannah Harris, Jack Abernathy, Mick, Sean and Mike Gavin, Darby Casey, and Bear Whitmer.

50 First Jokes
2025-01-02 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The tradition that started almost two decades ago at the Bell House in Brooklyn, New York, and now is a much-anticipated event also in Los Angeles and other cities, is coming back to Ann Arbor! Fifty of the area’s up-and-coming and veteran comics come together to tell the first jokes they’ve written for the new year, kicking off the 2025 comedy scene in the most righteous way possible! It’s fast, it’s fresh, and above all it’s funny. It’s also not going to break the bank, so why not check out some Michigan comic voices you may not have known about?

The RFD Boys
2025-01-03 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
It’s hard to believe, because each show is fresh and new, but the RFD Boys have been delighting Michigan audiences since 1969 with their fabulous musicianship and sly, exquisitely timed between-song humor. They’re legends of Michigan bluegrass, but they’re more than that too. With an appearance on the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited, with songs recorded by the likes of the Country Gentlemen, and with performances alongside bluegrass greats like Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley, the RFD Boys are a part of America’s bluegrass tradition. The RFD Boys are one of southeastern Michigan’s most durable musical ensembles, and their shows capture a deep slice of musical Ann Arbor. Their 50th-anniversary appearance at the Folk Festival was a special moment and introduced many listeners to Dan Roehrig, who joined the band on guitar, mandolin, and bass in mid-2018. Dan grew up listening to Doc Watson, Clarence White, and Tony Rice, and you can hear it in both his singing and guitar playing.
There are no advance ticket sales for tonight’s show. Tickets can be purchased at the door the night of the show. Doors open at 7:30pm.

The Yellow Room Gang
2025-01-04 15:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The Yellow Room is the “brilliantly yellow” living room of Tamulevich’s house on Ann Arbor’s Old West Side, where the gang members meet monthly for musical brainstorming and mutual critique. There are eight members of the gang, most or all of whom are on hand for any given show: Annie Capps, Kitty Donohoe, Jan Krist, Michael Hough, David Tamulevich, David Barrett, Jim Bizer, and Matt Watroba. Each an accomplished songwriter and performer in their own right, they create a unique atmosphere of respect and support, friendship and generosity finding new and unexpected ways to explore beyond their previous personal boundaries. Come and be a fly on the wall as the exchange of creative ideas flows freely!
Note that this is an afternoon performance with a start time of 3:00pm!

Gemini's Birthday Celebration
2025-01-05 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, 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. Above all, audiences have come to love their sense of ease and joy on stage. San and Laz will be celebrating their 152nd birthday with this show (they’re twins – you do the math) and will be joined by Emily plus their Good Mischief Band, Mike Morrison on drums and Eric Fithian on bass.

Polky
2025-01-07 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, 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.
Polky stands out for its distinctive elements, including the mesmerizing Eastern European-style traditional vocals and incorporating the ‘suka,’ an ancient lap fiddle reconstructed from historical paintings. Lead singer Ewelina Ferenc earned the prestigious Traditional Singer of The Year title at the 2022 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Marta Solek is an accomplished suka virtuoso who has performed alongside esteemed Polish artists like Same Suki, Maria Pomianowska, and Nikola Kołodziejczyk. Through their performances, Polky introduces Polish culture to North American audiences, embodying the role of cultural ambassadors for Polish modern traditions.

The Ark's Open Stage
2025-01-08 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-01-15 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-02-05 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, 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.
Why play Open Stage at the Ark? Do it to be heard. Do it so you know you can. Do it to take your music to the masses. Tremendous local performers like Dick Siegel, Misty Lyn, and Matt Watroba spent time honing their craft on Open Stage audiences. Even nationally recognized talents like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Gilda Radner, and David Alan Grier paid their dues here. If you’re not interested in getting on stage tonight, get your practice in at being a great audience member and observer of new music.

History That Doesn't Suck
2025-01-10 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, 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.
Dr. Greg Jackson is best known as the creator and host of the podcast History That Doesn’t’ Suck® which routinely tops the Apple® and Spotify® top history charts, having published over 160 episodes and counting millions of listens. Jackson holds a PhD in history, is a tenured Associate Professor and Senior Fellow in National Security Studies, as well as Fellow of Integrated Studies at Utah Valley University. He is also a frequent commentator in film documentaries including the HISTORY® Channel three-night event Abraham Lincoln, which was Executive Produced by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin and featured former President Barack Obama among other history scholars. HTDS is non-partisan with Professor Jackson’s only agenda being to make legit, scholarly researched American history more accessible and educational through entertaining stories.
In order for the entire audience to enjoy this unique sold out performance, we highly encourage the audience to arrive and get seated before 8pm (doors are at 7:30pm). The artists have requested we limit any late seating to the first 10 minutes of the show and all other late arrivals will not be seated until the intermission.

Jill Jack's Birthday Bash
2025-01-11 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, 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. Jill extends the tradition of the confessional (i.e. achingly open, unafraid of intimacy) singer-songwriter, and is proud of that style and its continuation. You get all of Jill Jack in a performance—her blend of folk and rock traditions, her open humor. Jill’s generous spirit has benefited plenty of other musicians around the Detroit area, so come and wish her a happy birthday!ji

Steppin In It
2025-01-12 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, 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.”

G. Love & Special Sauce
2025-01-14 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
“I’ve been in the game a long time, but I’ve always considered myself a student,” says G. Love. “Finishing this album with Keb Mo’ felt like graduation.”
Recorded in Nashville with a slew of special guests including Robert Randolph, Marcus King, and Roosevelt Collier, ‘The Juice’ is indeed diploma-worthy. Co-produced and co-written with GRAMMY-winning icon Keb Mo,’ it’s an electrifying collection, one that tips its cap to more than a century of blues greats even as it offers its own distinctly modern pop spin on the genre, mixing programmed beats and hip-hop grooves with blistering guitar and sacred steel. G. Love’s lyrics are both personal and political here, artfully balancing his appreciation for the simple joys in life with his obligation to speak out for justice and equality, and his performances are suitably riotous and rousing to match, with infectious call-and-response hooks and funky sing-along choruses at every turn. Easy as it is to succumb to cynicism these days, the songs on ‘The Juice’ refuse, insisting instead on hope and determination in the face of doubt and despair.
“I’ve always tried to make music that’s a force for positivity,” G. Love explains. “It was important to me that this album be something that could empower the folks who are out there fighting the good fight every day. I wanted to make a rallying cry for empathy and unity.”
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.” G. Love’s magnetic stage presence, meanwhile, made him a fixture on festival lineups from Bonnaroo to Lollapalooza, and his relentless appetite for tour and collaboration landed him on the road and in the studio with artists as diverse as Lucinda Williams, Dave Matthews, The Avett Brothers, Jack Johnson, and DJ Logic.
G. Love is excited to offer the Pre-Show VIP option. G. Love’s Pre-Show Pop Off is an ALL REQUEST storytellers solo acoustic performance by G. Love and a one of a kind merch package. The pre-show pop off also includes early entry, a Q&A and photo opportunity with G. Love, and early access to the merch booth. Your VIP Pre-Show Pop off ticket includes a general admission ticket into the show.
VIP Ticket Includes:

An ALL REQUEST storyteller acoustic performance by G. Love
Q&A session with G. Love
Photo with G. Love
VIP Laminate
Exclusive VIP Poster
Early access to the merch booth

Django Reinhardt Birthday Celebration
2025-01-16 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Join Michigan’s own Djangophonique and Third Coast Swing in celebration of Django Reinhardt’s legacy of music that is still alive and evolving 115 years after he was born.
Djangophonique is an award winning band led by guitar player Andrew Brown. With over a decade of national touring experience, Brown is no stranger to the stage and delivers every performance with personality and enigmatic charm. A true disciple of the style, Brown has spent countless hours immersing himself in the language of Django Reinhardt’s jazz manouche, and he’s joined on stage by bandmates that match his skill and passion for the material. The core group includes Tyler Rindo on clarinet, Nick Martin on rhythm guitar, and Jorian Olk-Szost on upright bass. In 2023, Djangophonique began collaborating with vocalist Katie Smith, whose playful charm and soulful delivery channel the mystery and appeal of an unplaceable era of aching and entrancing nostalgia.
Third Coast Swing has been playing the music of The late Belgium born Romani Gypsy, Django Reinhardt & his band, The Hot Club Of Paris 1930’-1940’s. Think Louis Armstrong with a French accent. Third Coast Swing has changed it up a bit and is currently touring with the Detroit native Dave Bennett, Violinist Grant Flick, Vocalist Ella Jury Jarvis & Pianist Andrew Henley. Ella and our guitarist Kaedin Plummer did a deep dive on early jazz classics by Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Billy Holiday and then arranged these songs to fit Third Coast Swings eclectic style.

Folk Fest Kickoff: Live Since '65
2025-01-17 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
This special show will kick off both the 2025 Ann Arbor Folk Festival and The Ark’s 60th Anniversary year and will feature over a dozen Michigan-based artists each performing renditions of popular songs released in 1965 – the year The Ark was founded. Featured artists include: Al Bettis, Andrew Brown & Katie Smith, Annie & Rod Capps, Chris Buhalis, Chris DuPont & Kylee Phillips, Dani Darling, Joe Reilly, Judy Banker, Ki5, Matt Watroba, Peter Madcat Ruth, The RFD Boys, Rabbitology, Kate Pillsbury, and The Daniels Family Singers: Jeff, Ben, Kathleen & Amanda!

Heywood Banks
2025-01-18 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, 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. You have to be pretty sharp to get Heywood at his deepest level (he demands a high level of pop culture literacy), but you can also enjoy him just for his vocal style impersonations, expert musicianship and just plain silliness. Heywood has appeared on A&E’s Evening at the Improv, MTV’s 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour, CNN’s Hollywood Minute, Caroline’s Comedy Hour, Entertainment Tonight, Showtime Comedy Club Network, and the Dr. Demento Show,” and is a frequent guest on the national Bob and Tom radio show.

48th Ann Arbor Folk Fest
2025-01-24 19:00 - 23:00 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, 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.

48th Ann Arbor Folk Fest
2025-01-25 19:00 - 23:00 | Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, 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.

Taimane & Her Trio
2025-01-28 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The elevator at The Ark is out of service while technicians wait for a part to make repairs. Attendees for this show will need to be able to walk up and down the stairs to the second floor of The Ark where the show takes place.
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.
Come experience Taimane’s talent, grace and passion, and see why Taimane is quickly becoming a global star and cultural beacon.
★ 50+ Million Video Views
★ 500,000 Social Followers
★ 2023 & 2019 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Favorite Entertainer of the Year
★ 2023 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Instrumental Album and Instrumental Composition of the Year
The Ark’s Artist Spotlight Series is made possible with support from Ford Philanthropy. It is presented live, and also livestreamed on The Ark’s Facebook page.
Tonight’s show is FREE (nonperishables accepted for Food Gatherers).
Tune into the livestream on The Ark’s Youtube page.

Guster
2025-01-29 20:00 - 23:00 | The Majestic Theatre, 4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan, 48201, 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. A major leap forward for lead vocalist Ryan Miller, guitarist Adam Gardner, drummer Brian Rosenworcel, and multi-instrumentalist Luke Reynolds, Ooh La La ultimately matches that wide-eyed spirit with a newly heightened sense of confidence, conviction, and commitment to the raw sincerity that’s made them so beloved.

Thornetta Davis
2025-01-29 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The elevator at The Ark is out of service while technicians wait for a part to make repairs. Attendees for this show will need to be able to walk up and down the stairs to the second floor of The Ark where the show takes place.
International singer, songwriter and Independent recording artist, was awarded by the Detroit Blues Society “Living Lifetime Achievement Award” and awarded a star on the Canada South Blues Museum “Walk of Fame”. In 2015 Thornetta was crowned “Detroit’s Queen of the Blues” in a ceremony by the Detroit Blues Society, with proclamations from the City of Detroit, County of Wayne and the State of Michigan. She has performed with and opened for Bob Seger, Blues Legends such as B.B. King, Sir Mac Rice, Ray Charles, Etta James, KoKo Taylor, Johnny Johnson, Bonnie Raitt and more.
Thornetta is a ten time Blues Music Award Nominee including 2024 for best Soul/Blues Artist female and the Winner of the 2023 Blues Music Awards for Best Soul/Blues Artist Female. Thornetta is also winner of over 30 Detroit Music Awards. As winner of the 2017 Blues Blast Magazine Music Awards for “Best Soul/Blues Album, Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine “Coolest Blues Song” Thornetta garnered international attention by winning 1st place in the INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION (ISC) for “Best Blues Song” (I Believe Everything is Gonna Be Alright) and also receiving the prestigious French 2018 La Academie du Jazz Award for “Best Blues Album” for Honest Woman.

Jax Hollow
2025-01-30 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Jax Hollow is an untamable force of nature. Hailing from Nashville by way of Western Massachusetts, The Berklee College Of Music graduate is bringing a much needed revival to rock with her fresh innocence and serious talent. Jax’s sound is a unique blend of Classic Rock, Blues, and Americana, combined with songwriting, riffs, ripping solos, and powerful vocals. Her debut record, “Underdog Anthems” was produced and engineered by music legend Michael Wagener (over 100 million records sold). She was the last artist to work with him before his retirement in 2022.
Her 2023 record “Only The Wild Ones”, was championed by Sound Emporium CEO, Juanita Copeland, and recorded with some of Nashville’s finest studio musicians. Jax Hollow has a full page feature in Guitar World Magazine August 2023 edition, as well as an album review in Rolling Stone France.
She opened for Melissa Etheridge at the famous Ryman Auditorium as a solo act, receiving a standing ovation- and praise from Etheridge herself telling the crowd; “I want to be known as the one who discovered Jax Hollow!”

Jax has been the featured artist on Lightning 100’s “Artist of the Week”, as well as major Spotify playlists including Modern Blues Rock, and multiple features on Joe Bonamassa’s playlists. Opening for Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy) on her 2022 European tour, she’s now heading her own full band 2023 European tour this November.

Yasmin Williams
2025-01-31 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Based in Alexandria, VA, Yasmin Williams is an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and film composer. She has an unorthodox, modern style of guitar playing and utilizes various techniques including alternate tunings, percussive hits, and lap tapping in her music to great effect. Her “radiant sound and adventitious origins have made her a key figure in a diverse dawn for the solo guitar” (The New York Times). Williams’s music has been described as rich, harmonious, and “in a lot of ways, the joy and possibility she brings to the guitar reminds me more of Eddie Van Halen than any of the other fingerstyle guitarists to whom she’s compared” (NPR Music).
Her latest album, Urban Driftwood, has received critical acclaim from numerous major publications including The New York Times, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, NPR Music, The Fader, Wallstreet Journal, AllMusic, Paste Magazine, No Depression, and several other outlets. She was listed as one of the “25 New and Rising Artists Shaping the Future of Music in 2023” by Pitchfork. Most recently, Williams signed to Nonesuch Records and released a new single, titled Dawning, featuring Aoife O’Donovan on vocals, Kafari on rhythm bones, and Nic Gareiss on flat foot percussion.
Ypsilanti’s Brawny Lad opens the show.
This show was rescheduled from October 26, 2024. Previously purchased tickets will be honored.

Mindy Smith
2025-02-01 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Good things, it’s often said, come to those who wait. And yet, as one of the great poets of our time also famously observed, the waiting is the hardest part. Both truths have been proven once again on the journey to singer-songwriter Mindy Smith’s sixth studio album, Quiet Town, which brings a treasured musical voice back into the spotlight.
A good rule of thumb when going to a Mindy Smith concert, bring a hanky, a tissue or an extra sleeve. Your tear ducts don’t know the difference between laughing tears and crying tears and you’ll likely be doing both. “Humor is how I compensate for singing so many sad tunes back-to-back,” says Smith.
Mindy Smith is a Long Island-born, Americana award – winning, Nashville based singer-songwriter with a clear and honest passion for Americana, jazz, pop, rock, blues, and folk. As a recording artist, she has sold over 750k albums and singles and amassed over 175 million streams to date.
Her original songs have been recorded and released by the likes of Alison Krauss, Lee Ann Womack, Faith Hill and most recently Danny Burns ft Sam Bush. Most recently, Smith was the featured vocalist on Kenny Chesney’s charting single, “Better Boat”. Says Chesney, “if you just close your eyes and listen to her voice — I’m speaking for me –she brings calm, she brings a sense that it’s all going to be all right”
Fans can look forward to hearing new songs from Quiet Town as well as beloved tracks from her previous albums during her live performances.

Peter Mulvey
2025-02-02 19:30 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Peter Mulvey has been a songwriter, road-dog, raconteur, and almost-poet since before he can remember. In 1989 he spent a year in Ireland, busking on the streets of Dublin and hitchhiking to whatever gigs he could find. Back stateside, he spent a couple years gigging through the bars of his native Midwest before taking off for Boston, where he returned to subway busking and coffeehouses. Small shows led to larger shows, which eventually led to regional and then national touring. The wheels have not stopped since.
Twenty albums, one illustrated book, thousands of live performances, a TEDx talk, a decades-long association with the National Youth Science Camp, opening tours and gigs for luminaries such as Ani DiFranco, Greg Brown, Emmylou Harris and Chuck Prophet, appearances on NPR, an annual autumn tour by bicycle, emceeing festivals, hosting his own Lamplighter Sessions for years in Boston and in Wisconsin… he has built his life’s work on collaboration, on an instinct for the eclectic and the vital.

Mike Dawes
2025-02-03 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Mike Dawes is an English guitarist known for composing, arranging, and performing multiple parts simultaneously on a single guitar. He is regarded as one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle guitarists, with a repertoire spanning original viral videos and popular arrangements, alongside mainstream chart success performing with Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues.
Dawes was named ‘Best Acoustic Guitarist in the World’ two years in a row (2017 & 2018) by Total Guitar Magazine & MusicRadar reader polls, with numerous 2nd place rankings in the preceding years.
His reputation has invited him opportunities to collaborate with GRAMMY Award-winning artists such as Tommy Emmanuel, with whom he recorded the duet record ‘Accomplice Vol. 3,’ and the GRAMMY-nominated metal band Periphery, with whom Mike joined on their 2024 double single release.
Dawes also has a strong reputation as an educator, acting as a columnist for Guitar World and Acoustic Guitar magazines, as well as teaching guitar masterclasses all over the world, creating apps, publishing degree-level literature, appearing as a TV judge on SKY TV’s ‘Guitar Star,’ and more.
Mike’s passion, however, is performing. He has shared the stage with acts as diverse as Tommy Emmanuel, Christopher Cross, Periphery, The Aristocrats, Justin Hayward, and the Athens State Orchestra in 2023 alone.

Crys Matthews
2025-02-06 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
Already being hailed as “the next Woody Guthrie,” Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers. A powerful lyricist whose songs of compassionate dissent reflect her lived experience as what she lightheartedly calls “the poster-child for intersectionality,” Justin Hiltner of Bluegrass Situation called Matthews’s gift “a reminder of what beauty can occur when we bridge those divides.” She is made for these times and, with the release of her new, hope-fueled, love-filled social justice album Changemakers, Matthews hopes to take her place alongside some of her heroes in the world of social-justice music like Sweet Honey in the Rock and Holly Near. Of Matthews, ASCAP VP & Creative Director Eric Philbrook says, “By wrapping honest emotions around her socially conscious messages and dynamically delivering them with a warm heart and a strong voice, she lifts our spirits just when we need it most in these troubled times.

Blind Pilot
2025-02-07 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The elevator at The Ark is out of service while technicians make repairs. Attendees for this show will need to be able to walk up and down the stairs to the second floor of The Ark where the show takes place.
The first Blind Pilot album in eight years, In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain emerged from a period of artistic crisis and the radical transformation of their creative ecosystem. “I went through a few years where I wasn’t able to write—I tried therapy, I read books on writer’s block, I went on writing trips, but nothing was helping,” says Israel Nebeker, frontman for the Oregon-bred band. After stepping back and reimagining his songwriting approach, Nebeker challenged himself to write an entire album in a month, then brought those songs to his bandmates with a newfound sense of receptivity. “I told myself that whatever songs came through in that month would be for the love of the band and music we make together,” says Nebeker. “Instead of being controlling in the studio, I wanted to let the songs live and breathe with the band as an entity. By the time we finished, it was the most joy we’d ever had in making an album together.”
Produced by Josh Kaufman (The Hold Steady, David Wax Museum), In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain brings a potent new energy to the elegantly composed folk/indie-rock of past LPs like 2016’s And Then Like Lions. In a profound step forward for the band—whose lineup also includes drummer/co-founder Ryan Dobrowski, bassist Luke Ydstie, and multi-instrumentalist Kati Claborn—Blind Pilot’s fourth full-length unfolds with an exquisite fluidity, fully harnessing the undeniable chemistry. “In the past we’ve always been very serious and intentional about the process, but Josh often encouraged us to throw away our preconceived notions of what the songs were supposed to be,” says Nebeker. “So much of the album came from all of us playing live together, listening to each other and trusting our instincts, and really getting to the core of the song,” Dobrowski adds. The result: the most revelatory expression yet of Blind Pilot’s palpable reverence for music as a connective force.
While Blind Pilot intends to tour principally as a quartet in support of the record, the album includes contributions from longtime trumpeter/keyboardist Dave Jorgensen and vibraphonist Ian Krist. In bringing the album to life, the band worked with a rich palette of instrumentation, handling each track with equal parts extraordinary care and unbridled spontaneity. For both Dobrowski and Nebeker—who formed an early iteration of the band as college students in the mid-aughts—those moments of ineffably closeness serve as the lifeblood of Blind Pilot. “For me making this album felt like celebrating being together and still feeling that deep connection that’s been a throughline for our entire adult lives,” Dobrowski says. “One of my very favorite things about music is the way it not only connects us as bandmates, but allows us to connect to an audience—and then within that audience, people end up connecting with each other. It’s this powerful thing that’s unlike anything else, and in a way it’s kind of like magic.”
VIP ticket includes:
One (1) General Admission ticket
Invitation to pre-show experience, including:
– Private acoustic performance
– Group photo with the band
Exclusive VIP merch bundle, including:
– Signed poster
– Commemorative VIP tote bag
– Custom journal
– VIP tour laminate
Merchandise shopping prior to doors opening to the public
Early entry into the venue

Appalachian Road Show
2025-02-08 20:00 - 23:00 | The Ark, 316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States
The elevator at The Ark is out of service while technicians make repairs. Attendees for this show will need to be able to walk up and down the stairs to the second floor of The Ark where the show takes place.
Appalachian Road Show is a visionary acoustic ensemble, bringing new-generation interpretations of traditional Americana, bluegrass and folk songs, as well as offering innovative original music, all presented with a common thread tied directly to the heart of the Appalachian regions of the United States. Grammy-nominated banjoist Barry Abernathy joins forces with Grammy-winning fiddler Jim VanCleve, fresh off of his recent stint touring with multi-platinum country artist Josh Turner, as well as esteemed vocalist and mandolinist Darrell Webb, who has recorded and toured with Dolly Parton and Rhonda Vincent, among many others. The group also includes 26-year-old “old soul” guitarist Zeb Snyder, whose fierce and versatile playing recalls Doc Watson and Norman Blake as readily as it does Duane Allman and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
